Botticelli Sandro - The Montefeltro conspiracy : a Renaissance mystery decoded

P eople think of history in the long term, but history, in fact, is a very sudden thing.

PHILIP ROTH, American Pastoral

L ifetimes are brief and not to be regained, For all mankind. But by their deeds to make Their fame last: that is labor for the brave.

VIRGIL, Aeneid

Principal Characters

MAJOR HISTORICAL CHARACTERS

(IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

GALEAZZO MARIA SFORZ a(1444-1476), son of Francesco, Duke of Milan (14011466), inherited his fathers title and estates but was unequal to the task. He was, in Machiavellis words, lecherous and cruel, with a list of sins longer than the Gospel. His assassination upset the balance of power in Italy and set the Montefeltro conspiracy in motion.

CICCO SIMONETTA (1410-1480) came from a humble Calabrian background, and served as secretary and advisor under the Sforzas for nearly half a century. Although Machiavelli himself admired Cicco, pronouncing him most excellent for his prudence and political wisdom, his loyalty to the Sforza patrimony would go unrewarded.

FEDERICO DA MONTEFELTRO, Duke of Urbino (1422-1482), fought many wars in Italy and was a renowned condottiere (mercenary captain) and patron of the arts. The duke had a ruthless, Machiavellian side that has long been concealed.

LORENZO DE MEDICI (1449-1492), known as the Magnificent, was an enormously wealthy banker, humanist, and patron of the arts whose early access to power in Florence made him a target for murder.

SIXTUS IV (1414-1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was general of the Franciscan Order. Once he became pope (1471), he forgot his vow of humility and turned to greed, warmongering, nepotism, and, as this book demonstrates, conspiracy to murder.

FERRANTE OF ARAGON (1430?-1494), King of Naples from 1458 to 1494, became the most powerful man in Italy after the Duke of Milan died. Known to be ruthless with his enemies, he was rumored to have kept their embalmed corpses in the dungeon of his castle. Lorenzo relied on his intervention to force the pope to reverse the excommunication of Florence in the aftermath of the conspiracy.

GIULIANO DE MEDICI (1453-1478), Lorenzos handsome younger brother, was a lover of poetry. Unfortunately, his precocious death prevented him from proving himself on the political stage.

SANDRO BOTTICELLI (1445-1510), a Florentine painter, worked for the Medici over many years. In 148182 he was summoned by Pope Sixtus IV to decorate the Sistine Chapel along with Pietro Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Cosimo Rosselli. His allegorical paintings still puzzle scholars, who go on searching for their hidden meanings.

SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

GALEAZZOS MURDERERS:Andrea Lampugnani, Girolamo Olgiati, Carlo Visconti, and humanist Cola Montano.

ANTI- LORENZO CONSPIRATORS:Count Girolamo and Cardinal Raffaele Riario, Sixtus IVs nephews; Francesco Salviati, archbishop of Pisa; Francesco and Jacopo de Pazzi, members of the banking family that rivaled the Medici; Gian Battista Montesecco, papal soldier; Lorenzo Giustini, captain and lord of Citt di Castello; Jacopo Bracciolini, Florentine humanist; Marsilio Ficino, Neoplatonist philosopher; Gian Francesco da Tolentino, captain.

ANTI- CICCO PLOTTERS:Roberto da Sanseverino, Galeazzo Sforzas cousin and condottiere; Sforza Maria Sforza and Ludovico Sforza, Galeazzos surviving brothers.