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King.
On mid-August, Boniface VIII published a bull in which he affirms that only the Pope is
authorized to convoke a Council and he tried to defend himself from the accusations of Plasian
and Nogaret. At the end he wondered: how has been possible to reach to the absurd that the
Cathars accused the Pope of heresy? But the spies of Philip IV informed him that the decree of
excommunication of the King is being drafted and questioned the Kingdom of France: to the
bull has been placed in advance the date of its emission: 7 of September 1303.
Philip IV decided to give a hand hit and capture Boniface before the publishing of his
infamous resolution. He would be judged in France and formally deposed, naming in his place a
French Bishop of his trust. To comply with this plan he conceded white letter to Guillaume de
Nogaret, to whom he gave his own sword and said these historical words:
–«The Honor of France is in your hands, Knight Lord».
Guillaume de Nogaret goes to Italy accompanied only by Sciarra Colonna, the most
fearsome personal enemy of Boniface, and by Charles de Saint Félix, a Domini Canis who was
grandson of Pedro de Creta and Valentina de Tharsis: Nogaret knew Charles since he was a
child, because he was son of who was the Lord of the family of Saint Félix of Caramán. In
Florence, the banker of the King of France gives to Nogaret an important sum, due to he had
the order to provide the Gascon of whatever that could be necessary for his mission. Since
there departure a lot of people addict to the Ghibelline party to give advice to the Colonna’s
allied Lords, in the proximities of Anagni, Alatri and Ferentino. The Pope is located in his
palace of Anagni, his natal city in the ancient pontifical State of Frosinone; the neighbor city of
Ferentino, Ghibelline rival of the Guelph Anagni, in the meeting point of the conspirators; the
chosen day: September 6, i.e., one day before the emission of the bull that would
excommunicate Philip IV.
The signalized day, in the highest secrecy, arrived a dozen of Lords, sworn enemies of
Boniface VIII, who were waiting since years ago a similar opportunity to take revenge: all they
craved intimately an occasion to execute Boniface, due to they considered worthless his
transference to France; ironically, Guillaume of Nogaret shall appeal to all his authority to
protect him and comply, in this manner, with the Strategy of Philip the Fair. Each Knight had
travelled separately, accompanied by a small guard that would not awake any suspicion; to
these troops were added the mercenary effectives provided by the Captain Reynold Supino,
guard of Ferentino who sold himself to Nogaret for 1.000 florins. In sum were 300 horsemen
and 1.000 infants: such companies would be really exiguous for the enterprise that they
proposed to realize, if they would not have the principle of surprise in favor, due to neither
Boniface VIII, nor his Golem followers, imagined remotely that they could be attacked in
Anagni. Formed a few kilometres of distance, the battalion of Nogaret seemed to have emerged
from the naught; and nobody in Italy could know with anticipation of its existence as to warn
the Golems.
One of the Ghibelline Knights was Nicholas, from the powerful family of the Conti,
whose brother Adenulfo, dwelling in Anagni, would support vital collaboration to the invaders.
Through him, is achieved to buy the commandant of the papal guard, Godfrey Busso, for
a good bag of gold, while the own Adenulfo would be occupied to deceive the anagnians during
the attack.
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