Part 5 (1/2)
It will be seen that the amba.s.sador specially mentions Caesar's buoyant nature. This was one of Alexander's most characteristic traits, and both Caesar and Lucretia who was noted for it later, had inherited it from him. So far as his prudence was concerned, it was proclaimed six years later by a no less distinguished man than Giuliano della Rovere, who afterwards became pope under the name of Julius II.
The Duke of Gandia was in Rome at this time, but it was his intention to set out for Spain to see his spouse immediately after the celebration of the marriage of Sforza and Lucretia. Lucretia's wedding was to take place on S. George's day, but was postponed, as it was found impossible for the bridegroom to arrive in time. Alexander took the greatest pleasure in making the arrangements for setting up his daughter's establishment. Her happiness--or, what to him was the same thing, her greatness--meant much to him. He loved her pa.s.sionately, superlatively, as the Ferrarese amba.s.sador wrote his master.[26] On the amba.s.sador's suggestion the Duke of Ferrara sent as a wedding gift a pair of large silver hand basins with the accompanying vessels, all of the finest workmans.h.i.+p. Two residences were proposed for the young pair; the palace of S. Maria in Portico and the one near the castle of S. Angelo, which had belonged to the Cardinal Domenicus Porta of Aleria, who died February 4, 1493. The former, in which Lucretia was already living, was chosen.
At last Sforza arrived. June 9th he made his entry by way of the Porta del Popolo, and was received by the whole senate, his brothers-in-law, and the amba.s.sadors of the Powers. Lucretia, attended by several maids of honor, had taken a position in a loggia of her palace to see her bridegroom and his suite on their way to the Vatican.
As he rode by, Sforza greeted her right gallantly, and his bride returned his salutation. He was most graciously received by his father-in-law.
[Ill.u.s.tration: CHURCH OF ARA COELI, ROME.]
Sforza was a man of attractive appearance, as we may readily discover from a medal which he had struck ten years later, which represents him with long, flowing locks and a full beard. The mouth is sensitive, the under lip slightly drawn; the nose is somewhat aquiline; the forehead smooth and lofty. The proportions of his features are n.o.ble, but lacking in character.
Three days after his arrival, that is, June 12th, the nuptials were celebrated in the Vatican with ostentatious publicity. Alexander had invited the n.o.bility, the officials of Rome, and the foreign amba.s.sadors to be present. There was a banquet, followed by a licentious comedy, which is described by Infessura.
To corroborate the short account given by this Roman, and at the same time to render the picture more complete, we reproduce, word for word, the description which the Ferrarese amba.s.sador, Boccaccio, sent his master in a communication dated June 13th:
Yesterday, the twelfth of the present month, the union was publicly celebrated in the palace, with the greatest pomp and extravagance.
All the Roman matrons were invited, also the most influential citizens, and many cardinals, twelve in number, stood near her, the Pope occupying the throne in their midst. The palace and all the apartments were filled with people, who were overcome with amazement. The lord of Pesaro celebrated his betrothal to his wife, and the Bishop of Concordia delivered a sermon. The only amba.s.sadors present, however, were the Venetian, the Milanese and myself, and one from the King of France.
Cardinal Ascanio thought that I ought to present the gift during the ceremony, so I had some one ask the Pope, to whom I remarked that I did not think it proper, and that it seemed better to me to wait a little while. All agreed with me, whereupon the Pope called to me and said, ”It seems to me to be best as you say”; consequently it was arranged that I should bring the present to the palace late in the evening. His Holiness gave a small dinner in honor of the bride and groom, and there were present the Cardinals Ascanio, S. Anastasia, and Colonna; the bride and groom, and next to him the Count of Pitigliano, captain of the Church; Giuliano Orsini; Madonna Giulia Farnese, of whom there is so much talk (de qua est tantus sermo); Madonna Teodorina and her daughter, the Marchesa of Gerazo; a daughter of the above named captain, wife of Angelo Farnese, Madonna Giulia's brother. Then came a younger brother of Cardinal Colonna and Madonna Adriana Ursina. The last is mother-in-law of the above mentioned Madonna Giulia. She had the bride educated in her own home, where she was treated as a niece of the Pope. Adriana is the daughter of the Pope's cousin, Pedro de Mila, deceased, with whom your Excellency was acquainted.
When the table was cleared, which was between three and four o'clock in the morning, the bride was presented with the gift sent by the ill.u.s.trious Duke of Milan; it consisted of five different pieces of gold brocade and two rings, a diamond and a ruby, the whole worth a thousand ducats. Thereupon I presented your Highness's gift with suitable words of congratulation on the marriage and good wishes for the future, together with the offer of your services. The present greatly pleased the Pope. To the thanks of the bride and groom he added his own expressions of unbounded grat.i.tude. Then Ascanio offered his present, which consisted of a complete drinking service of silver washed with gold, worth about a thousand ducats. Cardinal Monreale gave two rings, a sapphire and a diamond--very beautiful--and worth three thousand ducats; the prothonotary Cesarini gave a bowl and cup worth eight hundred ducats; the Duke of Gandia a vessel worth seventy ducats; the prothonotary Lunate a vase of a certain composition like jasper, ornamented with silver, gilded, which was worth seventy to eighty ducats. These were all the gifts presented at this time; the other cardinals, amba.s.sadors, etc., will bring their presents when the marriage is celebrated, and I will do whatever is necessary. It will, I think, be performed next Sunday, but this is not certain.
In conclusion, the women danced, and, as an interlude, a good comedy was given, with songs and music. The Pope and all the others were present. What shall I add? There would be no end to my letter.
Thus we pa.s.sed the whole night, and whether it was good or bad your Highness may decide.
FOOTNOTES:
[24] Boccaccio's despatches, Rome, February 25, March 11, 1493.
[25] Magni et excellentis ingenii et preclare indolis; prae se fert speciem fillii magni Principis, et super omnia ilaris et jocundus, e tutto festa: c.u.m magna siquidem modestia est longe melioris et prestantioris aspectus, quam sit dux Candie germa.n.u.s suus. Anchora lue e dotato di bone parte. Despatch of March 19, 1493.
[26] Mai fu visto il piu carnale h.o.m.o; l'hama questa madona Lucrezia in superlativo gradu. Boccaccio's Despatch, Rome, April 4, 1493. The word _carnale_ is to be taken only in the sense of nepotism, as it is plainly so used elsewhere by the amba.s.sador.
CHAPTER VIII
FAMILY AFFAIRS
Lucretia's marriage with Giovanni Sforza confirmed the political alliance which Alexander VI had made with Ludovico il Moro. The Regent of Milan wanted to invite Charles VIII of France into Italy to make war upon King Ferdinand of Naples, so that he himself might ultimately gain possession of the duchy, for he was consumed with ambition and impatience to drive his sickly nephew, Giangaleazzo, from the throne.
The latter, however, was the consort of Isabella of Aragon, a daughter of Alfonso of Calabria and the grandson of Ferdinand himself.
The alliance of Venice, Ludovico, the Pope, and some of the other Italian n.o.bles had become known in Rome as early as April 25th. This league, clearly, was opposed to Naples; and its court, therefore, was thrown into the greatest consternation.
Nevertheless, King Ferdinand congratulated the Lord of Pesaro upon his marriage. He looked upon him as a kinsman, and Sforza had likewise been accepted by the house of Aragon. June 15, 1493, the king wrote to him from Capua as follows:
ILl.u.s.tRIOUS COUSIN AND OUR DEAREST FRIEND: We have received your letter of the twenty-second of last month, in which you inform us of your marriage with the ill.u.s.trious Donna Lucretia, the niece of his Holiness our Master. We are much pleased, both because we always have and still do feel the greatest love for yourself and your house, and also because we believe that nothing could be of greater advantage to you than this marriage. Therefore we wish you the best of fortune, and we pray G.o.d, with you, that this alliance may increase your own power and fame and that of your State.[27]
Eight days earlier the same king had sent his amba.s.sador to Spain a letter, in which he asked the protection of Ferdinand and Isabella against the machinations of the Pope, whose ways he described as ”loathsome”; in this he was referring, not to his political actions, but to his personal conduct. Giulia Farnese, whom Infessura noticed among the wedding guests and described as ”the Pope's concubine,” caused endless gossip about herself and his Holiness. This young woman surrendered herself to an old man of sixty-two whom she was also compelled to honor as the head of the Church. There is no doubt whatever about her years of adultery, but we can not understand the cause of her pa.s.sion; for however powerful the demoniac nature of Alexander VI may have been, it must by this time have lost much of its magnetic strength.
Perhaps this young and empty-headed creature, after she had once transgressed and the feeling of shame had pa.s.sed, was fascinated by the spectacle of the sacred master of the world, before whom all men prostrated themselves, lying at her feet--the feet of a weak child.