The return of the fallen king

Chapter 48: Scheming (2)

Although Florence was a wealthy, cultural city, it was also a place of considerable political intrigue and betrayal. It was a city that had witnessed the birth and fall of numerous significant revolutions, and it was one that was always changing and evolving as new political forces and figures gained strength. It was a metropolis brimming with huge chances as well as great perils. Between a Ghibellin and a Guelph regime, the fate of the city and its inhabitants was continuously in flux.

The night was dark and chilly, with a hint of moisture in the air that hinted at an impending storm. The sky was filled with stars, with many constellations and planets visible in the night sky. It was a moonless night, so the sky was pitch black except for the stars and the planets, and it was a night filled with suspense and anticipation. The sky was illuminated by many torches that lit up the city and the streets and cast light on the faces of the people who had gathered to protest. The torches were held by many citizens who had united together and were determined to make their voices heard. They were filled with rage and anger, and they were determined to make a statement with their presence. It was clear that they were ready to fight and to make a difference for their lives, even if it meant going up against the authorities and the powers that be. The city was filled with tension and uncertainty as the torchlit crowd moved through the streets.

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Many different people were united by the common goal of disrupting the rising price of grain that had taken hold in the florentine market for the last few months. The expensiveness of grain and rye was caused by a drought that affected the farmlands of the Republic; however, this was not understood by the ignorant crowd, who believed that this was a man-made situation.

Not one to forget about using things for his own account , Giovanni used this to his advantage. He hired a few people to spread the false information that many men in the city were hoarding grain in order to sell it for more money.

At first sight, it might have appeared as though the mob was roaming the city aimlessly in search of victims, but in reality, the mob spokespeople were subtly leading the mob toward the rivals of their master. The mob was wreaking mayhem and disruption as they roamed the streets in search of innocent victims or anyone who might pose a threat to their leader or his objectives. It was a violent and destructive scenario.

Many mansions and houses were raided by the angry and violent mob. They were looking for anything that they could find that was valuable or useful, and they were taking everything they could get their hands on. They were driven by anger and rage and by their resentment and hatred for the ones that they believed were the cause of this rise in the price of food. They were determined to cause as much destruction and harm as they possibly could, and they would not stop until they reached their goal. It was a terrifying and violent scene, as the homes and belongings of many innocents but also rich people were destroyed.

The mob entered every room, putting anything of value inside their pockets, while they were in search of the masters of the mansion. Most of them, however, did not have luck, for they had already fled and brought with them as much gold as they could take. Failing to find the rich masters, they vented their anger towards the servants, killing the male and having their way with the female maids and cooks. They were out of control, and they were going to cause great damage unless someone was able to put a stop to their reign of terror.

None, however, came to stop them, for Giovanni had already bribed the right people to make the garrison a passive force.

The garrison seemed to be content with just letting the mobs run wild, and the citizens of the city were filled with fear and anxiety as the mobs continued to pillage, loot, and destroy property. The garrison seemed to have no interest in putting a stop to the rampaging mobs, and it was clear that the mob was not going to stop anytime soon , they were determined to get what they wanted even if it meant destroying and pillaging the entire city. Those who wanted to stop them and were not bribed , however, were too scared to do so since they were in the minority.

Just as Giovanni and Charles planned, the French troops stayed put in their accommodations, closing their ears and trying to drift off to sleep even with all the chaos around them. They were trying to ignore it, and they did not want to get involved, and this was exactly what Giovanni and Charles had planned for. It was a strategic move on their part to keep their troops out of the chaos and out of the fight, and it was proving to be an incredibly successful strategy. It allowed the mobs to run rampant without any interference from the French troops, and it only served to embolden the citizens and make them brazen in their crimes and misdeeds.

The day after the rebellion was a time of tension and anxiety. The citizens of the city, those who mostly owned shops, were still recovering from the night of violence and chaos, and they were filled with fear and anxiety as they remained vigilant in case the mobs decided to return and cause further trouble; after all, most of the shops during the chaos were broken into and looted. It was important for them to remain resilient and calm even in the face of so much uncertainty and chaos, but it was difficult for them to see the positive in such a difficult time.

However, a man's suffering is another man's wealth. Giovanni and his supporters, who would play a significant part in the new government, were thrilled with the situation since they had successfully rid the city of everyone who could stand in their way; and they was determined to take advantage of this.

They were now in charge after successfully capturing the city with little resistance .They were confident and upbeat since they had succeeded in achieving their goals. They had made up their minds that they would exploit their victory to further their agenda and their ambitions.

Now what was needed was to take hold of the city in a legitimate way, by being elected as podestà. As Charles and Giovanni schemed, the king made a public announcement where he refused to run in the election of podestà and instead ''suggested '' Giovanni for the position of ''Capitano del Popolo (Captain of the People). It was the first step in his process of taking over the city, and it was a successful one, as it gave him the authority to impose his will and his rule on the entire city. Now Charles could use Giovanni as a spokeswoman to do his bidding, and just to make sure that Florence remained loyal to him, he left 500 Frenchmen as a permanent garrison in the city.

The French forces left behind in the city of Florence would prove to be a constant reminder to Giovanni of the power that Charles had. It was a reminder that Charles had the military's strength and support, so he had to be careful and do everything needed to keep Charles happy and do his bidding. It was a powerful reminder that he needed to adhere to Charles's wishes in all things and that it was his responsibility to obey all of Charles's demands and orders.

The first piece of Charles' plan had been completed; now what was next was to try and influence the rest of the Italian city to do his bidding. What he did not know was that this action of his would have drastic consequences on the Italian checkboard for it made the other communes pay more attention on Charles' actions

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