January 24, 1494
The Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew was packed with prayers, nearly one month ago, during the Christmas celebrations and outside the cold was freezing. Original working project, made by Leon Battista Alberti who died before their beginnings, have been conducted by Luca Facelli until present days, when the stucture of the building has been finished, simultaneously with the watch tower in front of the Ragione Palace, a masterpiece of technology which counts for moon days and planetary movements too, being one of the most important prides of contemporary Mantua.
Saint Andrew Cathedral (Copyright: Giorgio Donini)
The sermon made in that pulpit by the Bishop Federico Baiamonti, a fat seventy-four years old man that, in spite of its title, maintains a peculiar combative impetus. We report here a small abstract about what we can recall from our memory:
“Bad times are coming for Mantua and Italy as a whole. Immorality has become a normal way of conduct, as vanity and dissoluteness seem to represent the main features of present-day despots. Time is coming when everyone has to choice between the adoration of God’s Holy Church or the infelicity of human senses!”
Even if the bishop was extravagant and vague in his discussion, a far-sighted man could understand the real cause of the attack against the Marquis, probably the tax reform held during past years, which particularly hits the revenues of countryside monasteries and lords
(in truth Sir Bozzalino told us during last Marquisal Council that State revenues have grown up by 30% in 1493, and that more money will come from trading activities in Genoa centre of trade after the signing of a trading agreement with them). The remaining part of the sermon was so violent against the establishment that made a deep impression on the masses. The last days of 1493 were gloomy: bands of peoplemen, excited by bishop’s words, assaulted some illustrious citizens, guilty of excessive vanity and scarce faith, according their zealous moralism
(obscurantism wave, +3 revolt rate for 12 months).
In one thing the bishop didn’t fail during his sermon: when he predicted bad times for Italy. French troops, commanded by Charles VIII, besieged and finally conquered Modena in October 2nd, 1493, despite the brave resistance of Ercole I d’Este, brother of our graceful Marchioness Isabella, and his people. On the first day the King unleashed his 20.000 soldiers for sacking the city. The day after, as reported by some relatives of the Marchioness that managed to escape from that hell on the Earth, under an incessant rain, the King of France, fully armoured, rode into Modena, where he received pledge of allegiance by Ercole I, who accepted the
vassalisation of Modena and a tribute of 23 ducats. After the conquest of Emilia, Charles VIII moved toward Liguria, where he won some open field battles against Genoan troops, but was finally forced to retreat soon after the beginning of the city, leaving to the Papal troops the sacking of Tuscany.
Finally, today another event can make further complicated diplomatic situation in Italy and likely the ruins predicted by the bishop on that Christmas night sermon. Ferrante I of Naples has departed this life without the consolation of being able to find a good successor in this turbulent years, other than the coward Alfonso II.