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which kept the church weak and in disrepute。 The city of Constance； in
Germany； was appointed for the holding of the council； contrary to the
expectation of Pope John。 And although the death of Ladislaus had
removed the cause which induced the pope to call the council； still；
having promised to attend； he could not refuse to go there。 In a few
months after his arrival at Constance he discovered his error； but it
was too late； endeavoring to escape； he was taken； put into prison；
and compelled to renounce the papacy。 Gregory； one of the anti…popes；
sent his renunciation； Benedict； the other； refusing to do the same；
was condemned as a heretic； but； being abandoned by his cardinals； he
complied； and the council elected Oddo； of the Colonnesi family； pope；
by the title of Martin V。 Thus the church was united under one head；
after having been divided by many pontiffs。
Filippo Visconti was； as we have said； in the fortress of Pavia。 But
Fazino Cane； who in the affairs of Lombardy had become lord of
Vercelli； Alessandria； Novara； and Tortona； and had amassed great
riches； finding his end approach； and having no children； left his
wife Beatrice heiress of his estates； and arranged with his friends
that a marriage should be effected between her and Filippo。 By this
union Filippo became powerful； and reacquired Milan and the whole of
Lombardy。 By way of being grateful for these numerous favors； as
princes commonly are； he accused Beatrice of adultery and caused her
to be put to death。 Finding himself now possessed of greater power； he
began to think of warring with Tuscany and of prosecuting the designs
of Giovanni Galeazzo； his father。
Ladislaus； king of Naples； at his death； left to his sister Giovanna
the kingdom and a large army； under the command of the principal
leaders of Italy； among the first of whom was Sforza of Cotignuola；
reputed by the soldiery of that period to be a very valiant man。 The
queen； to shun the disgrace of having kept about her person a certain
Pandolfello； whom she had brought up； took for her husband Giacopo
della Marca； a Frenchman of the royal line； on the condition that he
should be content to be called Prince of Tarento； and leave to her the
title and government of the kingdom。 But the soldiery； upon his
arrival in Naples； proclaimed him king； so that between the husband
and the wife wars ensued； and although they contended with varying
success； the queen at length obtained the superiority； and became an
enemy of the pope。 Upon this； in order to reduce her to necessity； and
that she might be compelled to throw herself into his lap； Sforza
suddenly withdrew from her service without giving her any pervious
notice of his intention to do so。 She thus found herself at once
unarmed； and not having any other source； sought the assistance of
Alfonzo； king of Aragon and Sicily； adopted him as her son； and
engaged Braccio of Montone as her captain； who was of equal reputation
in arms with Sforza； and inimical to the pope； on account of his
having taken possession of Perugia and some other places belonging to
the church。 After this； peace was made between the queen and the
pontiff； but King Alfonzo； expecting she would treat him as she had
her husband； endeavored secretly to make himself master of the
strongholds； but； possessing acute observation； she was beforehand
with him； and fortified herself in the castle of Naples。 Suspicions
increasing between them； they had recourse to arms； and the queen；
with the assistance of Sforza； who again resumed her service； drove
Alfonzo out of Naples； deprived him of his succession； and adopted
Louis of Anjou in his stead。 Hence arose new contests between Braccio；
who took the part of Alfonzo； and Sforza； who defended the cause of
the queen。 In the course of the war； Sforza was drowned in endeavoring
to pass the river Pescara； the queen was thus again unarmed； and would
have been driven out of the kingdom； but for the assistance of Filippo
Visconti； the duke of Milan； who compelled Alfonzo to return to
Aragon。 Braccio； undaunted at the departure of Alfonzo； continued the
enterprise against the queen； and besieged L'Aquilla； but the pope；
thinking the greatness of Braccio injurious to the church； received
into his pay Francesco； the son of Sforza； who went in pursuit of
Braccio to L'Aquilla； where he routed and slew him。 Of Braccio
remained Oddo； his son； from whom the pope took Perugia； and left him
the state of Montone alone； but he was shortly afterward slain in
Romagna； in the service of the Florentines； so that of those who had
fought under Braccio； Niccolo Piccinino remained of greatest
reputation。
Having continued our general narration nearly to the period which we
at first proposed to reach； what remains is of little importance；
except the war which the Florentines and Venetians carried on against
Filippo duke of Milan； of which an account will be given when we speak
particularly of Florence。 I shall； therefore； continue it no further；
briefly explaining the condition of Italy in respect of her princes
and her arms； at the period to which we have now come。 Joan II。 held
Naples； La Marca； the Patrimony and Romagna； some of these places
obeyed the church； while others were held by vicars or tyrants； as
Ferrara； Modena； and Reggio； by those of the House of Este； Faenza by
the Manfredi； Imola by the Alidossi； Furli by the Ordelaffi； Rimini
and Psaro by the Malatesti； and Camerino by those of Varano。 Part of
Lombardy was subject to the Duke Filippo； part to the Venetians； for
all those who had held single states were set aside； except the House
of Gonzaga； which ruled in Mantua。 The greater part of Tuscany was
subject to the Florentines。 Lucca and Sienna alone were governed by
their own laws； Lucca was under the Guinigi； Sienna was free。 The
Genoese； being sometimes free； at others； subject to the kings of
France or the Visconti； lived unrespected； and may be enumerated among
the minor powers。
None of the principal states were armed with their own proper forces。
Duke Filippo kept himself shut up in his apartments； and would not
allow himself to be seen； his wars were managed by commissaries。 The
Venetians； when they directed their attention to terra firma； threw
off those arms which had made them terrible upon the seas； and falling
into the customs of Italy； submitted their forces to the direction of
others。 The practice of arms being unsuitable to priests or women； the
pope and Queen Joan of Naples were compelled by necessity to submit to
the same system which others practiced from defect of judgment。 The
Florentines also adopted the same custom； for having； by their
frequent divisions； destroyed the nobility； and their republic being
wholly in the hands of men brought up to trade； they followed the
usages and example of others。
Thus the arms of Italy were either in the hands of the lesser princes；
or of men who possessed no state； for the minor princes did not adopt
the practice of arms from any desire of glory； but for the acquisition
of either property or safety。 The others （those who possessed no
state） being bred to arms from their infancy； were acquainted with no
other art； and pursued war for emolument； or to confer honor upon
themselves。 The most noticed among the latter were Carmignola；
Francesco Sforza； Niccolo Piccinino the pupil of Braccio； Agnolo della
Pergola； Lorenzo di Micheletto Attenduli； il Tartaglia； Giacopaccio；
Cecolini da Perugia； Niccolo da Tolentino； Guido Torello； Antonia dal
Ponte ad Era； and many others。 With these； were those lords of whom I
have before spoken； to which may be added the barons of Rome； the
Colonnesi and the Orsini； with other lords and gentlemen of the
kingdoms of Naples and Lombardy； who； being constantly in arms； had
such an understanding among themselves； and so contrived to
accommodate things to their own convenience； that of those who were at
war； most commonly both sides were losers； and they had made the
practice of arms so totally ridiculous； that the most ordinary leader；
possessed of true valor； would have covered these men with disgrace；
whom； with so little prudence； Italy honored。
With these idle princes and such contemptible arms； my history must；
therefore； be filled； to which； before I descend； it will be
necessary； as was at first proposed； to speak of the origin of
Florence； that it may be clearly understood what was the state of the
city in those times； and by what means； through the labours of a
thousand years； she became so imbecile。
BOOK II
CHAPTER I
The custom of ancient republics to plant colonies； and the
advantage of itIncreased population tends to make countries more
healthyOrigin of FlorenceAggrandizement of FlorenceOrigin of
the name of FlorenceDestruction of Florence by TotilaThe
Florentines take FiesoleThe first division in Florence； and the