his friends around him, and with the help of the people attacked
Uguccione; who, finding he had no resource but in flight, rode away
with his friends to Lombardy, to the lords of Scale, where he died in
poverty.
But Castruccio from being a prisoner became almost a prince in Lucca,
and he carried himself so discreetly with his friends and the people
that they appointed him captain of their army for one year. Having
obtained this, and wishing to gain renown in war, he planned the
recovery of the many towns which had rebelled after the departure of
Uguccione, and with the help of the Pisans, with whom he had concluded
a treaty, he marched to Serezzana. To capture this place he constructed
a fort against it, which is called to-day Zerezzanello; in the course
of two months Castruccio captured the town. With the reputation gained
at that siege, he rapidly seized Massa, Carrara, and Lavenza, and in a
short time had overrun the whole of Lunigiana. In order to close the
pass which leads from Lombardy to Lunigiana, he besieged Pontremoli and
wrested it from the hands of Messer Anastagio Palavicini, who was the
lord of it. After this victory he returned to Lucca, and was welcomed
by the whole people. And now Castruccio, deeming it imprudent any
longer to defer making himself a prince, got himself created the lord
of Lucca by the help of Pazzino del Poggio, Puccinello dal Portico,
Francesco Boccansacchi, and Cecco Guinigi, all of whom he had
corrupted; and he was afterwards solemnly and deliberately elected
prince by the people. At this time Frederick of Bavaria, the King of
the Romans, came into Italy to assume the Imperial crown, and
Castruccio, in order that he might make friends with him, met him at
the head of five hundred horsemen. Castruccio had left as his deputy in
Lucca, Pagolo Guinigi, who was held in high estimation, because of the
people’s love for the memory of his father. Castruccio was received in
great honour by Frederick, and many privileges were conferred upon him,
and he was appointed the emperor’s lieutenant in Tuscany. At this time
the Pisans were in great fear of Gaddo della Gherardesca, whom they had
driven out of Pisa, and they had recourse for assistance to Frederick.
Frederick created Castruccio the lord of Pisa, and the Pisans, in dread
of the Guelph party, and particularly of the Florentines, were
constrained to accept him as their lord.