Bellarion the Fortunate · Chapter
XV: The Camisade explained
Bellarion orchestrates a cunning military deception to capture Alessandria.
What happens
Bellarion orchestrates a cunning military deception to capture Alessandria. After capturing Vignate in an ambush at Pavone, he reveals his true plan: using Vignate's own camisade (a night attack with soldiers wearing shirts over armor) as a ruse to infiltrate the city. Carmagnola leads the disguised force into Alessandria, where they seize the gates and allow Facino's main army to enter. The city falls with minimal resistance, and Facino breakfasts in the citadel as promised.
Themes in this chapter
War and Strategy
The chapter centers on Bellarion's brilliant military stratagem—using Vignate's own camisade as a Trojan horse to capture Alessandria, demonstrating the primacy of cunning over brute force.
Deception and Identity
Bellarion impersonates Captain Farfalla to deceive Vignate, and the camisaders' white shirts become a symbol of disguise and betrayal, blurring friend and foe.
Loyalty and Betrayal
Vignate's history of betraying Gian Galeazzo Visconti is contrasted with Bellarion's steadfast loyalty to Facino, highlighting the moral complexities of allegiance in mercenary warfare.
Characters to notice
- Bellarion
Masterminds the capture of Alessandria through a daring camisade ruse; captures Vignate in single combat and negotiates his ransom; demonstrates strategic brilliance and aversion to personal violence.
- Facino Cane
Commands the overall campaign; wounded and confined to a chair but oversees the operation; praises Bellarion's tactical genius and offers him command of the white-shirts.
- Francesco Busone da Carmagnola
Leads the disguised camisaders into Alessandria; recognized by the garrison as the gates are seized; accepts Bellarion's offer of the honor of leading the assault.
- Girolamo Vignate
Captured in the ambush at Pavone; furiously denounces Bellarion as a trickster; his ransom is set at a hundred thousand ducats by Bellarion.
- Countess of Biandrate
Present at Facino's breakfast in the citadel after the capture of Alessandria; described as 'her beauty all aglow'.
Key passages
“I do not like you, Messer de Vignate. You’re a fool, and the world is troubled already by too many of your kind. So little am I venal that from a sense of duty to mankind I might send your head to the Duke of Milan you betrayed, and so forgo the hundred thousand ducats ransom you’re to pay to me.”
Bellarion tells Vignate he is a fool and that he would rather kill him than accept a ransom, out of a sense of justice.
Bellarion rebukes Vignate for his treachery and venality, asserting his own moral integrity.
“Why, you inhuman barbarian! I’ve surrendered to you. You have my word.”
Vignate protests that Bellarion is treating him barbarically despite his surrender and given word.
Vignate appeals to the code of chivalry, but Bellarion dismisses his word as worthless.
“Your word! Gian Galeazzo Visconti had your word, yet before he was cold you were in arms against his son. I’ll trust my bonds rather than your word, my lord.”
Bellarion mocks Vignate's promise, reminding him that he betrayed Gian Galeazzo Visconti immediately after his death.
Bellarion justifies his distrust of Vignate by citing his history of betrayal.
“What else? Is it not a logical consummation? You should break your morning fast in Alessandria, my lord.”
Bellarion explains that capturing Alessandria is the natural conclusion of his plan, and promises Facino he will breakfast there.
Bellarion reveals his grand strategy to Facino and Carmagnola.
