The Piazza del Campo also happened to be the grounds of a civil battle in Siena, one that I got to witness. Two of the leading aristocratic families in Siena, the Salimbeni and the Tolomei, had started a vendetta against each other when Francesco Salimbeni was killed by Balsino Tolomei and other accomplices. As revenge, Giovanni of the Salimbeni invaded the Tolomei palace and killed three of Messer Mio Toleimi’s sons. The standoff that I am witnessing today at the Piazza del Campo is a consequence of that tragedy, the Tolomei determined to avenge those deaths. The Salimbeni men stood tall on one side of the Campo, armed and on horseback. As the Tolomei entered the Piazza, also armed and on horseback, it seems the popolo followed swiftly behind, ambushing the Tolomei and killing one of their horses. The Tolomei men had to flee, and I hear that they plan on having yet another standoff to recover from this humiliating defeat.
Noblemen battling each other and having vendettas is no old news. My father had very strong opinions on vendetta between aristocrats. He would complain about how their petty feuds would more often than not disrupt the public's way of life, even though it had nothing to do with them. The popolo for instance, is a group of wealthy merchants that formed to protect their interests from the wealthy noblemen. Taking up sides and supporting whichever family benefitted them more. He’d also mention that they somehow always pick the worst time to start such issues. As I stand at the edge of the Piazza, looking at the dead horse and hearing the echoes of screaming children, I think about the terror that already exists beyond this piazza. The people that are already dying from the plague and the orphaned children wandering the streets, that is all I can think about during this scene. At this moment, I could not agree more with my father.