the election on the papal throne of giovanni battista cybo as innocent viii in 1484 weakened the aragon dynasty in the south of italy, since ferrante had been supporting a cybo competitor, rodrigo borgia. some of the most influential barons in the neapolitan realm such as antonello petrucci, francesco coppola and girolamo sanseverino were willing to make the most of this situation, arranging a new plot against ferrante and his son the duke of calabria, fifteen years after a first baronial attempt. this second conspiracy was plotted in 1485 and one of its main leaders was the prince of salerno antonello ii dei sanseverino who, on the advice of antonello petrucci and francesco coppola, gathered together several feudal families belonging to the guelph faction and supporting the angevin. among them there were caracciolo prince of melfi, gesualdo marquis of caggiano, balzo-orsini prince of altamura and guevara, count of ariano. both antonello petrucci and bernardo coppola belonged to a new kind of nobility issued from the raising upper middle class. they were two key men of the conspiracy. first, the rebels gathered in melfi and gave girolamo sanseverino, prince of bisignano and count of tricarico and miglionico, the duty of checking the potential alliances, gaining the support of others noble families and working at the same time on a negotiation with the king