and he lost the favourable moment for swaying the papal election. The rival parties in the conclave, having had no time to mature their plans, in consequence of the late Pontiff's sudden decease, trusted to strengthen their respective interests by delay, and so were unanimous in choosing, on the 22nd of September, the most feeble of their body, the respected Piccolomini, who survived his exaltation as Pius III. but twenty-six days. The state of matters at Naples added to the general embarrassment. The ceaseless struggles for that crown had of late taken a new turn, the contest being now between Louis of France and Ferdinand of Spain. The Borgia, long adherents of the former, had recently inclined to the Spanish side; but their influence was now irretrievably gone. *NOTE.--The following is a list of the chief conquests of Cesare:-- City. Family. Date. Campaign. Imola Riarii Nov. 27, 1499 First. Forlì Riarii Jan. 12, 1500 First. Rimini Malatesta Oct. 10, 1500 Second. Pesaro Sforza Oct. 21, 1500 Second. Faenza Manfredi April 25, 1501 Second. Piombino Appiani Sept. 3, 1501 Second. Urbino Montefeltri June 21, 1502 Third. Camerino Varani July 29, 1502 Third. Sinigaglia Roveri Dec. 28, 1502 Third. Città di Castello Vitelli Jan. 2, 1503 Third. Perugia Baglioni Jan. 6, 1503 Third. Siena Petrucci Jan. (end), 1503 Third. Cf. BURD, ed. _Il Principe_ (Oxford, 1891), p. 218, note 15. CHAPTER XX Duke Guidobaldo restored--The election of Julius II.--The fall of Cesare Borgia--The Duke's fortunate position--Is made Knight of the Garter--The Pope visits Urbino. Whilst Valentino and his partizans thus had their hands full at Rome, Romagna and his recent conquests threw off his rule. His officers had concealed the first news of the tragedy at the Vatican, but, on the 22nd of August, authentic intelligence of the death of Alexander and the illness of his son having reached Urbino, through some emissaries of Guidobaldo who announced that the moment for action had arrived, the people ran to arms. The governor fled to Cesena; his lieutenant was slain in the tumult; the siege of S. Leo was raised; and in one day the entire duchy, except one unimportant castle, returned to its lawful sovereign.[*12]