Augustus, who had been dozing in the carriage for an unknown period, heard the sounds of people outside gradually grow louder, and even with the curtains drawn, Augustus had a hunch.
"Your Holiness, we've arrived in Siena. It truly is a bustling city, though it pales in comparison to Rome. But compared to my hometown, it's far superior. I remember when I was very young, before I ever left my hometown, I thought the world was only that big."
Dracula's slightly excited voice came from outside the carriage. Dracula spared no praise for the city, and within his words, there seemed to be something else, a kind of longing.
Inside the carriage, Augustus slowly opened his eyes, pulled back the curtains, and looked out the window.
Siena, this place both familiar and unfamiliar.
It was familiar because he had seen this place name countless times on maps and knew a bit about some events that had occurred there; it was unfamiliar because he had never personally visited it as he was now.
Like other ancient Italian states, Siena also experienced indigenous inhabitants, foreign invasions, and control by various regimes in turn. During this process, different ethnic groups continuously integrated, and finally, the new Sienese became the masters of their own land, establishing a republic.
Then it was annexed.
Siena, located in the southern Tuscany region, about 50 kilometers south of Florence, is built at the confluence of three small hills in the Chianti Mountains, between the Arbia and Merse river valleys. In the pre-Christian era, during the Roman rule, it was founded by Emperor Augustus. Since then, it has been successively controlled by multiple regimes.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, during the Lombard rule, as the ancient Roman road was heavily attacked by the Byzantine Empire, the Lombards opened a new route through Siena. Since then, Siena, as a major city on a vital transportation route, gradually prospered.
By the 12th century, as a prosperous Italian city-state, Siena conducted business largely similar to other city-states, mainly wool trade and lending. At that time, Siena was governed by its bishop. With the rise of the new nobility, the bishop was gradually forced to grant this group more say.
In 1167, Siena declared independence from the bishop's control; in 1179, it had a written constitution; in 1286, the Noveschi party, supported by the emerging nobility, officially took over Siena. Under the leadership of the Noveschi, the Republic of Siena reached the glorious peak of its economy and military.
The Imperial faction of Siena and the Papal faction of Florence were hostile to each other and fought several famous wars over territorial disputes, including the Battle of Montaperti in 1260 and the Battle of Colle di Val d'Elsa in 1269. The two cities competed fiercely in many aspects, and Siena even gained the upper hand for a time.
The once-mighty Republic of Siena's independent status only ended in the last century, becoming part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Cosimo I, who had not yet become the first Grand Duke of Tuscany at that time, with the help of Charles V, liberated Tuscany from the hands of the Imperial garrison. Afterward, he tried his best to break away from Spain's huge influence in Italy, further enhancing Tuscany's independent status.
Then, he turned his attention to Siena. With the support of the Emperor, he defeated the Sienese in the Battle of Marciano in 1554 and began to besiege their city.
Despite the desperate resistance of the Sienese, after a 15-month siege, the city fell on April 17, 1555. After the fierce war, the city's population sharply decreased from 40,000 to 8,000.
In 1559, Siena's last line of defense, Montalcino, was incorporated into Cosimo's territory. In 1569, Pope Pius V, then in office, granted him the title of Grand Duke of Tuscany, making him the first Grand Duke of Tuscany. Fifty years later, Ferdinand I finally obtained formal rule over Siena.
The current Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand I, who is his elder uncle, is in fact only the third Grand Duke of Tuscany; he is the fifth son of Cosimo I. The second Grand Duke of Tuscany was his elder brother, Francesco I.
Compared to Ferdinand I or Cosimo I, Francesco was almost unremarkable. More importantly, the cause of his death was unknown, and his wife also died mysteriously hours after his passing.
The conclusion reached by later generations was death by poisoning, with an overdose of arsenic in his body. However, the identity of the poisoner remains unknown, as there is no evidence. But Ferdinand I was clearly the most suspected person; he coveted his brother's power, was responsible for his treatment, and was the only one with a clear motive for murder and an opportunity to poison. Some of his abnormal behaviors at the time also confirmed this point.
Thinking of later generations' evaluation of Ferdinand I: gentle, just, religiously tolerant, concerned with people's livelihoods... and then recalling the death of Francesco I, Augustus suddenly felt a chill down his spine. This was definitely not a simple person, at least certainly not a one-dimensional benevolent ruler.
For the past year, he had focused mainly on the great powers and their monarchs, and given that Ferdinand I also didn't have many years left to live according to his memory, it seemed he had somewhat overlooked Ferdinand I from the start.
Now that he thought about it, with Ferdinand I's capabilities, if he couldn't properly handle his relationship with him, even just a few years could cause him considerable trouble, and might even ruin his reputation.
Augustus suddenly felt that he knew too little about Ferdinand I. In the past year, he had not deliberately paid attention to him, which was truly a mistake. Although it would be strange to inquire about his own family to outsiders, and the likelihood of hearing the truth was very low.
So, did the people of Siena, this ancient city conquered only a few decades ago, recognize the rule of the Medici Family? In their eyes, what kind of monarch was Ferdinand I? What were Ferdinand I's next plans? These were all questions Augustus urgently wanted answers to.
Augustus neither agreed nor disagreed with Dracula's praise of Siena, but he knew in his heart that if it weren't for the brutal war 50 years ago, Siena would definitely be much more prosperous than it was now.
Though Siena now appeared well-recovered overall, a closer look still revealed many traces of war. Some people who had experienced that war must still be alive.
Others might forget the pain of war, but those who had experienced separation and loss would not. After the war, they suddenly became subjects of Tuscany. How did they cope? Perhaps somewhere in this city, there were still those who yearned for Siena's restoration.
"It seems you like this city very much?" Augustus asked casually.
Upon hearing this, Dracula's footsteps paused slightly.
After confirming he hadn't said anything wrong to displease the Pope, Dracula cautiously replied, "All beautiful things are always likable, and I am no exception. But the city I will always be loyal to is only Rome, and the person I will always be loyal to is only the Pope."
Augustus hadn't expected his casual question to elicit such a textbook-like declaration.
This made Augustus feel a bit uncomfortable. For so long, he had always presented himself as benevolent, yet the people around him still always acted as if serving a ruler was like accompanying a tiger. Now, even Dracula was no exception. Was it just the shadow left by the previous Pope? Or the shadow of this entire era?
Augustus took a deep breath, trying to speak in a calm tone, "It is human nature to appreciate beauty, and that is good. If you like Siena, then let's rest here this afternoon, which will save us from finding another place to stay."
"Actually, if we depart this afternoon, we can reach Florence before dark," Dracula reminded him.
"No need to rush. I am also very interested in this city, and I have some small matters I'd like to entrust to you. We'll discuss them once we arrive."
"Gladly, it would be an honor," Dracula replied respectfully.