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
The pope had heard of the tumults at Florence, and sent his legate,
Niccolo da Prato, to settle them, who, being in high reputation both for
his quality, learning, and mode of life, presently acquired so much of
the people's confidence, that authority was given him to establish such
a government as he should think proper. As he was of Ghibelline origin,
he determined to recall the banished; but designing first to gain the
affections of the lower orders, he renewed the ancient companies of
the people, which increased the popular power and reduced that of the
nobility. The legate, thinking the multitude on his side, now endeavored
to recall the banished, and, after attempting in many ways, none of
which succeeded, he fell so completely under the suspicion of the
government, that he was compelled to quit the city, and returned to the
pope in great wrath, leaving Florence full of confusion and suffering
under an interdict. Neither was the city disturbed with one division
alone, but by many; first the enmity between the people and the
nobility, then that of the Ghibellines and the Guelphs, and lastly, of
the Bianchi and the Neri. All the citizens were, therefore, in arms, for
many were dissatisfied with the departure of the legate, and wished for
the return of the banished. The first who set this disturbance on foot
were the Medici and the Guinigi, who, with the legate, had discovered
themselves in favor of the rebels; and thus skirmishes took place in
many parts of the city.
In addition to these evils a fire occurred, which first broke out at the
garden of St. Michael, in the houses of the Abati; it thence extended to
those of the Capoinsacchi, and consumed them, with those of the Macci,
Amieri, Toschi, Cipriani, Lamberti, Cavalcanti, and the whole of the New
Market; from thence it spread to the gate of St. Maria, and burned it to
the ground; turning from the old bridge, it destroyed the houses of the
Gherardini, Pulci, Amidei, and Lucardesi, and with these so many others
that the number amounted to seventeen hundred. It was the opinion
of many that this fire occurred by accident during the heat of the
disturbances. Others affirm that it was begun willfully by Neri Abati,
prior of St. Pietro Scarragio, a dissolute character, fond of mischief,
who, seeing the people occupied with the combat, took the opportunity
of committing a wicked act, for which the citizens, being thus employed,
could offer no remedy. And to insure his success, he set fire to the
house of his own brotherhood, where he had the best opportunity of doing
it. This was in the year 1304, Florence being afflicted both with fire
and the sword. Corso Donati alone remained unarmed in so many tumults;
for he thought he would more easily become the arbitrator between the
contending parties when, weary of strife, they should be inclined to
accommodation. They laid down their arms, however, rather from satiety
of evil than from any desire of union; and the only consequence was,