In the past nine months, the world has been in total silence as to the status of the papal states, and the ongoing conflict between the various branches of The Borgia Family. Catholics across the world have been in deep prayer and in a rudderless ship as the state of sede vacante has existed for almost two years since the unfortunate death of his holiness, Pope Victor IV. Parishes across the world have taken it upon themselves to guide their flocks until the conflcit can be resolved, and though some may never return to the fold, we thank them all for taking up the role of religious leadership as the vultures eat their own. I neither condone nor condemn these events, I just relate what has happened.
I will try to be as brief as possible, as I am still on a constant movement myself, for various reasons. The world must know of the goings-on of this our Time of Troubles. When the world had last heard of our conflict, Virginio Orsini had been defeated and sent into exile, and the two claimants to the Papal Throne were both set to battle it out in central Italy, whilst the purposeless Coalition of the Caveja had to settle down and decide their next courses of action, as their quarry had fled with his tail between his legs. In Spain King Viracocha has languished, keeping his state in separation from this conflict and sealed off from the rest of the world. Slave revolts have flourished in our colonies in Africa. Foreign influence has long since been suspected. Even our own are being killed. Emilina Corella and Eugene Borgia have been assassinated in Venice!
I will speak first of Italy, the tragic heart of this story. For fairness to all parties, I will refer to both claimnants by their assumed Papal Names. Soter II and Calixtus V. Soter II, supported by Milan and Tuscany. Calixtus V backed by Naples. As one can expect, when their forces met, they immediately and brutally began to clash. The hinterlands of Latium and Campania began to be soaked in blood. The battles were indecisive for weeks, but the forces of Soter II steadily advanced south. They reached as far as Carditello, within striking distance of Naples. The Duke of Naples, having hanged his marshal, took command himself and bringing along Calixtus V threw back the coalition forces of Soter II. In this time it became known to Soter II, that Duke Gian Galeazzo II of Milan had been secretly meeting with Alfonso of Naples. Gian Galeazo was to be paid handsomely to betray Soter II after the next engagement. Rather than acting harshly or recklessly, Soter II instead confided this in Ippolito Medici, and they both came concocted a strategem to end the influence of Sforza for good. A goal that had long been in the back of Soter's mind, as is the wont of those of Borgia blood. Ippolito de Medici contacted His Majesty, Louis XX of France, that very night and entered into negotiations with him to secure Soter's northern flank. Medici called upon France to send forces to back Soter II, as Milan would surely abandon them after the death of its duke, and in return Soter would allow France to occupy Milan as well as several other tedious religious honors. Louis XX agreed, and the plot would be put into action.
After the Battle of San Limato, that is, in which the Milanese would (unbeknownst to them) fight for their Marian-inspired pope one last time. I will not be too detailed with the minutiae of the battle, but it is key to know for all that Pope Soter II ordered the Milanese to directly charge the center of Alfonso of Naples. In order to weaken them and open a hole in his lines, as his heavily armored flanks swung around to kill them. Soter II pulled then amove hiterto unforseen in this conflict, and not seen in centuries, leading her allied nobility in a headlong cavalry charge into Alfonso's rear and flanks from the hills of Falciano de Massico. Their horses, armored in the same bulletproof shells as their riders, plunged into the enemy ranks, with Soter II leading the charge. The main body of the Neapolitan army broke before them, and Alfonso himself mounted his own unarmored horse with his companions and recklessly charged into Soter's body of troops. Man fought man, knight and knight, sword and sword. Alfonso II having his arm's armor damaged, he tore it off and fought even harder. Soter II found himself in combat with Alfonso and another noble himself. Domenico Pignatelli, a cardinal and condotierro, struck Pope Soter II in the head with his mace. His aim was imperfect, and he merely struck off a statue of the Virgin Mary which served as its crest, which broke the the force of his blow. Pope Soter II struck him down with his lance. Then from behind, Alfonso de Borja rose his sword against the Pope. But Joachim Murat, Prince of Pontecorvo, anticipated his blow, struck his arm, and cut it off, sword and all. Seeing this Calixtus V fled the field of battle and his army fled with him. Alfonso fled with them. He died weeks later from an infection, and Naples is currently ruled by his son Ferrante.
After the battle concluded Soter II paraded the Prince of Pontecorvo through the camp as a hero of heaven who'd saved the pope from certain death. Brought before the pope, who'd decided to reward him for his bravery, Pope Soter II asked for whatever he desired most. What he asked, within reason, he would get it. All expected for the Prince to ask for Naples, as was his 'inheritance' if you'd sided with the Bonapartists centuries ago. To the shock and scandal of all, Joachim instead asked for the Pope's hand in marriage. His Holiness the most so. He struck Murat in the face, and demanded he recant his wish. It was not possible for many reasons, least of all that the Pope could not wed. He refused, and His Holiness instead consented to a ceremony of adelphopoiesis. A marriage in all but name.
In a black rage Soter II ordered that no prisoners be taken. Surrendered Neapolitans were round up and executed by firing squad. The Milanese forces were decimated, and Gian Galeazzo II lied among their corpses, allegedly killed by a stray bullet of friendly fire. Soter II later revealed that it was done by a Florentine sniper. News reached them that France had seized Milan, and that a contingent of French forces had began to come south and would be in Rome soon enough. What few Milanese men and women who believed in Soter's cause remained, but most on hearing the news of France's seizure of their city, either deserted or switched sides to Naples. Soter II withdrew back to Rome without enough men to take Naples. A stalemate was entered that continues to this day, as COVID-19 cases came with the French army that has crippled the countryside. Anarchy reigns, and neither pope controls much territory outside of their cities. God help us all.
I will try to be as brief as possible, as I am still on a constant movement myself, for various reasons. The world must know of the goings-on of this our Time of Troubles. When the world had last heard of our conflict, Virginio Orsini had been defeated and sent into exile, and the two claimants to the Papal Throne were both set to battle it out in central Italy, whilst the purposeless Coalition of the Caveja had to settle down and decide their next courses of action, as their quarry had fled with his tail between his legs. In Spain King Viracocha has languished, keeping his state in separation from this conflict and sealed off from the rest of the world. Slave revolts have flourished in our colonies in Africa. Foreign influence has long since been suspected. Even our own are being killed. Emilina Corella and Eugene Borgia have been assassinated in Venice!
I will speak first of Italy, the tragic heart of this story. For fairness to all parties, I will refer to both claimnants by their assumed Papal Names. Soter II and Calixtus V. Soter II, supported by Milan and Tuscany. Calixtus V backed by Naples. As one can expect, when their forces met, they immediately and brutally began to clash. The hinterlands of Latium and Campania began to be soaked in blood. The battles were indecisive for weeks, but the forces of Soter II steadily advanced south. They reached as far as Carditello, within striking distance of Naples. The Duke of Naples, having hanged his marshal, took command himself and bringing along Calixtus V threw back the coalition forces of Soter II. In this time it became known to Soter II, that Duke Gian Galeazzo II of Milan had been secretly meeting with Alfonso of Naples. Gian Galeazo was to be paid handsomely to betray Soter II after the next engagement. Rather than acting harshly or recklessly, Soter II instead confided this in Ippolito Medici, and they both came concocted a strategem to end the influence of Sforza for good. A goal that had long been in the back of Soter's mind, as is the wont of those of Borgia blood. Ippolito de Medici contacted His Majesty, Louis XX of France, that very night and entered into negotiations with him to secure Soter's northern flank. Medici called upon France to send forces to back Soter II, as Milan would surely abandon them after the death of its duke, and in return Soter would allow France to occupy Milan as well as several other tedious religious honors. Louis XX agreed, and the plot would be put into action.
After the Battle of San Limato, that is, in which the Milanese would (unbeknownst to them) fight for their Marian-inspired pope one last time. I will not be too detailed with the minutiae of the battle, but it is key to know for all that Pope Soter II ordered the Milanese to directly charge the center of Alfonso of Naples. In order to weaken them and open a hole in his lines, as his heavily armored flanks swung around to kill them. Soter II pulled then amove hiterto unforseen in this conflict, and not seen in centuries, leading her allied nobility in a headlong cavalry charge into Alfonso's rear and flanks from the hills of Falciano de Massico. Their horses, armored in the same bulletproof shells as their riders, plunged into the enemy ranks, with Soter II leading the charge. The main body of the Neapolitan army broke before them, and Alfonso himself mounted his own unarmored horse with his companions and recklessly charged into Soter's body of troops. Man fought man, knight and knight, sword and sword. Alfonso II having his arm's armor damaged, he tore it off and fought even harder. Soter II found himself in combat with Alfonso and another noble himself. Domenico Pignatelli, a cardinal and condotierro, struck Pope Soter II in the head with his mace. His aim was imperfect, and he merely struck off a statue of the Virgin Mary which served as its crest, which broke the the force of his blow. Pope Soter II struck him down with his lance. Then from behind, Alfonso de Borja rose his sword against the Pope. But Joachim Murat, Prince of Pontecorvo, anticipated his blow, struck his arm, and cut it off, sword and all. Seeing this Calixtus V fled the field of battle and his army fled with him. Alfonso fled with them. He died weeks later from an infection, and Naples is currently ruled by his son Ferrante.
After the battle concluded Soter II paraded the Prince of Pontecorvo through the camp as a hero of heaven who'd saved the pope from certain death. Brought before the pope, who'd decided to reward him for his bravery, Pope Soter II asked for whatever he desired most. What he asked, within reason, he would get it. All expected for the Prince to ask for Naples, as was his 'inheritance' if you'd sided with the Bonapartists centuries ago. To the shock and scandal of all, Joachim instead asked for the Pope's hand in marriage. His Holiness the most so. He struck Murat in the face, and demanded he recant his wish. It was not possible for many reasons, least of all that the Pope could not wed. He refused, and His Holiness instead consented to a ceremony of adelphopoiesis. A marriage in all but name.
In a black rage Soter II ordered that no prisoners be taken. Surrendered Neapolitans were round up and executed by firing squad. The Milanese forces were decimated, and Gian Galeazzo II lied among their corpses, allegedly killed by a stray bullet of friendly fire. Soter II later revealed that it was done by a Florentine sniper. News reached them that France had seized Milan, and that a contingent of French forces had began to come south and would be in Rome soon enough. What few Milanese men and women who believed in Soter's cause remained, but most on hearing the news of France's seizure of their city, either deserted or switched sides to Naples. Soter II withdrew back to Rome without enough men to take Naples. A stalemate was entered that continues to this day, as COVID-19 cases came with the French army that has crippled the countryside. Anarchy reigns, and neither pope controls much territory outside of their cities. God help us all.