202 - Spanish Italy in the early 1500’s -The Kingdom of Naples

Episode Overview

Having toured Spanish Sardinia and turbulent Sicily, we now complete our circuit of southern Italy by turning to the Kingdom of Naples.

Once secured for Spain by the legendary Gonzalo de Córdoba, Naples became one of the crown jewels of the Spanish Empire — wealthy, strategic, and politically delicate.

In this episode, we follow the kingdom from consolidation under Spanish rule through internal tensions, shifting viceroys, the Battle of Ravenna, and finally to the dramatic French siege of Naples in 1528 — a moment when the city came dangerously close to slipping from Spanish control.

Naples Under Spanish Rule

1. By 1505, Spanish control of Naples was nearly complete.
2. The city of Naples received special privileges compared to the rest of the kingdom:
3. Tax exemptions
4. Legal protections
5. Lower fixed prices on staple goods
6. All royal offices centralized in the capital

This preferential treatment helped Naples grow into one of the largest cities in Europe — rivaling Venice and Paris in population and prestige.

Social Balance and Political Tensions

1. A delicate equilibrium existed between:
2. The nobility
3. Merchants and professionals
4. The popular classes
5. Unlike Sicily, Naples allowed limited representation of non-noble groups.
6. Spanish governors requested repeated donatives (extraordinary tax grants), creating periodic friction.

Gonzalo de Córdoba and the Transition of Power

1. Gonzalo de Córdoba, the “Great Captain,” secured the kingdom but was recalled to Spain amid suspicions he harbored royal ambitions.
2. His successor, Juan of Aragon, Count of Ribagorza, briefly held the position.
3. From 1509 to 1522, real influence lay with Ramon de Cardona, who oversaw:
4. The transition from Ferdinand of Aragon to Charles V
5. Continued management of noble rivalries
6. Spanish dominance during key phases of the Italian Wars

The Battle of Ravenna (1512)

1. De Cardona commanded Spanish forces against the French under Gaston de Foix.
2. Though defeated, the French victory was short-lived due to Foix’s death on the battlefield.
3. Naples remained securely Spanish.

Charles V, Pavia, and Rising Tensions

1. Under Viceroy Charles de Lannoy, Naples witnessed:
2. The Battle of Pavia (1525)
3. The capture of French King Francis I
4. Charles V’s growing dominance triggered the formation of the anti-imperial coalition that would lead to the Sack of Rome.

But while Rome burned, Naples nearly fell.

The French Siege of Naples (1528)

After Lannoy’s death from plague in 1527, Ugo de Moncada — formerly viceroy of Sicily — took charge.

A Dire Situation

1. French forces under Odet de Foix, Count of Lautrec, invaded the kingdom.
2. Many barons welcomed the French.
3. A Franco-Genoese fleet blockaded the Gulf of Naples.
4. The countryside — and the harvest — fell under French control.

Moncada attempted to break the blockade and was killed in the effort.

Why Naples Did Not Fall

Despite appearances, several factors saved the city:

1. Powerful Defenses

Naples was protected by three major fortresses:

1. Castel dell’Ovo (on the sea)
2. Castel Nuovo (in the city)
3. Castel Sant’Elmo (overlooking from the Vomero hill)

Even if the French breached the city, holding it would be another matter.

2. Genoese Defection

The Genoese fleet switched sides — Spanish imperial trade interests proved more profitable than French alignment.

3. Plague

In a desperate move, Lautrec destroyed the Bolla Aqueduct, flooding surrounding marshlands. Combined with summer heat, this triggered a devastating outbreak of plague.

One of its victims: Lautrec himself.

With their commander dead and disease rampant, French momentum collapsed.

The Aftermath

1. Cities that had defected returned to Spanish allegiance.
2. Peace was reached in 1529 between Charles V, Francis I, the Pope, and Venice.
3. Punishment for rebellious barons was relatively restrained:
4. Some executions
5. Mostly confiscations
6. Eventually, a general amnesty

Naples remained Spanish.

Walking Through History: The Spanish City

The legacy of this period can still be explored today:

1. Start at Castel dell’Ovo along the sea.
2. Walk through Piazza del Plebiscito past the Teatro di San Carlo and Galleria Umberto I.
3. Stand before Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino).
4. Ride the funicular to Castel Sant’Elmo for sweeping views of Spaccanapoli.
5. Pass along Via Toledo and through the Spanish Quarters — neighborhoods established during this very period.

Looking Ahead: A New Viceroy

In 1532, one of the most influential and controversial viceroys arrived:

Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Zúñiga

His tenure would transform Naples physically, politically, and socially — reshaping the city in ways still visible today.

But before we follow that story, we must turn north — far north — to events unfolding in the distant reaches of what would one day be called northern Italy.