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On the night of 8th April 1498, a bell was desperately
ringing out for help. Its home, San Marco monastry in Florence, was under
attack from an armed mob. Bell-ringing was an essential part of the civic defence
system: it was supposed to alert the authorities of crises occurring all over
the city whether they be foreign attack, fire, or uprisings. Yet the bell of
San Marco continued to toll as the authorities ignored its call. The monks were
left to fend for themselves; luckily, they had stockpiled weapons in case of
such an attack. Surprised by the sudden forced entry, they initially took ahold
of the torches and crucifixes and used these to hold back the attackers. As it
became apparent that no one was going to answer their cry for help, they
resorted to their weapons, resting their harquebuses on the pulpits and firing
into the angry mob.
