history of florence-第56节

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hostilities；　did　not　pursue　his　good　fortune；　and　thus　gave　the　pope

and　his　colleagues　time　to　recover　themselves。　They　therefore

appointed　the　Count　Francesco　for　their　leader；　and　undertook　to　drive

Niccolo　Fortebraccio　from　the　territories　of　the　church；　and　thus

terminate　the　war　which　had　been　commenced　in　favor　of　the　pontiff。

The　Romans；　finding　the　pope　supported　by　so　large　an　army；　sought　a

reconciliation　with　him；　and　being　successful；　admitted　his　commissary

into　the　city。　Among　the　places　possessed　by　Niccolo　Fortebraccio；

were　Tivoli；　Montefiascone；　Citta　di　Castello；　and　Ascesi；　to　the　last

of　which；　not　being　able　to　keep　the　field；　he　fled；　and　the　count

besieged　him　there。　Niccolo's　brave　defense　making　it　probable　that

the　war　would　be　of　considerable　duration；　the　duke　deemed　to

necessary　to　prevent　the　League　from　obtaining　the　victory；　and　said

that　if　this　were　not　effected　he　would　very　soon　have　to　look　at　the

defense　of　his　own　territories。　Resolving　to　divert　the　count　from　the

siege；　he　commanded　Niccolo　Piccinino　to　pass　into　Tuscany　by　way　of

Romagna；　and　the　League；　thinking　it　more　important　to　defend　Tuscany

than　to　occupy　Ascesi；　ordered　the　count　to　prevent　the　passage　of

Niccolo；　who　was　already；　with　his　army；　at　Furli。　The　count

accordingly　moved　with　his　forces；　and　came　to　Cesena；　having　left　the

war　of　La　Marca　and　the　care　of　his　own　territories　to　his　brother

Lione；　and　while　Niccolo　Piccinino　was　endeavoring　to　pass　by；　and　the

count　to　prevent　him；　Fortebraccio　attacked　Lione　with　great　bravery；

made　him　prisoner；　routed　his　forces；　and　pursuing　the　advantage　of

his　victory；　at　once　possessed　himself　of　many　places　in　La　Marca。

This　circumstance　greatly　perplexed　the　count；　who　thought　he　had　lost

all　his　territories；　so；　leaving　part　of　his　force　to　check　Piccinino；

with　the　remainder　he　pursued　Fortebraccio；　whom　he　attacked　and

conquered。　Fortebraccio　was　taken　prisoner　in　the　battle；　and　soon

after　died　of　his　wounds。　This　victory　restored　to　the　pontiff　all　the

places　that　had　been　taken　from　him　by　Fortebraccio；　and　compelled　the

duke　of　Milan　to　sue　for　peace；　which　was　concluded　by　the

intercession　of　Niccolo　da　Esta；　marquis　of　Ferrara；　the　duke

restoring　to　the　church　the　places　he　had　taken　from　her；　and　his

forces　retiring　into　Lombardy。　Batista　da　Canneto；　as　in　the　case　with

all　who　retain　authority　only　by　the　consent　and　forces　of　another；

when　the　duke's　people　had　quitted　Romagna；　unable　with　his　own　power

to　keep　possession　of　Bologna；　fled；　and　Antonio　Bentivogli；　the　head

of　the　opposite　party；　returned　to　his　country。



All　this　took　place　during　the　exile　of　Cosmo；　after　whose　return；

those　who　had　restored　him；　and　a　great　number　of　persons　injured　by

the　opposite　party；　resolved　at　all　events　to　make　themselves　sure　of

the　government；　and　the　Signory　for　the　months　of　November　and

December；　not　content　with　what　their　predecessors　had　done　in　favor

of　their　party　extended　the　term　and　changed　the　residences　of　several

who　were　banished；　and　increased　the　number　of　exiles。　In　addition　to

these　evils；　it　was　observed　that　citizens　were　more　annoyed　on

account　of　their　wealth；　their　family　connections　or　private

animosities；　than　for　the　sake　of　the　party　to　which　they　adhered；　so

that　if　these　prescriptions　had　been　accompanied　with　bloodshed；　they

would　have　resembled　those　of　Octavius　and　Sylla；　though　in　reality

they　were　not　without　some　stains；　for　Antonio　di　Bernardo　Guadagni

was　beheaded；　and　four　other　citizens；　among　whom　were　Zanobi　dei

Belfratelli　and　Cosmo　Barbadori；　passing　the　confines　to　which　they

were　limited；　proceeded　to　Venice；　where　the　Venetians；　valuing　the

friendship　of　Cosmo　de'　Medici　more　than　their　own　honor；　sent　them

prisoners　to　him；　and　they　were　basely　put　to　death。　This　circumstance

greatly　increased　the　influence　of　that　party；　and　struck　their

enemies　with　terror；　finding　that　such　a　powerful　republic　would　so

humble　itself　to　the　Florentines。　This；　however；　was　supposed　to　have

been　done；　not　so　much　out　of　kindness　to　Cosmo；　as　to　excite

dissensions　in　Florence；　and　by　means　of　bloodshed　make　greater

certainty　of　division　among　the　citizens；　for　the　Venetians　knew　there

was　no　other　obstacle　to　their　ambition　so　great　as　the　union　of　her

people。



The　city　being　cleared　of　the　enemies；　or　suspected　enemies　of　the

state；　those　in　possession　of　the　government　now　began　to　strengthen

their　party　by　conferring　benefits　upon　such　as　were　in　a　condition　to

serve　them；　and　the　family　of　the　Alberti；　with　all　who　had　been

banished　by　the　former　government；　were　recalled。　All　the　nobility；

with　few　exceptions；　were　reduced　to　the　ranks　of　the　people；　and　the

possessions　of　the　exiles　were　divided　among　themselves；　upon　each

paying　a　small　acknowledgment。　They　then　fortified　themselves　with　new

laws　and　provisos；　made　new　Squittini；　withdrawing　the　names　of　their

adversaries　from　the　purses；　and　filling　them　with　those　of　their

friends。　Taking　advice　from　the　ruin　of　their　enemies；　they　considered

that　to　allow　the　great　offices　to　be　filled　by　mere　chance　of

drawing；　did　not　afford　the　government　sufficient　security；　they

therefore　resolved　that　the　magistrates　possessing　the　power　of　life

and　death　should　always　be　chosen　from　among　the　leaders　of　their　own

party；　and　therefore　that　the　/Accoppiatori/；　or　persons　selected　for

the　imborsation　of　the　new　Squittini；　with　the　Signory　who　had　to

retire　from　office；　should　make　the　new　appointments。　They　gave　to

eight　of　the　guard　authority　to　proceed　capitally；　and　provided　that

the　exiles；　when　their　term　of　banishment　was　complete；　should　not　be

allowed　to　return；　unless　from　the　Signory　and　Colleagues；　which　were

thirty…seven　in　number；　the　consent　of　thirty…four　was　obtained。　It

was　made　unlawful　to　write　to　or　to　receive　letters　from　them；　every

word；　sign；　or　action　that　gave　offense　to　the　ruling　party　was

punished　with　the　utmost　rigor；　and　if　there　was　still　in　Florence　any

suspected　person　whom　these　regulations　did　not　reach；　he　was

oppressed　with　taxes　imposed　for　the　occasion。　Thus　in　a　short　time；

having　expelled　or　impoverished　the　whole　of　the　adverse　party；　they

established　themselves　firmly　in　the　government。　Not　to　be　destitute

of　external　assistance；　and　to　deprive　others　of　it；　who　might　use　it

against　themselves；　they　entered　into　a　league；　offensive　and

defensive；　with　the　pope；　the　Venetians；　and　the　duke　of　Milan。







CHAPTER　II



　　Death　of　Giovanni　II。Ren？of　Anjou　and　Alfonso　of　Aragon　aspire

　　to　the　kingdomAlfonso　is　routed　and　taken　by　the　Genoese

　　Alfonso　being　a　prisoner　of　the　duke　of　Milan；　obtains　his

　　friendshipThe　Genoese　disgusted　with　the　duke　of　Milan

　　Divisions　among　the　GenoeseThe　Genoese；　by　means　of　Francesco

　　Spinola；　expel　the　duke's　governorLeague　against　the　duke　of

　　MilanRinaldo　degli　Albizzi　advises　the　duke　to　make　war　against

　　the　FlorentinesHis　discourse　to　the　dukeThe　duke　adopts

　　measures　injurious　to　the　FlorentinesNiccolo　Piccinino　appointed

　　to　command　the　duke's　forcesPreparations　of　the　Florentines

　　Piccinino　routed　before　Barga。



The　affairs　of　Florence　being　in　this　condition；　Giovanna；　queen　of

Naples；　died；　and　by　her　will　appointed　Ren？of　Anjou　to　be　her

successor。　Alfonso；　king　of　Aragon；　was　at　this　time　in　Sicily；　and

having　obtained　the　concurrence　of　many　barons；　prepared　to　take

possession　of　the　kingdom。　The　Neapolitans；　with　whom　a　greater　number


of　barons　were　also　associated；　favored　Ren？　The　pope　was　unwilling

that　either　of　them　should　obtain　it；　but　desired　the　affairs　of

Naples　to　be　administered　by　a　governor　of　his　own　appointing。



In　the　meantime　Alfonso　entered　the　kingdom；　and　was　received　by　the

duke　of　Sessa；　he　brought　with　him　some　princes；　whom　he　had　engaged

in　his　service；　with　the　design　（already　possessing　Capua；　which　the

prince　of　Taranto　held　in　his　name）　of　subduing　the　Neapolitans；　and

sent　his　fleet　to　attack　Gaeta；　which　had　declared　itself　in　their

favor。　They　therefore　demanded　assistance　of　the　duke　of　Milan；　who

persuaded　the　Genoese　to　undertake　their　defense；　and　they；　to　satisfy

the　duke　their　sovereign；　and　protect　the　merchandise　they　possessed；

both　at　Naples　and　Gaeta；　armed　a　powerful　fleet。　Alfonso　hearing　of

this；　augmented　his　own　naval　force；　went　in　person　to　meet　the

Genoese；　and　coming　up　with　them　near　the　island　of　Ponzio；　an

engagement　ensued；　in　which　the　Aragonese　were　defeated；　and　Alfonso；

with　many　of　the　princes　of　his　suite；　made　prisoners；　and　sent　by　the

Genoese　to　the　Filippo。



This　victory　terrified　the　princes　of　Italy；　who；　being　jealous　of　the

duke's　power；　thought　it　would　give　him　a　great　opportunity　of　being

sovereign　of　the　whole　country。　But　so　contrary　are　the　views　of　men；

that　he　took　a　directly　opposite　course。　Alfonso　was　a