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More Florence history: birthday of Savonarola, opponent of the Medicis

Posted by (northern CA) on

September 21st is the birthday of Girolamo Savonarola (born in Ferrara, 1452). When he was 22, he left off studying medicine to join an order of Dominican monks, and he developed a reputation for his prophetic preaching. He settled in Florence in 1490, where he became the scourge of the Medici family, who were then in power. Savonarola's speeches against tyranny made him popular with the people, and the rule of the Medicis came to an end not long after the death of their leader, Lorenzo. Savonarola soon filled the void, setting up a republic and continuing to preach against the corruption of the Catholic Church.

As the head of the Church, the notoriously corrupt Pope Alexander VI was displeased by Savonarola's influence. Alexander tried first to trap him by luring him to Rome, but Savonarola saw through the scheme and refused, claiming illness. The pontiff threatened him with excommunication, and then tempted him with a Cardinalship, to which the reformer replied, "A red hat? I want a hat of blood." Eventually, he got his wish: in 1498, he was arrested, tortured, and executed by hanging and then burning. His ashes were scattered in the Arno River.

See the Britannica summary here:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Girolamo-Savonarola

What are your favorite spots in the city for related statues/buildings/etc.?

Posted by
318 posts

I am a Dan Brown "Inferno" fan, so was excited to do the Secret Passageway tour of the Palazzo Vecchio and see the magnificent Salon de Cinquecento.

Posted by
10344 posts

Avi or others: Was Savonarola hanged and burned in front of Florence's Neptune Fountain?

Posted by
3812 posts

The last Medici ruler of Florence and Grand-duke of Tuscany died in 1737, I am afraid the poor monk was just a a brief interlude.

Botticelli's brother kept a diary about those years, he wrote that one of the judges who had sentenced Savonarola to death told him many years later: "we couldn't find any crime, but if we hadn't done what the good people of Florence wanted... they would have killed us with Savonarola". I guess the good Florentines were sick of modesty penance and charity.

Posted by
10344 posts

Good to hear from you, Dario.
Was the Church/Pope one of the main players in deciding Savonarola's fate?

Posted by
311 posts

Fans of this kind of history might like:
https://boingboing.net/2019/05/16/iterative-savonarola.html

Jo Walton's new novel sets Savonarola as a Noble of Hell (a demon). Who is trapped in a "Groundhog day" loop. Her Pardner teaches Medieval History at the University of Chicago and the details are quite good.

?snip?

The story is motivated by a mystical shift in Savonarola's destiny that allows him to remember, from one incarnation to the next, who he truly is. He lives many different versions of his life, seeking a way to harrow Hell, restore grace, redeem himself and save Florence.

?snip?

...and because Walton has become so close with the Renaissance scholar and science fiction novelist (and librettist, singer, and all-round genius) Ada Palmer, her Renaissance Florence has the ring of the true metal, incredibly well-drawn in ever way.

Posted by
3812 posts

Was the Church/Pope one of the main players in deciding Savonarola's fate?

I think it was the losing of consensus among the Florentines that ultimately decided his fate. However excommunicating him was like putting a target on his back saying: "this Monk is not a saint, feel free to do whatever you want with him. The Church won't blame you".

Posted by
36 posts

I just finished reading “The Birth of Venus”, Sarah Dunant’s novel set in Florence in the late 1400’s. Savonarola plays a large background role in the novel. It was beautifully written — I highly recommend it.

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