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With bewildering attainments due to his brilliant and tenacious memory, he returned to Rome in 1486 and undertook to maintain 900 theses on all possible subjects (Conclusiones philosophicae, cabalasticae et theologicae, Rome, 1486, in fol.). He offered to pay the expenses of those who came from a distance to engage with him in public discussion. Pope Innocent VIII was made to believe that at least thirteen of these theses were heretical, though in reality they merely revealed the shallowness of the learning of that epoch. Even such a mind as Pico's showed too much credulity in nonsensical beliefs, and too great a liking for childish and unsolvable problems. The proposed disputation was prohibited and the book containing the theses was interdicted, notwithstanding the author's defence in Apologia J. Pici Mirandolani, Concordiae comitis ( 1489). One of his detractors had maintained that Kabbala was the name of an impious writer against Jesus Christ. Despite all efforts Pico was condemned, and he decided to travel, visiting France first, but he afterwards returning to Florence. He destroyed his poetical works, gave up profane science, and determined to devote his old age to a defence of Christianity against Jews, Mohammedans, and astrologers. A portion of this work was published after his death (Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem, Bologna, 1495). Because of this book and his controversy against astrology, Pico marks an era and a decisive progressive movement in ideas. He died two months after his close friend Politian, on the day Charles VIII of France entered Florence. He was interred at San Marco, and Savonarola delivered the funeral oration.
Besides the writings already mentioned, see his complete works (Bologna, 1496Events January 3 Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tests a flying machine. March 10 Christopher Columbus leaves Hispaniola for Spain, ending his second visit to the Western Hemisphere. July Spanish forces under Gonzalo Hernandez de Cordoba capture Atella a; Venice, 1498Events May 20 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut (now Kozhikode), India, becoming the first European to get there by sailing around Africa. May 23 Girolamo Savonarola, ruler of Florence, is executed for criticizing the Pope. July 31 On h; Strasburg, 1504Events January 1 French troops surrender Gaeta to the Spanish under Cordoba. January 31 France cedes Naples to Aragon. February 29 Christopher Columbus uses his knowldege of a lunar eclipse that night to convince Native Americans to provide him with suppl; Basle, 1557Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. June Mary I of England joins her husband Philip II of Spain in his war against France. August 10 Battle of St. Quentin French forces under Marshal Anne de Montmorency are decisively defeated by the Spanish under Duke; 1573Events January articles of Warsaw Confederation signed, sanctioning religious freedom in Poland. July Spanish forces under the Duke of Alva capture Haarlem after a seven month siege. August-October Unsuccessful siege of Alkmaar by Alva November Alva resig, 1601For other uses, see Number 1601. Events February 8 Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, rebels against Elizabeth I of England revolt is quickly crushed February 25 Robert Devereux beheaded Jesuit Matteo Ricci arrives in China Bad harvest in Russia due to r). He wrote in Italian an imitation of Plato's Banquet. His letters (Aureae ad familiares epistolae, Paris, 1499Events July 22 Battle of Dornach The Swiss decisively defeat the Imperial army of Emperor Maximilian I. July 28 First Battle of Lepanto The Turkish navy wins a decisive victory over the Venetians. September 22 Treaty of Basel. Maximilian is forced to gran) are important for the history of contemporary thought. The many editions of his entire works in the sixteenth century sufficiently prove his influence.