History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy: From the Earliest Times to the Death of Lorenzo the Magnificent — Niccolo Machiavelli — John Shaqi
History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy: From the Earliest Times to the Death of Lorenzo the Magnificent
Niccolo Machiavelli · en
allegiance from the king, and induced the princes of Altimura, Salerno,
and Bisignano to take arms against him. The king, finding himself so
suddenly involved in war, had recourse to the Florentines and the duke
of Milan for assistance. The Florentines hesitated with regard to their
own conduct, for they felt all the inconvenience of neglecting their own
affairs to attend to those of others, and hostilities against the church
seemed likely to involve much risk. However, being under the obligation
of a League, they preferred their honor to convenience or security,
engaged the Orsini, and sent all their own forces under the Count
di Pitigliano toward Rome, to the assistance of the king. The latter
divided his forces into two parts; one, under the duke of Calabria, he
sent toward Rome, which, being joined by the Florentines, opposed the
army of the church; with the other, under his own command, he attacked
the barons, and the war was prosecuted with various success on both
sides. At length, the king, being universally victorious, peace was
concluded by the intervention of the ambassadors of the king of Spain,
in August, 1486, to which the pope consented; for having found fortune
opposed to him he was not disposed to tempt it further. In this treaty
all the powers of Italy were united, except the Genoese, who were
omitted as rebels against the republic of Milan, and unjust occupiers of
territories belonging to the Florentines. Upon the peace being ratified,
Roberto da San Severino, having been during the war a treacherous ally
of the church, and by no means formidable to her enemies, left Rome;
being followed by the forces of the duke and the Florentines, after
passing Cesena, found them near him, and urging his flight reached
Ravenna with less than a hundred horse. Of his forces, part were
received into the duke's service, and part were plundered by the
peasantry. The king, being reconciled with his barons, put to death
Jacopo Coppola and Antonello d'Aversa and their sons, for having, during
the war, betrayed his secrets to the pope.
CHAPTER VII
The pope becomes attached to the Florentines--The Genoese
seize Serezanello--They are routed by the Florentines--Serezana
surrenders--Genoa submits to the duke of Milan--War between the
Venetians and the Dutch--Osimo revolts from the church--Count Girolamo
Riario, lord of Furli, slain by a conspiracy--Galeotto, lord of Faenza,
is murdered by the treachery of his wife--The government of the city
offered to the Florentines--Disturbances in Sienna--Death of Lorenzo
de' Medici--His eulogy--Establishment of his family--Estates bought by
Lorenzo--His anxiety for the defense of Florence--His taste for arts and
literature--The university of Pisa--The estimation of Lorenzo by other
princes.