INTRODUCTION vii MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR xiii CATALOGUE OF THE PICTURE SALE OF THE AUTHOR xix AUTHOR'S PREFACE xxix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS OF VOLUME I. xlix CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. li BOOK FIRST OF URBINO AND ITS EARLY COUNTS CHAPTER I Topography of the Duchy of Urbino--Origin of the Italian communities--Their civil institutions and military system--Their principle of liberty--Political divisions of Romagna; opposed to modern speculations regarding centralization 3 CHAPTER II Origin of the Counts of Montefeltro, and of their sovereignty in Urbino and the surrounding country--Their early genealogy--Guido Count of Urbino--Antonio Count of Urbino 22 CHAPTER III Guidantonio Count of Urbino--The Ubaldini--Oddantonio Count of Urbino--Is made Duke--His dissolute habits and speedy assassination 42 BOOK SECOND OF FEDERIGO DI MONTEFELTRO, COUNT AND SECOND DUKE OF URBINO CHAPTER IV The birth of Count Federigo--Condition of Italy--His marriage and early military service--The Malatesta his inveterate foes--He takes S. Leo--Is invested with Mercatello 61 CHAPTER V Count Federigo succeeds to Urbino and acquires Fossombrone--His connection with the Sforza family, whereby he incurs excommunication--His campaign in the Maremma--Loses his eye in a tournament 85 CHAPTER VI Count Federigo enters the Neapolitan service--His two campaigns in Tuscany--Fall of Constantinople--Peace of Lodi--Nicholas V.--The Count's fruitless attempt at reconciliation with Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, followed by new feuds with him--Death of his Countess Gentile 102 CHAPTER VII Count Federigo's domestic life--His second marriage--New war for the Angevine succession to Naples--Battle of San Fabbiano--Conclusion of the war--Humiliation of the Malatesta 120 CHAPTER VIII Count Federigo's home administration and court--Description of his palace and library at Urbino--His other palaces--The resources of his state 147 CHAPTER IX Count Federigo's varied engagements--Battle of La Molinella--Death and character of his enemy Malatesta--Affairs of Rimini 177 CHAPTER X Birth of Prince Guidobaldo--Count Federigo captures Volterra--Is again widowed--Receives the Garter and the Ermine--Is made Duke of Urbino--His patronage of learned men 207 CHAPTER XI