6 - San Giovanni a Mare

Summary

On June 23, 1586 Count Miranda, viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples, made his entry into Naples and “was received with great acclamations, and the usual ceremonies of a bridge, syndick, and cavalcade.”² There were fireworks, bonfires, music, dance, food, and even a mock battle between Saracens and Christians. Artists displayed creative ephemera such as triumphal arches and paintings; artisans flaunted their silks, jewels, and gold; and people rejoiced in the celebration of the public space.³ Giant epigrams proclaimed that “there was no need to go to the Orient since the city of Naples was now the source of virtue, grandeur, and riches.”⁴ Chronicler Scipione Guerra reported that “even if the king himself had been present, the demonstrations of joy and reverence would not have been any more superb or sumptuous.”⁵ The entrance of the viceroy into the city of Naples coincided with the commemoration of St. John the Baptist. Hence, the entrance of the Spanish viceroy was juxtaposed to a Christian celebration. As such, it embodied a public representation of renewal, prosperity, and benevolence.