The Ordeal of Savonarola (1498)
Popularity can be fleeting... History in under 60 seconds. (Short video)
The Ordeal of Savonarola (1498)
Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar in Renaissance Florence who preached against the moral corruption of the city and called for a return to Christian values. He gained a large following and even managed to expel the ruling Medici family. However, his strict moral laws made him many enemies. He was challenged to an ordeal by fire by a rival preacher, which he accepted. However, on the day of the ordeal, a sudden rainstorm prevented the fire from being lit. The people saw this as a sign that Savonarola was not favored by God, and he was soon arrested and executed.
Lesson: Popularity can be fleeting, and those who rise quickly can fall just as fast.
