But Savonarola had attacked the pope, as well as the rest of the worldly clergy. Pope Alexander VI was particularly scandalous and had fathered a number of illegitimate children. In 1495, fed up with Savonarola’s attacks, he ordered the Dominican to stop preaching. Savonarola obeyed, and gave himself over to study instead. A year later, apparently believing he had humbled the friar, Alexander allowed him to begin preaching again; soon the fiery monk returned to his attacks on the corruption in the