Bellarion the Fortunate · Chapter
IX: Vercelli explained
Bellarion's siege of Vercelli is revealed as a strategic demonstration rather than a genuine attempt to take the city.
What happens
Bellarion's siege of Vercelli is revealed as a strategic demonstration rather than a genuine attempt to take the city. Despite Carmagnola's insistence on direct assaults, all three are repulsed, leading to suspicions of a traitor. Carmagnola proposes a feint attack, and Bellarion reluctantly agrees. However, Bellarion's fear of Theodore's craft proves justified when a loyalist slips out to warn that Theodore is forewarned. Bellarion rushes to withdraw Carmagnola, but the attack is already underway.
Themes in this chapter
War and Strategy
Bellarion's siege is a strategic demonstration; Carmagnola's feint attack plan; Theodore's foreknowledge and countermeasures.
Deception and Identity
Suspicions of a traitor conveying information to Theodore; the feint attack as a deceptive tactic.
Ambition and Power
Carmagnola's ambition to conquer Vercelli and lay Montferrat at Valeria's feet; Bellarion's calculated restraint.
Characters to notice
- Bellarion
Leads the siege as a strategic demonstration; reluctantly agrees to Carmagnola's plan; suspects Theodore's craft and tries to withdraw the attack.
- Valeria of Montferrat
Supports Carmagnola's plan; is caught in an embrace with Carmagnola; prays for his success.
- Francesco Busone da Carmagnola
Insists on assaulting Vercelli; plans a feint attack; leads the storming party despite Bellarion's reservations.
- Theodore of Montferrat
Defends Vercelli with strong earthworks; is forewarned of the attack and prepares countermeasures.
- Werner von Stoffel
Captures and disbands a detachment sent to destroy a bridge.
- Filippo Maria Visconti
Mentioned as recipient of a letter criticizing captains of the day.
Key passages
“They are stout fellows and great fighters, but rude, unlettered, and lacking culture. Their minds are fertile, vigorous soil, but unbroken by the plough of learning, so that the seeds of knowledge with which they are all too sparsely sown find little root there.”
The captains are brave and strong but uneducated; their natural intelligence is untrained, so they cannot absorb knowledge.
Criticism of contemporary captains from the Prince of Valsassina's letter to Duke Filippo Maria.
“I don't charge like a bull. I like to know exactly where I am going.”
I am not reckless; I prefer to understand my path before acting.
Bellarion explains his cautious approach to Carmagnola.
“If a false attack were made here, on the east, between the city and the river, so as to draw the besieged, a bold, simultaneous attack on the west might carry the walls.”
A diversionary attack on the east could lure the defenders, allowing a real assault on the west to succeed.
Carmagnola proposes a feint attack plan to Bellarion.