Giovanni Cossa
- and his role in the story of the Michelino deckAs known by the letter of Marcello, a person with the name Giovanni Cossa became responsible for the transport of the parcel from Marcello to Isabella, queen de Lorraine. At first impression he might look as an unimportant servant, but he turned out to be (99 % security) the nephew of Baldassare Cossa alias Pope John XXIII. (1410 – 1415), one of 3 Popes at the same time before the council of Konstanz, where all 3 Popes lost their job and John, now Baldassare Cossa again, was accused and held in prison for some years in Heidelberg. Formerly, when still Pope John, Baldassare took charge in the interests of the Anjou against the residing king of Naples, Ladislaus (died 1414). During that time the condottieri Muzio Attendola (father of Francesco Sforza) changed sides from Pope to Ladislaus (the Pope didn’t pay), which the furious John alias Baldassare countered with puppets hanging head down from trees, with a signboard around their neck: “I’m Muzio Attendola, farmer of Cotignola …” (a common sign for treachery – it developed to be a Tarot card).
According to the foes of Pope John he descended of a family of pirates in Naples and was used to enormous sexual excesses. Gaspare, John’s brother and Giovanni’s father, was also engaged for the Anjou and had to leave Naples. When many years later in 1435 Queen Jeanne II. of Naples died, the old question of Anjou or Aragon araised again.
Giovanni Cossa himself was on the side of the Anjou as his father and uncle, the pope, and he became a leading figure for the Anjou party in the city, defending the Anjou’s interest in Naples till the end in 1442, but he had to capitulate finally, when Alfonso d'Aragon took Naples. Together with Rene d'Anjou and some other companions (Ottino Caracciolo and Giorgio della Magna are mentioned) on 2 Genuese ships he left the city, taking refuge in Florence. He is pardoned in Naples 1/2 year later in Naples by Alfonso, but leaves the city finally in 1448 to
Giovanni Cossa followed Rene to France, but seems to have been often in secret diplomatic mission in Renes interests in Italy, probably working on the project to fight for Naples again. Major attempts were done later, in 1453 (together with Francesco Sforza) and 1459 - 1462, when Alfonso had died. Both actions failed.
In his biography it is noted, that he returned to France from
Italy in May 1448 and was back in Italy in May 1450, his residence in the
meantime is unknown. As we do know from Marcellos letter he was in
Monselice, Italia, November 1449, probably with the intention to have a
highly conspirative talk with the Venetian general, ambassodore and spy
Jacopo Antonio Marcello. A central theme was surely, that Francesco was on
his turn to become duke of Milan in spring 1450 (compare
storia di Milano
). In Milan, one of the greatest cities in Europe
(
have an impression here, a map from 16th century,
a little later ), some 1000 people
were at this moment near to die for hunger (they died really, a
little later). Venetia, which wished to see only a small Milanese
influence in North Italia for the future, not a strong Milan under the
capable general Sforza, had tried – to the later regret of Marcello
- to cheat Sforza, whom Marcello, although himself a Venetian general, saw
as a friend. The chances for Sforza to achieve his goal were considered to
be small at this moment.
There were also other things to talk,
when the parcel was send to Isabella, the world had greater themes than
playing cards. Italy was at a great change of its history and nobody did
know, how it would turn out.
Our main source about him was an exhaustive Italian biographical dictionary, which in long
years of work now has reached the lettter M. Another source, the Italian language condottieri-site reports various
interactions with Francesco Sforza after 1450 and a friendly relationship, which made him a useful marriage agent for Francesco's daughter Ippolita Sforza to Ferrante, King of Naples in 1463. Probable Cossa was the major diplomatic link
between Milan and Rene d'Anjou.
Giovanni Cossa was a
person between two cultures, Italy and France. As he in Italy often worked
in secret mission for the interests of Rene d'Anjou, his life runs there
in the background, he is important, but not mentioned. But, if we hear,
that the poet Boiardo took French sources housed at the d'Este
court, as the base of his
Orlando Innamorato, one may ask the question, how the d'Este court
came into possession of these manuscripts. Surely by a traveller between
French and Italy.
In Italy in his later years only something
between secret agent, traveller and diplomat, in France Giovanni Cossa
became to Jean de
Cossa, comte de Troye, baron de
Grimaud, etc., grand-sénéchal sous le roi René, a person of highest
political ranking. He died 1476. Short before his death he did win
his probable greatest diplomatic battle: Commynes, another great diplomat
of the time, reports (in his
memoires
):
King René of Sicily was arranging to make the duke
of Burgundy his heir and to deliver Provence to him. My lord of
Châteauguion,7 who is now in Piedmont, and others were to take possession
of the country for the duke of Burgundy. They were to raise troops and had
at least twenty thousand crowns in cash. Immediately the news was known it
was only with the greatest difficulty that they were able to avoid being
captured and my lord of Bresse, who was in that region, seized the money.
The duchess of Savoy, as soon as she had news of the battle, informed King
René, explaining it away and reassuring him over the losses. The
mesengers, who were Provençals, were captured, and by this means the
agreement between the king of Sicily and the duke of Burgundy was
discovered.
The King straight away stationed men-at-arms close to
Provence and dispatched ambassadors to the king of Sicily to ask him to
appear. He assured him of a good welcome; otherwise the King threatened to
use force. The king of Sicily was so easily persuaded that he came to meet
the King at Lyon. He was treated with very great honour and given fine
hospitality.
I was present when they exchanged greetings on his
arrival. Jean de Cossa, seneschal of Provence, a wealthy man of good
family from the kingdom of Naples, acted as spokesman, saying, 'Sire, do
not be astounded that my master, the king, your uncle, offered to make the
duke of Burgundy his heir, since was counselled to do so by his advisers,
especially by me, because you, his sister's son and his own nephew, have
done him great injury by taking away from him the castles of Angers and
Bar and by treating him so badly over all his other affairs. We wanted to
press ahead with this agreement with the duke so that you would hear news
of it which would make you give us justice and remember that the king, my
master, is your uncle. But we never intended to bring the negotiations to
a conclusion.' The King took the words which Jean de Cossa spoke very well
and wisely, knowing they were true because Cossa had been in charge of
negotiations. A few days later the differences between them were settled;
the king of Sicily received a sum of money, as did all his men, and the
King feasted him with the ladies, had him entertained and humoured him in
everything according to his tastes as best he could. They became good
friends and no more was heard of the duke of Burgundy, abandoned by King
René and rejected everywhere else. This was yet another misfortune
springing from this setback.
Probably this development took decisive influence
on the destiny of Charles of Burgund, who were at that time engaged to
become King of Burgund. His death on a militaric campaign in 1477 ended his dream and left on long
run two eminent heirs: Habsburg and France, often united in a conflict
which went through the centuries till Napoleons victory in 1806, which
resulted in the end of the old Empire and created a new Emperor, Napoleon
I., an episode of shorter length.
In his very late years Cossa had influence on the city of Marseille. It was the time, when playing card manufacturing started to become concentrated in France, however, the main production location of 15th century was Lyon, reaching its climax in 1490 - 1510, not Marseille. In Lyon were many Italians, especially caused by good relationships between Louis XI. and the city of Florence. Lyon became in late 15th century the "new" capital of France - Louis XI. favoured the city.
Giovanni Cossa is the first known importeur of Tarocchi (Trionfi) cards to France. We cannot say, if this was an act ion with consequences on French playing card production, however, it seems clear, that the next development of Trionfi cards in Milano (and probably also in Ferrara) in the 50ies didn't stay hidden to Giovanni Cossa's eyes. He's variously a noted guest Milano and seems to have been also a known person in Ferrara.
From a history of Charles VII, one reference - December 1446
"At this time, the King (Charles VII) had a friendly relationship with the Doge of Venice, and received at his court Scipio Carafa, ambassador of the Fairest Republic, then at war with Milan."
The text continues -
"Charles, Duke of Orléans, as the heir of Valentine Visconti, raised legitimate pretensions on the rulership of Asti in Piedmont and on the principality of Milan. On December 27 1446, Charles VII signed a new treaty of alliance with Milan. The following year, the succession of the Duchy was opened by the death of Filippo Maria. Thereupon Charles VII supported the attempts that his cousin of Orléans made in Italy, but in vain."
[M. Vallet de Viriville, "Histoire de Charles VII, Roi de France, et de son époque 1403-1461" t. III p. 127], (sources given, 3 manuscript, 3 printed).
In a short biography to pope Paul IV. (1555 - 1559) at an internet page:, who originated from a family "Caraffa near Naples", the actions of this pope are summarised by an internet page: "The first of the true Counter-Reformation popes" (Cowie). He had previously been Caraffa who ran the Inquisition. He became pope aged 79. He was an extreme conservative but very energetic for his age. He cut Papal expenditure; ordered bishops back to their sees, put all of Erasmus’s books on to the Index; expelled travelling entertainers from Rome and forbade hunting and dancing. Paul IV hated Spain because of Spain’s Habsburgs links and he felt that the pope could never fully be free until the power of the emperor was checked. In 1 555 he re-started the Italian Wars in an effort to broaden his powers but this was to be in vain. His death in 1559 was greeted with jubilation in Rome.
It seems likely, that Scipio Caraffa descended from the same or related Naples-family as the later pope, which would make him with some probability somehow involved in the Aragonese victory in Naples 1442 - a similar career like that of Giovanni Cossa, who became a messenger for Marcello in November 1449. Giovanni Cossa became a sort of ambassador in the interests of Rene d'Anjou, Scipio Caraffa seems to have become ambassadore at the French court in the interests of Venetia. Both are natural partners of Marcello, who has special diplomatic functions for the Venetian republic to Francesco Sforza and Rene Anjou. Some Caraffa families could be found by internet research, one single Scipione Caraffa lives around the right time and is the illegitime son of a better known father:
Carafello (+ ca. 1458 ?), armato Cavaliere ante 1417, Barone di Sessola alla morte del fratello Luigi Antonio, Patrizio Napoletano, ebbe 4 onze anuali sui fiscali di Sant’Elpidio il 22-10-1422 (privilegio confermato il 23-7-1445), investito del feudo della Manza a Malta e della tonnara di Bonalia a Trapani nel 1430, Consigliere e Maggiordomo del Re Alfonso V d’Aragona, castellano di Agrigento nel 1434, Governatore e capitano a guerra nella Campagna Romana nel 1443, ambasciatore e plenipotenziario a Genova nel 1444 e insignito del titolo “Conservatore della Pace” nel medesimo anno dal Doge di Genova, Giustiziere delle terre di Montecassino nel 1444, ambasciatore a Roma nel 1447, compra il feudo di Sant’Arpino nel 1451 (Capitano a vita dal 1-7-1452, confermato nel 1456), castellano di Castelcaprino nel 1453. The better known father seems to have been on the Aragonese side, perhaps the less well known destiny of the son "Scipione" indicates his service in foreign countries.
The conflict Aragon/Anjou started in old times in 1268 with Charles of Anjou becoming King of Naples and Sicily, finishing the reignment of the Hohenstaufern. In 1284 in a dramatical event called "Sicilian Vesper" the power in Sicily was turned in favor of Pieto d'Aragon. The enduring conflict was alive in many phases of 15th century, occasionaly sleepy, occasionally in open fight. Rene d'Anjou took part since 1434 (declared heir) till 1442 (Alfonso wins), then again in 1453 (short Rene d'Anjou-campain with Francesco Sforza) and in 1459 - 1462 (Ferrante stabilizes as heir of Alfonso). The Anjou interests were taken by the French king Charles VIII. (see above the story, in which Louis XI. became heir of Rene d'Anjou) in 1494, who entered Italy with a 90.000-men-army and ended the peaceful and creative phase of Italian renaissance, in which - beside many other artistic objects - also Trionfi-cards found development.
For playing card history it's of interest, that Scipio Caraffa, a man probably with insider knowledge of "everyday life" around Naples (till 1442; ?) and Venetia and the French court isn't aware of the existence of Trionfi cards in this special moment of time (after Filippo's death in 1447 till 1449) - which signals "no great distribution" of this type of deck just then.
