history of florence-第99节

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continued；　Tuscany　being　in　confusion；　and　the　Florentines；　in　whom

alone　she　had　hope；　themselves　in　trouble；　she　determined；　as　she

could　not　retain　Genoa　in　subjection；　to　secure　it　as　an　ally；　and

agreed　with　Battistino　Fregoso；　the　enemy　of　Prospero　Adorno；　to　give

him　the　Castelletto；　and　make　him　prince　of　Genoa；　on　condition　that

he　should　expel　Prospero；　and　do　nothing　in　favor　of　her　son's　uncles。

Upon　this　agreement；　Battistino；　by　the　assistance　of　the　Castelletto

and　of　his　friends；　became　lord　of　Genoa；　and　according　to　the　custom

of　the　city；　took　the　title　of　Doge。　The　Sforzeschi　and　the　Signor

Roberto；　being　thus　expelled　by　the　Genoese；　came　with　their　forces

into　Lunigiana；　and　the　pope　and　the　king；　perceiving　the　troubles　of

Lombardy　to　be　composed；　took　occasion　with　them　to　annoy　Tuscany　in

the　Pisan　territory；　that　the　Florentines　might　be　weakened　by

dividing　their　forces。　At　the　close　of　winter　they　ordered　Roberto　da

San　Severino　to　leave　Lunigiana　and　march　thither；　which　he　did；　and

with　great　tumult　plundered　many　fortresses；　and　overran　the　country

around　Pisa。



At　this　time；　ambassadors　came　to　Florence　from　the　emperor；　the　king

of　France；　and　the　king　of　Hungary；　who　were　sent　by　their　princes　to

the　pontiff。　They　solicited　the　Florentines　also　to　send　ambassadors

to　the　pope；　and　promised　to　use　their　utmost　exertion　to　obtain　for

them　an　advantageous　peace。　The　Florentines　did　not　refuse　to　make

trial；　both　for　the　sake　of　publicly　justifying　their　proceedings；　and

because　they　were　really　desirous　of　peace。　Accordingly；　the

ambassadors　were　sent；　but　returned　without　coming　to　any　conclusion

of　their　differences。　The　Florentines；　to　avail　themselves　of　the

influence　of　the　king　of　France；　since　they　were　attacked　by　one　part

of　the　Italians　and　abandoned　by　the　other；　sent　to　him　as　their

ambassador；　Donato　Acciajuoli；　a　distinguished　Latin　and　Greek

scholar；　whose　ancestors　had　always　ranked　high　in　the　city；　but　while

on　his　journey　he　died　at　Milan。　To　relieve　his　surviving　family　and

pay　a　deserved　tribute　to　his　memory；　he　was　honorably　buried　at　the

public　expense；　provision　was　made　for　his　sons；　and　suitable　marriage

portions　given　to　his　daughters；　and　Guid'　Antonio　Vespucci；　a　man

well　acquainted　with　pontifical　and　imperial　affairs；　was　sent　as

ambassador　to　the　king　in　his　stead。



The　attack　of　Signor　Roberto　upon　the　Pisan　territory；　being

unexpected；　greatly　perplexed　the　Florentines；　for　having　to　resist

the　foe　in　the　direction　of　Sienna；　they　knew　not　how　to　provide　for

the　places　about　Pisa。　To　keep　the　Lucchese　faithful；　and　prevent　them

from　furnishing　the　enemy　either　with　money　or　provisions；　they　sent

as　ambassador　Piero　di　Gino　Capponi；　who　was　received　with　so　much

jealousy；　on　account　of　the　hatred　which　that　city　always　cherishes

against　the　Florentines　from　former　injuries　and　constant　fear；　that

he　was　on　many　occasions　in　danger　of　being　put　to　death　by　the　mob；

and　thus　his　mission　gave　fresh　cause　of　animosity　rather　than　of

union。　The　Florentines　recalled　the　marquis　of　Ferrara；　and　engaged

the　marquis　of　Mantua；　they　also　as　earnestly　requested　the　Venetians

to　send　them　Count　Carlo；　son　of　Braccio；　and　Deifobo；　son　of　Count

Jacopo；　and　after　many　delays；　they　complied；　for　having　made　a　truce

with　the　Turks；　they　had　no　excuse　to　justify　a　refusal；　and　could　not

break　through　the　obligation　of　the　League　without　the　utmost

disgrace。　The　counts；　Carlo　and　Deifobo；　came　with　a　good　force；　and

being　joined　by　all　that　could　be　spared　from　the　army；　which；　under

the　marquis　of　Ferrara；　held　in　check　the　duke　of　Calabria；　proceeded

toward　Pisa；　to　meet　Signor　Roberto；　who　was　with　his　troops　near　the

river　Serchio；　and　who；　though　he　had　expressed　his　intention　of

awaiting　their　arrival；　withdrew　to　the　camp　at　Lunigiana；　which　he

had　quitted　upon　coming　into　the　Pisan　territory；　while　Count　Carlo

recovered　all　the　places　that　had　been　taken　by　the　enemy　in　that

district。



The　Florentines；　being　thus　relieved　from　the　attack　in　the　direction

of　Pisa；　assembled　the　whole　force　between　Colle　and　Santo　Geminiano。

But　the　army；　on　the　arrival　of　Count　Carlo；　being　composed　of

Sforzeschi　and　Bracceschi；　their　hereditary　feuds　soon　broke　forth；

and　it　was　thought　that　if　they　remained　long　in　company；　they　would

turn　their　arms　against　each　other。　It　was　therefore　determined；　as

the　smaller　evil；　to　divide　them；　to　send　one　party；　under　Count

Carlo；　into　the　district　of　Perugia；　and　establish　the　other　at

Poggibonzi；　where　they　formed　a　strong　encampment　in　order　to　prevent

the　enemy　from　penetrating　the　Florentine　territory。　By　this　they　also

hoped　to　compel　the　enemy　to　divide　their　forces；　for　Count　Carlo　was

understood　to　have　many　partisans　in　Perugia；　and　it　was　therefore

expected；　either　that　he　would　occupy　the　place；　or　that　the　pope

would　be　compelled　to　send　a　large　body　of　men　for　its　defense。　To

reduce　the　pontiff　to　greater　necessity；　they　ordered　Niccolo　Vitelli；

who　had　been　expelled　from　Citta　di　Castello；　where　his　enemy　Lorenzo

Vitelli　commanded；　to　lead　a　force　against　that　place；　with　the　view

of　driving　out　his　adversary　and　withdrawing　it　from　obedience　to　the

pope。　At　the　beginning　of　the　campaign；　fortune　seemed　to　favor　the

Florentines；　for　Count　Carlo　made　rapid　advances　in　the　Perugino；　and

Niccolo　Vitelli；　though　unable　to　enter　Castello；　was　superior　in　the

field；　and　plundered　the　surrounding　country　without　opposition。　The

forces　also；　at　Poggibonzi；　constantly　overran　the　country　up　to　the

walls　of　Sienna。　These　hopes；　however；　were　not　realized；　for　in　the

first　place；　Count　Carlo　died；　while　in　the　fullest　tide　of　success；

though　the　consequences　of　this　would　have　been　less　detrimental　to

the　Florentines；　had　not　the　victory　to　which　it　gave　occasion；　been

nullified　by　the　misconduct　of　others。　The　death　of　the　count　being

known；　the　forces　of　the　church；　which　had　already　assembled　in

Perugia；　conceived　hopes　of　overcoming　the　Florentines；　and　encamped

upon　the　lake；　within　three　miles　of　the　enemy。　On　the　other　side；

Jacopo　Guicciardini；　commissary　to　the　army；　by　the　advice　of　Roberto

da　Rimino；　who；　after　the　death　of　Count　Carlo；　was　the　principal

commander；　knowing　the　ground　of　their　sanguine　expectations；

determined　to　meet　them；　and　coming　to　an　engagement　near　the　lake；

upon　the　site　of　the　memorable　rout　of　the　Romans；　by　Hannibal；　the

Carthaginian　general；　the　papal　forces　were　vanquished。　The　news　of

the　victory；　which　did　great　honor　to　the　commanders；　diffused

universal　joy　at　Florence；　and　would　have　ensured　a　favorable

termination　of　the　campaign；　had　not　the　disorders　which　arose　in　the

army　at　Poggibonzi　thrown　all　into　confusion；　for　the　advantage

obtained　by　the　valor　of　the　one；　was　more　than　counterbalanced　by　the

disgraceful　proceedings　of　the　other。　Having　made　considerable　booty

in　the　Siennese　territory；　quarrels　arose　about　the　division　of　it

between　the　marquis　of　Mantua　and　the　marquis　of　Ferrara；　who；　coming

to　arms；　assailed　each　other　with　the　utmost　fury；　and　the　Florentines

seeing　they　could　no　longer　avail　themselves　of　the　services　of　both；

allowed　the　marquis　of　Ferrara　and　his　men　to　return　home。







CHAPTER　IV



　　The　duke　of　Calabria　routs　the　Florentine　army　at　Poggibonzi

　　Dismay　in　Florence　on　account　of　the　defeatProgress　of　the　duke

　　of　CalabriaThe　Florentines　wish　for　peaceLorenzo　de'　Medici

　　determines　to　go　to　Naples　to　treat　with　the　kingLodovico

　　Sforza；　surnamed　the　Moor；　and　his　brothers；　recalled　to　Milan

　　Changes　in　the　government　of　that　city　in　consequenceThe　Genoese

　　take　SerezanaLorenzo　de'　Medici　arrives　at　NaplesPeace

　　concluded　with　the　kingThe　pope　and　the　Venetians　consent　to　the

　　peaceThe　Florentines　in　fear　of　the　duke　of　Calabria

　　Enterprises　of　the　TurksThey　take　OtrantoThe　Florentines

　　reconciled　with　the　popeTheir　ambassadors　at　the　papal　court

　　The　pope's　reply　to　the　ambassadorsThe　king　of　Naples　restores

　　to　the　Florentines　all　the　fortresses　he　had　taken。



The　army　being　thus　reduced；　without　a　leader；　and　disorder　prevailing

in　every　department；　the　duke　of　Calabria；　who　was　with　his　forces

near　Sienna；　resolved　to　attack　them　immediately。　The　Florentines；

finding　the　enemy　at　hand；　were　seized　with　a　sudden　panic；　neither

their　arms；　nor　their　numbers；　in　which　they　were　superior　to　their

adversaries；　nor　their　position；　which　was　one　of　great　strength；

could　give　them　confidence；　but　observing　the　dust　occasioned　by　the

enemy's　approach；　without　waiting　for　a　sight　of　them；　they　fled　in

all　directions；　leaving　their　ammunition；　carriages；　and　artillery　to

be　taken　by　the　foe。　Such　cowardice　and　disorder　prevailed　in　the

armies　of　those　times；　that　the　turning　of　a　horse's　head　or　tail　was

sufficient　to　decide　the　fate　of　an　expedition。　Thi