Machiavelli in Venice. A secret agent of the Pope, the anti-imperial alliance and the "Morone" conspiracy

Abstract

This paper suggests that Machiavelli was a secret papal legate and that he was sent to Venice under the cover of the Consules Artis Lanae. According to a cover job, he would have retrieved a fluctuating amount of golden ducats previously extorted to three Florentine merchants. But in truth, Machiavelli was engaged to personally come into contact with the doge, in order to conclude the agreements for the establishment of an anti-imperial league and to follow closely the development of the d’Avalos’ conspiracy, plotted by the pope and Giberti, and planned by Morone and Domenico Sauli. In this scenario, we cast a new light on the letter by Filippo de’ Nerli, where he talks about Machiavelli’ extraordinary winning lottery in Venice, whose results were oddly managed by Giovanni Manenti. This latter was the man who set up the second performance of the Mandragola in the Serenissima and the secret middleman between Machiavelli and the Doge Gritti.