The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

ENEMIES OF THE CARAFA. 135
While, at the beginning of the pontificate of Pius IV., a
prosperous future seemed to be dawning for the nephews of
his predecessor, a storm was slowly gathering over their
heads, which was destined to overwhelm them.
The despotism which the Carafa had exercised in Rome
during the period "of their unUmited influence over Paul IV.,
had given rise in all quarters to the greatest bitterness and
hatred against them. Among the numerous enemies whom
the Carafa had made for themselves, many were persons of
the greatest influence, who did everything in their power to
turn the new Pope against them. The most important
of these were Marcantonio Colonna, and the all-powerful
Cardinal Camerlengo, Guido Antonio Sforza of Santa Flora.
Both had been deeply offended and gravely injured by the
Carafa under Paul IV. In the case of Santa Flora, the official
representative of the interests of Philip II., he was not only
actuated by feeUngs of revenge, but also by the knowledge
that the protege of the Spanish king, Marcantonio Colonna,
could only gain possession of his strongholds by the destruc-
tion of the Carafa. 1
Cardinal Carafa had also made a very bitter enemy of
Ercole Gonzaga by his disloyal behaviour in the conclave.
Unfortunately for Carlo Carafa, Gonzaga and his friends,
among whom was the powerful Cardinal Madruzzo of Trent,
had won great influence in the Curia at the very beginning
of the reign of Pius IV., through the union of their families
with that of the Pope.^ While Madruzzo was endeavouiing
to secure GaUese and Soriano for the Altemps, Ercole Gonzaga
was seeking, as early as January, 1560, to pave the way for
himself to the supreme dignity. The Carafa stood in the
way of both of them,^ and both, therefore, brought strong
pressure to bear upon Pius IV. to turn him against the
nephews of Paul IV. Complaints against that family were
all the more readily believed by the new Pope, as he had
belonged to the opposition party during the pontificate of
^ C/. Angel, Disgrace, 76 seq.
^ Cf. supra p.p. 99, 104.
^ Cf. MiJLLER, 267 seq., and Ancel, 79 seq.