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The
advent of John the Crazy
 The
news of the death of Anthony the Crazy spread
at lightening speed throughout lake Como and the
nearby land, for it was taken as the end of a
terrifying period. But it also raised
hatred and revenge among his followers and
his three sons, who had followed his steps.
It was because of his father’s death that John,
the eldest of Anthony the Crazy’s sons, came back
home from Bergamo, where he had till then served
in the Venetian Republic Army. He returned not
only to vindicate his father’s death, but also
to inherit and continue his highwayman’s career.
As John was sure that the Dean of Gravedona, Antonio
Curti, was the one who betrayed his father, so
his very first deed was to kill him. Then he reorganised
his father’s faithful crew, among who there was
Gian Giacomo Medici who had to become the famous
Duke of Marignano, and equipped a fleet with which
he searched the lake assaulting boats and destroying
villages.
News of his piratical deeds is carefully described
in history books of that time.
 Muralto
writes: "In the year 1518, the people of Torno,
who as usual were transporting on a boat cloths
and goods allotted to the German market, while
sailing toward Olonio, on the lake, were attacked
by John, son of the Crazy of Brenzio, and his
men. But the merchants
run away, leaving the boat with the cloths and
the crew, and the bandits took hold of the boat
and killed five men of the crew taking the precious
cloths to Brenzio. This is the nowadays’ glory
and safety daily bestowed to the subjects to the
regal name, and nobody dare to sail the lake with
his goods, and it was the 14th of March. And with
the Crazy there were the sons of Antonio Cernobino
who were butchers, who like rapacious wolves infested
the roads with robberies and murders. And they
were with the Crazy himself to seize prisoner
Gabriele Scannagatta, who lived in the land of
Dongo, and more, they were the ones who murdered
Gabriele’s only child after having granted him
immunity".
Giulio C. Zemolo refers: "… in the meantime, beyond
the Alps, it had dully begun the first war between
Francis I and Maximilian’s successor, the emperor
Charles V already king of Spain. The French G.
Garrau was elected governor of Como. His very
first thought was for the Crazy and he tried to
defeat him over the land and on the lake without
any success, because the Crazy was supported by
the Grisons who, in the land of the Tre Pievi,
occupied the mountains of Dongo. And a congress
was held in Bellano between the French delegation
and the Grisons, to persuade the late to leave
the Crazy and join their party against the pirate.
But that, too, failed perhaps because of Trivulzio,
who was called to France to justify himself before
the King, who became suspicious about his behaviour.
And while he was still travelling toward France,
he was seized by death and died at Chartres. "
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