take for her husband Andrea, son of the king of Hungary, his grandson.
Andrea had not lived with her long, before she caused him to be
murdered, and married another cousin, Louis, prince of Tarento. But
Louis, king of Hungary, and brother of Andrea, in order to avenge his
death, brought forces into Italy, and drove Queen Joan and her husband
out of the kingdom.
At this period a memorable circumstance took place at Rome. Niccolo di
Lorenzo, often called Rienzi or Cola di Rienzi, who held the office of
chancellor at Campidoglio, drove the senators from Rome and, under the
title of tribune, made himself the head of the Roman republic;
restoring it to its ancient form, and with so great reputation of
justice and virtue, that not only the places adjacent, but the whole
of Italy sent ambassadors to him. The ancient provinces, seeing Rome
arise to new life, again raised their heads, and some induced by hope,
others by fear, honored him as their sovereign. But Niccolo,
notwithstanding his great reputation, lost all energy in the very
beginning of his enterprise; and as if oppressed with the weight of so
vast an undertaking, without being driven away, secretly fled to
Charles, king of Bohemia, who, by the influence of the pope, and in
contempt of Louis of Bavaria, had been elected emperor. Charles, to
ingratiate himself with the pontiff, sent Niccolo to him, a prisoner.
After some time, in imitation of Rienzi, Francesco Baroncegli seized
upon the tribunate of Rome, and expelled the senators; and the pope,
as the most effectual means of repressing him, drew Niccolo from his
prison, sent him to Rome, and restored to him the office of tribune;
so that he reoccupied the state and put Francesco to death; but the
Colonnesi becoming his enemies, he too, after a short time, shared the
same fate, and the senators were again restored to their office. The
king of Hungary, having driven out Queen Joan, returned to his
kingdom; but the pope, who chose to have the queen in the neighborhood
of Rome rather than the king, effected her restoration to the
sovereignty, on the condition that her husband, contenting himself
with the title of prince of Tarento, should not be called king. Being
the year 1350, the pope thought that the jubilee, appointed by
Boniface VIII. to take place at the conclusion of each century, might
be renewed at the end of each fifty years; and having issued a decree
for the establishment of it, the Romans, in acknowledgment of the
benefit, consented that he should send four cardinals to reform the
government of the city, and appoint senators according to his own
pleasure. The pope again declared Louis of Tarento, king, and in
gratitude for the benefit, Queen Joan gave Avignon, her inheritance,
to the church. About this time Luchino Visconti died, and his brother
the archbishop, remaining lord of Milan, carried on many wars against
Tuscany and his neighbors, and became very powerful. Bernabo and
Galeazzo, his nephews, succeeded him; but Galeazzo soon after died,
leaving Giovan Galeazzo, who shared the state with Bernabo. Charles,
king of Bohemia, was then emperor, and the pontificate was occupied by
Innocent VI., who sent Cardinal Egidio, a Spaniard, into Italy. He
restored the reputation of the church, not only in Rome and Romagna,
but throughout the whole of Italy; he recovered Bologna from the
archbishop of Milan, and compelled the Romans to accept a foreign
senator appointed annually by the pope. He made honorable terms with
the Visconti, and routed and took prisoner, John Agut, an Englishman,
who with four thousand English had fought on the side of the
Ghibellines in Tuscany. Urban V., hearing of so many victories,
resolved to visit Italy and Rome, whither also the emperor came; after
remaining a few months, he returned to the kingdom of Bohemia, and the
pope to Avignon. On the death of Urban, Gregory XI. was created pope;
and, as the Cardinal Egidio was dead, Italy again recommenced her
ancient discords, occasioned by the union of the other powers against
the Visconti; and the pope, having first sent a legate with six
thousand Bretons, came in person and established the papal court at
Rome in 1376, after an absence of seventy-one years in France. To
Gregory XI., succeeded Urban VI., but shortly afterwards Clement VI.
was elected at Fondi by ten cardinals, who declared the appointment of
Urban irregular. At this time, the Genoese threw off the yoke of the
Visconti under whom they had lived many years; and between them and
the Venetians several important battles were fought for the island of
Tenedos. Although the Genoese were for a time successful, and held
Venice in a state of siege during many months, the Venetians were at
length victorious; and by the intervention of the pope, peace was made
in the year 1381. In these wars, artillery was first used, having been
recently invented by the Dutch.
CHAPTER VII
Schism in the church--Ambitious views of Giovanni Galeazzo
Visconti--The pope and the Romans come to an agreement--Boniface
IX. introduces the practice of Annates--Disturbance in Lombardy--
The Venetians acquire dominion on terra firma--Differences between
the pope and the people of Rome--Council of Pisa--Council of
Constance--Filippo Visconti recovers his dominion--Giovanna II. of
Naples--Political condition of Italy.
A schism having thus arisen in the church, Queen Joan favored the
schismatic pope, upon which Urban caused Charles of Durazzo, descended
from the kings of Naples, to undertake the conquest of her dominions.
Having succeeded in his object, she fled to France, and he assumed the
sovereignty. The king of France, being exasperated, sent Louis of
Anjou into Italy to recover the kingdom for the queen, to expel Urban
from Rome, and establish the anti-pope. But in the midst of this
enterprise Louis died, and his people being routed returned to France.
In this conjuncture the pope went to Naples, where he put nine
cardinals into prison for having taken the part of France and the
anti-pope. He then became offended with the king, for having refused
to make his nephew prince of Capua; and pretending not to care about
it, requested he would grant him Nocera for his habitation, but,
having fortified it, he prepared to deprive the king of his dominions.
upon this the king pitched his camp before the place, and the pope
fled to Naples, where he put to death the cardinals whom he had
imprisoned. From thence he proceeded to Rome, and, to acquire
influence, created twenty-nine cardinals. At this time Charles, king
of Naples, went to Hungary, where, having been made king, he was
shortly afterward killed in battle, leaving a wife and two children at
Naples. About the same time Giovanni Galeazzo Visconti murdered
Bernabo his uncle and took the entire sovereignty upon himself; and,
not content with being duke of Milan and sovereign of the whole of
Lombardy, designed to make himself master of Tuscany; but while he was
intent upon occupying the province with the ultim
ate view of making
himself king of Italy, he died. Boniface IX. succeeded Urban VI. The
anti-pope, Clement VI., also died, and Benedict XIII. was appointed
his successor.
Many English, Germans, and Bretons served at this period in the armies
of Italy, commanded partly by those leaders who had from time to time
authority in the country, and partly by such as the pontiffs sent,
when they were at Avignon. With these warriors the princes of Italy
long carried on their wars, till the coming of Lodovico da Cento of
Romagna, who formed a body of Italian soldiery, called the Company of
St. George, whose valor and discipline soon caused the foreign troops
to fall into disrepute, and gave reputation to the native forces of
the country, of which the princes afterward availed themselves in
their wars with each other. The pope, Boniface IX., being at enmity
with the Romans, went to Scesi, where he remained till the jubilee of
1400, when the Romans, to induce him to return to the city, consented
to receive another foreign senator of his appointing, and also allowed
him to fortify the castle of Saint Angelo: having returned upon these
conditions, in order to enrich the church, he ordained that everyone,
upon vacating a benefice, should pay a year's value of it to the
Apostolic Chamber.
After the death of Giovanni Galeazzo, duke of Milan, although he left
two children, Giovanmaria and Filippo, the state was divided into many
parts, and in the troubles which ensued Giovanmaria was slain. Filippo
remained some time in the castle of Pavia, from which, through the
fidelity and virtue of the castellan, he escaped. Among others who
occupied cities possessed by his father, was Guglielmo della Scala,
who, being banished, fell into the hands of Francesco de Carrera, lord
of Padua, by whose means he recovered the state of Verona, in which he
only remained a short time, for he was poisoned, by order of
Francesco, and the city taken from him. These things occasioned the
people of Vicenza, who had lived in security under the protection of
the Visconti, to dread the greatness of the lord of Padua, and they
placed themselves under the Venetians, who, engaging in arms with him,
first took Verona and then Padua.
At this time Pope Boniface died, and was succeeded by Innocent VII.
The people of Rome supplicated him to restore to them their fortresses
and their liberty; but as he would not consent to their petition, they
called to their assistance Ladislaus, king of Naples. Becoming
reconciled to the people, the pope returned to Rome, and made his
nephew Lodovico count of La Marca. Innocent soon after died, and
Gregory XII. was created, upon the understanding to renounce the
papacy whenever the anti-pope would also renounce it. By the advice of
the cardinals, in order to attempt the reunion of the church,
Benedict, the anti-pope, came to Porto Venere, and Gregory to Lucca,
where they made many endeavors, but effected nothing. Upon this, the
cardinals of both the popes abandoned them, Benedict going to Spain,
and Gregory to Rimini. On the other hand, the cardinals, with the
favor of Balthazar Cossa, cardinal and legate of Bologna, appointed a
council at Pisa, where they created Alexander V., who immediately
excommunicated King Ladislaus, and invested Louis of Anjou with the
kingdom; this prince, with the Florentines, Genoese, and Venetians,
attacked Ladislaus and drove him from Rome. In the head of the war
Alexander died, and Balthazar Cossa succeeded him, with the title of
John XXIII. Leaving Bologna, where he was elected, he went to Rome,
and found there Louis of Anjou, who had brought the army from
Provence, and coming to an engagement with Ladislaus, routed him. But
by the mismanagement of the leaders, they were unable to prosecute the
victory, so that the king in a short time gathered strength and retook
Rome. Louis fled to Provence, the pope to Bologna; where, considering
how he might diminish the power of Ladislaus, he caused Sigismund,
king of Hungary, to be elected emperor, and advised him to come to
Italy. Having a personal interview at Mantua, they agreed to call a
general council, in which the church should be united; and having
effected this, the pope thought he should be fully enabled to oppose
the forces of his enemies.
At this time there were three popes, Gregory, Benedict, and Giovanni,
which kept the church weak and in disrepute. The city of Constance, in
Germany, was appointed for the holding of the council, contrary to the
expectation of Pope John. And although the death of Ladislaus had
removed the cause which induced the pope to call the council, still,
having promised to attend, he could not refuse to go there. In a few
months after his arrival at Constance he discovered his error, but it
was too late; endeavoring to escape, he was taken, put into prison,
and compelled to renounce the papacy. Gregory, one of the anti-popes,
sent his renunciation; Benedict, the other, refusing to do the same,
was condemned as a heretic; but, being abandoned by his cardinals, he
complied, and the council elected Oddo, of the Colonnesi family, pope,
by the title of Martin V. Thus the church was united under one head,
after having been divided by many pontiffs.
Filippo Visconti was, as we have said, in the fortress of Pavia. But
Fazino Cane, who in the affairs of Lombardy had become lord of
Vercelli, Alessandria, Novara, and Tortona, and had amassed great
riches, finding his end approach, and having no children, left his
wife Beatrice heiress of his estates, and arranged with his friends
that a marriage should be effected between her and Filippo. By this
union Filippo became powerful, and reacquired Milan and the whole of
Lombardy. By way of being grateful for these numerous favors, as
princes commonly are, he accused Beatrice of adultery and caused her
to be put to death. Finding himself now possessed of greater power, he
began to think of warring with Tuscany and of prosecuting the designs
of Giovanni Galeazzo, his father.
Ladislaus, king of Naples, at his death, left to his sister Giovanna
the kingdom and a large army, under the command of the principal
leaders of Italy, among the first of whom was Sforza of Cotignuola,
reputed by the soldiery of that period to be a very valiant man. The
queen, to shun the disgrace of having kept about her person a certain
Pandolfello, whom she had brought up, took for her husband Giacopo
della Marca, a Frenchman of the royal line, on the condition that he
should be content to be called Prince of Tarento, and leave to her the
title and government of the kingdom. But the soldiery, upon his
arrival in Naples, proclaimed him king; so that between the husband
and the wife wars ensued; and although they contended with varying
success, the queen at length obtained the superiority, and became an
enemy of the pope. Upon this, in order to reduce her to necessity, and
that she might be compelled to throw herself into his lap, Sforza
suddenly withdrew from her se
rvice without giving her any pervious
notice of his intention to do so. She thus found herself at once
unarmed, and not having any other source, sought the assistance of
Alfonzo, king of Aragon and Sicily, adopted him as her son, and
engaged Braccio of Montone as her captain, who was of equal reputation
in arms with Sforza, and inimical to the pope, on account of his
having taken possession of Perugia and some other places belonging to
the church. After this, peace was made between the queen and the
pontiff; but King Alfonzo, expecting she would treat him as she had
her husband, endeavored secretly to make himself master of the
strongholds; but, possessing acute observation, she was beforehand
with him, and fortified herself in the castle of Naples. Suspicions
increasing between them, they had recourse to arms, and the queen,
with the assistance of Sforza, who again resumed her service, drove
Alfonzo out of Naples, deprived him of his succession, and adopted
Louis of Anjou in his stead. Hence arose new contests between Braccio,
who took the part of Alfonzo, and Sforza, who defended the cause of
the queen. In the course of the war, Sforza was drowned in endeavoring
to pass the river Pescara; the queen was thus again unarmed, and would
have been driven out of the kingdom, but for the assistance of Filippo
Visconti, the duke of Milan, who compelled Alfonzo to return to
Aragon. Braccio, undaunted at the departure of Alfonzo, continued the
enterprise against the queen, and besieged L'Aquilla; but the pope,
thinking the greatness of Braccio injurious to the church, received
into his pay Francesco, the son of Sforza, who went in pursuit of
Braccio to L'Aquilla, where he routed and slew him. Of Braccio
remained Oddo, his son, from whom the pope took Perugia, and left him
the state of Montone alone; but he was shortly afterward slain in
Romagna, in the service of the Florentines; so that of those who had
fought under Braccio, Niccolo Piccinino remained of greatest
reputation.
Having continued our general narration nearly to the period which we
at first proposed to reach, what remains is of little importance,
except the war which the Florentines and Venetians carried on against
Filippo duke of Milan, of which an account will be given when we speak
particularly of Florence. I shall, therefore, continue it no further,
briefly explaining the condition of Italy in respect of her princes
and her arms, at the period to which we have now come. Joan II. held
Naples, La Marca, the Patrimony and Romagna; some of these places
obeyed the church, while others were held by vicars or tyrants, as
Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio, by those of the House of Este; Faenza by
the Manfredi; Imola by the Alidossi; Furli by the Ordelaffi; Rimini
and Psaro by the Malatesti; and Camerino by those of Varano. Part of
Lombardy was subject to the Duke Filippo, part to the Venetians; for
all those who had held single states were set aside, except the House
of Gonzaga, which ruled in Mantua. The greater part of Tuscany was
subject to the Florentines. Lucca and Sienna alone were governed by
their own laws; Lucca was under the Guinigi; Sienna was free. The
Genoese, being sometimes free, at others, subject to the kings of
France or the Visconti, lived unrespected, and may be enumerated among
the minor powers.
None of the principal states were armed with their own proper forces.
Duke Filippo kept himself shut up in his apartments, and would not
allow himself to be seen; his wars were managed by commissaries. The
Venetians, when they directed their attention to terra firma, threw
off those arms which had made them terrible upon the seas, and falling
into the customs of Italy, submitted their forces to the direction of
others. The practice of arms being unsuitable to priests or women, the
pope and Queen Joan of Naples were compelled by necessity to submit to
the same system which others practiced from defect of judgment. The
Florentines also adopted the same custom, for having, by their
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