Pope Pius IV Medal - Proceedings Against the Carafa Brothers

Iosephus

Bronze, 27.2 mm Ø

Struck medal by Gianfederico Bonzagni, 1561.

Obverse: Bust of Pius IV facing left, with bare head and decorative cope featuring the scene of a papal audience. Around, · PIVS · IIII · PONT[ifex] · OPT[imvs] · MAX[imvs] · ; beneath the bust, · F[ederico] · P[armense] · .

Reverse: Jesus driving the merchants out of the Temple in Jerusalem. In exergue, DOMVS · MEA / DOM[vs] · O[rationis] · (My House is a House of Prayer).

The brothers Carlo and Giovanni Carafa were nephews of Pope Paul IV. Carlo had been raised to the position of Cardinal Nephew, and Giovanni was made Captain General of the Church and Duke of Paliano. However, both of the brothers led corrupt and venal lifestyles and had been exiled by Paul for their unworthy conduct, leading to Alfonso Carafa (nephew of the two brothers) assuming the role of Cardinal Nephew for the remainder of Paul's reign.

Upon Pius IV's election and elevation, he had the two brothers, along with Alfonso and other associates, arrested and imprisoned in the Castel Sant'Angelo. They were charged with a long list of crimes, including treason, deception, embezzlement, extortion, fraud, and the murder of Giovanni's wife and her lover. Pius formed a delegation of eight Cardinals and the Governor of Rome for a trial which ended with death sentences for the two brothers. Giovanni, being a layman, was beheaded, while Carlo was executed via strangulation. Alfonso was pardoned but obliged to pay, as compensation, a fine of one hundred thousand gold scudi and was required to retire to private life.

The trial and executions were considered to motivated primarily by political factors. Upon the election of the next pope, Pius V, in 1567, the surviving brother of Carlo and Giovanni, Antonio, petitioned for their case to be reexamined. Their sentence was found to have been unjust, their memories vindicated, and their estates restored.

The reverse die for this medal was originally used on a medal of Paul IV which referred to the banishment that he had imposed on his unworthy nephews. For the new proceedings and sentence against the brothers, Bonzagni reused the same die. At one time part of the collection of the Barberini family, this die is currently preserved in the Museum of the Mint of Rome.

worldcoinguy

Fascinating historical context with that piece. I imagine that a fine of one hundred thousand gold scudi was quite the story at the time. I like the reverse die work in particular.

STLNATS

Great research on this Joe. I didn't realize the type could be tied to contemporary events but guess it does make sense. Interesting obverse on this too.

Thanks for sharing.