Chapter II: Introduction: vii

MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR xiii

CATALOGUE OF THE PICTURE SALE OF THE AUTHOR xix

AUTHOR'S PREFACE xxix

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS OF VOLUME I. xlix

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. li

BOOK FIRST

OF URBINO AND ITS EARLY COUNTS

CHAPTER I

Topography of the Duchy of Urbino--Origin of the Italian
communities--Their civil institutions and military
system--Their principle of liberty--Political divisions of
Romagna; opposed to modern speculations regarding centralization 3

CHAPTER II

Origin of the Counts of Montefeltro, and of their sovereignty
in Urbino and the surrounding country--Their early
genealogy--Guido Count of Urbino--Antonio Count of Urbino 22

CHAPTER III

Guidantonio Count of Urbino--The Ubaldini--Oddantonio Count of
Urbino--Is made Duke--His dissolute habits and speedy
assassination 42

BOOK SECOND

OF FEDERIGO DI MONTEFELTRO, COUNT AND SECOND DUKE OF URBINO

CHAPTER IV

The birth of Count Federigo--Condition of Italy--His marriage
and early military service--The Malatesta his inveterate
foes--He takes S. Leo--Is invested with Mercatello 61

CHAPTER V

Count Federigo succeeds to Urbino and acquires
Fossombrone--His connection with the Sforza family, whereby he
incurs excommunication--His campaign in the Maremma--Loses his
eye in a tournament 85

CHAPTER VI

Count Federigo enters the Neapolitan service--His two campaigns
in Tuscany--Fall of Constantinople--Peace of Lodi--Nicholas
V.--The Count's fruitless attempt at reconciliation with
Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, followed by new feuds with
him--Death of his Countess Gentile 102

CHAPTER VII

Count Federigo's domestic life--His second marriage--New war
for the Angevine succession to Naples--Battle of San
Fabbiano--Conclusion of the war--Humiliation of the Malatesta 120

CHAPTER VIII

Count Federigo's home administration and court--Description
of his palace and library at Urbino--His other palaces--The
resources of his state 147

CHAPTER IX

Count Federigo's varied engagements--Battle of La
Molinella--Death and character of his enemy Malatesta--Affairs
of Rimini 177

CHAPTER X

Birth of Prince Guidobaldo--Count Federigo captures
Volterra--Is again widowed--Receives the Garter and the
Ermine--Is made Duke of Urbino--His patronage of learned men 207

CHAPTER XI

The Duke of Milan assassinated--Count Girolamo Riario--The
Pazzi conspiracy--Duke Federigo's campaigns in
Tuscany--Progress of the Turks 233

CHAPTER XII

The war of Ferrara, and the death of Duke Federigo--His
character and portraits 258

BOOK THIRD

OF GUIDOBALDO DI MONTEFELTRO, THIRD DUKE OF URBINO

CHAPTER XIII

The early promise of Duke Guidobaldo I.--Count Girolamo Riario
assassinated--The Duke's marriage--Comparative quiet of Italy 295

CHAPTER XIV

State of the papacy at the election of Alexander VI.--His
election, character, and children--The aspect of Italy at the
close of her golden age--The disputed succession of Naples
reopened--Character and views of Charles VIII.--Proposed league
to oppose him frustrated--State of the Roman Campagna--The old
and new military systems in Italy 315

CHAPTER XV

Italy ill prepared for the French invasion--Duke Guidobaldo
sent against the Orsini--Lucrezia Borgia's second
marriage--Descent of Charles VIII.--He reaches Naples and
retreats--Battle of the Taro--The Duke engaged in the Pisan
war--Is taken prisoner by the Orsini and ransomed 341

CHAPTER XVI

The crimes and ambition of the Borgia--Murder of the Duke
of Gandia--Duke Guidobaldo's expeditions against Perugia and
Tuscany--He adopts Francesco Maria della Rovere as his
heir--Louis XII. succeeds to Charles VIII., and to his views
upon Italy--Cesare Borgia created Duke Valentino--Duke
Guidobaldo at Venice 363

CHAPTER XVII

The condition of Romagna--Cesare Borgia overruns and seizes
upon it--The spirit of his government--Naples invaded by Louis,
and handed over to Spain--Lucrezia Borgia's fourth marriage 379