CHAPTER 12
The birth of Frederick, it alone and in itself,
makes Jesi a royal city.
(Antonio Gianandrea: “Jesi diplomatic papers”)
Within a few days, some craftsmen of the Jesi’s goldsmith school made a bronze crown, covering it with pure gold leaf. The gilding gave the crown the appearance of a solid gold artifact, but the goldsmiths knew that soon the gold leaf would begin to peel off and the bronze would oxidize, giving the crown an ugly greenish colour. In any case, at that moment when Lucia was admiring it, the new crown shone with its own light and made a great impression over the lion’s head, symbol of the Royal City of Jesi.
Jesi is once again Royal, Ghibelline and independent from the ecclesiastical authority, thought Lucia. And thanks also to me, and to Messer Bernardino who
