OCR Specification focus:
‘Savonarola as a preacher; the impact of the French invasion and the fall of Piero de' Medici; Florence under Savonarola, political change, moral reform, the Bonfire of the Vanities.’
Girolamo Savonarola emerged as a radical preacher in Florence, gaining authority during political turmoil and shaping civic life with religious zeal, strict reforms, and symbolic actions.
Savonarola as a Preacher
Savonarola’s reputation stemmed from his powerful sermons. He denounced corruption in the Church, criticised worldly excesses, and called for a return to Christian purity. His preaching style combined vivid imagery with apocalyptic warnings, convincing audiences that Florence was destined to play a central role in God’s plan for renewal.
Title page of Savonarola’s Predica del arte del bene morire, printed c.1502. The woodcut conveys apocalyptic themes central to his sermons. The Triumph-of-Death motif exceeds the syllabus focus but clarifies his sermonic tone. Source
Methods of Preaching
He employed biblical prophecy to frame contemporary events as divine judgement.
He invoked the need for moral discipline and religious observance in daily life.
His sermons often warned of impending catastrophe if Florentines failed to reform.
Prophecy: A declaration made by a preacher claiming to reveal divine will, often used to interpret political and social events.
Savonarola’s messages resonated deeply in a city marked by instability, drawing crowds that viewed him as both a spiritual guide and a political prophet.
The French Invasion and the Fall of Piero de’ Medici
The French invasion of Italy in 1494, led by Charles VIII, transformed the political landscape of Florence. The ruling Medici family, already unpopular due to corruption and heavy taxation, was undermined by the crisis.
In November 1494, the approach of Charles VIII precipitated the collapse of Medici rule as Piero de’ Medici capitulated and fled.
Political map of Italy in 1494 showing Florence, Naples, Milan, and the Papal States. It clarifies why Charles VIII’s invasion destabilised Florence and toppled Medici authority. Source
Key Developments
Piero de’ Medici, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, failed to resist the French advance, instead offering humiliating concessions.
This betrayal eroded Florentine trust in Medici rule, leading to the family’s expulsion from power.
Savonarola presented the French king’s arrival as God’s punishment and simultaneously as an opportunity for Florence to reform spiritually and politically.
Expulsion: The act of forcibly removing a ruling family or individual from power, often following public discontent or political upheaval.
Savonarola’s prophetic framing of the invasion enhanced his authority, making him central to the reorganisation of the Florentine state.
Florence under Savonarola
With the Medici gone, Florence became a republic, and Savonarola emerged as a moral and spiritual leader, although he never held official office. His influence shaped governance, public life, and private conduct.
Florence under Savonarola adopted a republican constitution centred on a Great Council that broadened participation and underpinned his programme of moral reform.
The Salone dei Cinquecento in the Palazzo Vecchio, built for the enlarged Great Council introduced under Savonarola in 1494. The later Medici decorations exceed syllabus focus, but the hall reflects the republican reforms of his leadership. Source
Political Change
The republic adopted a more democratic constitution, with a Great Council modelled on Venice.
Savonarola encouraged leaders to uphold Christian values, presenting Florence as a “New Jerusalem.”
He viewed the republic as an experiment in combining civic governance with religious morality.
Moral Reform
Savonarola imposed strict codes of conduct on Florentine society, seeking to cleanse it of vice and immorality.
Restrictions were placed on gambling, drunkenness, and sexual misconduct.
Citizens were urged to embrace austere living and prioritise religious devotion over material wealth.
Women were encouraged to dress modestly, and men to avoid vanity.
Moral Reform: The deliberate effort to change personal behaviour and social practices to align with religious or ethical standards.
These measures won him both fervent supporters and bitter opponents, particularly among those who felt threatened by his radicalism.
The Bonfire of the Vanities
The most dramatic expression of Savonarola’s reforms was the Bonfire of the Vanities in 1497, when citizens destroyed objects considered sinful or excessive.
Items Destroyed
Luxurious clothing and jewellery.
Secular art, books, and manuscripts.
Cosmetics, mirrors, and musical instruments associated with frivolity.
The event symbolised the attempt to purge Florence of worldly corruption. It also reflected Savonarola’s view that material excess distracted from devotion to God. However, many artists and intellectuals were horrified, seeing it as an assault on the creative spirit of the Renaissance.
Significance
The Bonfire exemplified Savonarola’s power to mobilise the population through religious fervour.
It also intensified tensions between his supporters, known as Piagnoni (the “Weepers”), and his opponents, the Arrabbiati (“the Angry Ones”), who resented his dominance.
Leadership and Legacy
Savonarola’s leadership demonstrates the interplay between religious conviction and political authority in Renaissance Florence. His ability to merge prophecy with governance temporarily reshaped the city.
As a preacher, he inspired belief in a divine mission for Florence.
As a moral reformer, he sought to discipline society through religious law.
As a political figure, he guided Florence through the crisis left by Medici collapse.
Yet his uncompromising stance also alienated elites, artists, and even the Papacy, which condemned him. Ultimately, his radical leadership foreshadowed both the strengths and limitations of religiously driven politics during the Renaissance.
FAQ
Savonarola’s training as a Dominican friar emphasised strict religious discipline, poverty, and devotion to scripture. This background fuelled his uncompromising attacks on corruption and moral laxity.
His Dominican identity also gave him legitimacy in Florence, as the order was associated with intellectual rigour and theological authority. His sermons were therefore perceived not simply as opinion but as expressions of divine truth.
Most Florentine sermons before Savonarola focused on moral teaching or liturgical explanation. Savonarola, by contrast, combined these with fiery apocalyptic prophecy.
He frequently interpreted contemporary politics as fulfilment of biblical warning.
His style used vivid imagery, instilling both fear and urgency.
He linked civic destiny directly to spiritual reform, a radical fusion for the time.
His followers, especially the youth, acted as moral police.
Children were sent into the streets to report gambling or lewd behaviour.
Citizens were encouraged to hand over luxury goods for destruction in the Bonfire of the Vanities.
Public shaming was used against those resisting reform.
This grassroots enforcement reflected how deeply his preaching penetrated daily life.
The Great Council represented a shift from oligarchic control to broader civic participation.
Membership included around 3,000 citizens, creating a more representative body.
It provided Florence with an institutional anchor for republican values, aligning with Savonarola’s vision of a godly city.
Its size and openness contrasted sharply with the Medici’s elite-dominated regime.
Although Savonarola himself never held office, his influence shaped this republican experiment.
He argued that worldly possessions distracted Christians from their duty to God. Objects destroyed in the bonfire were presented as symbols of pride and immorality.
Savonarola also framed the event as an act of collective purification. By sacrificing vanity, Florence could purify itself and earn divine favour.
His critics, however, viewed it as censorship and a destructive attack on Renaissance culture.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
In which year did the French invasion that led to the fall of Piero de’ Medici take place?
Mark scheme:
1 mark for identifying the year as 1494.
0 marks for incorrect or vague answers (e.g. “1490s”).
Maximum 2 marks available:
1 mark for the correct decade (1490s).
2 marks for the precise year (1494).
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain two ways in which Savonarola’s leadership influenced political or moral reform in Florence after the fall of the Medici.
Mark scheme:
Up to 3 marks for each well-explained point.
Points should describe the reform and show how Savonarola’s leadership directly shaped it.
Examples of valid points:
Political reform: Savonarola promoted the creation of the Great Council, broadening civic participation and presenting Florence as a godly republic (up to 3 marks).
Moral reform: He enforced stricter codes of behaviour, such as modest dress, bans on gambling and immorality, and the Bonfire of the Vanities (up to 3 marks).
Credit other relevant and accurate points if explained.
1 mark for simple identification.
2–3 marks for developed explanation showing cause and effect.
-en.svg){kind=link}
