Message #258154

[Chelsea Noveau]

Cangrande della Scala (1291-1329), lord of Verona and a Renaissance warlord who had conquered large parts of Northern Italy, suddenly died of acute diarrhoea and vomiting on 22 July 1329, after taking the city of Treviso. Poison was suspected but not confirmed, but now a 700 year old mystery may be solved by further examination.

In February 2004 Cangrande’s tomb was opened to allow the palaeopathological study of his remains. When the very heavy stone lid of the sarcophagus was raised, the researchers were amazed at a well preserved body, wrapped in precious silk textiles and still wearing his clothes.