Chapter XXI: Book VII: Sidenote: 1264 A.D (3)

In the year 1272, Gregory X., of Piacenza, having returned from his mission over seas, was consecrated and crowned Pope, and because of the great affection and desire which he had to succour the Holy Land, and that a general crusade should set forth over seas, therefore so soon as he was made Pope, he called a general council at Lyons-on-Rhone in Burgundy, and by his mandate caused the electors of the empire of Germany to elect as king of the Romans, Rudolf, count of Friburg, which was a valiant man-at-arms, albeit he was of small possessions; but by his prowess he conquered Suabia and Austria; and the duchy of Austria being vacant, since the duke had been slain with Conradino by King Charles, he made Albert, his son, to be duke. The aforesaid Pope, the year after his coronation, set forth with his court from Rome to go to Lyons-on-Rhone to the council which he had summoned, and he entered into Florence with his cardinals, and with King Charles, and with the Emperor Baldwin of Constantinople, which was of the lineage of the chief house of Flanders. This Baldwin was son of Henry, the brother of the first Baldwin, which conquered Constantinople with the Venetians, as we before made mention. And with the Pope, and with King Charles, there came to Florence many other lords and barons, on the 18th day of June, in the year of Christ 1273, and were received with honour by the Florentines. And the situation of Florence being pleasing to the Pope, by reason of the convenience of the water, and the pure air, and that the court found much comfort there, he purposed to abide there, and pass the summer in Florence. And finding that this good city of Florence was being destroyed by reason of the parties (the Ghibellines being now in exile), he determined that they should return to Florence, and should make peace with the Guelfs; and so it came about, and on the 2nd day of July in the said year, the said Pope, with his cardinals, and with King Charles, and with the said Emperor Baldwin, and with all the barons and gentlemen of the court (the people of Florence being assembled on the sands of the Arno hard by the head of the Rubaconte Bridge, great scaffolds of wood having been erected in that place whereon stood the said lords), gave sentence, under pain of excommunication if it were disobeyed, upon the differences between the Guelf and Ghibelline parties, causing the representatives of either party to kiss one another on the mouth, and to make peace, and to give sureties and hostages; and all the castles which the Ghibellines held they gave back into the hands of King Charles, and the Ghibelline hostages went into Maremma under charge of Count Rosso. The which peace endured but a short time, as hereafter we shall make mention. And on that day the said Pope founded the church of San Gregorio, and called it after his own name, which church was built by them of the house of Mozzi, which were merchants for the Pope and for the Church, and in a little time were come to great riches and state; and the said Pope dwelt in their palaces at the head of the Rubaconte Bridge on the further side of Arno, whilst he abode in Florence; and King Charles abode in the garden of the Frescobaldi, and the Emperor Baldwin at the Bishop's Palace. But on the fourth day thereafter, the Pope departed from Florence, and went to sojourn in Mugello with Cardinal Ottaviano, which was of the house of the Ubaldini, who were his hosts, and who did him great honour. At the end of the summer, the Pope departed, and his cardinals and King Charles, and went over the mountains to Lyons-on-Rhone in Burgundy. And the reason why the Pope departed suddenly from Florence was that when he had caused the representatives of the Ghibelline party to come to Florence, and to kiss the representatives of the Guelfs on the mouth in token of peace, and to remain in Florence to complete the treaty of peace, and they returned to the place of their sojourn in the house of the Tebalducci in Orto San Michele, it was told them, whether it were true or false, that King Charles' marshal, on the petition of the great Guelfs would cause them to be hewn in pieces if they did not depart from Florence. And that this was the cause we believe by reason of the virulence of the factions. And straightway they left Florence and departed, and the said peace was broken; wherefore the Pope was sorely disturbed, and departed from Florence, leaving the city under an interdict, and went, as we have said, to Mugello; and for this cause he continued in great wrath against King Charles.

[Sidenote: 1274 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1275 A.D.]

Sec. 43.--_How Pope Gregory held a council at Lyons on the Rhone._ Sec. 44.--_How the Ghibelline party were expelled from Bologna._ Sec. 45.--_How the judge of Gallura with certain Guelfs was driven out of Pisa._ Sec. 46.--_Of a great miracle which came to pass in Baldacca and Mansul [Bagdad and Mosul] over seas._ Sec. 47.--_How Count Ugolino with all the remaining Guelfs was driven out of Pisa._ Sec. 48.--_How the Bolognese were discomfited at the bridge of San Brocolo by the Count of Montefeltro and by the Romagnuoli._ Sec. 49.--_How the Pisans were discomfited by the Lucchese at the stronghold of Asciano._

Sec. 50.--_Of the death of Pope Gregory, and of three other Popes after him._

[Sidenote: 1275 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1276 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Purg. xix. 98-145.]

[Sidenote: Par. xii. 134, 135.]

[Sidenote: 1277 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xix. 69-87.]

[Sidenote: 1280 A.D.]

In the year of Christ 1275, on the eighteenth day of the month of December, when Pope Gregory X. was returning from the council at Lyons-on-Rhone, he arrived in the country of Florence; and forasmuch as the city of Florence was under interdict, and her inhabitants excommunicate, because they had not observed the treaty of peace which he had made between the Guelfs and Ghibellines, as was aforesaid, he was not minded to enter into Florence, but by cunning he was led past the old walls, and some said that he could have done no other, because the river Arno was so swollen by rain that he could not cross the ford, but needs must cross over the Rubaconte Bridge, so that unwittingly, and not being able to do otherwise, he entered into Florence; and whilst he was passing over the bridge, and through the Borgo San Nicolo, he took off the interdict, and passed on, blessing the folk; but so soon as he was without he renewed the interdict, and excommunicated the city afresh, with a wrathful mind repeating that verse of the Psalter which says: "In camo et fraeno maxillas eorum constringe" [Ps. xxxiii. 9]; wherefore the Guelfs which were governing Florence were in great doubt and fear. And the said Pope departing from Florence, went to the abbey at Ripole, and from there straightway he departed to Arezzo; and being come to Arezzo, he fell sick, and as it pleased God, he passed from this life on the tenth day of the following month of January, and was buried in Arezzo with great honour; at whose death the Guelfs of Florence rejoiced greatly, by reason of the evil will which the said Pope had towards them. And when the Pope was dead, straightway the cardinals were shut up, and on the twentieth day of the said month of January they proclaimed as Pope, Innocent V. a Burgundian, which had been a preaching friar and then a cardinal; and he lived as Pope until the following June, so that he did little, and died in the city of Viterbo, and was there buried honourably. And after him, on the twelfth day of July, Cardinal Ottobuono dal Fiesco, of the city of Genoa, was elected, which lived as Pope but twenty-nine days, and was called Pope Adrian V., and was buried in Rome. And after him, in the month of September following, Cardinal Piero Spagnuolo was elected Pope, which was called Pope John XXI., and lived as Pope but eight months and some days; for as he was sleeping in his room at Viterbo the ceiling fell down upon him and he died; and he was buried at Viterbo on the twentieth day of May, 1277; and the chair was vacant six months. And in that same year there was great scarcity of all victuals, and the bushel of wheat was sold for fifteen shillings, of thirty shillings to the florin. And a great and true vision should be noted concerning the death of the said Pope, which was seen by one of our Florentine merchants of the Company of Apothecaries, which was called Berto Forzetti, and it is well that this should be told. The said merchant had a natural infirmity of a wandering fancy, so that often when sleeping he would rise and sit upon his bed, and speak of strange wonders; and there is yet more, for being questioned by those around him as to what he was saying, he would answer rationally, and all the time he was sleeping. It came to pass, on the night when the said Pope died, the said man being in a ship on the high seas, journeying to Acre, rose and cried out, "Alas, alas!" His companions awoke, and asked him what ailed him; he replied: "I see a gigantic man in black with a great club in his hand, and he is about to break down a pillar, above which is a ceiling." And after a little he cried out again, and said: "He has broken it down, and he is dead." He was asked: "Who?" He replied: "The Pope." The said companions wrote down the words, and the night; and when they were come to Acre, a short time after there came to them the news of the death of the said Pope, which came to pass in that same night. And I, the writer, had testimony of this from those merchants which were present with the said man upon the said ship, and heard the said Berto, which were men of great authority, and worthy of belief; and the fame of this spread throughout all our city. Afterwards was elected Pope Nicholas III., of the house of the Orsini of Rome, which was called by his proper name, Cardinal Gianni Guatani, which lived as Pope two years and nine months and a half. We have spoken of the aforesaid Popes because four Popes died in sixteen months. We will say no more, at this present time, of the aforesaid Popes, and we will speak of those things which came to pass in their days in Florence and throughout the world.

[Sidenote: 1275 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1276 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1277 A.D.]

Sec. 51.--_How the Florentines and Lucchese defeated the Pisans at the moat called Arnonico._ Sec. 52.--_How the Della Torre of Milan were defeated._ Sec. 53.--_How King Philip of France caused all the Italian money-lenders to be seized._

Sec. 54.--_How Nicholas III., of the Orsini, was made Pope, and concerning that which he did in his time._

[Sidenote: 1277 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xix. 52-84.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xix. 98, 99.]

[Sidenote: Cf. Inf. xix. 81.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xxvii. 67.]

In the said year, whereof we related somewhat before, M. Gianni Guatani was made Pope, a cardinal, of the house of the Orsini of Rome, which, whilst he was young, as priest and then cardinal, was virtuous and of good life, and it is said that he was virgin in his body; but after he was called Pope Nicholas III. he had great schemes, and through warmth towards his kinsfolk, he undertook many things to make them great, and was among the first, if not the first, of the Popes in whose court simony was openly practised on behalf of his kindred, by the which thing he increased them much in possessions, and in castles, and in treasure beyond all the Romans, during the short time that he lived. This Pope made seven Roman cardinals, whereof the most part were his kinsfolk; among others, at the prayer of M. Gianni, head of the house of Colonna, his cousin, he made M. Jacopo della Colonna a cardinal, to the end the Colonnesi might not lend aid to the Annibaldeschi, enemies of the Orsini, but might rather aid these latter; and this was held a great thing; because the Church had deprived all the Colonnesi, and those of their kindred, of any ecclesiastical benefice, since the time of Pope Alexander III., forasmuch as they had held with the Emperor Frederick I. against the Church. Afterwards the said Pope caused the noble and great papal palaces to be built at S. Peter's; then he entered into strife with King Charles by reason that the said Pope had requested King Charles to form an alliance with him by marriage, desiring to give one of his nieces as wife to a nephew of the King's, to which alliance King Charles would not consent, saying, "Albeit he wears red hose, yet is not his lineage worthy to mate with ours; and his lordship will not be hereditary." For the which thing the Pope's wrath was kindled against him, and he was no longer his friend, but opposed him secretly in all things, and openly made him renounce the office of Roman senator, and of vicar of the Empire, which he held from the Church during the imperial vacancy; and he was much against him in all his undertakings, and for money which it was said he received from Paleologus, he consented, and gave aid and favour to the plot and rebellion in the island of Sicily, as hereafter we shall narrate; and he took from the Church the castle Santangiolo, and gave it to M. Orso, his nephew. Again the said Pope made Rudolf, king of the Romans, invest him, on behalf of the Church, with the county of Romagna, and the city of Bologna, by reason that he was debtor to the Church for the fulfilment of the promise which he had made to Pope Gregory at the council of Lyons-on-Rhone, when he confirmed his election, to wit that he would pass into Italy, and equip the expedition over seas, as we before made mention; which thing he had not done by reason of his other undertakings and wars in Germany. Now this gift to the Church of the privileges of the country of Romagna and the city of Bologna, neither could nor ought to have been made by right; among other reasons, because the said Rudolf had not yet attained to the imperial benediction; but that which the clergy take, they are slow in giving back. So soon as the said Pope held privilege over Romagna, he made Bertoldo degli Orsini, his nephew, count thereof, in the Church's name, and sent him into Romagna with a company of horsemen and men-at-arms, and with him as legate Brother Latino, of Rome, cardinal of Ostia, his nephew, his sister's son, of the family of the Brancaleoni, of which was the chancellor of Rome by inheritance; and this he did to take the lordship out of the hand of Guido di Montefeltro, which held it and ruled there tyrannically; and this was done in such wise, that in a short time almost all Romagna came under the Church's rule, but not without war and great cost to the Church, as hereafter we will tell in due place and time.

[Sidenote: 1277 A.D.]

Sec. 55.--_How King Rudolf of Germany defeated and slew the king of Bohemia._

Sec. 56.--_How the Cardinal Latino, by the Pope's command, made peace between the Guelfs and Ghibellines of Florence, and composed all the other feuds in the city._

[Sidenote: 1278 A.D.]

In these times the Guelf magnates of Florence--having rest from their wars without, with victory and honour, and fattening upon the goods of the exiled Ghibellines, and through other gains--by reason of pride and envy began to strive among themselves; whence arose in Florence many quarrels and enmities between the citizens, with death and wounds. Among the greater of these was the contest between the house of the Adimari on the one side, which were very great and powerful, and on the other side the Tosinghi, and the house of the Donati, and the Pazzi, all leagued together against the Adimari in such sort that almost all the city was divided, and one held with one side, and one with the other; wherefore the city and the Guelf party were in great peril. For the which thing the commonwealth and the Captains of the Guelf party sent their solemn ambassadors to the court to Pope Nicholas, that he should take counsel, and give aid in making peace among the Guelfs of Florence; if not, the Guelf party would be broken up, and one side would drive out the other. And in like guise the Ghibelline refugees from Florence sent their ambassadors to the said Pope, to pray and entreat him to put into execution the treaty of peace which Pope Gregory IX. had commanded between them and the Guelfs of Florence. For the foregoing reasons the said Pope put forth and confirmed the said treaty, and ordained a mediator and legate, and committed the said questions to the Cardinal Frate Latino which represented the Church in Romagna; a man of great authority and learning, and highly considered by the Pope, who, by command of the Pope, departed from Romagna, and came to Florence with 300 horsemen, in service of the Church, on the eighth day of the month of October, in the year of Christ 1278, and by the Florentines and the clergy was received with great honour and with a procession, the carroccio coming out to meet him, with many jousters; and afterwards the said legate on the day of S. Luke the Evangelist in that same year and month, founded and blest the first stone of the new church of Santa Maria Novella, which pertained to the Order of Preaching Friars, whereof he was a friar; and in that place of the friars he dealt with and ordained generally the treaties of peace between all the Guelf citizens, and between the Guelfs and Ghibellines. And the first was between the Uberti and the Bondelmonti (and it was the third peace between them), save only that the sons of M. Rinieri Zingane de' Bondelmonte would not consent thereto, and were excommunicated by the legate and banished by the commonwealth. But the peace was not set aside on their account; for afterwards the legate very happily concluded it in the month of February following, when the people of Florence were assembled in parliament on the old piazza of the said church, which was all covered with cloths and with great wooden scaffolds, whereon were the said cardinal, and many bishops, and prelates, and clergy, and monks, and the Podesta, and the Captain, and all the counsellors, and the orders of Florence. And at that time a very noble speech was made by the said legate with citation of great and very fine authorities, as behoved the matter, seeing that he was a very dexterous and beautiful preacher; and this done, he caused the representatives ordained by the Guelfs and Ghibellines to kiss one another on the mouth, making peace with great joy among all the citizens, and there were 150 on either side. And in that place, and at that same time, he gave judgment as to the terms and agreements and conditions which were to be observed, both on one side and on the other, confirming the said peace with solemn and authentic documents, and with all due sureties. And from that time forward the Ghibellines and their families were to be allowed to return to Florence; and they did return, and they were free from all sentence of banishment and condemnation; and all the books of condemnation and banishment which were in the chamber were burnt; and the said Ghibellines recovered their goods and possessions, save that to some of the chief leaders, it was commanded for more security of the city that for a certain time they should be under bounds. And when the cardinal legate had done this, he made contracts of peace between single citizens; and the first was that one where had been greatest discord, to wit, between the Adimari, and the Tosinghi, and Donati, and Pazzi, bringing about several marriages between them, and in like manner were all the agreements made in Florence and in the country round about, some willingly, and some by command of the commonwealth, the cardinal having pronounced sentence, with good securities and sureties; by which contracts of peace the said legate won much honour, and well-nigh all of them were observed, and the city of Florence abode thereafter long time in peaceful and good and tranquil state. And the said legate gave and ordained, for the general government of the city, fourteen good men, magnates and popolani, whereof eight were Guelfs and six Ghibellines, and their term of office endured for two months, and there was a certain order in their election; and they assembled in the house of the Badia of Florence, over the gate which goes to Santa Margherita, and returned to their homes to eat and to sleep. And this done, the said Cardinal Latino returned to Romagna to his legation with great honour. We will now leave the affairs of Florence for a while, and we will tell of other things which came to pass in those times, and especially of the revolt of the island of Sicily against King Charles, which was notable and great, and whence afterwards grew much ill; and it was a thing well-nigh marvellous and impossible, and therefore we will treat of it more at large.

[Sidenote: 1279 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1281 A.D.]

Sec. 57.--_How there was a treacherous plot to cause the island of Sicily to rebel against King Charles._ Sec. 58.--_How Pope Nicholas III., of the Orsini, died, and how Martin of Tours, in France, was made Pope._ Sec. 59.--_How Peter, king of Aragon, promised and vowed to Paleologus and to the Sicilians, to come into Sicily and take the lordship thereof._ Sec. 60.--_How the said king of Aragon set about preparing his armada, and how the Pope sent to him and forbade him._

Sec. 61.--_How and after what manner the island of Sicily rebelled against King Charles._

[Sidenote: 1282 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Par. viii. 75.]

In the year of Christ 1282, on Easter Monday of the Resurrection, which was the 30th day of March, as had been purposed by M. John of Procita, all the barons and chiefs which had a hand in the plot were in the city of Palermo for Easter, and the inhabitants of Palermo, men and women, going in a body, on horse and on foot, to the festival at Monreale, three miles outside the city (and as those of Palermo went, so also went the Frenchmen, and the captain of King Charles, for their disport), it came to pass, as was purposed by the enemy of God, that a Frenchman in his insolence laid hold of a woman of Palermo to do her villainy; she beginning to cry out, and the people being already sore and all moved with indignation against the French, the retainers of the barons of the island began to defend the woman, whence arose a great battle between the French and the Sicilians, and many were wounded and slain on either side; but those of Palermo came off worst. Straightway, all the people returned in flight to the city, and the men flew to arms, crying, "Death to the French." They gathered together in the market place, as had been ordained by the leaders of the plot; and the justiciary, which was for the king, fighting at the castle, was taken and slain, and as many Frenchmen as were in the city were slain in the houses and in the churches, without any mercy. And this done, the said barons departed from Palermo, and each one in his own city and country did the like, slaying all the Frenchmen which were in the island, save that in Messina they delayed some days before rebelling; but through tidings from those in Palermo giving account of their miseries in a fair epistle, and exhorting them to love liberty and freedom and fraternity with them, the men of Messina were so moved to rebellion that they afterwards did the like of what they of Palermo had done against the French, and yet more. And there were slain in Sicily more than 4,000 of them, and no one could save another though he were never so much his friend, no not if he would lay down his life for him; and if he had concealed him, he must needs yield him up or slay him. This plague spread through all the island, whence King Charles and his people received great hurt both in person and in goods. These adverse and evil tidings the Archbishop of Monreale straightway made known to the Pope and to King Charles by his messengers.

[Sidenote: 1282 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Purg. vii. 112, 114-116, 125, 129.]

[Sidenote: 1281 A.D.]

Sec. 62.--_How King Charles complained to the Church, and to the king of France, and to all his friends, and the aid which he received from them._ Sec. 63.--_How they of Palermo, and the other Sicilians, sent their ambassadors to Pope Martin._ Sec. 64.--_Of the aid which the commonwealth of Florence sent to King Charles._ Sec. 65.--_How King Charles led an expedition against Messina by sea and by land._ Sec. 66.--_How the king's forces took Melazzo, and how the Messinese sent for the legate to treat for peace with King Charles._ Sec. 67.--_How the treaty of peace was broken which the legate had arranged between King Charles and the Messinese._ Sec. 68.--_How Messina was attacked by King Charles' forces, and how it was defended._ Sec. 69.--_How Peter, king of Aragon, departed from Catalonia and came to Sicily, and how he was made and crowned king by the Sicilians._ Sec. 70.--_Of the parliament which the king of Aragon held in Palermo, to succour the city of Messina._ Sec. 71.--_The letter that the king of Aragon sent to King Charles._ Sec. 72.--_How King Charles called his council and answered the king of Aragon by his letter._ Sec. 73.--_What was King Charles' answer in his letter to the king of Aragon._ Sec. 74.--_How the king of Aragon sent his admiral to capture the fleet of King Charles._ Sec. 75.--_How King Charles must needs depart from the siege of Messina, and how he returned into the Kingdom._ Sec. 76.--_Who was the first Christian king of Aragon._ Sec. 77.--_How the Lucchese burnt and destroyed the city of Pescia._ Sec. 78.--_How Rudolf, Emperor elect, sent his vicar into Tuscany._

Sec. 79.--_How the Office of Priors was first created in Florence._

[Sidenote: 1282 A.D.]

In the year of Christ 1282, the city of Florence being under government of the order of the fourteen good men as the Cardinal Latino had left it, to wit eight Guelfs and six Ghibellines, as we afore made mention, it seemed to the citizens that this government of fourteen was too numerous and confused; and to the end so many divided hearts might be at one, and, above all, because it was not pleasing to the Guelfs to have the Ghibellines as partners in the government by reason of the events which were come to pass (such as the loss which King Charles had already sustained of the island of Sicily, and the coming into Tuscany of the imperial vicar, and likewise the wars begun in Romagna by the count of Montefeltro on the Ghibelline side), for the safety and welfare of the city of Florence they annulled the said office of the fourteen and created and made a new office and lordship for the government of the said city of Florence, to wit, the Priors of the Arts; the which name, Priors of the Arts, means to say "the first," chosen over the others; and it was taken from the Holy Gospel, where Christ says to His disciples, "Vos estis priores." And this invention and movement began among the consuls and council of the art of Calimala, to which pertained the wisest and most powerful citizens of Florence, and the most numerous following, both magnates and popolani, of those which pursued the calling of merchants, seeing the most part of them greatly loved the Guelf party and Holy Church. And the first priors of the Arts were three, whereof the names were these: Bartolo di M. Jacopo de' Bardi, for the sesto of Oltrarno and for the art of Calimala; Rosso Bacherelli, for the sesto of San Piero Scheraggio, for the art of the exchangers; Salvi del Chiaro Girolami, for the sesto of San Brancazio and for the woollen art. And their office began in the middle of June of the said year, and lasted for two months, unto the middle of August, and thus three priors were to succeed every two months, for the three greater Arts. And they were shut up to give audience (sleeping and eating at the charges of the commonwealth), in the house of the Badia where formerly, as we have aforesaid, the Ancients were wont to assemble in the time of the old Popolo, and afterwards the fourteen. And there were assigned to the said priors six constables and six messengers to summon the citizens; and these priors, with the Captain of the Popolo, had to determine the great and weighty matters of the commonwealth, and to summon and conduct councils and make regulations. And when the office had endured the two months, it was pleasing to the citizens; and for the following two months they proclaimed six, one for each sesto, and added to the said three greater Arts the art of the doctors and apothecaries, and the art of the Porta Santae Mariae, and that of the furriers and skin-dressers; and afterwards from time to time all the others were added thereto, to the number of the twelve greater Arts; and there were among them magnates, as well as popolani, great men of good repute and works, and which were artificers or merchants. And thus it went on until the second Popolo was formed in Florence, as hereafter, in due time, we shall relate. From thenceforward there were no magnates among them, but there was added thereto the gonfalonier of justice. And sometimes there were twelve priors, according to the changes in the condition of the city and special occasions that arose; and they were chosen from the number of all the twenty-one Arts, and of those which were not themselves artificers, albeit their forefathers had been artificers. The election to the said office was made by the old priors with the colleges of consuls of the twelve greater Arts, and with certain others which elected the priors for each sesto, by secret votes; and whosoever had most votes the same was made prior; and this election took place in the church of San Piero Scheraggio; and the Captain of the Popolo was stationed over against the said church in the houses which pertained to the Tizzoni. We have said so much of the beginning of this office of the priors, forasmuch as many and great changes followed therefrom to the city of Florence, as hereafter, in due place and time, we shall relate. At present we will leave telling, for a time, of the doings of Florence, and we will tell of other events which came to pass in those times.

[Sidenote: 1282 A.D.]

Sec. 80.--_How Pope Martin sent M. Jean d'Appia into Romagna, and how he took the city of Faenza and besieged Forli._

Sec. 81.--_How M. Jean d'Appia, count of Romagna, was defeated at Forli by the count of Montefeltro._

[Sidenote: Inf. xxvii. 76-78.]

[Sidenote: 1282 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xx. 118.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xxvii. 44.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xxxii. 122.]

In the said time, when the said M. Jean d'Appia, count of Romagna, was in Faenza, and was making war against the city of Forli, he dabbled in practices whereby he might gain the said city by treachery; the which practices Count Guido of Montefeltro himself, which was lord of the city, had set in motion and floated, as one that was master both of plots and of war, and who knew the folly of the French. At last, on the first day of May, in the year of Christ 1282, the said M. Jean came with his forces in the morning very early before day to the city of Forli, thinking to have it; and as it was ordered by the count of Montefeltro, the entrance to one gate was granted him, which he entered with part of his followers, and part he left without with the orders, if need arose, to succour those within, and if things went against them, to assemble all his forces in a field under a great oak. The French which entered into Forli rode through the city without meeting any opposition; and the count of Montefeltro, which knew all the plot, had gone forth from the city with his followers; and it was said that this same count of Montefeltro was guided by the augury and counsel of one Guido Bonatti, a roof-maker, who had turned astrologer or the like, and that it was he who prompted his actions; and for this emprise he gave him the standard and said, "Thou hast it at such a pitch, that so long as a rag of it hold, wheresoever thou bearest it thou shalt be victorious." But I more believe that his victories were won by his own wit and mastery of war. And according as he had planned, he charged those without under the tree, and put them to rout. They which had entered in, thinking the city was theirs, had given themselves to plunder and gone into the houses; and as was ordered by the count of Montefeltro, the citizens had taken off the bridles and saddles from the most of their horses; and suddenly the said count, with part of his followers, entered again into Forli by one of the gates, and overran the city; and part of his horse and foot he left in troops drawn up under the oak, as the French had been. M. Jean d'Appia and his men, seeing themselves thus handled, when they thought they had conquered the city, held themselves for dead and betrayed, and whosoever could recover his horse fled from the city, and came to the tree without, thinking to find friends there; and when they came thither they were taken or slain by their enemies, and likewise they which had remained within the city; wherefore the French and the followers of the Church suffered great discomfiture and loss, and there died there many good French knights, and of the Latin leaders, among others, Count Taddeo da Montefeltro, cousin to Count Guido, which by reason of disputes concerning his inheritance held with the Church against the said Count Guido; and there died there Tribaldello de' Manfredi, which had betrayed Faenza, and many others; albeit the count of Romagna, M. Jean d'Appia, escaped with certain others from the said discomfiture, and returned to Faenza.

[Sidenote: 1282 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1283 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1282 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1283 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1284 A.D.]

Sec. 82.--_How Forli surrendered to the Church, and how there was peace in Romagna._ Sec. 83.--_How the king of Armenia with a great company of Tartars was defeated at Cammella [Emesa] in Syria by the soldan of Egypt._ Sec. 84.--_How the war between the Genoese and Pisans began._ Sec. 85.--_How the prince, son of King Charles, with many barons of France and of Provence, came to Florence to march against the Sicilians._ Sec. 86.--_How King Charles and King Peter of Aragon engaged to fight in single combat at Bordeaux, in Gascony, for the possession of Sicily._ Sec. 87.--_How on the appointed day, King Peter, of Aragon, failed to appear at Bordeaux, wherefore he was excommunicated and deposed by the Pope._ Sec. 88.--_How there was in Florence a flood of waters and great scarcity of victuals._ Sec. 89.--_How a noble court and festival was held in the city of Florence, whereat all were arrayed in white._ Sec. 90.--_How the Genoese did great hurt to the Pisans returning from Sardinia._ Sec. 91.--_Still of the doings of the Pisans and the Genoese._ Sec. 92.--_How the Genoese discomfited the Pisans at Meloria._ Sec. 93.--_How Charles, prince of Salerno, was defeated and taken prisoner at sea, by Ruggeri di Loria, with the fleet of the Sicilians._ Sec. 94.--_How King Charles arrived at Naples with his fleet, and then made ready to pass to Sicily._

Sec. 95.--_How the good King Charles passed from this life at the city of Foggia in Apulia._

[Sidenote: 1284 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Purg. vii. 113, 124, 128.]

[Sidenote: Par. viii. 31, 49-72; ix. 1.]

[Sidenote: Cf. Par. viii. 82, 83; Purg. xx. 79-84.]

[Sidenote: Par. viii. 76-84.]

When King Charles had returned with his host to Brindisi, he disbanded them and returned to Naples to make his arrangements, and to furnish himself with money and with men to go again to Sicily the coming spring. And like one whose anxious mind could not rest, when mid-December was past, he returned into Apulia, to be at Brindisi to hasten on his fleet. When he was at Foggia, in Apulia, as it pleased God, he fell sick of a grievous sickness, and passed from this life on the day following the Epiphany, on the 7th day of January, in the year of Christ 1284. But before he died, with great contrition taking the Body of Christ, he said with great reverence these words: "Sire Dieu, comme je crois vraiment que vous etes mon Sauveur, ainsi je vous prie, que vous ayez merci de mon ame; ainsi comme je fis la prise du royaume de Cicile plus pour servir sainte Eglise que pour mon profit ou autre convoitise, ainsi vous me pardonniez mes peches;" and a short time after he passed from this life, and his body was brought to Naples; and after great lamentation had been made over his death, he was buried at the archbishop's at Naples with great honour. Concerning this death of King Charles there was a great marvel, for the same day whereon he died, the tidings of his death were published by one Brother Arlotto, a minister of the Minor Friars, and by M. Giardino da Carmignanola, a teacher in the University; and when this came to the notice of the king of France he sent for them to learn whence they knew it. They said that they knew his nativity, which was under the lordship of Saturn, and by its influence had resulted his exaltations and his adversities; and some said that they knew it by revelation of some spirit, for each of them was a great astrologer and necromancer. This Charles was the most feared and redoubted lord, and the most valiant in arms, and of the most lofty designs, of all the kings of the house of France from Charles the Great to his own day, and the one which most exalted the Church of Rome; and he would have done more if, at the end of his life, fortune had not turned against him. Afterwards there came as guardian and defender of the kingdom, Robert, count of Artois, cousin of the said king, with many French knights, and with the princess, and with the prince's son, grandson to King Charles, which was called after him Charles Martel, and which was some twelve or thirteen years old. Of King Charles there remained no other heir than Charles II., prince of Salerno, of whom we have made mention. And this Charles was comely in person, and gracious and liberal, and whilst his father was living and afterwards he had many children by the princess, his wife, daughter and heiress of the king of Hungary. The first was the said Charles Martel, which was afterwards king of Hungary; the second was Louis, which became a Minor Friar, and afterwards was bishop of Toulouse; the third was Robert, duke of Calabria; the fourth was Philip, prince of Taranto; the fifth was Raymond Berenger (count that was to be of Provence); the sixth was John, prince of Morea; the seventh was Peter, count of Eboli.

[Sidenote: 1284 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1285 A.D.]

Sec. 96.--_How the prince, son to King Charles, was condemned to death by the Sicilians, and afterwards was sent prisoner into Catalonia by Queen Constance._ Sec. 97.--_How there was a great flood of waters in Florence, which overwhelmed part of the Poggio de' Magnoli._ Sec. 98.--_How the Florentines, with the Genoese and with the Tuscans, made a league against the Pisans, whereby the Ghibellines were driven out of Pisa._ Sec. 99.--_How the Florentines began the foundation of the gates, to build the new walls of the city._ Sec. 100.--_Of the great events that came to pass among the Tartars of Turigio._ Sec. 101.--_How the Saracens took and destroyed Margatto in Syria._ Sec. 102.--_How King Philip of France went with a great army against the king of Aragon._ Sec. 103.--_How the king of Aragon was discomfited and wounded by the French, of the which wound he afterwards died._ Sec. 104.--_How the king of France took the city of Gerona, and how his fleet was discomfited at sea._

Sec. 105.--_How the king of France departed from Aragon, and died at Perpignan._

[Sidenote: 1285 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Purg. vii. 105.]

[Sidenote: Cf. Purg. vii. 109.]

[Sidenote: Par. xix. 143-148.]

King Philip of France, seeing his fortune so changed and adverse, and his fleet, which was bringing victuals to his host, taken and burnt, was overcome with grief and melancholy in such wise that he fell grievously sick with fever and a flux, wherefore his barons took counsel to depart and return to Toulouse, and of necessity they were forced thereto by lack of victuals, and by reason of the adverse season of autumn, and because of the sickness of their king. And thus they departed about the first day of October, carrying their sick king in a litter, and they dispersed with but little order, each one getting away as best he could and most quickly; wherefore, when they were crossing the difficult pass of the Schiuse through the great mountains of Pirris [? the defiles of the great mountains of Pertus], the Aragonese and Catalans which were at the pass, sought to hinder the passing of the litter wherein the king of France lay sick. And when the French saw this, they gave battle in despair to them which were at the pass, to the end they might not take the body of the king, and by force of arms they broke them up and discomfited them, and drave them from the pass; but many of the French common people on foot were taken and slain, and many mules and horses and much baggage destroyed and taken by the Catalans and Aragonese. And a little while after the departure of the king of France and of his host, the king of Aragon received Gerona back on conditions. And when the host of the king of France in guise as if defeated came to Perpignan, as it pleased God, King Philip of France passed from this life on the 6th day of October, in the year of Christ 1285; and in Perpignan the queen of Morea, his wife, with her company made great lamentation and sorrow. And afterwards Philip and Charles, his sons, caused the body to be brought to Paris, and he was buried at S. Denys with his predecessors, with great honour. This enterprise against Aragon was attended with greater loss of men and more cost in horses and money, than the realm of France had almost ever suffered in times past; for afterwards the king which succeeded the said Philip, and the greater part of the barons, were always in debt and ill provided with money. And after the death of King Philip of France, King Philip the Fair, his eldest son, was made king of France, and crowned king in the city of Rheims, with the Queen Joanna of Navarre, his wife, on the day of the Epiphany next following. And note, that in one year or little more, as it pleased God, there died four such great lords of Christendom, as were Pope Martin, and the good Charles, king of Sicily and of Apulia, and the valiant King Peter of Aragon, and the powerful King Philip of France, of whom we have made mention. This King Philip was a lord of a great heart, and in his life did high emprises; first, when he went against the king of Spain, and then against the count of Foix, and then against the king of Aragon, with greater forces than ever his predecessor had gathered. We will leave now speaking of the doings beyond the mountains, whereof we have said enough for this time, and we will go back to speak of the doings of our Italy which came to pass in the said time.

[Sidenote: 1285 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Purg. xxiv. 20-24.]

[Sidenote: 1286 A.D.]

[Sidenote: 1287 A.D.]

Sec. 106.--_Of the death of Pope Martin IV., and how Honorius de' Savelli of Rome was made Pope._ Sec. 107.--_How a certain Genoese flotilla was taken by the Pisans._ Sec. 108.--_How Count Guido of Montefeltro, lord of Romagna, surrendered to the Church of Rome._ Sec. 109.--_How Pope Honorius changed the habit of the Carmelite Friars._ Sec. 110.--_How the bishop of Arezzo caused Poggio a Santa Cecilia, in the territory of Siena, to rebel, and how it was recovered._ Sec. 111.--_How there was great scarcity of victual in Italy._ Sec. 112.--_How M. Prezzivalle dal Fiesco came into Tuscany as Imperial Vicar._ Sec. 113.--_How Pope Honorius de' Savelli died._

Sec. 114.--_Of a notable thing which came to pass in Florence at this time._

[Sidenote: 1287 A.D.]

In the said year, M. Matteo da Fogliano di Reggio, being Podesta of Florence, had taken and condemned to be beheaded for murder one Totto de' Mazzinghi da Campi, which was a great warrior and leader; and as he was on his way to execution, M. Corso dei Donati with his following would have rescued him from the officers by force; for the which thing the said Podesta caused the great bell to be sounded: wherefore all the good people of Florence armed themselves and assembled at the palace, some on horse and some on foot, crying: "Justice, justice." For the which thing the said Podesta carried out his sentence, but whereas the said Totto should have been beheaded, he caused him to be dragged along the ground, and then hung by the neck, and he condemned to a fine those who had begun the uproar and impeded justice.

[Sidenote: 1288 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xiii. 120, 121.]

Sec. 115.--_How the Guelfs were driven out of Arezzo, whence war arose between the Florentines and the Aretines._ Sec. 116.--_Of a great fire which broke out in Florence._ Sec. 117.--_How the armada of Charles Martel took the city of Agosta in Sicily, and how their armada was defeated at sea by Ruggeri di Loria._ Sec. 118.--_How a great fire broke out in Florence at the houses of the Cerchi._ Sec. 119.--_Of the calling of Pope Nicholas IV., of Ascoli._ Sec. 120.--_Of a great expedition which the commonwealth of Florence made against the city of Arezzo, and how as they departed the Sienese were defeated at the Pieve [parish church] al Toppo._

Sec. 121.--_How the judge of Gallura and the Guelf party were driven from Pisa, and the Count Ugolino taken prisoner._

[Sidenote: 1288 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Purg. viii. 53.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xxxiii. 31-33.]

[Sidenote: Purg. xvi. 46.]

In the year of Christ 1288, in the month of July, great divisions and factions having arisen in Pisa concerning the government, for of one party Judge Nino di Gallura de' Visconti was head with certain Guelfs, and of another Count Ugolino dei Gherardeschi with another party of the Guelfs, and of a third the Archbishop Ruggeri degli Ubaldini with the Lanfranchi, and Gualandi, and Sismondi, with the other Ghibelline houses. And the said Ugolino, in order to gain power, sided with the archbishop and his party, and betrayed Judge Nino, not considering that he was his grandson, his daughter's son; and they ordained that he should be driven out of Pisa with his followers, or taken prisoner. Judge Nino hearing this, and seeing that he was not well able to defend himself, left the city and went to his castle of Calci, and allied himself with the Florentines and Lucchese to make war against Pisa. Count Ugolino, before the departure of Judge Nino, to the end he might hide his treachery when he had planned the banishment of the judge, departed from Pisa, and went to one of his manors in the country, which was called Settimo. When he heard of the departure of Judge Nino, he returned to Pisa with great rejoicing; and the Pisans made him their lord with great rejoicings and festivities; but he abode only a short time in the government, for Fortune turned against him, as it pleased God, because of his treacheries and crimes; for of a truth it was said that he caused Count Anselm of Capraia, his nephew, his sister's son, to be poisoned, from envy, and because he was beloved in Pisa, and he feared lest he might rob him of his state. And that happened to Count Ugolino, which a little while before had been foretold him by a wise and valiant man of affairs, named Marco Lombardo; for when the count was called by all lord of Pisa, and when he was in greatest state and happiness, he prepared a rich feast on his birthday, and invited thereto his sons and grandsons, and all his lineage and kinsfolk, both men and women, with great pomp in dress and ornaments, and preparations for a great festival. The count taking the said Marco, showed him all his grandeur and possessions, and the preparations for his feast; and this done, he asked him: "Marco, what thinkest thou of all this?" The sage answered and said unto him at once: "You are better prepared for evil fortune than any nobleman of Italy." And the count fearing these words of Marco's, said: "Why?" and Marco answered: "Because the wrath of God is the only thing lacking to you." And of a truth the wrath of God soon came upon him, as it pleased God, because of his treacheries and crimes; for when the archbishop of Pisa and his followers had succeeded in driving out Nino and his party, by the counsel and treachery of Count Ugolino, the forces of the Guelfs were diminished; and then the archbishop took counsel how to betray Count Ugolino, and in a sudden uproar of the people, he was attacked and assaulted at the palace, the archbishop giving the people to understand that he had betrayed Pisa, and given up their fortresses to the Florentines and the Lucchese; and being without any defence, the people having turned against him, he surrendered himself prisoner, and at the said assault one of his bastard sons and one of his grandsons were slain, and Count Ugolino was taken, and two of his sons, and three grandsons, his son's children, and they were put in prison; and his household and followers, and the Visconti and Ubizinghi, Guatani, and all the other Guelf houses were driven out of Pisa. And thus was the traitor betrayed by the traitor; wherefore the Guelf party in Tuscany was greatly cast down, and the Ghibellines greatly exalted because of the said revolution in Pisa, and because of the force of the Ghibellines of Arezzo, and because of the power and victories of Don James of Aragon, and of the Sicilians against the heirs of King Charles.

[Sidenote: 1288 A.D.]

Sec. 122.--_How the Lucchese took the castle of Asciano from the Pisans._ Sec. 123.--_How the Pisan mercenaries, coming from Campagna, were routed by the Florentine mercenaries in Maremma._ Sec. 124.--_Of the dash on Latterina made by the Florentines as an attack on Arezzo._ Sec. 125.--_How Prince Charles was released from the prison of the king of Aragon._ Sec. 126.--_Of a great flood of water that was in Florence._ Sec. 127.--_How the Aretines came and laid waste the territory of Florence as far as San Donato in Collina._

Sec. 128.--_How the Pisans chose for captain the count of Montefeltro, and how they starved to death Count Ugolino and his sons and grandsons._

[Sidenote: 1288 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Inf. xxxiii. 1-90.]