CHAPTER XII
| 1481. | Sixtus combines with the Venetians against Ferrara | 258 | |
| ” | Federigo declines their offers, and vainly inculcates peace | 259 | |
| 1482. | April 17. | He is engaged to command the League in defence of Ferrara | 259 |
| ” | ” 23. | His departure for the campaign | 260 |
| ” | Description of the seat of war | 261 | |
| ” | May 3. | War declared by Venice | 262 |
| ” | ” 11. | The Venetians besiege Ficheruolo | 262 |
| ” | ” 4. | Federigo's letter to Lorenzo de' Medici | 262 |
| ” | ” | He goes to Milan and Mantua for reinforcements | 264 |
| ” | ” 20. | Returns to La Stellata | 264 |
| ” | June. | Fatal effects of malaria | 264 |
| ” | ” 29. | Ficheruolo taken | 265 |
| ” | July. | Ferrara hard pressed, but obstinately defended by Federigo | 265 |
| ” | ” | His appeal to the Pontiff, who perseveres in his schemes of nepotism | 265 |
| ” | ” | Lawless condition of Rome | 266 |
| ” | ” | Federigo attacked by fever, and relapses | 266 |
| ” | ” | He resigns his command, and retires to Ferrara | 267 |
| ” | Sept. 10. | Prepares for death and expires | 267 |
| ” | ” | Simultaneous death of Roberto Malatesta | 269 |
| ” | ” | Character of Duke Federigo, by Poggio Bracciolino | 270 |
| ” | ” | By Francesco di Giorgio | 270 |
| ” | ” | By Pirro Pirotti and Cyrneo | 271 |
| ” | ” | By Vespasiano | 272 |
| ” | ” | Anecdotes preserved by him | 273 |
| ” | ” | His military commands | 282 |
| ” | ” | His funeral | 283 |
| ” | ” | His body subsequently exposed | 283 |
| 1482. | Notice of his portrait, by Piero della Francesca, with his Countess | 284 | |
| ” | By Mantegna, with his son | 285 | |
| ” | By an unknown artist | 286 | |
| ” | By Fra Carnevale | 287 | |
| ” | By Justus of Ghent | 288 | |
| ” | By an unknown artist | 288 | |
| ” | His children and their marriages | 289 |
CHAPTER XIII
| 1482. | Retrospect for Duke Federigo's reign | 295 | |
| 1472. | Jan. 24. | Birth of his son Guidobaldo, who is confirmed by Cardinal Bessarion | 296 |
| ” | July 6. | Death of Guidobaldo's mother | 296 |
| ” | His precocious genius and sweet temper | 296 | |
| ” | Attested by his tutor Odasio | 297 | |
| 1482. | Sept. 17. | His father's death | 299 |
| ” | Position of the duchy | 299 | |
| ” | Sept. 17. | Investiture of Duke Guidobaldo I. | 300 |
| ” | He is continued in his father's command | 301 | |
| 1483. | Jan. 6. | Sixtus deserts the Venetians, and joins the League | 301 |
| ” | Guidobaldo in the service of Naples | 303 | |
| ” | July 19. | Death of Costanzo Sforza of Pesaro | 303 |
| 1484. | Aug. 13. | Death of Sixtus IV. | 304 |
| ” | ” 29. | And election of Innocent VIII. | 304 |
| ” | ” 11. | Treaty of Bagnuolo | 305 |
| 1485. | The Pontiff attacks Naples. | 305 | |
| ” | Guidobaldo retained by him | 305 | |
| ” | Aug. 11. | Peace restored | 305 |
| 1486. | Guidobaldo serves under Trivulzio | 306 | |
| ” | The regency of Ottaviano Ubaldini terminates | 306 | |
| 1488. | April 14. | The assassination of Count Girolamo Riario, and revolution at Forlì | 307 |
| ” | Energetic measures of his widow | 307 | |
| ” | The regulations and manners of the court of Urbino | 309 | |
| ” | Duke Guidobaldo betrothed to Elisabetta Gonzaga of Mantua | 311 | |
| 1489. | Oct. | Their marriage and disappointment of children | 312 |
| 1490. | Comparative repose of Italy | 313 | |
| 1492. | April 7. | Death of Lorenzo de' Medici | 314 |
| ” | July 25, 29. | And of the Pope | 314 |
| ” | Aug. 11. | Succeeded by Alexander VI. | 314 |
CHAPTER XIV
| 1492. | Condition of the papacy on the accession of Alexander VI. | 315 | |
| ” | His family descent and debauched life | 316 | |
| ” | Circumstances of his election | 317 | |
| ” | His children and their scandalous conduct | 318 | |
| ” | Pedigree of the Borgia | 320 | |
| ” | The aspect of Italy at the close of her golden age | 321 | |
| ” | Described by Guicciardini | 322 | |
| ” | Sketch of the disputed succession of Naples, and its results | 322 | |
| ” | The condition of Milan and Venice | 325 | |
| ” | And of Florence | 326 | |
| ” | Character of Charles VIII. of France, and his views upon Italy | 327 | |
| ” | Negotiations for an Italian League frustrated by Pietro de' Medici | 328 | |
| ” | State of the Roman Campagna and its rival barons | 329 | |
| ” | Their feuds fire the train | 331 | |
| ” | Ludovico il Moro invites Charles into Italy | 331 | |
| 1493. | Military circumstances of Italy | 332 | |
| ” | The condottiere system gradually abandoned | 333 | |
| ” | Condemned by Machiavelli | 334 | |
| ” | A new system introduced | 335 | |
| ” | Lances, stradiotes, and infantry | 335 | |
| ” | The Swiss infantry | 337 | |
| ” | The lansquenets and Spaniards | 338 | |
| ” | Introduction of fire-arms and artillery | 338 |
CHAPTER XV
| 1494. | Jan. | Alfonso II. succeeds to the crown of Naples | 341 |
| ” | Position of the Italian powers at the invasion of Charles VIII. | 341 | |
| ” | Alfonso's efforts to conciliate the Pontiff and his children | 342 | |
| ” | His son Cesare made Cardinal Valentino | 343 | |
| ” | The Pope employs Guidobaldo against the Orsini | 344 | |
| ” | His first attack of gout | 344 | |
| ” | The marriage of Lucrezia Borgia to Giovanni Sforza of Pesaro | 344 | |
| ” | Its scandalous orgies | 345 | |
| ” | June. | Her visit to Urbino | 345 |
| ” | Double-dealing of Alexander with Alfonso | 345 | |
| ” | The calamities of the French invasion | 346 | |
| ” | Description of Charles VIII. by Guicciardini | 346 | |
| ” | And by Mantegna | 347 | |
| ” | And by Ludovico il Moro | 347 | |
| ” | The campaign opened by Sir Bernard Stuart of Aubigny | 348 | |
| ” | Aug. 20. | Charles leaves Vienne and reaches Milan | 348 |
| ” | Alfonso alone prepares to oppose him | 348 | |
| ” | Sends the Duke of Calabria into Romagna | 348 | |
| ” | He is supported by the Duke of Urbino, but without avail | 348 | |
| ” | Nov. 9. | Tuscany welcomes Charles, and expels the Medici | 349 |
| ” | This revolution graphically described | 350 | |
| ” | Financial expedient proposed at Florence | 351 | |
| ” | Dec. 31. | Charles enters Rome | 351 |
| 1495. | Jan. 28. | Leaves it for Naples | 351 |
| ” | ” 23. | Alfonso abdicates the crown, and dies soon after | 351 |
| ” | ” | Succeeded by his son Ferdinand II., who retires to Ischia | 352 |
| ” | ” 22. | Charles takes possession of Naples | 352 |
| ” | Mar. 31. | A new League formed against the French | 352 |
| 1494. | Oct. | Ludovico il Moro becomes Duke of Milan | 353 |
| 1495. | The demoralisation of the French army | 353 | |
| ” | May 20. | It leaves Naples | 353 |
| ” | July 6. | Battle of the Taro, at Fornovo | 354 |
| ” | Oct. | It re-enters France | 354 |
| ” | July. | Ferdinand II. restored at Naples | 354 |
| 1496. | Whose French garrison surrenders | 355 | |
| ” | Results to Italy of this invasion | 355 | |
| 1495. | The Pisan war, in which Guidobaldo was engaged by the Florentines | 356 | |
| ” | Their conduct leads to fresh discord | 356 | |
| ” | And to an invasion by Maximilian | 357 | |
| ” | Guidobaldo recalled by the Pope to aid in restoring Ferdinand II. | 357 | |
| 1496. | Oct. | Who dies soon after | 358 |
| ” | ” | Peace again troubled by Alexander, who attacks the Orsini | 358 |
| ” | ” | Aided by Guidobaldo | 358 |
| ” | His petty campaign against Bracciano | 359 | |
| 1497. | Jan. 23. | Is beaten, and taken prisoner | 360 |
| ” | The Venetian Signory interfere in his behalf | 361 | |
| ” | A heavy ransom extorted from him with the Pope's connivance | 361 |
CHAPTER XVI
| 1497. | Ambitious nepotism of Alexander VI. | 363 | |
| ” | Divorce of Lucrezia | 363 | |
| ” | June 15. | Murder of the Duke of Gandia | 364 |
| ” | ”” | Its mystery and scandals | 364 |
| ” | ”” | Its effect upon the public | 366 |
| ” | ”” | And on the Pope | 366 |
| ” | ” 19. | His oration, repentance, and relapse | 366 |
| ” | Followed by new favours to Cesare Borgia | 369 | |
| ” | Sept. 5 | Who returns from his Neapolitan embassy a rejected suitor | 369 |
| 1498. | Aug. | Marriage of Lucrezia to the Duke of Bisceglia | 369 |
| ” | Guidobaldo's expedition against the Baglioni of Perugia | 369 | |
| ” | He is engaged by the Medici to arm for their restoration to Florence | 370 | |
| ” | Failure of the expedition | 370 | |
| ” | His illness at Bibbiena | 370 | |
| 1499. | He adopts his nephew Francesco Maria della Rovere, as heir of the dukedom | 371 | |
| 1498. | April 7. | Death of Charles VIII. | 372 |
| ” | ” | Succeeded by Louis XII. | 372 |
| ” | His views upon Italy | 372 | |
| ” | State of parties there | 372 | |
| ” | Ambition of Alexander to secure to Cesare a sovereignty | 373 | |
| ” | Sept. 17. | His ecclesiastical orders annulled, and his embassy to Paris with the King's divorce | 373 |
| ” | ” 28. | Letter of the Pope to Louis | 374 |
| ” | By whom Cesare is created Duke Valentino | 375 | |
| ” | He aspires to the crown of Naples | 375 | |
| ” | His magnificence | 375 | |
| 1499. | Again rejected by a Neapolitan princess | 375 | |
| ” | His intrigues as to Louis' divorce | 375 | |
| ” | A new league against the French proposed | 376 | |
| ” | The marriage of Duke Valentino | 376 | |
| ” | Oct. 6. | The French conquer Lombardy and enter Milan | 377 |
| ” | June. | Guidobaldo's visit to Venice, and condotta by the Signory | 377 |
CHAPTER XVII
| 1499. | Valentino's schemes upon Romagna | 379 | |
| ” | Its condition, as detailed by Sismondi | 379 | |
| ” | Strictures upon his views | 383 | |
| ” | Valentino marches upon Imola | 384 | |
| ” | Our last notice of Caterina Riario Sforza | 384 | |
| ” | Dec. 31. | He takes that town, and goes to Rome | 385 |
| 1500. | Ludovico il Moro carried captive to France | 385 | |
| ” | The prodigality of the Borgia | 386 | |
| ” | Supplied by sacrilege and simony | 387 | |
| ” | Oct. 27. | Cesare, supported by the French, seizes Pesaro | 388 |
| 1501. | April 22. | And Faenza; murder of its princes | 389 |
| ” | He is made Duke of Romagna | 389 | |
| ” | Sismondi's eulogy on his administration | 389 | |
| ” | Imitating Machiavelli and Filosseno | 390 | |
| ” | But contradicted by Sanuto | 391 | |
| ” | The true spirit of his government | 392 | |
| ” | Arrested in his designs upon Bologna and Florence | 392 | |
| ” | Sept. 3. | Seizes upon Piombino | 393 |
| ” | Louis invades Naples | 393 | |
| ” | Its partition betwixt France and Spain | 394 | |
| ” | Abdication of Federigo of Naples; he retires to France, where he died in 1504 | 394 | |
| 1503. | His kingdom passes to Spain | 394 | |
| 1501. | New crimes and intrigues of the Borgia | 395 | |
| ” | Lucrezia's fourth marriage to the Prince of Ferraro | 396 | |
| 1502. | Jan. 18. | She visits Urbino on her way home | 397 |
| ” | Her reformed life | 397 | |
| 1519. | June. | Letter of condolence on her death | 397 |
CHAPTER XVIII
| 1502. | Guidobaldo's retired life | 399 | |
| 1500. | Visits Rome for the Jubilee | 399 | |
| 1501. | Nov. 6. | Death of his brother-in-law the Prefect | 399 |
| 1502. | April 24. | Succeeded by his son Francesco Maria | 399 |
| ” | The Duchess of Urbino at Venice | 400 | |
| ” | New schemes of Valentino | 400 | |
| ” | June 20. | He surprises Urbino | 401 |
| ” | ” 28. | The Duke narrates his flight to Mantua | 401 |
| ” | ” | Further details | 407 |
| ” | He finds refuge in Venice | 409 | |
| ” | Improbable rumour regarding him | 409 | |
| ” | June 21. | Cesare enters Urbino | 410 |
| ” | And seizes Camerino | 411 | |
| 1502. | His brutal character | 411 | |
| ” | He goes to Milan, and justifies himself with Louis XII | 412 | |
| ” | His lust of further sway | 412 | |
| ” | Sept. | Diet at La Magione of the menaced princes | 412 |
| 1502. | Character of Liverotto da Fermo | 412 | |
| ” | Oct. 5. | S. Leo lost to Valentino and retaken | 413 |
| ” | ” 8. | Letter from him (note) | 414 |
| ” | ” | A general rising throughout Urbino | 414 |
| ” | ” | Cruelly checked by Don Michelotto | 415 |
| ” | ” | But supported by the confederates of Magione | 415 |
| ” | ” | Valentino retrieves himself, and recruits his forces | 415 |
| ” | ” 18. | Guidobaldo returns and is welcomed | 416 |
| ” | ” 28. | Valentino wins back the confederates | 418 |
| ” | Dec. 8. | Finding resistance vain, the Duke retires in broken health | 419 |
| 1503. | Jan. 27. | His despatch to the Doge of Venice | 422 |
| ” | ” 31. | And narrative of his escape to that city | 423 |
APPENDICES
| Authors in the family of Montefeltro | 427 | ||
| Specimens of their compositions | 428 | ||
| Wardrobe inventory of Sister Serafina | 433 | ||
| Poetry of Ottaviano Ubaldini | 436 | ||
| Concessions of Duke Federigo to the citizens on his election in 1444 | 438 | ||
| Devices and mottoes of the Dukes of Urbino | 443 | ||
| Illuminated MSS. in the Urbino Library | 446 | ||
| The MS. Hebrew Bible | 446 | ||
| The MS. Latin Bible | 447 | ||
| The MS. Dante | 448 | ||
| The MS. Lives of the Dukes of Urbino | 449 | ||
| Duke Federigo made a Knight of the Garter | 450 | ||
| His letters to Edward IV. and the English courtiers | 450 | ||
| Anstis' account of it | 456 | ||
| Sanzi's account of it | 457 | ||
| Porcellio's account of it | 459 | ||
| Army of Charles VIII. in 1493 | 460 | ||
| Battle of the Taro in 1495 | 463 | ||
| Duke Valentino's arrival at the French court in 1498 | 468 | ||
| Ludovico il Moro's entry into Lyons in 1500 | 470 | ||
| Marcello Filosseno's sonnet on Italy | 472 | ||
| Lucrezia d'Este's marriage festivities at Ferrara, 1502 | 473 |
Note.—The Editor's notes are marked with an asterisk.