history of florence-第20部分

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Robert　would　allow　his　brother　Piero　to　take　the　command　of　their

armies。　On　the　other　hand；　Uguccione　continued　to　increase　his　power；

and　either　by　force　or　fraud　obtained　possession　of　many　castles　in

the　Val　d'Arno　and　the　Val　di　Nievole；　and　having　besieged　Monte

Cataini；　the　Florentines　found　it　would　be　necessary　to　send　to　its

relief；　that　they　might　not　see　him　burn　and　destroy　their　whole

territory。　Having　drawn　together　a　large　army；　they　entered　the　Val　di

Nievole　where　they　came　up　with　Uguccione；　and　were　routed　after　a

severe　battle　in　which　Piero　the　king's　brother　and　2；000　men　were

slain；　but　the　body　of　the　Prince　was　never　found。　Neither　was　the

victory　a　joyful　one　to　Uguccione；　for　one　of　his　sons；　and　many　of

the　leaders　of　his　army；　fell　in　the　strife。



The　Florentines　after　this　defeat　fortified　their　territory；　and　King

Robert　sent　them；　for　commander　of　their　forces；　the　Count　d'Andria；

usually　called　Count　Novello；　by　whose　deportment；　or　because　it　is

natural　to　the　Florentines　to　find　every　state　tedious；　the　city；

notwithstanding　the　war　with　Uguccione；　became　divided　into　friends

and　enemies　of　the　king。　Simon　della　Tosa；　the　Magalotti；　and　certain

others　of　the　people　who　had　attained　greater　influence　in　the

government　than　the　rest；　were　leaders　of　the　party　against　the　king。

By　these　means　messengers　were　sent　to　France；　and　afterward　into

Germany；　to　solicit　leaders　and　forces　that　they　might　drive　out　the

count；　whom　the　king　had　appointed　governor；　but　they　failed　of

obtaining　any。　Nevertheless　they　did　not　abandon　their　undertaking；

but　still　desirous　of　one　whom　they　might　worship；　after　an　unavailing

search　in　France　and　Germany；　they　discovered　him　at　Agobbio；　and

having　expelled　the　Count　Novello；　caused　Lando　d'Agobbio　to　be

brought　into　the　city　as　Bargello　sheriff）；　and　gave　him　the　most

unlimited　power　of　the　citizens。　This　man　was　cruel　and　rapacious；　and

going　through　the　country　accompanied　with　an　armed　force；　he　put　many

to　death　at　the　mere　instigation　of　those　who　had　endowed　him　with

authority。　His　insolence　rose　to　such　a　height；　that　he　stamped　base

metal　with　the　impression　used　upon　the　money　of　the　state；　and　no　one

had　sufficient　courage　to　oppose　him；　so　powerful　had　he　become　by　the

discords　of　Florence。　Great；　certainly；　but　unhappy　city！　which

neither　the　memory　of　past　divisions；　the　fear　of　her　enemies；　nor　a

king's　authority；　could　unite　for　her　own　advantage；　so　that　she　found

herself　in　a　state　of　the　utmost　wretchedness；　harassed　without　by

Uguccione；　and　plundered　within　by　Lando　d'Agobbio。



The　friends　of　the　king　and　those　who　opposed　Lando　and　his　followers；

were　either　of　noble　families　or　the　highest　of　the　people；　and　all

Guelphs；　but　their　adversaries　being　in　power　they　could　not　discover

their　minds　without　incurring　the　greatest　danger。　Being；　however；

determined　to　deliver　themselves　from　such　disgraceful　tyranny；　they

secretly　wrote　to　King　Robert；　requesting　him　to　appoint　for　his　vicar

in　Florence　Count　Guido　da　Battifolle。　The　king　complied；　and　the

opposite　party；　although　the　Signory　were　opposed　to　the　king；　on

account　of　the　good　quality　of　the　count；　did　not　dare　to　resist　him。

Still　his　authority　was　not　great；　because　the　Signory　and

Gonfaloniers　of　the　companies　were　in　favor　of　Lando　and　his　party。



During　these　troubles；　the　daughter　of　King　Albert　of　Bohemia　passed

through　Florence；　in　search　of　her　husband；　Charles；　the　son　of　King

Robert；　and　was　received　with　the　greatest　respect　by　the　friends　of

the　king；　who　complained　to　her　of　the　unhappy　state　of　the　city；　and

of　the　tyranny　of　Lando　and　his　partisans；　so　that　through　her

influence　and　the　exertions　of　the　king's　friends；　the　citizens　were

again　united；　and　before　her　departure；　Lando　was　stripped　of　all

authority　and　send　back　to　Agobbio；　laden　with　blood　and　plunder。　In

reforming　the　government；　the　sovereignty　of　the　city　was　continued　to

the　king　for　another　three　years；　and　as　there　were　then　in　office

seven　Signors　of　the　party　of　Lando；　six　more　were　appointed　of　the

king's　friends；　and　some　magistracies　were　composed　of　thirteen

Signors；　but　not　long　afterward　the　number　was　reduced　to　seven

according　to　ancient　custom。







CHAPTER　VI



　　War　with　CastruccioCastruccio　marches　against　Prato　and　retires

　　without　making　any　attemptThe　emigrants　not　being　allowed　to

　　return；　endeavor　to　enter　the　city　by　force；　and　are　repulsed

　　Change　in　the　mode　of　electing　the　great　officers　of　stateThe

　　Squittini　establishedThe　Florentines　under　Raymond　of　Cardona

　　are　routed　by　Castruccio　at　AltopascioTreacherous　designs　of

　　RaymondThe　Florentines　give　the　sovereignty　of　the　city　to

　　Charles　duke　of　Cambria；　who　appoints　the　duke　of　Athens　for　his

　　vicarThe　duke　of　Calabria　comes　to　FlorenceThe　Emperor　Louis

　　of　Bavaria　visits　ItalyThe　excitement　he　producesDeath　of

　　Castruccio　and　of　Charles　duke　of　CalabriaReform　of　government。



About　the　same　time；　Uguccione　lost　the　sovereignty　of　Lucca　and　of

Pisa；　and　Castruccio　Castracani；　a　citizen　of　Lucca；　became　lord　of

them；　who；　being　a　young　man；　bold　and　fierce；　and　fortunate　in　his

enterprises；　in　a　short　time　became　the　head　of　the　Ghibellines　in

Tuscany。　On　this　account　the　discords　among　the　Florentines　were　laid

aside　for　some　years；　at　first　to　abate　the　increasing　power　of

Castruccio；　and　afterward　to　unite　their　means　for　mutual　defense

against　him。　And　in　order　to　give　increased　strength　and　efficacy　to

their　counsels；　the　Signory　appointed　twelve　citizens　whom　they　called

Buonomini；　or　good　men；　without　whose　advice　and　consent　nothing　of

any　importance　could　be　carried　into　effect。　The　conclusion　of　the

sovereignty　of　King　Robert　being　come；　the　citizens　took　the

government　into　their　own　hands；　reappointed　the　usual　rectors　and

magistracies；　and　were　kept　united　by　the　dread　of　Castruccio；　who；

after　many　efforts　against　the　lords　of　Lunigiano；　attacked　Prato；　to

the　relief　of　which　the　Florentines　having　resolved　to　go；　shut　up

their　shops　and　houses；　and　proceeded　thither　in　a　body；　amounting　to

twenty　thousand　foot　and　one　thousand　five　hundred　horse。　And　in　order

to　reduce　the　number　of　Castruccio's　friends　and　augment　their　own；

the　Signory　declared　that　every　rebel　of　the　Guelphic　party　who　should

come　to　the　relief　of　Prato　would　be　restored　to　his　country；　they

thus　increased　their　army　with　an　addition　of　four　thousand　men。　This

great　force　being　quickly　brought　to　Prato；　alarmed　Castruccio　so

much；　that　without　trying　the　fortune　of　battle；　he　retired　toward

Lucca。　Upon　this；　disturbances　arose　in　the　Florentine　camp　between

the　nobility　and　the　people；　the　latter　of　whom　wished　to　pursue　the

foe　and　destroy　him；　the　former　were　for　returning　home；　saying　they

had　done　enough　for　Prato　in　hazarding　the　safety　of　Florence　on　its

account；　which　they　did　not　regret　under　the　circumstances；　but　now；

that　necessity　no　longer　existing；　the　propriety　of　further　risk

ceased　also；　as　there　was　little　to　be　gained　and　much　to　lose。

Not　being　able　to　agree；　the　question　was　referred　to　the　Signory；

among　whom　the　difference　of　opinion　was　equally　great；　and　as　the

matter　spread　throughout　the　city；　the　people　drew　together；　and　used

such　threatening　language　against　the　nobility　that　they；　being

apprehensive　for　their　safety；　yielded；　but　the　resolution　being

adopted　too　late；　and　by　many　unwillingly；　gave　the　enemy　time　to

withdraw　in　safety　to　Lucca。



This　unfortunate　circumstance　made　the　people　so　indignant　against　the

great　that　the　Signory　refused　to　perform　the　promise　made　to　the

exiles；　and　the　latter；　anticipating　the　fact；　determined　to　be

beforehand；　and　were　at　the　gates　of　Florence　to　gain　admittance　into

the　city　before　the　rest　of　the　forces；　but　their　design　did　not　take

effect；　for　their　purpose　being　foreseen；　they　were　repulsed　by　those

who　had　remained　at　home。　They　then　endeavored　to　acquire　by　entreaty

what　they　had　failed　to　obtain　by　force；　and　sent　eight　men　as

ambassadors　to　the　Signory；　to　remind　them　of　the　promise　given；　and

of　the　dangers　they　had　undergone；　in　hope　of　the　reward　which　had

been　held　out　to　them。　And　although　the　nobility；　who　felt　the

obligation　on　account　of　their　having　particularly　undertaken　to

fulfill　the　promise　for　which　the　Signory　had　bound　themselves；　used

their　utmost　exertion　in　favor　of　the　exiles；　so　great　was　the　anger

of　the　multitude　on　account　of　their　only　partial　success　against

Castruccio；　that　they　could　not　obtain　their　admission。　This

occasioned　cost　and　dishonor　to　the　city；　for　many　of　the　nobility；

taking　offense　at　this　proceeding；　endeavored　to　obtain　by　arms　that

which　had　been　refused　to　their　prayers；　and　agreed　with　the　exiles

that　they　should　come　armed　to　the　city；　and　that　those　within　would

arm　themselves　in　their　defense。　But　the　affair　was　discovered　before

the　appointed　day　arrived；　so　that　those　without　found　the　city　in

arms；　and　prepared　to　resist　them。　So　completely　subdued　were　those

within；　that　none　dared　to　take　arms；　and　thus　the　undertaking　was

abandoned；　without　any　advantage　having　been　obtained　by　the　party。

After　the　departure　of　the　exiles　it　was　determined　to　punish　those

who　had　been　instrumental　in　bringing　them　to　the　city；　but；　although

everyone　knew　who　were　the　delinquents；　none　ventured　to　name　and

still　less　to　accuse　them。　It　was；　therefore；　resolved　that　in　order

to　come　at　the　truth；　everyone　should　write　the　names　of　those　he

believed　to　be　guilty；　and　present　the　writing　secretly　to　the

Capitano。　By　this　means；　Amerigo　Donati；　Teghiajo；　Frescobaldi；　and

Lotteringo　Gherardini　were　accused；　but；　the　judges　being　more

favorably　disposed　to　them　than；　perhaps；　their　misdeeds　deserved；

each　escaped　by　paying　a　fine。



The　tumults　which　arose　in　Floren