Francesco Salviati (archbishop)
Encyclopedia
Francesco Salviati Riario was the archbishop of Pisa in 1475. A blood-member of the Riario
family, and of the Salviati
family (to whom Pope Sixtus IV
had re-awarded the papal banking contract after taking it away from the Medici), he was also related by marriage to the Pazzi, Medici, Vettori, and other powerful families. Orphaned at a young age, Salviati was educated as a humanist but vied to succeed in the church, knowing he could not rise to power in the family after losing his father. Pro-Medici sources paint Salviati as a flatterer, a gambler, and lusted for the power that could be attained through church favour.
In 1464, Salviati moved to Rome to attach himself to Francesco della Rovere – who later became Pope Sixtus IV – and his nephews, Girolamo
and Pietro Riario
. This paid off in his appointment as archbishop.
The Medici family of Florence
opposed his appointment as archbishop and so in spring 1478, he sent to Florence his nephew Raffaele Riario
to lure both Lorenzo and Giuliano to the Duomo for assassination in the Pazzi Conspiracy
, and invited him to a mass at the Duomo at which the assassination would take place. When the bell that was rung during the elevation rang, Salviati was to go to the Palazzo Vecchio
, kill the Gonfaloniere
Petrucci and take possession of the Palazzo della Signoria
, whilst the main killing occurred in the cathedral, but on arriving there he was arrested by Petrucci and within an hour had been hanged by a lynch mob from the window of the Sala dei Duecento.
In Assassin's Creed II
, which has a fictional version of the conspiracy, Salviati had merely led Pazzi-allied troops into Florence and was able to flee to his villa in the Tuscan countryside (an unfortunate farmer being hanged in his place), only to be hunted down and slain in 1479 by the Assassin Ezio Auditore.
Riario
Riario was an Italian noble family from Genoa. Its member included three famous nephews of Francesco della Rovere, who reigned as Pope Sixtus IV.-Members:*Girolamo Riario , Lord of Imola and Forlì...
family, and of the Salviati
Salviati (bankers)
The Salviati were a prominent Florentine-Roman family who in the 15th century were bankers to Pope Sixtus IV. They were among those involved in the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478, a plot to murder the leading members of the Medici family in Florence...
family (to whom Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...
had re-awarded the papal banking contract after taking it away from the Medici), he was also related by marriage to the Pazzi, Medici, Vettori, and other powerful families. Orphaned at a young age, Salviati was educated as a humanist but vied to succeed in the church, knowing he could not rise to power in the family after losing his father. Pro-Medici sources paint Salviati as a flatterer, a gambler, and lusted for the power that could be attained through church favour.
In 1464, Salviati moved to Rome to attach himself to Francesco della Rovere – who later became Pope Sixtus IV – and his nephews, Girolamo
Girolamo Riario
Girolamo Riario was Lord of Imola and Forlì in the 15th century.- Biography :Born in Savona, Riario was the son of Paolo Riario and Bianca della Rovere...
and Pietro Riario
Pietro Riario
Pietro Riario was an Italian cardinal and Papal diplomat.-Biography:Born in Savona, he was the son of Paolo Riario and Pope Sixtus IVs' sister, Bianca Della Rovere. Sixtus nominated him in 1471 bishop of Treviso and cardinal, and, in 1473, archbishop of Florence. He was entrusted with Sixtus'...
. This paid off in his appointment as archbishop.
The Medici family of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
opposed his appointment as archbishop and so in spring 1478, he sent to Florence his nephew Raffaele Riario
Raffaele Riario
Raffaele Sansoni Galeoti Riario was an Italian Cardinal of the Renaissance, mainly known as the constructor of the Palazzo della Cancelleria and the one who invited Michelangelo to Rome. He was a patron of the arts...
to lure both Lorenzo and Giuliano to the Duomo for assassination in the Pazzi Conspiracy
Pazzi
The Pazzi family were an ancient, noble Tuscan family who had given up their titles so that members could be elected to public office. Their main trade, during the 15th century was banking. They are linked to the "Pazzi conspiracy"—to assassinate Giuliano de' Medici and simultaneously attempt...
, and invited him to a mass at the Duomo at which the assassination would take place. When the bell that was rung during the elevation rang, Salviati was to go to the Palazzo Vecchio
Palazzo Vecchio
The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, Italy. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany...
, kill the Gonfaloniere
Gonfaloniere of Justice
Gonfaloniere of Justice was a post in the government of medieval and early Renaissance Florence. Like Florence's Podestà and Priori, it was introduced in 1293 when Giano Della Bella's Ordinamenti di Giustizia came into force....
Petrucci and take possession of the Palazzo della Signoria
Palazzo Vecchio
The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, Italy. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany...
, whilst the main killing occurred in the cathedral, but on arriving there he was arrested by Petrucci and within an hour had been hanged by a lynch mob from the window of the Sala dei Duecento.
In Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
, which has a fictional version of the conspiracy, Salviati had merely led Pazzi-allied troops into Florence and was able to flee to his villa in the Tuscan countryside (an unfortunate farmer being hanged in his place), only to be hunted down and slain in 1479 by the Assassin Ezio Auditore.