Senigallia massacre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Senigallia massacre (Italian: La strage di Senigallia) was a series of executions perpetrated on the orders of Cesare Borgia as revenge for the Magione conspiracy, where powerful princes, most of whom were Borgia's former military allies and commanders, plotted to remove him from power to prevent him from gaining too much influence over Italy.[1][2] Borgia, having misled his enemies into believing he was seeking reconciliation, lured Oliverotto Euffreducci, Vitellozzo Vitelli, Paolo and Francesco Orsini to a dinner in Senigallia (then Sinigaglia[3]) on 31 December 1502 to discuss military matters.[4] At a signal, Borgia's guards captured the four men, with Vitellozzo and Oliverotto being garroted that same night by Michelotto Corella.[5] The Orsini brothers were killed a few weeks later on 18 January 1503. Niccolò Machiavelli, who was himself a physical witness to many of the events, chronicled the killings in his works The Description and Il Principe.[6][7][8][9]
Cesare Borgia's plan to take over the Romagna was not received well by other local Italian lords, who felt uneasy as Borgia was increasing his already dominant empire over central Italy, and he also had a reputation for betrayal even amongst those he allied himself with. This led the rulers, which included Oliverotto Euffreducci, Vitellozzo Vitelli, Gian Paolo Baglioni, Pandolfo Petrucci, Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Giovanni Bentivoglio (through his son Ermes) and the leading members of Orsini family to plot against Borgia with the aim of having him either killed, or at the very least taken prisoner.[10][7] Vitelli vowed to kill Borgia personally should he ever be approached by him.[11][7][12] Baglioni warned that if they did not act, they risked being "devoured one by one by the dragon".[13] The anti-Borgia league could have defied both Cesare and Pope Alexander VI, but their distrust for one another led to the coalition being divided easily.[14]
