Girolamo 1452-1498 Savonarola

Dictator of Florence.

Without holding any official post in the commonwealth he had created, the prior of St. Mark's was the dictator of Florence, and guarded the public weal with extraor dinary political wisdom. At his instance the tyrannical system of arbitrary imposts and so-called voluntary loans was abolished, and replaced by a tax of o% (la decima) on all real property. His counsels were always given as addenda to the religious exhorta tions in which he denounced the sins of his country and the pollu tion of the church, and urged Florence to cast off iniquity and be come a truly Christian city, a pattern not only to Rome but to the world at large. His eloquence was now at the flood. Pleasure-lov ing Florence was completely changed. Abjuring pomps and vani ties, its citizens observed the ascetic regime of the cloister. Hymns and psalms rang in the streets that had so recently echoed with Lorenzo's dissolute songs. Both sexes dressed with Puritan plainness; husbands and wives quitted their homes for convents and persons of all ranks—nobles, scholars and artists—renounced the world to assume the Dominican robe. Still more wonderful was Savonarola's influence over children, and their response to his appeals is a proof of the magnetic power of his goodness and purity. He organized the boys of Florence in a species of sacred militia and it was with the aid of these youthful enthusiasts that Savonarola arranged the religious carnival of 1496, when the citi zens gave their costliest possessions in alms to the poor, and ton sured monks, crowned with flowers, sang hymns and performed wild dances for the glory of God. In the same spirit, and to point the doctrine of renunciation of worldly enjoyments, he celebrated the carnival of 1497 by the famous "burning of the vanities" (i.e. masks and other objects pertaining to the carnival festivities, in decent books and pictures, etc.) in the Piazza della Signoria.

Nevertheless the artistic value of the objects consumed has been greatly exaggerated by some writers. Savonarola was foe neither to art nor to learning. On the contrary, so great was his respect for both that, when there was a question of selling the Medici library to pay that family's debts he saved the collection at the expense of the convent purse.

Conflict with the Pope.

Meanwhile his uncompromising spirit roused the hatred of political adversaries as well as of the degraded court of Rome. Even now, when his authority was at its highest, when his fame filled the land, and the vast cathedral and its precincts lacked space for the crowds flocking to hear him, his enemies were secretly preparing his downfall. Events were taking a turn hostile to the prior and Alexander VI., having seen a transcript of one of Savonarola's denunciations of his crimes, resolved to silence this daring preacher.

Bribery was the first weapon employed, and a cardinal's hat was held out as a bait. But Savonarola indignantly spurned the offer. So long as King Charles remained in Italy Alexander's con cern for his own safety prevented vigorous measures against the friar, but no Borgia ever forgave an enemy. He bided his time and in July 1495, a papal brief courteously summoned Savonarola to Rome. In terms of equal courtesy the prior declined the invita tion, nor did he obey a second less softly worded, in September. Then came a third, threatening Florence with an interdict in case of renewed refusal. Savonarola disregarded the command, but went to preach for a while in other Tuscan cities. But in Lent his celebrated sermons upon Amos were delivered in the Duomo, and again he urged the necessity of reforming the church, striving by ingenious arguments to reconcile rebellion against Alexander with unalterable fidelity to the Holy See. Alexander now issued

a brief, uniting St. Mark's to a new Tuscan branch of the Domin icans, thus depriving Savonarola of his independent power, while Piero de' Medici's followers continued their intrigues, and party spirit increased in virulence. The citizens were growing weary of the monastic austerities imposed on them, and Alexander foresaw that his revenge was at hand.

A signory openly hostile to Savonarola took office in May, and, in feigned anxiety for the public peace, besought him to suspend his discourses. Shortly afterwards the threatened bull of excom munication was launched against him, and Fra Mariano was in Rome stimulating the pope's wrath. Savonarola remained un daunted. The sentence was null and void, he said. His mission was divinely inspired; and Alexander, elected simoniacally and laden with crimes, was no true pope. Nevertheless the reading of the bull in the Duomo with the appropriate, terrifying ceremonial, made a deep impression on the Florentines. But in July Savo narola's friends were again in power and did their best to have his excommunication removed. During this time Rome was horror struck by the mysterious murder of the young duke of Gandia, and the bereaved pope mourned his son with the wildest grief. Savonarola wrote him a letter of condolence, boldly urging him to bow to the will of Heaven and repent while there was yet time.

Florence then was plunged in new troubles through Medicean intrigues, and a conspiracy for the restoration of Piero was dis covered and resulted in the execution of five leading citizens in cluding Bernardo del Nero, a very aged man of lofty talents and position. It is said that at least Bernardo del Nero would have been spared had Savonarola raised his voice, but the prior would not ask mercy for them. This silence proved fatal to his popu larity with moderate men. He was now interdicted from preach ing even in his own convent and again summoned to Rome. As before, the mandate was disobeyed. He refrained from public preaching, but held conferences in St. Mark's with large gather ings of his disciples, and defied the interdict on Christmas Day by publicly celebrating mass and heading a procession through the cloisters. In 1498 the Piagnoni, as Savonarola's followers were called, were again at the head of the state, and at their request the prior resumed his sermons in the Duomo, while his dearest disciple, Fra Domenico Buonvicini, filled the pulpit of St. Lorenzo. For the last time the carnival was again kept with strange religious festivities, and some valuable books and works of art were sacri ficed in a second bonfire of "vanities." But menacing briefs poured in from Rome, the city itself was threatened with interdict, and the Florentine ambassador could barely obtain a short delay. Now, too, the Piagnoni quitted office; the new signory was less friendly, and the prior was persuaded by his adherents to retire to St. Mark's. Alexander now demanded that the Florentines should silence the man themselves or send him to be judged by a Roman tribunal. Savonarola now despatched letters to the rulers of Europe adjuring them to assemble a council to condemn this antipope. But the papal threats were now urgent, and the signory entreated Savonarola to cease preaching. He obeyed, and con cluded his last discourse with the most touching farewell.