Looking carefully at the notes for both these recent secondary sources that I've been using on Dominican friar Savonarola, I wanted a more direct comparison. To be fair, Martines' narrative carries with it an interior aspect, telling the story in a way that nearly mimics what must have been their rather feverish times. On the other hand, Weinstein delivers a different viewpoint that seems more externally driven, bringing forth details of the scene to show additional contexts. One is not better than the other, though I have included fewer notes and sources here from Martines' book than I have from Weinstein's. Martines leaves the last half of the book to detail the political and the lead up to Savonarola's last eighteen months. Weinstein spends more time with the friar's early life and discussing Humanism and education in Savonarola's world. But both authors have done all the work here. These following bits are just a mere index meant to help me later track down parts of primary source materials.
Martines notes:
November 7, 1496 papal brief on Dominican reorganization p 138
January-February 1497 Francesco Valori elected Gonfalonier of Justice p 152-3, [Cerretani- Parenti]; 158, pp 167-8 [Schnitzer I, Parenti, Cordero III]
February famine and riots, p 178, [Parenti, Cordero IV]
March-April 1497: Bernardo del Nero elected Gonfalonier of Justice, pp 175-81
March 17: Piero at gates? p 177 (Fachard 2002); [Cappelli]
April attacks: (Fachard 2002); [Cerretani]
Hostages taken, on counsel from Valori {Guicciardini}, [Parenti]
June 1497 Savonarola sends out letter to supporters p 138-9 [Sav]
summer 1497 Francesco Altoviti diatribe v Sav. p 162-5 [Altoviti]
July 23, 1497 priest at Santa Maria Maggiore arrested for calling Savonarolans 'sodomites' p. 119 [Luca Landucci]
August arguments: pp 188-200; Giovanni Cambi
notes and pagination from Martines, Lauro: Fire In The City: Savonarola and the struggle for the soul of Renaissance Florence ; Oxford University Press, New York, 2006
____________________________________________
Weinstein notes: [Sav = Savonarola, HoF= Guicciardini's History of Florence]
All Saint's Days sermons: pp. 204-8; [Sav. Ruth & Micah]
November 7, 1496 papal breve, 208-10; [Villari, on text; Gherardi, de Maio, reception]
November 30 sermon: p. 211 [Sav. Ezechiel I]
December 13 sermon, pp 212-14: [Sav. Ezechiel I], [Nardi, reaction]
Francesco Valori: pp 214-6: [Polizzotto y Kovesi, House of Valori, 2007], [Parenti, Guicciardini, Ridolfi, Cadoni]
Jan-Feb 1497: Carneval: [Parenti, Macey "Bonfire Songs" pp 216-19
news of truce between France and League 25Feb97: pp 219-21 [Parenti, Landucci, Gherardi]
March-April: pro-Medicean Bernardo del Nero elected Gonfalonier of Justice: p220-2
Suor Maddalena squelched by Sav intervening: pp 221-2: [Parenti, Storia II, 89-92; Landucci, Diario, 146; I processi, 26]
Piero de Medici tries to attack, slinks away: pp 222-3: Valori insists hostages be taken [Cerretani, Storia fiorentina 234-5;]
Piero at the wall: [Landucci, Diario, 147]; leaves for Siena, [Parenti, Storia II, 89-100; Guicciardini, History of Florence, chap 15]
May-June: anti-Medicean Alberti elected Gonfalonier of Justice: pp 223-
Ascension Day tumult and sermon: pp 224-5 [Villari, Sav. Ezeckiel II, Landucci, Parenti, Pseudo-Burlamacchi]
Savonarola writes a letter: [Lettere e scritti apologetici 256-64; Parenti, Storia II, 101-6]
May 12, 1497 election reform bill, broadened the great council again, [Parenti, Cadoni, Lotte politiche 54-5]
bills reception: [Guicciardini HoF, 129; letter to Filippo Strozzi in Villari, La storia II, 25 n. 1; Landucci Diario, 149]
excommunication postponed: pp 227-9; [Landucci, 150-2]
June 18, 1497: excommunication breve read: pp 229-330; [Gherardi, 165-6, 168-9; Parenti 109]
Sav responds: pp 226-7; Lettere e scritti apologetici 271-6; Lettere 277-82;
city broods: pp 230-2; Parenti 109-13; urges Dominicans stay indoors for St John fest: [Nardi, Istorie I, 112; on Altoviti crit, Schnitzer Savonarola I ch 22; also Munich, 1903] [Angelo de Vallambroso, Lettere 84-92; Gherardi, 166-174];
Becchi and Bracchi letters to Ten: Gherardi, Nuovo documenti 169-74]
Condolences sent to Pope on death of Juan de Gandia; [Sav. Lettere e scritti apologetici 101-2; more letters to others 152-71]
Savonarola turned to write books: pp 234-40
plague strikes: pp 236-8 [Parenti, Storia II, 113; Landucci 152-5; Sav. Lettere e scritti apologetici 165-71, 175-99]
August: Lamberta dell-Antella captured: pp 241-3[Villari, La Storia II, iii-xxv; Parenti, Storia II, 119, 121-2, 127, 133-4; Guicciardini, HoF 132]
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from Donald Weinstein: Savonarola: the rise and fall of a renaissance prophet , Yale University Press, New Haven, 2011
Friday, January 27, 2017
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Orsini Overwhelm Papal Forces : January 24, 1497
There was a battle between forces of Pope Alexander VI and those representing the Orsini family. The pope had even recalled his own son Juan Borgia to Rome from Spain to be blessed and sent out, along with Guidalbo Montefeltro the Duke of Urbino, in order to push back the Orsini from their own properties held, north of Rome, near Lake Bracciano. Johann Burchard makes easy work of the battle itself leaving no doubt of the score.
The family, despite having many lines reaching back and forth in time had made themselves useful across Italy, again and again, over centuries. For the previous while, Virginio the head of the leading branch had been in service to the King of Naples and was appointed to be constable of Naples. But when the French invaded in 1494, Virginio had deserted his post in Naples and gave up his own castle in Bracciano north of Rome to the French sovereign. The year after, he got himself captured along with other French hostages and was held in captivity back in Naples, until he died, January 8.
The family had long sought to expand its influence in Rome, all the while battling the local Colonna family, marrying into other prominent families, and sending its youth to far-off places to soldier, negotiate, or serve the church. Following all the leads of all the lines of this effective, far-reaching and prolific family could be a lifelong research project for someone. Their name certainly did ring out. Its offshoots and sidelines come up so often in the histories of the period, an interesting cross-section of professions in the age might be produced from such a catalogue of names. Much more could be found here.
__________________________________________
p. 135: Johann Burchard: At The Court of the Borgia translated for english, with introduction by Geoffrey Parker, The Folio Society, Ltd, 1963
"On Tuesday, January 24th, a battle was fought near Bassano and the fortress of Soriano between the papal troops and those of the Orsini, and in the engagement, the former were heavily defeated in great dishonour. The Duke of Urbino was captured, some five hundred of our troops were killed and many more wounded, whilst the Orsini captured all our artillery and completely scattered our forces."A mere sixteen days after Gentile Virginio Orsinio the patriarch and leader of the Orsini clan had died, armed forces were arrayed and the surprising accounts from the battlefield once again sent out. Burchard says new negotiations 'were begun' and a new agreement between the pope and these antagonists drawn up and agreed to by February 5th. These antagonists were forces marshalled by the famed and 'ancient' Orsini clan of Italy. The conflict was one of self-interest and politics, as well as lands, inherited estates and the neighboring papal territories. They had done many favors and received many rich gifts and favors from many popes and princes and republics.
The family, despite having many lines reaching back and forth in time had made themselves useful across Italy, again and again, over centuries. For the previous while, Virginio the head of the leading branch had been in service to the King of Naples and was appointed to be constable of Naples. But when the French invaded in 1494, Virginio had deserted his post in Naples and gave up his own castle in Bracciano north of Rome to the French sovereign. The year after, he got himself captured along with other French hostages and was held in captivity back in Naples, until he died, January 8.
The family had long sought to expand its influence in Rome, all the while battling the local Colonna family, marrying into other prominent families, and sending its youth to far-off places to soldier, negotiate, or serve the church. Following all the leads of all the lines of this effective, far-reaching and prolific family could be a lifelong research project for someone. Their name certainly did ring out. Its offshoots and sidelines come up so often in the histories of the period, an interesting cross-section of professions in the age might be produced from such a catalogue of names. Much more could be found here.
__________________________________________
p. 135: Johann Burchard: At The Court of the Borgia translated for english, with introduction by Geoffrey Parker, The Folio Society, Ltd, 1963
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Al-Hasan Captured by Pirates, Kept in Rome: 1518-9
It was only recently I had the chance to get a copy and begin to read Natalie Zemon Davis' biography of the man who the west remembers as Leo Africanus. Pope Leo X had brought Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Wazzan into papal protection in the Vatican, eventually, after he was delivered to Rome having been captured by Christian pirates during the summer of 1518. But this man was no mere castaway Moor coughed up by pirates for absolution of sins. As Davis explains, al-Wazzan had been returning from his second diplomatic mission to Cairo, sent over a year before for the pleasure of the Sultan Muhammad al-Burtughali in Fez.
The pirate who found him (we're not sure how or where) was named Don Pedro de Cabrera y Bobadilla. He also happened to be the brother of the bishop of Salamanca, who lived at Rome at the time, and thus, could deliver this man to the current pope. It was common for pirates of whatever nobility in those days to bring captured and kidnapped notables to the ports which would provide the best exchange. It is an interesting question, (though the specifics less known and little discussed) why this diplomat could fetch the best price in Rome of all places. But so it occurred.
By the fall of that same year, the reputation of this diplomat, as it was initially (and mostly mistakenly) reported all over Italy, was said to be representing a number of different far off places. He was also still being held in the Castell San'Angelo in Rome. This much at least (and much else, to be fair) Marin Sanudo in Venice could learn about this diplomat, if not exactly where he was from. While it seems that the officials in Rome tasked with dealing with these matters really had little by way of context to understand who this guy was, still, it was reasonably surmised he was some kind of ambassador: an orator, as Italians called them then.
Al-Wazzan may have been busy that fall rebuilding his repute in such a foreign world as the tunnels under the Castell San' Angelo certainly were for him, lying under the ancient city of Rome. Even so, this was a place that held errant clerics, as well as sometimes noted artists like Benvenuto Cellini. A wealthy banker who had fallen into bad repute that November was also brought to the tunnels. It must have seemed a very strange world to al-Wazzan, but some things remained the same. Rapidly, even among this sort of company, al-Wazzan would ascend.
Within a month of his arrival, with his own bags confiscated, he was given Arabic texts to read, and in time, even allowed to autograph them as having been read by his own eyes. The librarian at the Vatican then, the Dominican Zenobi Acciaiuoli was naturally "interested in the prophetic renewal of Christianity" - meaning, in those days, the subjugation of Islam - and thus could find much to learn from this very literate and well-spoken Moor. It turns out, he had a lot of experience. Yes, he had met with, and even bathed with the Ottoman Sultan Selim in Cairo after his conquests there. But there were so many stories, and the whole place at the Castella was mostly run by Christian clergymen. There was the jailer Giuliano Tornabuoni, bishop of Saluzzo, who Davis tells, could even confide to him how many cardinals, for instance, had been imprisoned there, literally, beneath Rome, just in the previous year.
There were the three clergymen later, in 1519, who Ms Davis asserts al-Wazzan had to impress before getting to the favors that the pope could confer on him. One was the master of ceremonies Paride Grassi, who Davis also draws much information from on al-Wazzan's time in Rome, as she documents much else in concurrent news with Sanudo's Diarii. Even the footnotes Davis provides are rich and far-flung, yet also, pointedly specific.
As example, she points out an additional 'et' in the manuscript of Grassi's Diarium detailing these doings, found in MS E53, vol 2 in the Special Collections of the Spencer Research Libraray at the University of Kansas [in n.21, p 296], which the Vatican manuscript does not have. This is what leads her to the assertion that Grassi himself had a leading hand in determining al-Wazzan's connection, and then consequent protection by Pope Leo X.
There was also Gabriel Fosco, archbishop of Durazzo, who had just returned from a trip to Spain in order to raise funds for a crusade against the Turks. However many there were, so important seemed this orator, these men were tasked with chatechizing and observing al-Wazzan during his imprisonment in Rome, until such time he could be baptized in the Christian faith. This did take time and was sure to conjure images and memories for al-Wazzan from his childhood. He and his family had left Granada in the years when war circled around that city leading up to its eventual conquest by the Spanish crown. His family was one of many that did not want to live under the rule of the Christian monarchs there, and so had left for Fez. And that is a different story.
There are several stories regarding al-Hasan. He had several patrons and godfathers while in Rome. They had friends and acquaintances who certainly may have found him intriguing. He would spend some time in Rome with several of them, and even in some of their households doing transcription and translation work. He would go on to become acquainted with ambassadors who knew the kings and rulers of Europe. In addition to being baptized during the celebration of Epiphany in Rome, January 1520, al-Hasan would begin a new kind of life there, surrounded by clergy, humanists, philosophers and diplomats in the midst of the Italian Renaissance.
_______________________________________________
from pp. 54-65 in Davis, Natalie Zemon: Trickster Travels: A Sixteenth Century Muslim Between Worlds, Hill and Wang, A Division of Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, NY, 2006
The pirate who found him (we're not sure how or where) was named Don Pedro de Cabrera y Bobadilla. He also happened to be the brother of the bishop of Salamanca, who lived at Rome at the time, and thus, could deliver this man to the current pope. It was common for pirates of whatever nobility in those days to bring captured and kidnapped notables to the ports which would provide the best exchange. It is an interesting question, (though the specifics less known and little discussed) why this diplomat could fetch the best price in Rome of all places. But so it occurred.
By the fall of that same year, the reputation of this diplomat, as it was initially (and mostly mistakenly) reported all over Italy, was said to be representing a number of different far off places. He was also still being held in the Castell San'Angelo in Rome. This much at least (and much else, to be fair) Marin Sanudo in Venice could learn about this diplomat, if not exactly where he was from. While it seems that the officials in Rome tasked with dealing with these matters really had little by way of context to understand who this guy was, still, it was reasonably surmised he was some kind of ambassador: an orator, as Italians called them then.
Al-Wazzan may have been busy that fall rebuilding his repute in such a foreign world as the tunnels under the Castell San' Angelo certainly were for him, lying under the ancient city of Rome. Even so, this was a place that held errant clerics, as well as sometimes noted artists like Benvenuto Cellini. A wealthy banker who had fallen into bad repute that November was also brought to the tunnels. It must have seemed a very strange world to al-Wazzan, but some things remained the same. Rapidly, even among this sort of company, al-Wazzan would ascend.
Within a month of his arrival, with his own bags confiscated, he was given Arabic texts to read, and in time, even allowed to autograph them as having been read by his own eyes. The librarian at the Vatican then, the Dominican Zenobi Acciaiuoli was naturally "interested in the prophetic renewal of Christianity" - meaning, in those days, the subjugation of Islam - and thus could find much to learn from this very literate and well-spoken Moor. It turns out, he had a lot of experience. Yes, he had met with, and even bathed with the Ottoman Sultan Selim in Cairo after his conquests there. But there were so many stories, and the whole place at the Castella was mostly run by Christian clergymen. There was the jailer Giuliano Tornabuoni, bishop of Saluzzo, who Davis tells, could even confide to him how many cardinals, for instance, had been imprisoned there, literally, beneath Rome, just in the previous year.
There were the three clergymen later, in 1519, who Ms Davis asserts al-Wazzan had to impress before getting to the favors that the pope could confer on him. One was the master of ceremonies Paride Grassi, who Davis also draws much information from on al-Wazzan's time in Rome, as she documents much else in concurrent news with Sanudo's Diarii. Even the footnotes Davis provides are rich and far-flung, yet also, pointedly specific.
As example, she points out an additional 'et' in the manuscript of Grassi's Diarium detailing these doings, found in MS E53, vol 2 in the Special Collections of the Spencer Research Libraray at the University of Kansas [in n.21, p 296], which the Vatican manuscript does not have. This is what leads her to the assertion that Grassi himself had a leading hand in determining al-Wazzan's connection, and then consequent protection by Pope Leo X.
There was also Gabriel Fosco, archbishop of Durazzo, who had just returned from a trip to Spain in order to raise funds for a crusade against the Turks. However many there were, so important seemed this orator, these men were tasked with chatechizing and observing al-Wazzan during his imprisonment in Rome, until such time he could be baptized in the Christian faith. This did take time and was sure to conjure images and memories for al-Wazzan from his childhood. He and his family had left Granada in the years when war circled around that city leading up to its eventual conquest by the Spanish crown. His family was one of many that did not want to live under the rule of the Christian monarchs there, and so had left for Fez. And that is a different story.
There are several stories regarding al-Hasan. He had several patrons and godfathers while in Rome. They had friends and acquaintances who certainly may have found him intriguing. He would spend some time in Rome with several of them, and even in some of their households doing transcription and translation work. He would go on to become acquainted with ambassadors who knew the kings and rulers of Europe. In addition to being baptized during the celebration of Epiphany in Rome, January 1520, al-Hasan would begin a new kind of life there, surrounded by clergy, humanists, philosophers and diplomats in the midst of the Italian Renaissance.
_______________________________________________
from pp. 54-65 in Davis, Natalie Zemon: Trickster Travels: A Sixteenth Century Muslim Between Worlds, Hill and Wang, A Division of Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, NY, 2006
the news mid January 2017
By tomorrow, Donald J Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States. Nobody seems ready for it. The 44th President Barack H Obama, had his last meeting with the press yesterday in an old tradition that seemed sweet and endearing in contrast to most of the news the last few months.You can watch it here, courtesy of youtube and the PBS News Hour.
This is how it has been. The press still remains that chief non-governmental actor in western society that can hold governmental actors accountable to what they promise to do. Or the press can at least try. There have been many instances in the last few months where even these basic traditional actions or attributes of the press seem in question. Or perhaps they are merely disregarded by the whims of Mr Trump, or even supplanted by the misinformation that he is occasionally informed with. A recent example of this was where Trump got into an argument with all of the US Intelligence Offices. And denied any wrong-doing on his part. And this shows the mood in the country about it.
So, Donald Trump is having problems with the media, and the CIA and the other US Intelligence Agencies. I won't mention the problem with the FBI since the election is over. But maybe also he's having problems with the Russians. It's hard to tell at this time. And he's provoked China unnecessarily. Irony and irons in the fire seem to be all over the place.
Also, just as central to Mr Trump's legitimacy is his unwillingness to resolve his business conflicts of interest. He seems to owe billions to sovereign nations, contractors and individuals all over the world. The US Government's Office of Government Ethics has made it clear that Trump's announced plans to divest and place his assets in a 'blind trust' with his sons is woefully inadequate. Unfortunately there are partisan members of Congress who are doing their best to get that same office to complete reviews of Trump's picks for his cabinet done in a brief matter of days. Or, to stop talking about the longstanding rules.
____________________________________________
Last year was hottest on record. Third year in a row, but last year was another el Niño. Scientists expect averages to not exceed last year's highpoints this coming year. But we're still in a warming trend.
Regular meetings with the press is a practice that goes back many decades here. This is generally understood as an opportunity for the executive branch of government to remain open and to answer questions from the 'Fourth Estate' - that last bastion of critical and public scrutiny: the adversarial press. This basic scrutiny (still demanded by citizens at large), still remains necessary if only for the country to be able to cultivate an informed democracy.Watch President Obama's final news conference https://t.co/ZpL5xly1ym via @YouTube— neditsimple (@neditssimple) January 19, 2017
This is how it has been. The press still remains that chief non-governmental actor in western society that can hold governmental actors accountable to what they promise to do. Or the press can at least try. There have been many instances in the last few months where even these basic traditional actions or attributes of the press seem in question. Or perhaps they are merely disregarded by the whims of Mr Trump, or even supplanted by the misinformation that he is occasionally informed with. A recent example of this was where Trump got into an argument with all of the US Intelligence Offices. And denied any wrong-doing on his part. And this shows the mood in the country about it.
This is Donald Trump's most hated headline. From, of course, the failing New York Times. Do not retweet. He hates it. #IllegitimatePresident pic.twitter.com/nfvNIkGoTZ— ImpeachTrump (@dumptrump33) January 14, 2017
So, Donald Trump is having problems with the media, and the CIA and the other US Intelligence Agencies. I won't mention the problem with the FBI since the election is over. But maybe also he's having problems with the Russians. It's hard to tell at this time. And he's provoked China unnecessarily. Irony and irons in the fire seem to be all over the place.
"The Kremlin doesn't collect kompromat." https://t.co/gYiNCrdOfq— Elliott Lusztig (@ezlusztig) January 12, 2017
Also, just as central to Mr Trump's legitimacy is his unwillingness to resolve his business conflicts of interest. He seems to owe billions to sovereign nations, contractors and individuals all over the world. The US Government's Office of Government Ethics has made it clear that Trump's announced plans to divest and place his assets in a 'blind trust' with his sons is woefully inadequate. Unfortunately there are partisan members of Congress who are doing their best to get that same office to complete reviews of Trump's picks for his cabinet done in a brief matter of days. Or, to stop talking about the longstanding rules.
The last few weeks have seen a rush in Congress of hearings for Trump's picks to fill his cabinet, for all positions that require Congressional approval. Only one or two have very wide appeal.On Thursday, Office of Government Ethics official critical of Trump was now threatened by a House Republican leader.https://t.co/dnkw2bcqUX— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) January 13, 2017
Opinion | Just when you thought the Trump ethics disaster couldn’t get worse, it did https://t.co/ZxLh9ZS7gr— neditsimple (@neditssimple) January 18, 2017
____________________________________________
Last year was hottest on record. Third year in a row, but last year was another el Niño. Scientists expect averages to not exceed last year's highpoints this coming year. But we're still in a warming trend.
JUST IN: U.S. scientists officially declare 2016 the hottest year on record. That makes three in a row. https://t.co/0ZiFam8zGy— Ed O'Keefe (@edatpost) January 18, 2017
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