Florence 1478: Pazzi conspiracy with the pope's nephew, an archbishop and two priests; Giuliano de’ Medici stabbed to death during High Mass in the cathedral

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

1. On Sunday 26 April 1478 Giuliano and Lorenzo de’ Medici attended High Mass in the cathedral of Florence, to which the young Cardinal Raffaele Riario also came. Because Montesecco at the last moment refused to commit the deed in the church, the two clerics Stefano and Maffei undertook the attack on Lorenzo. At the beginning of the second part of High Mass, Bernardo Bandini Baroncelli plunged his dagger into Giuliano's side, and Francesco de’ Pazzi stabbed him repeatedly until he was dead. The two clerics wounded Lorenzo only slightly; he escaped into the sacristy.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Medici, Abschnitt Lorenzo

   „On the 26th of April 1478, while Giuliano and Lorenzo were attending high mass in the cathedral of Florence, the former was mortally stabbed by conspirators, but the latter was able to beat back his assailants and escape into the sacristy.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 308

   „Montesecco, however, at the last moment refused to per“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 309

   „the two clerics, Stefano and Maffei, undertook the deed.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 309

   „The beginning of the second part of the High Mass was the signal of action for the conspirators.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 309

   „Francesco de' Pazzi stabbed him repeatedly till life was extinct.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 310

   „attacked Lorenzo, but only wounded him slightly“

How were they charged and sentenced?

1. The sources differ on who planned the conspiracy. The Catholic Encyclopedia names the pope's nephew Cardinal Raffaele Riario, the Britannica a Cardinal Riario. Pastor names Count Girolamo Riario, also a nephew of the pope, with Francesco de’ Pazzi and Archbishop Salviati as the originators; the eighteen-year-old Cardinal Raffaele had no suspicion. According to the Britannica, the pope was acquainted with the whole matter; according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, he was cognisant of the plot, though probably not of the intention to assassinate.
   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912), Artikel Pope Sixtus IV

   „planned by the pope's nephew“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912), Artikel Pope Sixtus IV

   „Cardinal Rafael Riario“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Sixtus, Abschnitt Sixtus IV.

   „Sixtus was cognisant of the conspiracy of the Pazzi, plotted (1478) by his nephew, Cardinal Riario, against Lorenzo de’ Medici.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 303, Anm.

   „were, as ClPOLLA, 582, says, "primi autori di tutta quella intricata matassa"“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 307

   „Cardinal Rafaello, who was but eighteen, had no suspicion“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Medici, Abschnitt Lorenzo

   „aided by the nephews of the pontiff, who was himself acquainted with the whole matter“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912), Artikel Pope Sixtus IV

   „The pope was cognizant of the plot, though probably not of the intention to assassinate“

2. The mercenary captain Giovan Battista da Montesecco, a vassal of Riario, stated after his arrest what the pope had said in an audience in the presence of Salviati and Girolamo. Beforehand Riario and Salviati had assured him that the pope would always do what they persuaded him to and earnestly desired it. In the audience Sixtus declared that he wanted a change of government in Florence, but on no condition the death of any man; Lorenzo was a villain. When Montesecco objected that this could hardly be done without the death of Lorenzo and Giuliano, the pope repeated that no one was to be killed. At the close of the audience, according to Pastor, he consented to the employment of armed men and told Salviati that he was content.
   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 303

   „Giovan Batista da Montesecco, a vassal of Riario's“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 304

   „will always do what we persuade him, and he is angry with Lorenzo, and earnestly desires this“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 304

   „the Pope from the first declared that he wished for a change of government in 'Florence, but without the death of any man.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 304

   „these things can hardly be done without the death of Lorenzo and Giuliano, and, perhaps, of others also“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 305

   „Go and do as seems good to you, but no one's life is to be taken.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 305 f.

   „At the close of the audience, he gave his consent“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 306

   „to the employment of armed men“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 306

   „The Pope said, " I am content."“

3. According to Pastor, Girolamo and Salviati then decided to act against the clearly expressed desire of the pope. Pastor writes that it is certain that Sixtus desired the Medici to be overthrown by force, and equally certain that he knew nothing of the details of the attempted assassination, because these were only arranged on the morning of the deed. Among the conspirators were also two clerics: Stefano da Bagnone, a dependent of Jacopo de’ Pazzi, and Antonio Maffei of Volterra.
   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 306

   „Girolamo and Salviati determined to act in opposition to the clearly expressed desire of the Pope.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 311

   „It is certain that he desired that the Medici should be overthrown by force. It is equally certain that he can have known nothing beforehand of the details of the attempted assassination“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 307

   „and two clerics, Stefano of Bagnone, a dependent of Jacopo de' Pazzi, and Antonio Maffei of Volterra“

What happened to those affected?

1. Salviati's attempt to seize the government palace failed. The supporters of the Medici hanged Archbishop Salviati, his brother, his nephew and Francesco de’ Pazzi from the windows of the palace and tore the corpses to pieces. The two clerics who had attacked Lorenzo had their noses and ears cut off before they were killed. According to Pastor, uninvolved people were killed too, among them innocent clerics; Cardinal Raffaele Riario was imprisoned.
   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 310

   „Salviati's attempt to take possession of the Signorial Palace was equally a failure.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 311

   „Archbishop Salviati, his brother, and his nephew Jacopo Bracciolini, with Francesco de' Pazzi, were all hung up together from the window-bars of the Signorial Palace.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 311

   „The two assassins who had fallen upon Lorenzo had their noses and ears cut off before they were killed.“

   Evidence: hg. von Frederick Ignatius Antrobus, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, London 1899, Bd. 4, S. 314

   „Many ecclesiastics who had nothing to do with the conspiracy were also executed.“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 14 (1912), Artikel Pope Sixtus IV

   „because it rose in fury against the conspirators and brutal murderers of Giuliano de' Medici“