Connor Kemp-Cowell: Wounds

The Art of Arms

Listener discretion is advised, this discussion contains accounts of graphic violence, real life trauma situations, and intense detail that might make some feel uncomfortable.

The following historical accounts of duels, warfare, and civic violence were used during this podcast.

Historical Accounts: Account 1:

The siege continuing in this way, all the soldiers remained close together on the outside towards the castle for a stretch of bombard, defended by firm stockades and other ditches, and the people inside towards the market, in front of which there was a marvelous trench with excellent and safe shelters, and bastions suitable for the defense of the people. One day, when it seemed appropriate to the magnificent Galeazzo to ruin and destroy the mill of Messer Battista da S. Piero located in the Reno canal under the Galliera gate, which those of the castle used for their own use, he called me with some of his other friends, and said to me: Compare, I have decided to make an experiment. If we could burn and demolish the mill of my relative, because it is too necessary for our enemies, what do you think?
I answered in the affirmative, so the order was given, and several very brave Bolognese and other brigades were called, and so we quietly went out of the Lamme gate, coming along the canal from which the water had been taken away, we damaged the mill, and then we entered it, finding many infantrymen who were guarding it, whom, mainly by me and other companions, attacked and fought, and we drove from there over a small bridge towards the castle.
And while I was asking for fire to burn him, still standing at the door to keep the enemies at bay, behold, among them came one cursed by God, who looked like a devil, with fire in his hand, who with a loaded gun wounded me in the left arm with such a foul and obscene blow, that I dropped the shield from my hand, whereupon my companions, seeing me so badly injured, because I was almost stunned, took me away from there, abandoning the enterprise they had begun, and carried me to my houses to dress the wound. The doctor, finding that the lead ball had not come out of the arm because it remained in the elbow, had to make a cut from which with the pincers he extracted that piece of lead, which having entered the middle of the arm and had risen up to that part of the joint. Thus one gains fame by doing good for one's country, but benefits little or nothing from it, since I had to pay for the doctor at my own expense, and even go to the baths, and so the damage was entirely my responsibility.

—From The Chronicle of How Annibale Bentivoglio Was Taken and Removed From Prison, Then Killed and Avenged by Galeazzo Marescotti

Account 2:

• Marescotti vs Canteoli Feud

And so it was, before the convent of the nuns of San Mattia, that my strenuous and brave brother Giovanni, although surrounded by many, intrepidly and valiantly died—defending himself like a lion, as we could offer him no assistance. As we were opposed by an exorbitant number of men.
With great difficulty, and a few companions, I took refuge in the house of the aforementioned nuns, after receiving a few wounds—as happens to those who defend themselves—though none were of a nature to cause any significant damage.

—From The Chronicle of How Annibale Bentivoglio Was Taken and Removed From Prison, Then Killed and Avenged by Galeazzo Marescotti

Account 3:

On the 5th, the Duke was within a few miles of Urbino, then held by Bishop Vitelli, with a garrison of two thousand men, who, distrusting the inhabitants, summoned their militia to muster at S. Bernardino, and closed the gates as soon as the city had thus been cleared of its able-bodied men, refusing to readmit them on pain of instant death.
The excluded citizens vented their indignation at this trick, in threats and abuse of the garrison from under the very walls, which at length provoked a sortie of four hundred infantry in order to disperse them.
At this juncture, a squadron of one hundred cavalry, sent on by Francesco Maria under Benedetto Giraldi of Mondolfo, for the purpose of supporting the expected rising in his favour, arrived three miles below Urbino, and, whilst breathing their horses, heard that the enemy were abroad. Benedetto immediately left his little force in charge of his brother Annibale, and rode on with but five officers to reconnoitre.
The adventure which followed, equally worthy of a bold knight-errant and a Christian soldier, must be told as in the Dialogue of his nephew Tranquillo. "Coming suddenly upon the detachment, about half a mile from the town, Benedetto exclaimed, 'Look there! as these are the first of our master's foes we have fallen in with, it would surely be a shame to let them get back to the city without a taste of us: I am therefore resolved to make a dash at them, and if you will follow me, by God's grace we shall have the first victory.'
This said, he rushed into the midst of them, with vizor up and lance in rest, overthrowing many by the shock. His weapon having broken, he performed prodigies with his sword, and, aided by his followers, who had not shrunk from his summons, the enemy's leaders were slain, and their whole battalion dispersed in panic through the fields, where most of them were put to death by the excluded townsfolk, who had mustered at the first alarm.
I, too, came up with our squadron, in time to cut off a good many of them; but I had little cause to congratulate myself upon that success, for, passing near my brother [Benedetto], he said to me, 'Annibale, I am killed.' Whereupon, looking towards him, I observed a cut in his face, and told him to fear nothing, as face wounds were not mortal; but he replied, 'It's worse than that, for I am run through the body by a pike.'
At these words my heart seemed riven asunder; yet, in order not to alarm him, I desired him to cheer up, and commend himself to God Almighty, and to the most glorious Mother of the Saviour, and to vow his armour and horse to Loreto, adding that I too would offer a housing worth twenty-five ducats. 'I am content,' answered he, 'to give this horse, a gallant Turkish charger bestowed upon me by the Marquis of Mantua, along with these arms; but I have only one favour to ask of the Saviour of mankind, which is, that he will permit me to live long enough to confess myself.'
As he said this an Observantine friar, who had on former occasions confessed him, came up, and, after thanking God for having heard his prayer, he summoned the monk, and returning to Cavallino confessed himself.
There being no surgeon at hand, a gentleman of Mantua named Stigino cleansed the wound by suction, and ascertained that the bowels were not pierced, which afforded me much hope. I sent for many surgeons. The first that arrived was Maccione of Fossombrone, who dressed the wound with charmed bandages, a thing that much displeased my brother; and for conscience-sake he refused to be doctored in that way, until persuaded by a friar, who assured him there was no sin, seeing that there had been no diabolical incantation used; and, being told of numerous miracles effected by these cloths, he submitted to them, and ere long was restored to health."

—This is from Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino 1440-1630 by James Dennistoun

Duels:

Account 1:

• Bandini & Bertino vs Martelli & Dante: Kiss the Sword

• Related Historical Sources

Account 2:

• Guasco vs Doria Duel: A Savage Duel

• Related Historical Sources