Lives of the early Medici : $b As told in their correspondence
History
Lives of the early Medici : $b As told in their correspondence
Florence (Italy) -- History; Medici, Cosimo de', 1389-1464; Medici, House of; Medici, Lorenzo de', 1449-1492; Medici, Piero de', 1416-1469
The tournament of which Clarice writes was held on February 7, 1469,
in honour of the marriage of Lorenzo’s great friend, Braccio Martello,
and is recorded in a poem by Luigi Pulci.[128] It took place in the
Piazza S. Croce, and cost, as Lorenzo notes in his _Ricordi_, 10,000
ducats. This estimate, however, can only refer to the structures and
decorations in the Piazza S. Croce, and cannot include the money
expended on personal adornment. The dress of Giuliano alone, then
a handsome boy of fifteen, was said to have cost 80,000 ducats. It
was made of silver brocade strewn with pearls. Lorenzo’s, with its
jewels, must have cost a great deal more. He rode to the lists on a
magnificently caparisoned horse given to him by Ferrante, King of
Naples. Over his surcoat he wore a broad silk scarf, with fresh and
withered roses embroidered round his motto, _Le Tems Revient_, written
in pearls. In his black velvet cap studded with pearls was a feather
of gold filagree set with diamonds and rubies, and on his shield were
displayed the three golden lilies of France on an azure ground, the
privilege of bearing which was granted to his father Piero in 1465
(see p. 86), while in the centre of the shield blazed the great Medici
diamond, _Il Libro_. In the Piazza he mounted a charger presented to
him by Borso d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, and buckled on armour sent by the
Duke of Milan. His prowess is celebrated by Luigi Pulci as rivalling
the deeds of Orlando and Achilles, and the first prize, a helmet
of silver with a figure of Mars, was assigned to him. Lorenzo more
modestly states that he was not well versed in the use of weapons and
the delivery of blows.
These Italian tournaments, which we read about so frequently as forming
part of the festivities attending weddings among the richer citizens of
Florence and other Italian towns, were more processions and pageants
than the rough-and-tumble feats of arms among northern nations. At one
of the tournaments held during the sitting of the Diet of Augsburg we
are told by a spectator that six competitors were killed: at another
that Ferdinand, King of the Romans, was thrown violently and his horse
rolled on him, endangering his life. We never hear of such accidents
attending the tame tournaments of Italy.
Rinaldo Orsini _to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account