WSIM24B Chapter 18
Sorry for the delay (my fault this time). Family illness, travel... better now.
This next chapter is largely devoted to political intrigue and warfare. I apologize in advance if that's not to your liking. It also covers a larger time-span than previous chapters.
Gina began to relax a little more. Motherhood suited her, and little Maria Elise thrived. Gina herself began to trust in me a little more - specifically, that I wouldn't get her pregnant again. We still only made love every week or two, but she was more receptive to my advances.
Fiametta was happy if I visited her with the same frequency. Every time I saw her, she made it a memorable occasion. But that meant that the bulk of my free time was devoted to my wife. It had only taken me twelve years in the Sim to realize that marriage could be a wonderful state of affairs - and that I'd been a fool not to insist more strongly on Charlotte joining me in Italy years earlier.
The Pope and I studied maps, counted our money and our troops, and made plans for our coming campaign. I wasn't at all sure how we would co-exist in command roles, but it was, technically, his army and his money; it would be up to me to make adjustments.
Alberini provided us with all of the information we needed - and more. We had at least three options, all of which were specifically designed to surprise and confuse our enemies. My favourite plan, though, relied on some kind of pretext to make it work. And then the Fates conspired to create the perfect circumstances.
Ercole d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, died on the 25th of January, 1505. I was on my way by February 2nd, with Miguel and Vicente, the Ramires brothers, a hundred men-at-arms, and a hundred light cavalry. It was a bit large for an escort, but given the hostile territories we had to pass through, my caution was understandable. I went by way of Orvieto and Montepulciano to Florence, then north to Bologna and Ferrara. With the speed (and unexpectedness) of our movement, no one had time to organize a force to intercept or interfere with us, even if they had dared.
I arrived in time to present my condolences to the new duke, Alfonso (Lucrezia's husband) and to his sister Isabella (the wife of Francisco Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua - Lucrezia's former lover). Alfonso was honoured by my presence, and we shared a couple of brief conversations in which I made sure that he knew what side was better for him, and for Ferrara.
Gonzaga was civil, and Isabella seemed quite pleased to see me. Lucrezia, however, was openly delighted. She believed that I come, in large part, to see her. I did nothing to disabuse her of that notion. To my great relief, I discovered that her affair with Gonzaga had run its course.
- "It was only lust." she admitted. "Not love. Not like what you have. Charlotte is adorable."
- "She is."
***
You have to understand that I was something of a celebrity by this time. Alright, I was downright notorious; probably Public Enemy Number One for a significant portion of Italy. My dash to Ferrara, accompanied by 200 horse, had everyone talking.
It gave me an idea.
When I explained it to my boss, he laughed aloud.
- "I love it!"
Unfortunately, Church politics became complicated, and the Pope decided that he wanted a deeper war-chest before we did anything with the army. That ended up postponing our venture until next year.
Equally unfortunately, the Pope wanted me to remain in Rome. Having me by his side gave continuing proof of his magnanimity and generosity - the della Rovere Pope forgiving one of his worst enemies, a Borgia. It also showcased his cleverness and clear-headedness, as he made use of the talents of said former enemy.
It wasn't until the summer of 1506 that we were ready to move. On the 6th of July, I repeated my dash to Ferrara, with a hundred men-at-arms and a hundred more light cavalry. Alfonso d'Este had no idea what to make of my surprise visit (though Lucrezia was delighted).
That same day (the 6th), our artillery train left Rome, headed north for Terni. Three days later, Pope Julius II did the same, at the head of 300 men-at-arms, 200 light horse, and 3,500 infantry. It's only 175 kilometres from Rome to Perugia, which meant that by the time Gian Paolo Baglioni realized that the Papal army was on its way, he had less than a week. That wasn't enough time to organize a coalition, or even to communicate with all of the far-flung towns who might have considered supporting him.
Baglioni was no fool. Staying to face a siege was a losing proposition. But instead of fleeing, he and a group of his supporters went out to meet the Pope, caps in hand - and on their knees. They begged forgiveness, and mercy.
Had I been there (and Miguel, of course), Baglioni would never have dared to take this approach. He'd have known that he had a date with the garrote. He was the one major conspirator who had escaped Senigallia (unless you included Petrucci of Siena and the Bentivoglios of Bologna).
Julius forgave him, of course. With 25 Cardinals in attendance (he'd dragged them all the way from Rome), the Pope decided on a special display of magnificence and magnanimity. He received Perugia back into the bosom of the Church, assigned Gian Paolo Baglioni penance, and warned him that future transgressions would be harshly punished.
- "Do it again, and I'll hang you." said the Pope.
Now the Papal army was ideally placed. They could backtrack a bit, and strike east, to Camerino, where Baglioni had helped the Varano family return to power. From there, Julius could continue to Fermo, and seal off the southern flank of the Romagna.
Or he could march north, to Citta di Castello, which he did, covering 55 kilometres in three days. The remaining Vitellis had no interest in sharing the fate of Vitellozzo: they fled. Julius made a triumphant entry into the town.
Once again, the Pope was literally at a crossroads. He could move east, to Urbino. Whether he would attack, or negotiate passage with Guidobaldo de Montefeltro, was anyone's guess. Beyond Urbino, on the Adriatic coast, lay Pesaro and Fano. Or, the Papal army could continue north, to Cesena - and that was what they ended up doing.
My little force, in the meantime, had come back from Ferrara to Imola, where I collected another hundred horse, plus 400 foot from the Val di Lamone, thanks to Dionigi di Naldo and his brothers. Now Faenza and Forli were possibly threatened from two sides.
The Manfredis in Faenza had help from Venice; they prepared to face a siege. The Ordelaffis in Forli could feel the glares cast at them, almost as a palpable thing. My rule had been popular there, and most of the people were keen to have me back. The Ordelaffis lost their nerve, and fled.
In Rimini (according to Alberini), Pandolfo Malatesta
wanted
to flee, but the mercenaries he'd hired (paid for by the Venetians) kept him there as a virtual captive.
Forli was an open town, then. Everyone waited to see which way the Pope and I would turn: against Faenza, or towards Rimini? Given our limited manpower, it had to be one or the other - it couldn't be both.
In fact, it was neither. The Pope marched to Forli, where he detached a force to protect the town. He continued on to Faenza - and bypassed it. Now he picked up the pace. While the artillery, well-escorted, reached Imola, the bulk of the infantry and cavalry linked up with my force.
Now the Bentivoglios had to regret ever having surrendered Castel Bologna (which I had had razed). They had no bastion to block our advance, no forward scouts to detect our approach early. The Papal army was on Bologna's doorstep before they could prepare any effective defence. Giovanni Bentivoglio fled to Milan - an odd choice.
Julius II got to enjoy another triumphant entry. It was another tremendous feat, a surprising coup that excited admiration across most of Italy. There were many who hastened to name him a greater military leader than I'd ever been (on the grounds that I'd never succeeded in taking Bologna). I didn't begrudge him his laurels, or the limelight, or whatever imagery works best. It was all a balm to his ego, after all the years when I'd been the one winning victories while he schemed and negotiated in Rome and paid my bills.
The Pope's appetite had only been whetted. By the beginning of 1507, he had even more grandiose plans.
- "I want Rimini, Faenza, and Ravenna!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the table.
- "Ravenna?" I raised an eyebrow at that. We'd discussed the matter before, of course. Faenza would fall, eventually, once we'd surrounded it and set up our artillery. Rimini would be a little more difficult, if the Venetians were serious about defending it, because the town could be supplied from the sea.
Ravenna would be even more difficult. It had been under Venetian control since 1441. I doubted that they would let it go easily.
The situation was simple, but fraught with peril for both sides. Technically, Venice and the Pope were allies, and both were allied to France. Where would Louis come down if they came to blows? I was firmly of the opinion that we couldn't beat Venice by ourselves. They had a powerful fleet, great wealth, and a strong army who had experience fighting the Turks. They could also draw on auxiliaries from Dalmatia, Albania, and elsewhere.
"We're going to need help." I said, again.
Unfortunately, the French were busy, for the moment. A popular revolt in Genoa had ousted the pro-French nobility. Louis was organizing an army to bring the city back under his control.
Meanwhile, Maximilian von Hapsburg, the King of the Romans, had expressed a desire to come to Italy in order to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope. I know that it sounds strange, but the ruler of Germany had used the title 'King of the Romans' for 500 years. I think that it went back to Charlemagne (the very first Holy Roman Emperor). By tradition, the German Emperor couldn't become 'Holy Roman' unless he came to Rome in person to be crowned by the Pope.
The Hapsburgs were very, very good at marrying into other families and inheriting
everything
. Maximilian, the ruler of most of Austria, married Mary of Burgundy (heiress of Charles the Bold - her lands included Burgundy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland). His second wife was Bianca Maria Sforza. His son Philip was married to Joanna (the Mad) of Castile, eldest remaining daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. Crazy, right?
Maximilian's desire to travel to Rome - with an army - didn't fool the Venetians: they weren't about to let him onto their territory.
- "Is he a player in the Sim?" I asked.
- "Probably." said the Pope. "Nah: better than probably. France, Spain, the Empire, me, and the Turkish Sultan... that makes the most sense, doesn't it? Damn: that means that it's back to the drawing board."
- "More negotiations?"
- "Lots more."
The Pope left me in command, to begin the siege of Faenza. I'd been here before, and I wasn't going to launch a premature assault. I had hopes for my artillery, but I was prepared to wait as long as it took before I would risk major bloodshed.
