The city of Capua, enumerates unfortunately among its historical events one of extreme cruelty and fool,: the so-called one “Sack” that it signed the end of the dynasty in Aragon in Southern Italy. The event goes up again to 1501 when Capua represented a rich and powerful city, over how occupying a position strategic soldier and politics of the kingdom in Naples. Only inventor of the happened fool was Caesar Borgia (duke Valentino), placed side by side, instead, in the material execution of the project, from France that you/he/she delegated the command of his/her troops to the general of Aubigny. Caesar Borgia realized the sketch to conquer Capua approaching to the personal motives, what the revenge contrived toward the king Federico of Aragon, then king of Naples, to have refused him in wife his/her daughter Carlotta, the ambition to extend his/her power to such a strong kingdom, and therefore to the whole Italy. The political sketch started to prender it forms when the pope Alexander Vi, father of Caesar Borgia, deposed the king Federico (June 25 th 1501). On July 12 the French troops were directed toward Capua and they started to encircle her/it. To the difficulty to besiege such city, dictated by the fact that it was well defended (from three sides from the river and from the other from the boundaries and from the ditches), the value of its men was added. Defended Capua him up to I exhaust him/it some strengths for the four following days to on July 19 when sour battles were followed. Among the most illustrious names, we for instance mention Ettore Fieramosca, defender of the fortitude of Bald and Fabrizio Colonna defender of the same Capua. To expire some four days, the whole city was found in knee and forced to swap the surrender with French for a ransom of 40000 dukedoms to pay within the hours 15 of the day 24 July. It was then that duke Valentine's wicked plan was concretized that, blinded by the cupidity and by the revenge, it plotted the betrayal. It was orderly to the troops to loosen the vice, and to lavish with regards of peace before expiring some established term. The enemies were made therefore to enter the city: the doors of Capua were open (hands Tifatina, Capuana, of the Castle and that of the two Towers) and he abandoned the watch of the boundaries. It was alone when the most greater part of the soldiers they were inside the city that Caesar Borgia, to the center of the Judge Plaza, lifting the rod, it began the slaughter. In the same instant you/they were going out some delegates of the commune of Capua with the money to deliver. It was the day Saturday 24 July, times thirteen, eve of S. Giacomo apostle. The fool that consumed him was indescribable, you/he/she didn't save him anybody, not even his/her children and the women. A child saved by the imminent death was Cristoforo Sannelli whether to thank, the saint of which it brought the name to have him/it protected, erected then, in the Announced Holy church an altar and on the altar a statue of the Saint with Christ little boy on the shoulder. The statue (of wood and tall 2 meters) today you/he/she can be observed in the Museum they live. The women were takings of aim for their beauty and he tells that some of them (around 40) sheltered him in the Norman Castle or of the Stones you/they were violated by the soldieries of the Borgia. A lot of others, not to grant him to the enemy in exchange for the salvation, threw instead, also him in the river Volturno drowning. It was so also for a component of the illustrious family Of the Vineyard that was found in the monastery of S. Maria of the Dames Nuns, that it welcomed all noble youths and for a gentlewoman of House Antignano, encircled for road. The victims, are thought that more than 5000 people and the city has been it was witness of such a fool because it is narrated that the river Volturno became flushed of red for the versed blood in some lines. Two were the miraculous events that happened during the siege. you narrates that the soldiers, didn't inexplicably succeed in entering the church of S. Benedetto, today S. Filippo and Giacomo, to kill the citizens that sheltered you to pray around the sacred image of the Virgo of the Graces. Anchor, is narrated that the Virgo represented in a painting on the wall along a road that coasts along the river Volturno, called Madonna of the Pity and said by the people Madonna of the “Santella", it brought him the hands to the face in sign of so much horror of that days, putting an end to such fool. Still today, in the following days to July 24, harvest of suffrage they are celebrated to how much they died in these days. Testimonies of that fool we can find her near the church of S. Maria of the Graces or the Santella, where a commemorative headstone was made in 24 July of 1901 and, on the road that brings to S. Angelo in Formis where a chapel there is called Chapel of the Death. You narrates that it rises really in the place where the curtain of the of Aubigny established him. This, destroyed in 1860, the beginning of last century was referred to as you/he/she can be seen her/it today.
Sack of Capua
Home page
Preceding page