The Family - Mario Puzo [33]
And so it was agreed that Virginio Orsini could keep his castles, but he would be required to pay a tax or tithe of forty thousand ducats each year to the Vatican as proof of his sincerity and loyalty to Pope Alexander.
Now the question was asked, what was the Pope willing to offer in return for the support of both King Ferdinand and King Ferrante?
King Ferrante wanted Cesare Borgia as a husband for his sixteen-year-old granddaughter, Sancia.
Alexander refused, reminding Ferrante that his oldest son had a calling to holy office. Instead he offered his youngest son, Jofre.
Ferrante refused. For who would want the younger rather than the older son?
Though most previous Popes had feared denying Ferrante anything he asked for, Pope Alexander was intractable. He had plans for Cesare, and would not trade his gold for common metal.
Ferrante had heard much about Alexander’s skill and cunning in negotiations, and now he was completely vexed. He knew that if he let this opportunity for an alliance pass, Alexander would quickly forge another that would put Naples at risk. After much deliberation and little hope of victory any other way, Ferrante grudgingly accepted. He only hoped that twelve-year-old Jofre would be able to bed his sixteen-year-old Sancia, and legitimize the contract before Alexander found a better match.
But five months after the proxy marriage, King Ferrante, the most fearsome man in Naples, died. And his son Masino, not nearly as clever or as cruel as his father, was left at the mercy of Pope Alexander. Because Naples was a papal territory and the Pope their suzerain or feudal lord, the crown could only be bestowed by him, and displeasing him might force him to choose another.
At this time it happened that Alexander too was compromised. Young King Charles VIII of France, who proclaimed Naples as his own, also wanted the crown. He sent an embassy to warn Alexander, to threaten to divest him of his power and name another Pope if he favored Masino, Ferrante’s heir. But the Pope knew that French control of Naples would be fatal to the independence of the Papal States.
To add to the Pope’s distress, a spiraling unrest began to grow among the Spanish-haters and traditional enemies of the papacy, which he knew could lead to the breakup of the fragile peace that existed throughout Italy since he took office.
Then he received the news which helped him decide.
Duarte Brandao returned to the Pope’s chambers to tell him, “There are rumors of a new French invasion. King Charles is fervent and enthusiastic, and quite determined to be the greatest Christian monarch of his time. He plans to lead another Crusade to conquer Jerusalem.”
Alexander understood. “So this young king must first conquer Naples, for it borders on the lands of the Infidel. And he must ride through the Papal States on his way to Naples.”
Duarte nodded. “Charles has also made clear his wish to reform the papacy, and there is only one way that can be accomplished, Your Worthiness.”
The Pope pondered what Duarte said. “He must depose me in order to do what he wishes . . . ”
Now, Pope Alexander was determined not to alienate Ferrante’s son, Masino, for he needed the military force of Naples to come north to Rome in order to stave off any attack by King Charles.
Soon Alexander began to form another plan: In order to protect his position in the Vatican, and Rome itself, from foreign invasion, the Pope grew certain he must unify the city-states of Italy. It was then he conceived the concept of a Holy League. His plan was to unify and lead several of the larger city-states—that would allow them more power together than each could have alone.
But the moment he presented his plan to the rulers of these city-states, there were difficulties. Venice, as always, remained neutral;