history of florence-第93部分

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view；　at　the　instigation　of　his　fears；　and　with　the　conviction　that

the　aggrandizement　of　the　Venetians　would　be　the　ruin　of　the　church

and　of　Italy；　he　endeavored　to　make　peace　with　the　League；　and　sent

his　nuncios　to　Naples；　where　a　treaty　was　concluded　for　five　years；

between　the　pope；　the　king；　the　duke　of　Milan；　and　the　Florentines；

with　an　opening　for　the　Venetians　to　join　them　if　they　thought　proper。

When　this　was　accomplished；　the　pope　intimated　to　the　Venetians；　that

they　must　desist　from　war　against　Ferrara。　They　refused　to　comply；　and

made　preparations　to　prosecute　their　design　with　greater　vigor　than

they　had　hitherto　done；　and　having　routed　the　forces　of　the　duke　and

the　marquis　at　Argenta；　they　approached　Ferrara　so　closely　as　to　pitch

their　tents　in　the　marquis's　park。



The　League　found　they　must　no　longer　delay　rendering　him　efficient

assistance；　and　ordered　the　duke　of　Calabria　to　march　to　Ferrara　with

his　forces　and　those　of　the　pope；　the　Florentine　troops　also　moving　in

the　same　direction。　In　order　to　direct　the　operations　of　the　war　with

greater　efficiency；　the　League　assembled　a　diet　at　Cremona；　which　was

attended　by　the　pope's　legate；　the　Count　Girolamo；　the　duke　of

Calabria；　the　Signor　Lodovico　Sforza；　and　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；　with

many　other　Italian　princes；　and　when　the　measures　to　be　adopted　were

fully　discussed；　having　decided　that　the　best　way　of　relieving　Ferrara

would　be　to　effect　a　division　of　the　enemy's　forces；　the　League

desired　Lodovico　to　attack　the　Venetians　on　the　side　of　Milan；　but

this　he　declined；　for　fear　of　bringing　a　war　upon　the　duke's

territories；　which　it　would　be　difficult　to　quell。　It　was　therefore

resolved　to　proceed　with　the　united　forces　of　the　League　to　Ferrara；

and　having　assembled　four　thousand　cavalry　and　eight　thousand

infantry；　they　went　in　pursuit　of　the　Venetians；　whose　force　amounted

to　two　thousand　two　hundred　men　at　arms；　and　six　thousand　foot。　They

first　attacked　the　Venetian　flotilla；　then　lying　upon　the　river　Po；

which　they　routed　with　the　loss　of　above　two　hundred　vessels；　and　took

prisoner　Antonio　Justiniano；　the　purveyor　of　the　fleet。　The　Venetians；

finding　all　Italy　united　against　them；　endeavored　to　support　their

reputation　by　engaging　in　their　service　the　duke　of　Lorraine；　who

joined　them　with　two　hundred　men　at　arms：　and　having　suffered　so　great

a　destruction　of　their　fleet；　they　sent　him；　with　part　of　their　army；

to　keep　their　enemies　at　bay；　and　Roberto　da　San　Severino　to　cross　the

Adda　with　the　remainder；　and　proceed　to　Milan；　where　they　were　to

raise　the　cry　of　〃The　duke　and　the　Lady　Bona；〃　his　mother；　hoping　by

this　means　to　give　a　new　aspect　to　affairs　there；　believing　that

Lodovico　and　his　government　were　generally　unpopular。　This　attack　at

first　created　great　consternation；　and　roused　the　citizens　in　arms；

but　eventually　produced　consequences　unfavorable　to　the　designs　of　the

Venetians；　for　Lodovico　was　now　desirous　to　undertake　what　he　had

refused　to　do　at　the　entreaty　of　his　allies。　Leaving　the　marquis　of

Ferrara　to　the　defense　of　his　own　territories；　he；　with　four　thousand

horse　and　two　thousand　foot；　and　joined　by　the　duke　of　Calabria　with

twelve　thousand　horse　and　five　thousand　foot；　entered　the　territory　of

Bergamo；　then　Brescia；　next　that　of　Verona；　and；　in　defiance　of　the

Venetians；　plundered　the　whole　country；　for　it　was　with　the　greatest

difficulty　that　Roberto　and　his　forces　could　save　the　cities

themselves。　In　the　meantime；　the　marquis　of　Ferrara　had　recovered　a

great　part　of　his　territories；　for　the　duke　of　Lorraine；　by　whom　he

was　attacked；　having　only　at　his　command　two　thousand　horse　and　one

thousand　foot；　could　not　withstand　him。　Hence；　during　the　whole　of

1483；　the　affairs　of　the　League　were　prosperous。



The　winter　having　passed　quietly　over；　the　armies　again　took　the

field。　To　produce　the　greater　impression　upon　the　enemy；　the　League

united　their　whole　force；　and　would　easily　have　deprived　the　Venetians

of　all　they　possessed　in　Lombardy；　if　the　war　had　been　conducted　in

the　same　manner　as　during　the　preceding　year；　for　by　the　departure　of

the　duke　of　Lorraine；　whose　term　of　service　had　expired；　they　were

reduced　to　six　thousand　horse　and　five　thousand　foot；　while　the　allies

had　thirteen　thousand　horse　and　five　thousand　foot　at　their　disposal。

But；　as　is　often　the　case　where　several　of　equal　authority　are　joined

in　command；　their　want　of　unity　decided　the　victory　to　their　enemies。

Federigo；　marquis　of　Mantua；　whose　influence　kept　the　duke　of　Calabria

and　Lodovico　Sforza　within　bounds；　being　dead；　differences　arose

between　them　which　soon　became　jealousies。　Giovan　Galeazzo；　duke　of

Milan；　was　now　of　an　age　to　take　the　government　on　himself；　and　had

married　the　daughter　of　the　duke　of　Calabria；　who　wished　his　son…in…

law　to　exercise　the　government　and　not　Lodovico；　the　latter；　being

aware　of　the　duke's　design；　studied　to　prevent　him　from　effecting　it。

The　position　of　Lodovico　being　known　to　the　Venetians；　they　thought

they　could　make　it　available　for　their　own　interests；　and　hoped；　as

they　had　often　before　done；　to　recover　in　peace　all　they　had　lost　by

war；　and　having　secretly　entered　into　treaty　with　Lodovico；　the　terms

were　concluded　in　August；　1484。　When　this　became　known　to　the　rest　of

the　allies；　they　were　greatly　dissatisfied；　principally　because　they

found　that　the　places　won　from　the　Venetians　were　to　be　restored；　that

they　were　allowed　to　keep　Rovigo　and　the　Polesine；　which　they　had

taken　from　the　marquis　of　Ferrara；　and　besides　this　retain　all　the

pre…eminence　and　authority　over　Ferrara　itself　which　they　had　formerly

possessed。　Thus　it　was　evident　to　everyone；　they　had　been　engaged　in　a

war　which　had　cost　vast　sums　of　money；　during　the　progress　of　which

they　had　acquired　honor；　and　which　was　concluded　with　disgrace；　for

the　places　wrested　from　the　enemy　were　restored　without　themselves

recovering　those　they　had　lost。　They　were；　however；　compelled　to

ratify　the　treaty；　on　account　of　the　unsatisfactory　state　of　their

finances；　and　because　the　faults　and　ambition　of　others　had　rendered

them　unwilling　to　put　their　fortunes　to　further　proof。







CHAPTER　VI



　　Affairs　of　the　popeHe　is　reconciled　to　Niccolo　VitelliDiscords

　　between　the　Colonnesi　and　the　OrsiniVarious　eventsThe　war　of

　　SerezanaGenoa　occupied　by　her　archbishopDeath　of　Sixtus　IV。

　　Innocent　VIII。　electedAgostino　Fregoso　gives　Serezana　to　the

　　bank　of　St。　GiorgioAccount　of　the　bank　of　St。　GiorgioWar　with

　　the　Genoese　for　SerezanaStratagem　of　the　Florentines　to　attack

　　Pietra　SantaDifficulties　and　final　surrender　of　Pietra　Santa

　　The　Lucchese　lay　claim　to　Pietra　SantaThe　city　of　L'Aquila

　　revolts　against　the　king　of　NaplesWar　between　him　and　the　pope

　　The　Florentines　take　the　king's　partyPeace　between　the　pope　and

　　the　king。



During　these　events　in　Lombardy；　the　pope　sent　Lorenzo　to　invest　Citta

di　Castello；　for　the　purpose　of　expelling　Niccolo　Vitelli；　the　place

having　been　abandoned　to　him　by　the　League；　for　the　purpose　of

inducing　the　pontiff　to　join　them。　During　the　siege；　Niccolo's　troops

were　led　out　against　the　papal　forces　and　routed　them。　Upon　this　the

pope　recalled　the　Count　Girolamo　from　Lombardy　with　orders　first　to

recruit　his　army　at　Rome；　and　then　proceed　against　Citta　di　Castello。

But　thinking　afterward；　that　it　would　be　better　to　obtain　Niccolo

Vitello　as　his　friend　than　to　renew　hostilities　with　him；　an

arrangement　was　entered　into　by　which　the　latter　retained　Citta　di

Castello；　and　the　pope　pacified　Lorenzo　as　well　as　he　could。　He　was

induced　to　both　these　measures　rather　by　his　apprehension　of　fresh

troubles　than　by　his　love　of　peace；　for　he　perceived　dissensions

arising　between　the　Colonessi　and　the　Orsini。



In　the　war　between　the　king　of　Naples　and　the　pope；　the　former　had

taken　the　district　of　Tagliacozzo　from　the　Orsini；　and　given　it　to　the

Colonnesi；　who　had　espoused　his　cause。　Upon　the　establishment　of

peace；　the　Orsini　demanded　its　restoration　by　virtue　of　the　treaty。

The　pope　had　frequently　intimated　to　the　Colonnesi　that　it　ought　to　be

restored；　but　they；　instead　of　complying　with　the　entreaties　of　the

Orsini；　or　being　influenced　by　the　pope's　threats；　renewed　hostilities

against　the　former。　Upon　this　the　pontiff；　unable　to　endure　their

insolence；　united　his　own　forces　with　those　of　the　Orsini；　plundered

the　houses　they　possessed　in　Rome；　slew　or　made　prisoners　all　who

defended　them；　and　seized　most　of　their　fortresses。　So　that　when　these

troubles　were　composed；　it　was　rather　by　the　complete　subjugation　of

one　party　than　from　any　desire　for　peace　in　the　other。



Nor　were　the　affairs　of　Genoa　or　of　Tuscany　in　repose；　for　the

Florentines　kept　the　Count　Antonio　da　Marciano　on　the　borders　of

Serezana；　and　while　the　war　continued　in　Lombardy；　annoyed　the　people

of　Serezana　by　inroads　and　light　skirmishes。　Battistino　Fregoso；　doge

of　Genoa；　trusting　to　Pagolo　Fregoso；　the　archbishop；　was　taken

prisoner；　with　his　wife　and　children；　by　the　latter；　who　assumed　the

sovereignty　of　the　city。　The　Venetian　fleet　had　attacked　the　kingdom

of　Naples；　taken　Gallipoli；　and　harassed　the　neighboring　places。　But

upon　the　peace　of　Lombardy；　all　tumults　were　hushed　except　those　of

Tuscany　and　Rome；　for　the　pope　died　in　five　days　after　its

declaration；　either　in　the　natural　course　of　things；　or　because　his

grief　for　peace；　to　which　he　was　always　opposed；　occasioned　his　end。



Upon　the　decease　of　the　pontiff；　Rome　was　immediately　in　arms。　The

Count　Girolamo　withdrew　his　forces　into　the　castle；　and　the　Orsini

feared　the　Colonnesi　would　avenge　the　injuries　they　had　recently

sustained。　The　Colonnesi　demanded　the　restitution　of　their　houses　and

castles；　so　that　in　a　few　days　robberies；　fires；　and　murders　prevailed

in　several　parts　of　the　city。　The　cardinals　entreated　the　count　to

give　the　castle　into　the　hands　o