Violence and Disorder in the Sede Vacante of Early Modern Rome, 1559-1655

VIOLENCE AND DISORDER IN THE SEDE VACANTE OF EARLY MODERN ROME, 1559-1655 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By John M. Hunt, M. A. ***** The Ohio State University 2009 Dissertation Committee Professor Robert C. Davis Professor Noel G. Parker ______________________________ Professor Barbara A. Hanawalt Advisor History Graduate Program Professor Terri Hessler ABSTRACT From the death of every pope until the election of his successor in the early modern era, the entire bureaucratic and judicial apparatus of the state in Rome and the Papal States effectively ceased to function. During this interregnum, known as the sede vacante (literally, “the vacant see”), violence and disorder dramatically increased as the papal government temporarily lost its control over the populace and its monopoly of violence. The College of Cardinals and local civic governments throughout the Papal States, authorities deputized to regulate affairs during sede vacante, failed to quell the upsurge of violence that commenced immediately upon the pope’s death. Contemporary observers and modern scholars have labeled the violence of sede vacante as meaningless and irrational. I argue, rather, that this period of unrest gave Romans and subjects of the Papal States an opportunity to perform actions increasingly forbidden by the centralizing papal government—and thus ultimately to limit the power of the government and prevent the development of the papacy into an absolute monarchy. Acting as individuals or as collectivities, Romans and papal subjects sought revenge against old enemies, attacked hated outsiders, criticized papal policies, and commented on the papal election. My dissertation, the first book-length study of the papal sede vacante, examines this interlude of disorder and violence by highlighting this poorly studied but important aspect of Roman society. Using primarily police reports, testimonies from witnesses, and trial records, I point out the ways in which sede vacante served to disrupt and limit papal authority. ii Moreover, I emphasize the negotiable quality of power in the early modern Papal States and the roles that the civic government of Rome, the nobility, and even single individuals played in contesting the growth of papal power. Sede vacante allowed individuals and collective bodies to pursue their own goals. Finally, my study of the papacy’s sede vacante reveals the weakness in absolutist goals of the papal monarchy. Rather than following in the example of French absolutism, the papacy shared much in common with Poland and the Holy Roman Empire, other elective monarchies of the early modern era. But, in the end, Rome was unique in the amount of violence and disorder that occurred during its interregnum. iii Dedicated to Danielle and Erin iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation would not have possible without the support and advice of numerous individuals and institutions over the years. First and foremost, I would like to thank the members of my dissertation committee. Each one has made a great contribution to the evolution of this work. My advisor, Robert Davis, read every chapter with a critical eye. The work is much better due to his advice. Geoffrey Parker helped me to look at my dissertation in broader terms and always remained a bastion of support through rough times. In addition to her advice, Barbara Hanawalt generously provided me with a teaching position during the last stages of the writing phase. To each I owe a tremendous amount of thanks and I hope the end result is pleasing to them. Of course, as with all works, any of its flaws are my own. I would also like to thank other members of the History Department who have helped me during my time at the Ohio State University. John Rule, David Cressy and Matt Goldish all gave me useful advice at the early stages of my research. I have also benefited from the assistance and conversation of fellow graduate students. In particular I want to thank James Bennett, Gunhan Borekci, and Andrea Ottone. I owe much to scholars in the broad community of early modern Rome. Thomas and Elizabeth Cohen have helped me from the beginning of this project, giving me guidance as I ventured into the state archives of Rome, providing a friendly face in the v archives while I did my research, and critically reading several chapters. They represent the best that is academe. Dr. John Brackett, my former advisor at the University of Cincinnati, commented on several chapters. I also learned much from him as his student. In Rome, I benefited from the advice of Irene Fosi and Michele Di Sivo, archivist at the Archivio di Stato di Roma. I want to thank fellow graduate students, Amy Brosius, Camilla Kandare, and Virginia Lamothe, who shared sources and the details of their fascinating research during breaks from the archives. I want to thank the people who made my stay in Rome exciting and welcoming. Gaby Ford not only found me rooms but also entertained with her sardonic wit. The proprietors of the Sedici Bar and Le Bon Bock in Monteverde provided me with a welcoming haven away from the tourist-heavy streets of Rome, as well as interesting discussions on topics ranging from politics to the World Cup. Giancarlo and his wife, owners of the Sedici Bar, were very generous, often providing me with a lunch to take to the archives. I need to thank the archives in Rome, Venice and Mantua that allowed me to peruse their materials. I also thank the Getty Research Institute, the Marian Library of the University of Dayton, the Houghton Library of Harvard University, the Lilly Library of Indiana University, and the library of the L’École Française de Rome for giving me access to rare printed materials. In particular, I thank Nicoletta Hary, Curator of Rare Books at the University of Dayton library, for her assistance. My research owes much to the institutions that helped fund my research in Italy and in the United States. The History Department awarded me the John C. Rule Award, allowing me to conduct early research in the archives of Rome. A Fulbright to Italy vi allowed me to spend a productive and exciting year and a half in Rome. And a combination grant from the Delmas Foundation, Duke University and the Venice International University allowed me to conduct research in Venice and present my first findings at a seminar sponsored by all three institutions. Finally, a Presidential Fellowship from the Ohio State University gave me a year free from teaching to think deeply on my topic and write up the results of my research. Finally, I would like to thank my family, who has supported me through the entire process. In particular I would like to thank my father, who has been extremely supportive of my academic endeavors, as well as Corbin, Danielle, Eliza, and Erin, each of whom in their own way have helped to see this work to its final conclusion. vii VITA 5 September 1973…………………………New Albany, Indiana, United States 2000………………………………………M.A. Medieval and Renaissance History, University of Cincinnati Autumn 2000……………………………..Instructor, Northern Kentucky University 2001-present………………………………Graduate Student Assistant Department of History The Ohio State University Spring 2009……………………….. ……..Instructor, Wright State University PUBLICATIONS With Robert C. Davis. “Patrons and Artists in the Italian Renaissance” in Exploring the European Past: Texts and Images. Edited by Timothy E. Gregory (Mason, OH: Thomson Learning, 2003). “Early Modern Catholicism: Catholic Reformation of Counter-Reformation?” in Exploring the European Past: Texts and Images. Edited by Timothy E. Gregory (Mason, OH: Thomson Learning, 2004). FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: History viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Abstract…………………………………………………………………………….......….ii Dedication…………………………………………………………………………….......iv Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………………………v Vita……………………………………………………………………………...……....viii List of Abbreviations Used…………………………………………………………...…...x Units of Money, Weights and Time…...…………………………………………………xi List of Popes and their Sede Vacante….………………………………………………...xii Chapters: Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….1 1. The Political Structures of Sede Vacante …………………………….………………29 2. The Pope is Dead! The Rites of Sede Vacante ......………………………………….80 3. The Fear and Violence of Sede Vacante ……………………………….…………...122 4. The Vengeance of Sede Vacante……………………………………………………173 5. Violence against Intimate Outsiders during Sede Vacante………………………….233 6. The Criticism, Pasquinades and Riots of Sede Vacante…………………………….275 7. The Disorder of the Conclave……………………………………………………….338 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...400 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………420 ix ABBREVIATIONS USED ASC Archivio Storico Capitolino Cred. Credenzone ASM Archivio di Stato di Mantova ASR Archivio di Stato di Roma TCG Tribunale criminale di Governatore di Roma TCS Tribunale crimianle di Senatore di Roma ASV Archivio Segreto Vaticano Misc. Arm. Miscellanea Armadio ASVenice Archivio di Stato di Venezia BAV Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Barb.lat Fondo Barberiniano Latino Urb.lat Fondo Urbinate Latino Vat.lat Fondo Vaticano Latino BC Biblioteca Casantense b. busta cod. codex f. folio HOP Ludwig von Pastor’s History of the Popes t. tomo x UNITS OF MONEY, WEIGHT AND TIME MONEY scudo = 100 baiocchi; money of account giulio = 10 baiocchi; derived its name from Julius II grosso = 5 baiocchi baiocco =1/100 of a scudo quattrino = 1/5 of a baiocco WEIGHT rubbio = a measure of

Load more