Hannibal

The Pazzi Conspiracy, also known as the Pazzi Plot, was a notorious political conspiracy that took place in Renaissance Italy during the 15th century. The plot, orchestrated by the Pazzi family and their allies, aimed to overthrow the powerful Medici family and seize control of the city state of Florence. The Pazzi family, one of Florence's prominent noble families, harbored a deep resentment toward the Medicis, the family that effectively ruled over Florence. They saw the Medicis’ growing influence and wealth as a threat to their own status and power. Seeking allies, the Pazzi joined forces with Pope Sixtus IV, who shared their disdain for the Medicis and their influence over the papacy.

On April 26, 1478, during the Easter Sunday Mass at the Florence Cathedral, the Pazzi conspiracy was set into motion. The plan was to assassinate Lorenzo de’ Medici, the de facto ruler of Florence, and his younger brother Giuliano, while they attended the religious service. The conspirators, led by Francesco de’ Pazzi and Girolamo Riario (the nephew of Pope Sixtus IV), recruited a group of mercenaries to carry out the assassination. As the Mass began, Giuliano de’ Medici was attacked first. One of the mercenaries, Bernardo Bandini Baroncelli, lunged at Giuliano with a dagger, striking him multiple times. Giuliano fought fiercely but was ultimately overwhelmed by the assailants and succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, Lorenzo de’ Medici, although injured in the initial attack, managed to escape with the help of his loyal supporters.

The assassination attempt did not go as planned. The conspirators had hoped that the news of Giuliano’s death would spark a popular uprising against the Medicis, allowing them to seize control of Florence. But the citizens of Florence, instead of rising up against the Medicis, rallied behind Lorenzo, who quickly consolidated his power and quelled any opposition.

With the failure of the assassination plot, the Pazzi family and their co-conspirators faced swift retribution. The Medici family, known for their influence and control over the Florentine government, launched a brutal campaign to eliminate their enemies. The conspirators were captured, and a wave of arrests ensued. Francesco de’ Pazzi and Girolamo Riario were among those apprehended. The punishments meted out to the conspirators were brutal. In an act of public spectacle and retribution, the executions were designed to send a clear message of the consequences of treachery. On April 29, 1478, three days after the assassination attempt, the condemned were paraded through the streets of Florence. Francesco de’ Pazzi and Bernardo Baroncelli were hanged from the windows of the Palazzo della Signoria, the seat of the Florentine government. Their lifeless bodies swung above the city square, exposed to the scornful gaze of the populace. Salviati, the Archbishop of Pisa and another key conspirator, met a similar fate. His lifeless corpse was hung from the same windows, a symbol of justice prevailing over treachery. The famous artist Botticelli was commissioned to paint a defamatory fresco of the hanged conspirators on a wall of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. Riario was imprisoned for several years before being released in a prisoner exchange.

In Hannibal, Lecter is well aware of the history of the city. When a descendent of the Pazzi family tries to catch Lecter, he replicates the execution with precise detail. The murder of Chief Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi is one of the most striking scenes in the novel. The influence of this history on the novel maintains Lecter’s legacy as a murderer with class and an appreciation of high art.