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The pope having
observed in the course of the war, how promptly and earnestly the Florentines
adhered to their alliances, although he had previously been opposed to them
from his attachment to the Genoese, and the assistance they had rendered to the
king, now evinced a more amicable disposition, and received their ambassadors
with greater favor than previously. Lorenzo de’ Medici, being made acquainted
with this change of feeling, encouraged it with the utmost solicitude; for he
thought it would be of great advantage, if to the friendship of the king he
could add that of the pontiff. The pope had a son named Francesco, upon whom
designing to bestow states and attach friends who might be useful to him after
his own death, saw no safer connection in Italy than Lorenzo’s, and therefore
induced the latter to give him one of his daughters in marriage. Having formed
this alliance, the pope desired the Genoese to concede Serezana to the
Florentines, insisting that they had no right to detain what Agostino had sold,
nor was Agostino justified in making over to the Bank of San Giorgio what was
not his own. However, his holiness did not succeed with them; for the Genoese,
during these transactions at Rome, armed several vessels, and, unknown to the
Florentines, landed three thousand foot, attacked Serezanello, situated above
Serezana, plundered and burnt the town near it, and then, directing their
artillery against the fortress, fired upon it with their utmost energy. This
assault was new and unexpected by the Florentines, who immediately assembled
their forces under Virginio Orsino, at Pisa, and complained to the pope, that
while he was endeavoring to establish peace, the Genoese had renewed their
attack upon them. They then sent Piero Corsini to Lucca, that by his presence
he might keep the city faithful; and Pagolantonio Soderini to Venice, to learn
how that republic was disposed. They demanded assistance of the king and of
Signor Lodovico, but obtained it from neither; for the king expressed
apprehensions of the Turkish fleet, and Lodovico made excuses, but sent no aid.
Thus the Florentines in their own wars are almost always obliged to stand
alone, and find no friends to assist them with the same readiness they practice
toward others. Nor did they, on this desertion of their allies (it being
nothing new to them) give way to despondency; for having assembled a large army
under Jacopo Guicciardini and Pietro Vettori, they sent it against the enemy,
who had encamped upon the river Magra, at the same time pressing Serezanello
with mines and every species of attack. The commissaries being resolved to
relieve the place, an engagement ensued, when the Genoese were routed, and
Lodovico dal Fiesco, with several other principal men, made prisoners. The
Serezanesi were not so depressed at their defeat as to be willing to surrender,
but obstinately prepared for their defense, while the Florentine commissaries
proceeded with their operations, and instances of valor occurred on both sides.
The siege being protracted by a variety of fortune, Lorenzo de’ Medici resolved
to go to the camp, and on his arrival the troops acquired fresh courage, while
that of the enemy seemed to fail; for perceiving the obstinacy of the
Florentines’ attack, and the delay of the Genoese in coming to their relief,
they surrendered to Lorenzo, without asking conditions, and none were treated
with severity except two or three who were leaders of the rebellion. During the
siege, Lodovico had sent troops to Pontremoli, as if with an intention of
assisting the Florentines; but having secret correspondence in Genoa, a party
was raised there, who, by the aid of these forces, gave the city to the duke of
Milan.
At this time
the Dutch made war upon the Venetians, and Boccolino of Osimo, in the Marca,
caused that place to revolt from the pope, and assumed the sovereignty. After a
variety of fortune, he was induced to restore the city to the pontiff and come
to Florence, where, under the protection of Lorenzo de’ Medici, by whose advice
he had been prevailed upon to submit, he lived long and respected. He afterward
went to Milan, but did not experience such generous treatment; for Lodovico
caused him to be put to death. The Venetians were routed by the Dutch, near the
city of Trento, and Roberto da S. Severino, their captain, was slain. After this
defeat, the Venetians, with their usual good fortune, made peace with the
Dutch, not as vanquished, but as conquerors, so honorable were the terms they
obtained.
About this
time, there arose serious troubles in Romagna. Francesco d’Orso, of Furli, was
a man of great authority in that city, and became suspected by the count
Girolamo, who often threatened him. He consequently, living under great
apprehensions, was advised by his friends to provide for his own safety, by the
immediate adoption of such a course as would relieve him from all further fear
of the count. Having considered the matter and resolved to attempt it, they
fixed upon the market day, at Furli, as most suitable for their purpose; for
many of their friends being sure to come from the country, they might make use
of their services without having to bring them expressly for the occasion. It
was the month of May, when most Italians take supper by daylight. The
conspirators thought the most convenient hour would be after the count had
finished his repast; for his household being then at their meal, he would
remain in the chamber almost alone. Having fixed upon the hour, Francesco went
to the count’s residence, left his companions in the hall, proceeded to his
apartment, and desired an attendant to say he wished for an interview. He was
admitted, and after a few words of pretended communication, slew him, and
calling to his associates, killed the attendant. The governor of the place
coming by accident to speak with the count, and entering the apartment with a
few of his people, was also slain. After this slaughter, and in the midst of a
great tumult, the count’s body was thrown from the window, and with the cry of
“church and liberty,” they roused the people (who hated the avarice and cruelty
of the count) to arms, and having plundered his house, made the Countess
Caterina and her children prisoners. The fortress alone had to be taken to
bring the enterprise to a successful issue; but the Castellan would not consent
to its surrender. They begged the countess would desire him to comply with
their wish, which she promised to do, if they would allow her to go into the
fortress, leaving her children as security for the performance of her promise.
The conspirators trusted her, and permitted her to enter; but as soon as she
was within, she threatened them with death and every kind of torture in revenge
for the murder of her husband; and upon their menacing her with the death of
her children, she said she had the means of getting more. Finding they were not
supported by the pope, and that Lodovico Sforza, uncle to the countess, had
sent forces to her assistance, the conspirators became terrified, and taking
with them whatever property they could carry off, they fled to Citta di
Castello. The countess recovered the state, and avenged the death of her
husband with the utmost cruelty. The Florentines hearing of the count’s death,
took occasion to recover the fortress of Piancaldoli, of which he had formerly
deprived them, and, on sending some forces, captured it; but Cecco, the famous
engineer, lost his life during the siege.
To this
disturbance in Romagna, another in that province, no less important, has to be
added. Galeotto, lord of Faenza, had married the daughter of Giovanni
Bentivogli, prince of Bologna. She, either through jealousy or ill treatment by
her husband, or from the depravity of her own nature, hated him to such a
degree, that she determined to deprive him of his possessions and his life; and
pretending sickness, she took to her bed, where, having induced Galeotto to
visit her, he was slain by assassins, whom she had concealed for that purpose
in the apartment. She had acquainted her father with her design, and he hoped,
on his son-in-law’s death, to become lord of Faenza. A great tumult arose as
soon as the murder was known, the widow, with an infant son, fled into the
fortress, the people took up arms, Giovanni Bentivogli, with a condottiere of
the duke of Milan, named Bergamino, engaged for the occasion, entered Faenza
with a considerable force, and Antonio Boscoli, the Florentine commissary, was
also there. These leaders being together, and discoursing of the government of
the place, the men of Val di Lamona, who had risen unanimously upon learning
what had occurred, attacked Giovanni and Bergamino, the latter of whom they
slew, made the former prisoner, and raising the cry of “Astorre and the
Florentines,” offered the city to the commissary. These events being known at
Florence, gave general offense; however, they set Giovanni and his daughter at
liberty, and by the universal desire of the people, took the city and Astorre
under their protection. Besides these, after the principal differences of the
greater powers were composed, during several years tumults prevailed in
Romagna, the Marca, and Sienna, which, as they are unimportant, it will be
needless to recount. When the duke of Calabria, after the war of 1478, had left
the country, the distractions of Sienna became more frequent, and after many
changes, in which, first the plebeians, and then the nobility, were victorious,
the latter and length maintained the superiority, and among them Pandolfo and
Jacopo Petrucci obtained the greatest influence, so that the former being
distinguished for prudence and the latter for resolution, they became almost princes
in the city.
The Florentines
after the war of Serezana, lived in great prosperity until 1492, when Lorenzo
de’ Medici died; for he having put a stop to the internal wars of Italy, and by
his wisdom and authority established peace, turned his thoughts to the
advancement of his own and the city’s interests, and married Piero, his eldest
son, to Alfonsina, daughter of the Cavaliere Orsino. He caused Giovanni, his
second son, to be raised to the dignity of cardinal. This was the more
remarkable from its being unprecedented; for he was only fourteen years of age
when admitted to the college; and became the medium by which his family
attained to the highest earthly glory. He was unable to make any particular
provision for Guiliano, his third son, on account of his tender years, and the
shortness of his own life. Of his daughters, one married Jacopo Salviati;
another, Francesco Cibo; the third, Piero Ridolfi; and the fourth, whom, in
order to keep his house united, he had married to Giovanni de’ Medici, died. In
his commercial affairs he was very unfortunate, from the improper conduct of
his agents, who in all their proceedings assumed the deportment of princes
rather than of private persons; so that in many places, much of his property
was wasted, and he had to be relieved by his country with large sums of money.
To avoid similar inconvenience, he withdrew from mercantile pursuits, and
invested his property in land and houses, as being less liable to vicissitude.
In the districts of Prato, Pisa, and the Val di Pesa, he purchased extensively,
and erected buildings, which for magnificence and utility, were quite of regal
character. He next undertook the improvement of the city, and as many parts
were unoccupied by buildings, he caused new streets to be erected in them, of
great beauty, and thus enlarged the accommodation of the inhabitants. To enjoy
his power in security and repose, and conquer or resist his enemies at a
distance, in the direction of Bologna he fortified the castle of Firenzuola,
situated in the midst of the Appennines; toward Sienna he commenced the
restoration and fortification of the Poggio Imperiale; and he shut out the
enemy in the direction of Genoa, by the acquisition of Pietra Santa and
Serezana. For the greater safety of the city, he kept in pay the Baglioni, at
Perugia, and the Vitelli, at Citta di Castello, and held the government of
Faenza wholly in his own power; all which greatly contributed to the repose and
prosperity of Florence. In peaceful times, he frequently entertained the people
with feasts, and exhibitions of various events and triumphs of antiquity; his
object being to keep the city abundantly supplied, the people united, and the
nobility honored. He was a great admirer of excellence in the arts, and a
patron of literary men, of which Agnolo da Montepulciano, Cristofero Landini,
and Demetrius Chalcondylas, a Greek, may afford sufficient proofs. On this
account, Count Giovanni della Mirandola, a man of almost supernatural genius,
after visiting every court of Europe, induced by the munificence of Lorenzo,
established his abode at Florence. He took great delight in architecture,
music, and poetry, many of his comments and poetical compositions still
remaining. To facilitate the study of literature to the youth of Florence, he
opened a university at Pisa, which was conducted by the most distinguished men
in Italy. For Mariano da Chinazano, a friar of the order of St. Augustine, and
an excellent preacher, he built a monastery in the neighborhood of Florence. He
enjoyed much favor both from fortune and from the Almighty; all his enterprises
were brought to a prosperous termination, while his enemies were unfortunate;
for, besides the conspiracy of the Pazzi, an attempt was made to murder him in
the Carmine, by Batista Frescobaldi, and a similar one by Baldinetto da
Pistoja, at his villa; but these persons, with their confederates, came to the
end their crimes deserved. His skill, prudence, and fortune, were acknowledged
with admiration, not only by the princes of Italy, but by those of distant
countries; for Matthias, king of Hungary, gave him many proofs of his regard;
the sultan sent ambassadors to him with valuable presents, and the Turkish
emperor placed in his hands Bernardo Bandini, the murderer of his brother.
These circumstances raised his fame throughout Italy, and his reputation for
prudence constantly increased; for in council he was eloquent and acute, wise
in determination, and prompt and resolute in execution. Nor can vices be
alleged against him to sully so many virtues; though he was fond of women,
pleased with the company of facetious and satirical men, and amused with the
games of the nursery, more than seemed consistent with so great a character;
for he was frequently seen playing with his children, and partaking of their
infantine sports; so that whoever considers this gravity and cheerfulness, will
find united in him dispositions which seem almost incompatible with each other.
In his later years, he was greatly afflicted; besides the gout, he was troubled
with excruciating pains in the stomach, of which he died in April, 1492, in the
forty-fourth year of his age; nor was there ever in Florence, or even in Italy,
one so celebrated for wisdom, or for whose loss such universal regret was felt.
As from his death the greatest devastation would shortly ensue, the heavens
gave many evident tokens of its approach; among other signs, the highest
pinnacle of the church of Santa Reparata was struck with lightning, and great
part of it thrown down, to the terror and amazement of everyone. The citizens
and all the princes of Italy mourned for him, and sent their ambassadors to
Florence, to condole with the city on the occasion; and the justness of their
grief was shortly after apparent; for being deprived of his counsel, his
survivors were unable either to satisfy or restrain the ambition of Lodovico
Sforza, tutor to the duke of Milan; and hence, soon after the death of Lorenzo,
those evil plants began to germinate, which in a little time ruined Italy, and
continue to keep her in desolation.
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