Had the conspirators with their united forces attacked Caesar at this
moment, it is highly probable that he would have lost the greater
part of his domain; but each appeared to be concerned only with his
own interests and much time was lost by remaining inactive in Urbino.
Finally the rebels began to be suspicious of each other. Giampaolo
Baglioni, knowing that Fano was Caesar’s most loyal town, asked
permission to enter as his lieutenant. Pandolfo Petrucci of Perugia had
always hesitated because he feared the Borgia would finally outwit the
conspirators; and a few days after the return of the Duke of Urbino
he sent a messenger to suggest in the name of all that a new treaty
or agreement be made by which they would again enter his service and
recover the territory which had been lost.
Louis XII., unable to accomplish his purpose with respect to Naples
without the help of Alexander VI., declared those who opposed the
Holy Father’s plans regarding the Romagna were also his enemies. The
King had promptly discovered the part Venice had played in effecting
the return of Montefeltre to Urbino, consequently he threatened the
Republic with his wrath in case it lent any further aid whatsoever to
the enemies of Valentino; this again strengthened Caesar.
Furnished with a safe conduct from Valentino, Paolo Orsini came to
Imola October 20th, and the terms of a reconciliation having been
arranged, he was allowed to depart unharmed a few days later. All were
to be forgiven, and Caesar agreed to protect the estate of each of his
lieutenants, and in return they were to defend him and his territory
and those of the Pope, and, theoretically at least, also those of all
the princes of the House of Borgia. There was to be a special agreement
regarding Bologna, and Cardinal Orsini, Pandolfo Petrucci, and
Valentino himself were chosen to arrange the terms.
Machiavelli heard Caesar’s confidant, Agapito of Amelia, laugh at the
conspirators and speak of them as rebels after the compact had been
signed--“a child would laugh at such a treaty.” In Rome, too, the
agreement was not regarded very seriously.
Only a short time elapsed between Paolo Orsini’s departure from Imola
and his arrival in Urbino, where he informed Vitelli of the terms
of the agreement he had signed in the name of the conspirators with
Valentino. In the meantime Vitelli had been very active; he had aided
the Duke of Urbino in every way possible; he had attacked Caesar’s
lieutenants, and had even put some of his civil officers to death.
Oliverotto da Fermo, another of the conspirators, had been equally
active and Baglioni had not been idle. Romagna, however, had remained
faithful to Caesar.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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