history of florence-第79节

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with　his　friends　at　Rome　to　provide　an　evening　banquet；　to　which　all

the　conspirators　were　invited；　with　orders　that　each　should　bring　with

him　his　most　trust…worthy　friends；　and　himself　promised　to　be　with　him

before　the　entertainment　was　served。　Everything　was　done　according　to

this　orders；　and　Stefano　Porcari　arrived　at　the　place　appointed。

Supper　being　brought　in；　he　entered　the　apartment　dressed　in　cloth　of

gold；　with　rich　ornaments　about　his　neck；　to　give　him　a　dignified

appearance　and　commanding　aspect。　Having　embraced　the　company；　he

delivered　a　long　oration　to　dispose　their　minds　to　the　glorious

undertaking。　He　then　arranged　the　measures　to　be　adopted；　ordering

that　one　part　of　them　should；　on　the　following　morning；　take

possession　of　the　pontiff's　palace；　and　that　the　other　should　call　the

people　of　Rome　to　arms。　The　affair　came　to　the　knowledge　of　the　pope

the　same　night；　some　say　by　treachery　among　the　conspirators；　and

others　that　he　knew　of　Porcari's　presence　at　Rome。　Be　this　as　it　may；

on　the　night　of　the　supper　Stefano；　and　the　greater　part　of　his

associates；　were　arrested；　and　afterward　expiated　their　crime　by

death。　Thus　ended　his　enterprise；　and　though　some　may　applaud　his

intentions；　he　must　stand　charged　with　deficiency　of　understanding；

for　such　undertakings；　though　possessing　some　slight　appearance　of

glory；　are　almost　always　attended　with　ruin。



Gherardo　Gambacorti　was　lord　of　Val　di　Bagno；　and　his　ancestors　as

well　as　himself　had　always　been　in　the　pay　or　under　the　protection　of

the　Florentines。　Alfonso　endeavored　to　induce　him　to　exchange　his

territory　for　another　in　the　kingdom　of　Naples。　This　became　known　to

the　Signory；　who；　in　order　to　ascertain　his　designs；　sent　an

ambassador　to　Gambacorti；　to　remind　him　of　the　obligations　of　his

ancestors　and　himself　to　their　republic；　and　induce　him　to　continue

faithful　to　them。　Gherardo　affected　the　greatest　astonishment；　assured

the　ambassador　with　solemn　oaths　that　no　such　treacherous　thought　had

ever　entered　his　mind；　and　that　he　would　gladly　go　to　Florence　and

pledge　himself　for　the　truth　of　his　assertions；　but　being　unable；　from

indisposition；　he　would　send　his　son　as　an　hostage。　These　assurances；

and　the　proposal　with　which　they　were　accompanied；　induced　the

Florentines　to　think　Gherardo　had　been　slandered；　and　that　his　accuser

must　be　alike　weak　and　treacherous。　Gherardo；　however；　hastened　his

negotiation　with　redoubled　zeal；　and　having　arranged　the　terms；

Alfonso　sent　Frate　Puccio；　a　knight　of　Jerusalem；　with　a　strong　body

of　men　to　the　Val　di　Bagno；　to　take　possession　of　the　fortresses　and

towns；　the　people　of　which；　being　attached　to　the　Florentine　republic；

submitted　unwillingly。



Frate　Puccio　had　already　taken　possession　of　nearly　the　whole

territory；　except　the　fortress　of　Corzano。　Gambacorti　was　accompanied；

while　transferring　his　dominions；　by　a　young　Pisan　of　great　courage

and　address；　named　Antonio　Gualandi；　who；　considering　the　whole

affair；　the　strength　of　the　place；　the　well　known　bravery　of　the

garrison；　their　evident　reluctance　to　give　it　up；　and　the　baseness　of

Gambacorti；　at　once　resolved　to　make　an　effort　to　prevent　the

fulfillment　of　his　design；　and　Gherardo　being　at　the　entrance；　for　the

purpose　of　introducing　the　Aragonese；　he　pushed　him　out　with　both　his

hands；　and　commanded　the　guards　to　shut　the　gate　upon　such　a

scoundrel；　and　hold　the　fortress　for　the　Florentine　republic。　When

this　circumstance　became　known　in　Bagno　and　the　neighboring　places；

the　inhabitants　took　up　arms　against　the　king's　forces；　and；　raising

the　Florentine　standard；　drove　them　out。　The　Florentines　learning

these　events；　imprisoned　Gherardo's　son；　and　sent　troops　to　Bagno　for

the　defense　of　the　territory；　which　having　hitherto　been　governed　by

its　own　prince；　now　became　a　vicariate。　The　traitor　Gherardo　escaped

with　difficulty；　leaving　his　wife；　family；　and　all　his　property；　in

the　hands　of　those　whom　he　had　endeavored　to　betray。　This　affair　was

considered　by　the　Florentines　of　great　importance；　for　had　the　king

succeeded　in　securing　the　territory；　he　might　have　overrun　the　Val　di

Tavere　and　the　Casentino　at　his　pleasure；　and　would　have　caused　so

much　annoyance；　that　they　could　no　longer　have　allowed　their　whole

force　to　act　against　the　army　of　the　Aragonese　at　Sienna。



In　addition　to　the　preparations　made　by　the　Florentines　in　Italy　to

resist　the　hostile　League；　they　sent　as　ambassador；　Agnolo　Acciajuoli；

to　request　that　the　king　of　France　would　allow　Ren？of　Anjou　to　enter

Italy　in　favor　of　the　duke　and　themselves；　and　also；　that　by　his

presence　in　the　country；　he　might　defend　his　friends　and　attempt　the

recovery　of　the　kingdom　of　Naples；　for　which　purpose　they　offered　him

assistance　in　men　and　money。　While　the　war　was　proceeding　in　Lombardy

and　Tuscany；　the　ambassador　effected　an　arrangement　with　King　Ren？

who　promised　to　come　into　Italy　during　the　month　of　June；　the　League

engaging　to　pay　him　thirty　thousand　florins　upon　his　arrival　at

Alexandria；　and　ten　thousand　per　month　during　the　continuance　of　the

war。　In　pursuance　of　this　treaty；　King　Ren？commenced　his　march　into

Italy；　but　was　stopped　by　the　duke　of　Savoy　and　the　marquis　of

Montferrat；　who；　being　in　alliance　with　the　Venetians；　would　not　allow

him　to　pass。　The　Florentine　ambassador　advised；　that　in　order　to

uphold　the　influence　of　his　friends；　he　should　return　to　Provence；　and

conduct　part　of　his　forces　into　Italy　by　sea；　and；　in　the　meantime；

endeavor；　by　the　authority　of　the　king　of　France；　to　obtain　a　passage

for　the　remainder　through　the　territories　of　the　duke。　This　plan　was

completely　successful；　for　Ren？came　into　Italy　by　sea；　and　his

forces；　by　the　mediation　of　the　king　of　France；　were　allowed　a　passage

through　Savoy。　King　Ren？was　most　honorably　received　by　Duke

Francesco；　and　joining　his　French　with　the　Italian　forces；　they

attacked　the　Venetians　with　so　much　impetuosity；　that　they　shortly

recovered　all　the　places　which　had　been　taken　in　the　Cremonese。　Not

content　with　this；　they　occupied　nearly　the　whole　Brescian　territory；

so　that　the　Venetians；　unable　to　keep　the　field；　withdrew　close　to　the

walls　of　Brescia。



Winter　coming　on；　the　duke　deemed　it　advisable　to　retire　into

quarters；　and　appointed　Piacenza　for　the　forces　of　Ren？　where；　having

passed　the　whole　of　the　cold　season　of　1453；　without　attempting

anything；　the　duke　thought　of　taking　the　field；　on　the　approach　of

spring；　and　stripping　the　Venetians　of　the　remainder　of　their

possessions　by　land；　but　was　informed　by　the　king　that　he　was　obliged

of　necessity　to　return　to　France。　This　determination　was　quite　new　and

unexpected　to　the　duke；　and　caused　him　the　utmost　concern；　but　though

he　immediately　went　to　dissuade　Ren？from　carrying　it　into　effect；　he

was　unable　either　by　promises　or　entreaties　to　divert　him　from　his

purpose。　He　engaged；　however；　to　leave　part　of　his　forces；　and　send

his　son　for　the　service　of　the　League。　The　Florentines　were　not

displeased　at　this；　for　having　recovered　their　territories　and

castles；　they　were　no　longer　in　fear　of　Alfonso；　and　on　the　other

hand；　they　did　not　wish　the　duke　to　obtain　any　part　of　Lombardy　but

what　belonged　to　him。　Ren？took　his　departure；　and　send　his　son　John

into　Italy；　according　to　his　promise；　who　did　not　remain　in　Lombardy；

but　came　direct　to　Florence；　where　he　was　received　with　the　highest

respect。



The　king's　departure　made　the　duke　desirous　of　peace。　The　Venetians；

Alfonso；　and　the　Florentines；　being　all　weary　of　the　war；　were

similarly　disposed；　and　the　pope　continued　to　wish　it　as　much　as　ever；

for　during　this　year　the　Turkish　emperor；　Mohammed；　had　taken

Constantinople　and　subdued　the　whole　of　Greece。　This　conquest　alarmed

the　Christians；　more　especially　the　Venetians　and　the　pope；　who

already　began　to　fancy　the　Mohammedans　at　their　doors。　The　pope

therefore　begged　the　Italian　potentates　to　send　ambassadors　to

himself；　with　authority　to　negotiate　a　general　peace；　with　which　all

complied；　but　when　the　particular　circumstances　of　each　case　came　to

be　considered；　many　difficulties　were　found　in　the　war　of　effecting

it。　King　Alfonso　required　the　Florentines　to　reimburse　the　expenses　he

had　incurred　in　the　war；　and　the　Florentines　demanded　some

compensation　from　him。　The　Venetians　thought　themselves　entitled　to

Cremona　from　the　duke；　while　he　insisted　upon　the　restoration　of

Bergamo；　Brescia；　and　Crema；　so　that　it　seemed　impossible　to　reconcile

such　conflicting　claims。　But　what　could　not　be　effected　by　a　number　at

Rome　was　easily　managed　at　Milan　and　Venice　by　two；　for　while　the

matter　was　under　discussion　at　Rome；　the　duke　and　the　Venetians　came

to　an　arrangement　on　the　ninth　of　April；　1454；　by　virtue　of　which；

each　party　resumed　what　they　possessed　before　the　war；　the　duke　being

allowed　to　recover　from　the　princes　of　Montferrat　and　Savoy　the　places

they　had　taken。　To　the　other　Itali