Girolamo Savonarola

2011-11-09T16:27:59Z

213.220.208.211: /* Trivia */

{{Era|AC2|Renaissance}}
{{WPtargets}}
{{WP-REAL}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Girolamo Savonarola
|image = Savonarola.png
|imgdesc =
|birth = 21 September 1452<br>[[Ferrara]], [[Italy]]
|death = 23 May 1498<br>[[Florence]], Italy
|period = [[Renaissance]]
|hidep = yes
|faction =
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''<br>''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''<br>''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'' {{mo}}
|voice =
}}
{{quote|Why are you here?! Why do you disturb me?! You should be cleansing your homes, cleansing your SELVES!|Savonarola, after a mob swarms the [[Palazzo Pitti]].|Assassin's Creed II}}
'''Girolamo Savonarola''' (21 September 1452 - 23 May 1498) was a Dominican friar and the leader of [[Florence]] from 1494 to 1498. He was the instigator of the [[Bonfire of the Vanities]].

==Biography==
Savonarola was born in the city of [[Ferrara]]. At a young age, Savonarola took a moral stance against the corrupt clergy present in [[Renaissance]] [[Italy]].

In 1475, Savonarola studied at Santo Spirito and became a Dominican friar. In 1482, he was dispatched to Florence, "The City of his Destiny," by his order. During the 1480s, he made little impression, and was often called a poor public speaker. He departed Florence in 1487, back to Bologna.

===Battle of Forlì===
In 1488, Savonarola resided in [[Forlì]] for some time. There, he caught wind of the existence of the [[Sixth Apple|Apple of Eden]] after passing by the [[House of Orsi|Orsi brothers]], who were conversing with [[Caterina Sforza]]. He eavesdropped on the conversation, and from then on, kept a close eye on the Orsi.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

[[File:Godfather_3.png|thumb|right|250px|Savonarola eavesdropping on the Orsi brothers.]]
Right before [[Checco Orsi]] was killed by [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], Checco stabbed Ezio in the left side of his lower abdomen. Ezio fell to the ground due to the wound, and before he lost consciousness, Savonarola appeared to take the [[Piece of Eden]] from him.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Bonfire of the Vanities===
{{Main|Bonfire of the Vanities}}

After the King of France drove [[Piero de' Medici]] from Florence in 1494, Savonarola used the Apple he had stolen to take over Florence. After uniting the city under his banner, he started to destroy all Renaissance [[Art Merchants|art pieces]], due to his desire to revert to Medieval times.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

When [[Rodrigo Borgia|Pope Alexander VI]], the [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master]] of the [[Templars|Templar Order]], found out that Savonarola had the Apple of Eden in his possession, he sent several troops of his [[Papal Guard|Papal army]] to retrieve it, though with no success.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

[[File:Power_to_people_3.png|thumb|250px|left|Savonarola using the Apple of Eden to control Florence.]]
Ezio Auditore returned to Florence in 1497 and started making plans to overthrow Savonarola and retrieve the Apple of Eden.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Ezio concluded that Savonarola's rule was being forced upon the people by his nine lieutenants, who were suppressing the Florentines. Ezio killed all nine of Savonarola's lieutenants, who were all either lured into serving Savonarola, or were being controlled by the Apple. As Ezio successfully assassinated each of the lieutenants, who were spread all over Florence, his fellow [[Assassins]], [[La Volpe]] and [[Paola]], began to encourage the people to fight for themselves. Eventually, Savonarola's grip over Florence was lost.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

An angry mob gathered in front of Savonarola's residence, the [[Palazzo Pitti]], to stand up against him. Savonarola tried to control the mob with the Apple of Eden, but Ezio threw a [[Throwing knives|knife]] at Savonarola's hand, which caused him to drop the Apple. With Savonarola powerless, the mob took him away, and a Templar guard fled with the Piece of Eden. Ezio chased and killed the guard, and came into possession of the Apple again.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Death===
[[File:Mob_justice_3.png|250px|thumb|right|Savonarola's demise.]]
Savonarola was eventually taken by the Florentine citizens to his execution: being burned alive in the [[Piazza della Signoria]]. Ezio ultimately decided that nobody should die in such agony, and pushed through the crowd towards Savonarola. He stabbed him in the neck with his hidden blade before the flames could reach him, and mercifully ended his life.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Savonarola's death greatly upset the [[House of Borgia|Borgia family]], as they were desperate to take the Apple of Eden for themselves.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

==Lieutenants==
The following are Savonarola's followers.
*The [[Painter]]
*The [[Doctor (Savonarola's lieutenant)|Doctor]]
*The [[Preacher]]
*The [[Farmer]]
*The [[Condottiero]]
*The [[Merchant (Savonarola's lieutenant)|Merchant]]
*The [[Nobleman]]
*The [[Priest (Savonarola's lieutenant)|Priest]]
*The [[Captain Guard]]

==Final words==
*'''Girolamo Savonarola:''' ''It's you. I knew this day would come. Please, show mercy!''
*'''Ezio Auditore:''' ''I have.'' Va' ora - che sia il tuo Dio a giudicarti. Requiescat in pace. ''(Go now - that you may be judged by your God. Rest in peace.)''

==Trivia==
[[Video:Assassins Creed 2 Checco Orsi Assassination (Savonarola First Appearance)|thumb|right|300px|Savonarola's first appearance.]]

*In 1488, Savonarola was missing his little finger, although the reason for this is unknown.
*Historically, Pope Alexander VI excommunicated Savonarola, and afterwards had him hanged and burned at the stake.
*Savonarola's character seems to be quite similar to that of [[Jubair al Hakim]] from ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''. Both men believed that knowledge is the path to evil and sin, and both organized massive bonfires throughout their cities to burn books and other sources of knowledge that they believed corrupted society. The missions to assassinate them are also very similar, as in both situations the player must take down each of the assassination target's lieutenants before actually confronting the target (though this is optional in ''Assassin's Creed'').
*In ''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Renaissance'', Ezio shoots Savonarola instead of stabbing him as he is being burned at the stake.
*Savonarola was mentioned in [[Niccolò Machiavelli]]'s ''The Prince'', where his failure was used as a reference in ''Chapter 6'' of the treatise.<ref>''Machiavelli wrote: Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, and Romulus would have been unable to have their constitutions obeyed for so long a time if they had been unarmed, as was the case in our own day with '''Fra' Girolamo Savonarola''', who failed with his new laws as soon as the multitude no longer believed in them. He had no way to keep them faithful to what they had believed, or to force the unbelievers to believe.''</ref>
*Savonarola is the only assassination target in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', that is obligatory for Ezio to kill (outside of memory corridor) with his right [[hidden blade]].
*During ''[[Assassin's Creed Brotherhood]]'', [[Heralds|heralds]] mention Savonarola, in a warning to his remaining followers, advising them to either conform with the Church or face inquisition.
*Savanarola can also be spotted after Ezio opens the gate of Forlí for Caterina and Machiavelli, standing right behind them as they run through the gate, though this may be glitch as it seems unlikely that no one would see him standing alone watching.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" captiontextcolor="#ffffff">
Zw-girolamosavonarola.png|Savonarola's database picture.
Zw-bof5.png|Savonarola approaching the Apple of Eden.
Zw-bof6.png|Savonarola with the Apple of Eden.
Zw-bof7.png|Savonarola stealing the Apple of Eden from Ezio.
Power_to_people_v.png|Savonarola being carried away by an angry mob.
Power_to_people_4.png|Ezio about to throw a knife to Savonarola's hand.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Savonarola, Girolamo}}
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets]]
[[Category:Historical Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Renaissance Characters]]

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Girolamo Savonarola