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The Plague in Bologna in the Year 1527

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The Plague in Bologna in the Year 1527 Le Infezioni in Medicina, n. 2, 278-287, 2020 278 INFECTIONS IN THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE The plague in Bologna in the year 1527 Sergio Sabbatani1, Sirio Fiorino2, Roberto Manfredi1 1Istituto di Malattie Infettive, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Italy; 2Unità Operativa di Medicina Interna C, Ospedale Maggiore, Azienda USL di Bologna, Italy SUMMARY In the year 1527, following the invasion of Italy by Bologna in order to find any public notices from the Landsknechts, who were headed by Georg von Fr- city authorities in the year 1527 aiming to counteract a undsberg, the bubonic plague appeared in the coun- plague epidemic. Our investigation found no elements try. These soldiers were part of an army that Charles to support the outbreak of this disease. Throughout V sent to invade Italy in order to subjugate the Italian the 16th century, until 1590, the population grew sig- states which had adhered to the League of Cognac. In nificantly, and no public notices were issued or specif- Bologna during the year 1527 believers held a proces- ic laws enacted to deal with the plague until the year sion from the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Soccor- 1557. However, it remains possible that in the area in so, through the city, as far as the Church of San Rocco. question, some episodes of plague occurred, but it was The reason for this practice was linked with the plague fortunately a micro-epidemic, which involved a very epidemic. After some cases of plague observed in the poor area of the city. Then this disease was self-limited. Borgo di San Pietro district the miracle of the interrup- However, in our opinion, this episode proved very im- tion of the epidemics, thanks to the intervention of Our portant, since in this district of Bologna, and around Lady, was narrated by the faithfuls. Later, after several a wooden image of the Madonna del Soccorso, a con- decades, it was reported by several authors from Bolo- fraternity took place, and its activities continued until gna, who were not witnesses to the facts, that the epi- the year 1798. This group of citizens also played a ma- demic had involved 12,000 out of a total population of jor role in many charitable activities to aid the inhab- around 60,000 inhabitants at that time. itants of Bologna, during a difficult historical period, We re-evaluated this situation starting from the demo- namely the Protestant Reformation, and contributed to graphic data concerning the citizens in Bologna dur- strengthen the faith of Catholic believers. ing the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Furthermore, we performed a search in the State Archives in the city of Keywords: Plague, Landsknechts, infectious diseases. n NOTICES FROM AN HISTORICAL Pope Alessandro VI Borgia. Notwithstanding the PERSPECTIVE positive attitude of the Pope, Rome was sacked by the French troops. he XVI century proved a time very charged of Summarizing these events, the invasion of the facts, from both a political and a military point T Italian peninsula by Frenchs, although with a of view, not only in Italy, but also in Europe. In par- negative balance, gave to the world the image ticular, the Italian peninsula became the major point that Italy could be easily subdued. of interest of all the most powerful European states. In XV century, Italy had, due to its richness and its Everything had its beginning in the year 1494, historical role and with Rome as the capital city of with the descent of the King of France Charles the Christian world, the most relevant geograph- VIII until the city of Naples, entering Rome on ical role in the whole Europe, so that the control December 31, thanks to the forced reception by of the Italian peninsula had a value which went beyond its trivial territorial significance. The dis- covery of the New World and the routes through Corresponding author the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans caused a pro- Sergio Sabbatani gressive loss of the Italian central role, which, in E-mail: [email protected] the past, significantly contributed to attract valu- The 1527 plague in Bologna 279 able capitals and merchandises in its flourishing nary contingent of infantry was part of its army: capital cities. they were the Landsknechts headed by Georg von It has to be underlined that, after the descent of Frundsberg. These soldiers were Lutherans, hated Charles VIII, at the end of XV century and during the Pope with religious fanaticism, and this feeling the early XVI century, syphilis appeared throughout was extended to all Italians, both catholic and con- Europe, first in Spain, then it quickly spread to Italy, fident in the Pope. The army headed by Charles V, France, and Germany (1, 2). Syphilis was favoured after invasion of the Northern Italy and the over- by the military campaigns which ended in the year coming of the resistance opposed by the League of 1559 with the peace treaty of Chateau-Cambrésis. Cognac, arrived under the walls of Rome. The troops, causing devastation, plunder and vi- The attack to the “eternal city” started on May 6, olence, favoured the conditions for famine and 1527, and the Landsknechts were the protagonists social uprising. In this perspective, it has been of multiple episodes of rape and devastations. considered what happened in Germany, after the The Pope Clements VII took shelter in the S. An- start of the Reformation, promoted by Martin gelo castle, where he substantially remained as a Lutero, after of his 95 theses were posted on the prisoner until November 26 of the same year. In main door of the Cathedral of Wittemberg, on Oc- order to escape the impasse he was forced to sign tober 31, 1517. an agreement that re-integrated him in the control Due to its richness, Italy represented one of the of Pontifical state, but engaged him in convening most leading causes of war among the European a Council, and forced him to pay a very elevated powers, and after the first descent of Charles VIIII sum of money. other attacks followed. The other cause of conflict On December 8 the Pope left Rome and went to the had a religious ground, although serious eco- city of Orvieto. Later he moved to the city of Viter- nomic and political interests were involved. An bo, where he remained until the end of the foreign important reason was represented by the arrival occupation. After a prolonged series of plunders of the Protestant Reformation in the political-reli- and also because of the mercenaries who were left gious scenario of that time. without their commander in chief and their re- As previously reported, the XVI century was a wards - Georg von Frundsberg had died due to the particularly turbulent historical period - even wounds -, the imperial army finally left Rome. The eight conflicts were fought in Italy between the city had been strongly devastated, during these years 1494 and 1559 -, at the end of these wars the events, so that its population was dramatically re- Italian peninsula was ruled in its greatest part by duced from 53,000 to only 30,000 people. Spain, since the Milan duchy, the Naples kingdom, the Sicily Kingdom, the Sardinia Kingdom, and n THE PLAGUE IN BOLOGNA DURING the Tuscan Nation, known as the “ State of Presi- THE SPRING, 1527 di” were directly subject to its power. Moreover, Charles V of Hamburg was the Emperor of the Sa- According to Moreschi’s memories, after the in- cred Roman Empire, king of Spain - the kingdom vasion of landsknechts, a plague epidemic hit the of Spain ruled all the territories of the “new world” city of Bologna1 [3]. The troops of Charles V had acquired thanks to the conquistadores - as well as the king of The Netherlands, so that we can state that under the crown of Charles V of Hamburg a 1 An important historian from Bologna, called global empire appeared for the first time in the Guidicini, in his Notable facts of the city of Bologna, i.e. world. It has to be underlined that Charles V was historical chronicle of its sacred places and public and private first crowned as the King of Italy and later, in the S. institutions published in the year 1870 wrote: “The Petronio Basilique in Bologna, he was crowned as plague of 1527 appeared in the Borgo di S. Pietro and had the Emperor of the Sacred Roman Empire, by the a large spread though the city. The religious brothers and all people who had a devotion for Our Lady of the Borgo resorted Pope Clement VII. This Pope had opposed Charles to the Virgin and after a procession carried out with Her V, during the previous years (3). image a blockade of the contagion was achieved After this But let’s come to the facts which are nearest to us. miracle, since the the year 1528 it was started the tradition During the fifth war of Italy, in the year 1526, the to make a procession until the Church of S. Rocco at Pratello, army of Charles V went through Italy. A merce- on the second Sunday after Easter” [4]. 280 S. Sabbatani, S. Fiorino, R. Manfredi passed before through the city of Mantua, which consequence, the available data reflect some estimates also thanks to the ambiguous behaviour of Feder- and hypotheses, coming from extensively approximate ico II of the Gonzaga family, succeeded in avoid- assumptions” [5]. ing violence and plunders, but this city did not During the XIV century, by means of calculations avoid the plague contagion.
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