In the said year 1314, on the 18th day of September, the Paduans went in full force to Vicenza, and took the suburbs, and besieged the city; but M. Cane, lord of Verona, suddenly came to Vicenza, and with a few followers fought against the Paduans; and they being in disorder, trusting in themselves too much after having taken the suburbs, were discomfited, and many of them were slain and taken prisoner.
§ 64.—How the Florentines made peace with the Aretines. § 65.—How a comet appeared in the heavens.
§ 66.—Of the death of Philip, king of France, and of his sons.
In the said year 1314, in the month of November, the King Philip, king of France, which had reigned twenty-nine years, died by an ill-adventure; for, being at a chase, a wild boar ran between the legs Par. xix. 118-120. of the horse whereupon he was riding, and caused him to fall, and shortly after he died. He was one of the most comely men in the world, and of the tallest in person, and well proportioned in every limb; he was a wise man in himself, and good, after layman's fashion, but by reason of pleasure-seeking, especially in the chase, he did not devote Purg. vii. 109, 110. his powers to ruling his realm, but rather allowed them to be played upon by others, so that he was generally swayed by ill counsel, to which he lent a too ready credence; whence many perils came to his realm. He left three sons, Louis, king of Navarre; Philip, count of Poitou; and Charles, Count de la Marche. All these sons one after another in a short while became kings of France, one succeeding on the death of another. And a little while before King Philip, their father, died, there fell upon them great and shameful misfortune, for the wives of all three were found to be faithless; and each one of the husbands was among the most beauteous Christians in the world. The wife of King Louis was daughter of the duke of Burgundy. Louis, when he was king of France, caused her to be strangled with a towel, and then took to wife Queen Clemence, daughter, that was, of Charles Cf. Par. ix. 1. Martel, the son of Charles II., king of Apulia. The wives of the second and third sons were sisters, daughters of the count of Burgundy, and heiresses of the countess of Artois. Philip, count of Poitou, on his wife's denial of the charge, and because he loved her much, took her again as being good and beautiful; Charles, Count de la Marche, never would take his wife back, but kept her in prison. This misfortune, it was said, befell them as a miracle by reason of the sin which prevailed in that house of taking their kinswomen to wife, not regarding degrees, or perchance because of the sin committed by their father in taking Pope Boniface, as the bishop of Sion prophesied, as we have before narrated.
§ 67.—Of the election which was made in Germany of two Emperors, one
1314 a.d.
1315 a.d.
the duke of Bavaria, and the other the duke of Austria. § 68.—How
Uguccione, lord of Pisa, made great war against the neighbouring
places. § 69.—How King Louis of France was crowned, and led an army
against the Flemings, but gained nothing.
§ 70.—How Uguccione, lord of Lucca and of Pisa, laid siege to the castle of Montecatini.
In the said year, Uguccione da Faggiuola, with his forces of German troops, being lord of all Pisa and of Lucca, having triumphed throughout all Tuscany, brought his host and laid siege to Montecatini, in Valdinievole, which was held by the Florentines after the loss of Lucca; and, albeit it was well furnished with good men, yet by means of the siege works it was greatly straitened, and in sore want of provisions. The Florentines sent into the Kingdom for M. Philip of Taranto, brother to King Robert, to oppose the fury of Uguccione, and of the Pisans, and of the Germans; and he came to Florence on the 11th of July with 500 horsemen in the pay of the Florentines, and with his son Charles, against the will of King Robert, who knew his brother to be more headstrong than wise, and also not very fortunate in battle, but rather the contrary; and if the Florentines had been willing to tarry longer, King Robert would have sent to Florence his son, the duke, with more order and more preparation, and a better following: but the haste of the Florentines, and the device of hostile fortune, made them desire only the prince, whence came to them thereafter much harm and loss of renown.
§ 71.—How, when the prince of Taranto was come to Florence, the Florentines sallied forth with their army to succour Montecatini, and were defeated by Uguccione della Faggiuola.
When the prince of Taranto and his son were come to Florence, Uguccione, with all his forces from Pisa and from Lucca, and those of the bishop of Arezzo, and of the counts of Santafiore, and of all the Ghibellines of Tuscany and the exiles of Florence, with aid of the Lombards, under M. Maffeo Visconti and his sons, to the number of 2,500 and more horse, and a great number of foot, came to besiege the stronghold of Montecatini. The Florentines, in order to succour it, assembled a great host, and since they invited all their friends, there were there Bolognese, Sienese, men of Perugia and of the city of Castello, of Agobbio, and of Romagna, and of Pistoia, of Volterra, and of Prato, and of all the other Guelf and friendly cities of Tuscany, to the number, with the followers of the prince and of M. Piero, of 3,200 horse and a very great number of foot; and they departed from Florence on the 6th day of August. And when the said host of the Florentines and of the prince was come to Valdinievole, over against that of Uguccione, many days they abode face to face with the torrent of the Nievole between them, and many assaults and skirmishes took place. The Florentines, with many captains and but little order, held their enemies for nought; Uguccione and his people held theirs in great fear, and for this cause they kept strict guard and wise generalship. Uguccione, receiving tidings that the Guelfs of the territory six miles around Lucca, at the instigation of the Florentines, were marching upon Lucca, and had already routed the escort and taken possession of the road whereby provisions were brought to his army, took counsel to withdraw from the siege; and by night he gathered his troops and burned his outworks, and came with his followers in battle array to the neutral ground on the plain commanded by both the two hosts, with the intention, if the prince and his host did not stretch out to intercept him, to march through and make for Pisa; and if they desired to fight, he would have the advantage of the field, and would risk the chances of battle. The prince and the Florentines and their host, perceiving this, when day broke left the camp, and moved their tents and baggage; and the prince being ill with ague, they showed but little foresight, nor kept good order in the troops, by reason of the sudden and unexpected breaking up of the camp, but they confronted the enemy, thinking to turn them to flight. Uguccione, perceiving that he could not avoid the battle, caused the outposts of the plain to be assailed (to wit, the Sienese and them of Colle and others,) by his forefighters, about 150 horse, whereof were captains with the imperial pennon, M. Giovanni Giacotti Malespini, a rebel against Florence, and Uguccione's son; and the Sienese and men of Colle were without resistance broken up and driven back as far as the troop of M. Piero, which was with the Florentine horse. There the said forefighters were checked and well-nigh all cut off and slain, and the said M. Giovanni was left there dead, and Uguccione's son, and their company; and the imperial pennon was cut down, with many good and brave folk.
§ 72.—More about the said battle and defeat of the Florentines and of the prince.
When the attack was begun, and Uguccione perceived how sorry a figure was made by the Sienese and the men of Colle when they fled by reason of the assault of his forefighters, he straightway caused the German troop to strike in, which were 800 horse and more; and they furiously attacked the camp and the said ill-ordered host, whereof by reason of the sudden movement a great part of the horse was not fully armed, and the foot so ill ordered, that when the Germans attacked them in flank, the javelin men let their missiles fall upon our own horse, and then took to flight. And this, among others was one great cause of the rout of the Florentine host, forasmuch as the said German troop pricking forward turned them to flight with little resistance save from the troop of M. Piero and of the Florentines, which endured long, but in the end were discomfited. In this battle there died M. Piero, brother of King Robert, and his body was never found; and M. Carlo, son of the prince, died there, and Count Charles of Battifolle, and M. Caroccio, and M. Brasco of Aragon, constables of the Florentines, men of great valour; and of Florence were left on the field some from well-nigh all the great houses and many magnates of the people, to the number of 114 cavaliers, between slain and prisoners; and, in like manner, of the best of Siena and Perugia and Bologna, and the other cities of Tuscany and of Romagna; in which battle there were slain 2,000 men in all, of horse and foot, and there were 1,500 prisoners. The prince fled with all the rest of his followers, some towards Pistoia and some towards Fucecchio and some by the Cerbaia; wherefore, since numbers were lost in the marshes of the Guisciana, many of the aforesaid slain were drowned without stroke of sword. This lamentable discomfiture was on the day of the beheading of S. John, the 29th day of August, 1315. After the said discomfiture, the stronghold of Montecatini surrendered to Uguccione, and the stronghold of Montesommano, which the Florentines held; and they which were within were allowed to go out safe and sound under conditions.
§ 73.—How Vinci and Cerretoguidi rebelled against the Florentines. § 74.—How King Robert sent Count Novello into Florence as captain. § 75.—How Uguccione beheaded Banduccio Bonconti and his son, magnates of Pisa. § 76.—How the Florentines were divided into 1316 a.d. factions among themselves, and elected a Bargello. § 77.—How a part of the walls of Florence was built, and how bad coins were struck. § 78.—How Uguccione da Faggiuola was expelled from the lordship of Pisa and of Lucca, and how Castruccio at first had the lordship of Lucca. § 79.—How the count of Battifolle was vicar in Florence, and expelled the Bargello and changed the state of Florence. § 80.—Tells of a great famine and mortality beyond the mountains.
§ 81.—Of the election of Pope John XXII.
John XXII., born in Cahors, of base lineage, occupied the papal chair for 18 years 2 months and 26 days. He was elected on the 7th day of August, 1316, in Avignon by the cardinals, after a vacancy of two years, and after great discord among themselves, forasmuch as the Gascon cardinals, which were a large part of the college, desired the election of one of themselves, and the Italian and French and Provençal cardinals would not consent thereto, so much had they endured from the Gascon Pope. After long dispute, both one party and the other entrusted their votes to this Cahorsine, as a mediator, the Gascons believing that he would elect the cardinal of Bésiers, which was of their nation, or Cardinal Pelagrù. Who, with the consent of the other Italians and Provençals, and by the device of Cardinal Napoleone Orsini, head of the faction against the Gascons, gave the chair to himself, electing himself Pope after the manner ordained according to the Decretals. This man was a poor clerk, and his father was a cobbler, and he was brought up by the bishop of Arles, chancellor to King Charles II.; and by reason of his goodness and industry he came into favour with King Charles, who caused him to be educated at his charges, and then the king made him bishop of Frejus; and on the death of his master, the archbishop of Arles, to wit M. Piero da Ferriera, the chancellor, King Robert made him chancellor in his stead; and afterwards, of his care and sagacity, he sent letters as from King Robert to Pope Clement recommending himself, whereof the king, it was said, knew nothing at all, by reason of which letters he, the said bishop of Frejus, was promoted to be bishop of Avignon, and afterwards cardinal by reason of his wit and industry; wherefore King Robert, before he was made cardinal, was wroth with him, and took away the seal from him, forasmuch as he had sealed the said letters in his own favour to the said Pope Clement without his knowledge. This Pope John was crowned in Avignon on S. Mary's Day, the 8th day of September, 1316. Afterwards he was a great friend to King Robert, and he to him; and by his means he did great things, as hereafter shall be narrated. This Pope caused the Seventh Book of the Decretals to be completed which Pope Clement had begun, and set in order the solemnity and festival of the Sacrament of the Body of Christ, with great indulgences and pardons to whoso should be at celebration of the sacred offices, each hour, and he gave a general pardon of forty days to all Christians for every time that they made reverence when the priest repeated the name of Jesus Christ; this he did afterwards in the year 1318.
§ 82.—How King Robert and the Florentines made peace with the Pisans and Lucchese. § 83.—How the Florentines recalled the bad money and issued the good money of the "new Guelf" mintage. § 84.—How King Robert sent his fleet to Sicily and did great damage. § 85.—How Ferrara rebelled against the Church.
§ 86.—How Uguccione da Faggiuola sought to re-enter Pisa, and what came of it in Pisa, and of the Marquis Spinetta.
In the said year 1317, in the month of August, Uguccione da Faggiuola, with aid from M. Cane of Verona, came suddenly with much people, both horse and foot, into Lunigiana, supported by forces and letters of the Marquis Spinetta, who purposed to come to Pisa on the strength of certain negotiations which he had conducted in the city with men of his faction; which plot was discovered, and there was an outcry of the people, whereof Coscetto dal Colle of Pisa made himself the leader; and by the counsel of Count Gaddo they rushed in fury to the house of the Lanfranchi, which were in league with Uguccione, and slew four of the chief of the house; and others, together with their followers, they banished and set under bounds. When Uguccione perceived that he could not carry out his enterprise, he returned into Lombardy to Verona. Castruccio, lord of Lucca, and Uguccione's enemy, made a league with Count Gaddo and with the Pisans, and with aid of horsemen from them, he went with his host against the Marquis Spinetti, which had given Uguccione free passage, and took from him Fosdinuovo, a very strong castle, and Veruca and Buosi, and drave him from all his towns; and the said Spinetti fled with his family to M. Cane della Scala at Verona.
§ 87.—How the Ghibelline party left Genoa.
In the said year 1317, on the 15th day of September, the city of Genoa being under popular government, but the Grimaldi and the Fiescadori and their Guelf party being stronger than the d'Oria and their Ghibellines (on the one hand because King Robert favoured the Guelfs, and on the other hand because the Spinoli, which were of the Ghibelline party, and in exile from Genoa, were enemies of the d'Oria), certain of the house of the Grimaldi, by reason of enmity against the d'Oria, reinstated the Spinoli in Genoa, under pretence that they would abide under their command and that of the commonwealth. When they of the house of d'Oria and their friends perceived this, they feared greatly to be betrayed by the Guelfs and by the Grimaldi; and the city was all in arms and uproar; and the d'Oria not finding themselves powerful, by reason of the opposition of the Guelfs, and also of the Ghibelline Spinoli their enemies, concealed themselves and their friends, and showed no force of arms; by the which thing the Guelfs were encouraged and took up arms, and chose as captains of Genoa, M. Carlo dal Fiesco and M. Guasparre Grimaldi, on the 10th day of November, 1317. And when the Spinoli which were returned to Genoa saw that the city was come altogether to the Guelf party, and knew that this was through the care and industry of King Robert, straightway they agreed with the d'Oria and with their Ghibelline friends, and they all departed from the city together, on no other compulsion; whence afterwards ensued great scandal and war, as hereafter will be told, forasmuch as the said two houses of the d'Oria and the Spinola were the most powerful families of Italy on the side of the Ghibellines and the empire.
§ 88.—How the Ghibellines of Lombardy besieged Cremona.
§ 89.—How M. Cane della Scala led an army against the Paduans, and took many castles from them.
In the said year, in the month of December, the said M. Cane with his forces led his host against the Paduans, and took Monselici and Esti and a great part of their castles, and brought them so low that the following February, not being able to oppose him, they made peace according to M. Cane's pleasure, and promised to restore the Ghibellines to Padua; and this they did.
§ 90.—How the exiles from Genoa with the force of the Ghibellines of Lombardy besieged Genoa.
In the year 1318, when they of the houses of d'Oria and of Spinola with their following were in banishment from Genoa, and by reason of their power maintained themselves on the Riviera of Genoa on their estates, they sent ambassadors into Lombardy and made a treaty and league with M. Maffeo Visconti, captain of Milan, and with his sons Cf. Convivio iv. 20: 38-41. and with all the Lombard league which were Imperial and Ghibelline. For the which thing M. Marco Visconti, son of the said Maffeo, came from Lombardy with a great army of soldiers, Germans and Lombards, on horse and on foot, and with the said exiles from Genoa laid siege to the said city on the side of Co' di Fare and of the suburbs; and this was on the 25th day of March, 1318; and a few days after they of the house of d'Oria, with the aid of the others, led another army against the city of Albingano, on the Riviera of Genoa, and this they took, under conditions, in a few days. Afterwards, while the said host was still at Genoa, M. Edoardo d'Oria made a compact with the Abao [chief magistrate] of the people of Saona, and entered into the said city of Saona by night secretly, and straightway, with the aid of the Ghibellines of the city (for the greater part thereof were of the Imperial party), caused the said city to rebel against the commonwealth of Genoa in the month of April; for the which thing the forces of the exiles from Genoa increased greatly, so that well-nigh Cf. Purg. iv. 25. Purg. iii. 49. all the Western Riviera was under their lordship, save the strongholds of Monaco and Ventimiglia and the city of Noli; and in the Eastern Riviera they held Lerici.
§ 91.—How the Ghibellines of Lombardy took Cremona.
§ 92.—How the exiles from Genoa took the suburbs of Prea.
In the said year, at the end of May, the said exiles had besieged the city of Co' di Fare for two months, and it was bravely held by them within by means of a cunning device of ropes which kept the tower in communication with a vessel in the port of Genoa, and by this means they were supplied and provisioned in spite of all the host; wherefore the said exiles took counsel how they might dig and cut away the ground under the said tower. They within, fearing that it might fall, surrendered it on condition that their lives should be spared, and some said for money; and when they had returned into Genoa, they were condemned to death, and were cast down from a height. While the refugees were busied with the said siege, they continually attacked the suburbs of Prea, which are without the Oxen Gate; and fighting manfully, they took the place on the 25th day of June in the said year, whereby they advanced greatly, and the inhabitants of Genoa lost in like measure; for the host without increased, and gathered in the suburbs, and took the mountain of Peraldo and of S. Bernardo above Genoa, and surrounded the city; and above Bisagno they pitched another camp, so that the city was all besieged by land, and by sea it suffered great persecution from the galleys of Saona, and from the exiles, which had the lordship over the sea.
§ 93.—How King Robert came by sea to succour Genoa.
In the said year 1318, the Guelf party being thus besieged in Genoa by sea and by land, they sent their ambassadors to Naples to King Robert, who had been the cause of the whole disturbance in Genoa, that he should succour them and aid them without delay; and if he did not do this, they could not hold out, so straitened were they by the siege and by want of victuals. For the which thing King Robert straightway raised a great fleet of forty-seven transport vessels and twenty-five light galleys, and many other boats and craft laden with provisions; and he in person, with the prince of Taranto, and with M. John, prince of the Morea, his brothers, and with other barons and with horsemen to the number of 1,200, departed from Naples on the 10th day of July, and came by sea, and entered into Genoa on the 21st day of July, 1318, and was honourably received by the citizens as their lord, and heartened the city, which could scarce hold out for lack of victuals. Immediately when the king was come to Genoa, the exiles broke up the camp which they had in Bisagno, and withdrew to the mountains of San Bernardo and of Peraldo, and to the suburbs of Prea towards the west.
§ 94.—How the Genoese gave the lordship of Genoa to King Robert.
In the said year, on the 27th day of July, the captains of Genoa and the Abao of the people, and the Podestà, in full parliament, renounced their jurisdiction and lordship, and with the consent of the people gave the lordship and care of the city and of the Riviera to Pope John and to King Robert for ten years, according to the constitutions of Genoa; and King Robert took it for the Pope and for himself, as one who had long desired it, thinking when he should have got the lordship of Genoa quietly in his hands, to be able to recover the island of Sicily, and overcome all his enemies; and it was for this purpose that, long ere this, he had stirred up revolution in the city, so as to drive thence the Spinoli and the d'Oria, forasmuch as ofttimes whilst they were lords of Genoa, they had opposed King Robert and King Charles, his father, and had helped them of Aragon which held the island of Sicily, as before we have made mention.
§ 95.—Of the active war which the exiles of Genoa with the Lombards made against King Robert.
The host without Genoa was not weakened by reason of King Robert's coming, but was largely increased by the aid of the lords of Lombardy, which held with the Imperial party; and they renewed their league with the emperor of Constantinople, and with King Frederick of Sicily, and with the marquis of Monferrat, and with Castruccio, lord of Lucca, and also secretly with the Pisans. And whilst they were at the siege, they were continually making strong and fierce assaults upon the city, hurling things against it from many engines, and attacking it in many places by day and by night—being men of great vigour—in such wise that King Robert with all his forces could gain nothing against them in any part. Rather by digging underground they undermined a great piece of the wall of Porta Santa Agnesa, and caused it to fall, and some of them entered by force into the city. Wherefore the king in person armed himself with all his followers, and they met one another with great vigour upon the ruined walls with swords in hand, but the great barons and knights of the king drove back their enemies with great loss both to one side and to the other, and they rebuilt the walls with great labour in a short time, working both day and night. The king and his followers being thus besieged and attacked in Genoa, sent for aid into Tuscany, and received it from many quarters: from the Florentines, 100 horse and 500 foot, all with lilies for their device, and the same number from Bologna, and likewise from Romagna, and from many other places, and they went to Genoa by sea by the way of Talamone; so that when his allies were come to him, the king was Cf. Purg. xiii. 152. supported in Genoa on the first day of November of the said year by more than 2,500 horse, and by footmen without number. Without were more than 1,500 horse, and the captain of the host was M. Marco Visconti of Milan, and they held the hill fortresses round about in such wise that the king could not go afield; and thus abode the said hosts in close war and skirmishes, hurling and shooting at one another all the said summer, and also the winter, forasmuch as neither one side nor the other could get the advantage. And thus abiding, M. Marco Visconti was so presumptuous as to request King Robert to fight with him in single combat, and whichever was victorious should be lord, which put the king into great scorn.
§ 96.—How in the city of Siena there was a conspiracy, and uproar, and great changes followed thereupon.
§ 97.—How King Robert's followers discomfited the exiles from Genoa at the village of Sesto, and how they departed from the siege of the city.
In the said year 1318, after that King Robert had been besieged in Genoa for more than six months, as already narrated, he bethought him that he could not crush his enemies without unless he could land his army between the suburbs and Saona; and he raised a fleet of sixty galleys and transport vessels, and assembled 850 horse, and of foot full 15,000; and together with them were some Florentines and other Tuscans, and Bolognese and Romagnese; and they departed from Genoa on the 4th day of February, to bring the said people into the country around Sesto. And when the exiles and those without heard this, straightway they sent thither of their people on horse and on foot in great numbers to dispute the shore with King Robert's host, to the end the king's people might not come to land. Which people arrived on the 5th day of February, and with great travail, pushing empty casks before them, fought hand to hand with the enemy, the chief of them being Florentines and other Tuscans, which first descended from the galleys under the protection of the bowmen of the galleys which were by the shore; and by force of arms they landed, and broke up and discomfited the forces of the exiles upon the shore of Sesto, and many thereof were slain and taken prisoners; and they which escaped fled into the suburbs and to Saona, and the night following all the host Johannes de Virgilio. Carmen v. 29. which were in the suburbs and in the mountains of Paraldo and of San Bernardo departed and went towards Lombardy, and left all their baggage without having been pursued, forasmuch as the king would not that his people should follow after them because of the dangers of those mountains. Afterwards they of the city of Genoa recovered the suburbs of Prea and Co' di Fare and all the forts outside the city.
§ 98.—How King Robert departed from Genoa and went to the papal 1319 a.d. court in Provence.
§ 99.—How the exiles from Genoa with the Lombards returned to the siege of Genoa.
In the said year 1319, when the exiles from Genoa heard of the departure of King Robert, they equipped in Saona twenty-eight galleys, whereof M. Conrad d'Oria was admiral, and they sent into Lombardy for aid, and assembled 1,000 and more horse, whereof the greater part were Germans, and a great number of common folk; and on the 27th day of July of the said year they returned with their army to Genoa, and set up their camp in Ponzevera, and on the 3rd day of August following they drew nigh to the city, attacking the suburbs in many places by land from the side of Bisagno; and the said galleys entered the port and strongly attacked the city, but gained nothing. And on the 7th day of August following there was a great battle in the plain of Bisagno between the exiles and those within the city, with great loss both to the one side and to the other, without either party having the honour of the victory, for those without retreated to the hill, and those within returned into the city; and afterwards they fought continually by day and by night against the city by sea and by land.
§ 100.—How M. Cane della Scala took the suburbs of Padua.
In the said year 1319, in August, M. Cane della Scala, with the exiles from Padua, whom the Paduans would not restore to the city according to the compact made by M. Cane, came with an army against Padua, with 2,000 horse and 10,000 foot, and took the suburbs, and set up there three camps in order the better to besiege it.
§ 101.—How the Guelfs of Lombardy retook Cremona. § 102.—How M. Ugo dal Balzo was routed at Alessandria. § 103.—How the refugees from Genoa retook the suburbs of Genoa. § 104.—How the Ghibellines took Spoleto. § 105.—How the king of Tunis recovered his lordship. § 106.—How Castruccio, lord of Lucca, broke peace with the 1320 a.d. Florentines, and began war against them again. § 107.—How folk of the refugees from Genoa were routed at Lerici. § 108.—How the Genoese took Bingane. § 109.—How the Pope and the Church invited M. Philip of Valois to come into Lombardy. § 110.—How M. Philip of Valois returned into France with shame, having gained nothing. § 111.—How Castruccio marched upon the Genoese Riviera. § 112.—How Frederick of Sicily sent his fleet of galleys to besiege Genoa. § 113.—How King Robert equipped his fleet of galleys to oppose that of the Sicilians, and what it accomplished. § 114.—Of the same. § 115.—How the Florentines forced Castruccio to return from the siege of Genoa. § 116.—Of the assaults which the exiles from Genoa and the Sicilians made upon the city, wherein they were worsted. § 117.—How the exiles from Genoa laid waste Chiaveri. § 118.—How the exiles from Genoa took Noli, and did divers acts of war. § 119.—How the king of Spain's brother was routed by the Saracens of Granada. § 120.—How the brothers of the Hospital defeated the Turks with their fleet at Rhodes.
§ 121.—How M. Cane della Scala being at the siege of Padua, was defeated by the Paduans and by the count of Görtz.
In the said year 1320, M. Cane della Scala, lord of Verona, had besieged the city of Padua with all his forces continually for more than a year, and having taken from that city well-nigh all its territory and strongholds, and having defeated them many times, had so crushed the city that it could hold out no longer, forasmuch as he had surrounded it entirely with ramparts occupied by his men, so that no provisions could enter therein. The said Paduans, well-nigh despairing of any escape, turned to the duke of Austria, king elect of the Romans, which sent to their succour the count of Görtz and the lord of Vals, with 500 steel-capped horsemen, and they suddenly, and as it were in secret, entered into Padua with these their followers. The said M. Cane, by reason of his great confidence and pride in his victories, and the great number of horse and of foot which were in his army, cared little for the Paduans, and by reason of the long siege, being too secure, had his troops in ill order. It came to pass that on the 25th day of August, 1320, the said count of Görtz, with his Friolese and Germans, and with the Paduans, sallied forth suddenly from the city, and vigorously assailed the host. M. Cane, with some of his ill-ordered horse, thinking to beat them back, gave battle, and by the count of Görtz and the Paduans was discomfited and unhorsed and wounded, and scarce came off with his life by the help of his followers, and escaped on a horse to Monselice; and his host was all routed, and many of his followers were slain or taken prisoners, and all their belongings lost; and thus by want of foresight the good fortune of this victorious tyrant changed to bad. At this siege of Padua died Uguccione della Faggiuola at Cittadella [al. In the city of Verona] of sickness, being come to aid M. Cane. He was the other great tyrant, which so persecuted the Florentines and Lucchese, as before we made mention.
§ 122.—How the count Gaddo, lord of Pisa, died; and how the count 1320 a.d. Nieri was made lord thereof. § 123.—How peace was made by the king of France with the Flemings. § 124.—How there was great dissension amongst them of the house of Flanders. § 125.—How the Ghibellines were expelled from Rieti. § 126.—How there was a great enrolling of armies by two emperors elect of Germany. § 127.—How the Marquis Spinetta allied himself with the Florentines against Castruccio, but it turned out to the shame of the Florentines. § 128.—How the offices were changed in Florence. § 129.—How the Marquis Cavalcabò, with the league of Tuscany, was routed in Lombardy. § 130.—How M. Galeasso of Milan had the city of Cremona. § 131.—How there was an eclipse of the sun, and the king of France died. § 132.—How the Bolognese expelled from Bologna Romeo de' Peppoli, the rich man, and his followers. § 133.—How the emperor of Constantinople had war with his sons. § 134.—How Frederick of Sicily was excommunicated, and how he had his son crowned over the kingdom. § 135.—How the Florentines sent to Frioli for horsemen.
§ 136.—Concerning the poet Dante Alighieri of Florence.
In the said year 1321, in the month of July, Dante Alighieri, of Florence, died in the city of Ravenna, in Romagna, having returned from an embassy to Venice in the service of the lords of Polenta, with whom he was living; and in Ravenna, before the door of the chief church, he was buried with great honour, in the garb of a poet and of a great philosopher. He died in exile from the commonwealth of Florence, at the age of about fifty-six years. This Dante was a citizen of an honourable and ancient family in Florence, of the Porta San Piero, and our neighbour; and his exile from Florence was by reason that when M. Charles of Valois, of the House of France, came to Florence in the year 1301 and banished the White party, as has been afore mentioned at its due time, the said Dante was among the chief governors of our city, and pertained to that party, albeit he was a Guelf; and, therefore, for no other fault he was driven out and banished from Florence with the White party; and went to the university at Bologna, and afterwards at Paris, and in many parts of the world. This man was a great scholar in almost every branch of learning, albeit he was a layman; he was a great poet and philosopher, and a perfect rhetorician alike in prose and verse, a very noble orator in public speaking, supreme in rhyme, with the most polished Inf. i. 87. and beautiful style which in our language ever was up to his time and beyond it. In his youth he wrote the book of The New Life, of Love; and afterwards, when he was in exile, he wrote about twenty very excellent odes, treating of moral questions and of love; and he wrote three noble letters among others; one he sent to the government of Florence complaining of his undeserved exile; the second he sent to Epistola vii. the Emperor Henry when he was besieging Brescia, reproving him for his delay, almost in a prophetic strain; the third to the Italian viii. cardinals, at the time of the vacancy after the death of Pope Clement, praying them to unite in the election of an Italian Pope; all these in Latin in a lofty style, and with excellent purport and authorities, and much commended by men of wisdom and insight. And he wrote the Comedy, wherein, in polished verse, and with great and subtle questions, moral, natural, astrological, philosophical, and theological, with new and beautiful illustrations, comparisons, and poetry, he dealt and treated in 100 chapters or songs, of the existence and condition of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise as loftily as it were possible to treat of them, as in his said treatise may be seen and understood by whoso has subtle intellect. It is true that he in this Comedy delighted to denounce and to cry out after the manner of poets, perhaps in certain places more than was fitting; but may be his exile was the cause of this. He wrote also The Monarchy, in which he treated of the office of Pope and of Emperor. [And he began a commentary upon fourteen of his afore-named moral odes in the vulgar tongue which, in consequence of his death, is only completed as to three of them; the which commentary, judging by what can be seen of it, was turning out a lofty, beautiful, subtle, and very great work, adorned by lofty style and fine philosophical and astrological reasonings. Also he wrote a little book entitled, De Vulgari Eloquentia, of which he promises to write four books, but of these only two exist, perhaps on account of his untimely death; and here, in strong and ornate Latin and with beautiful reasonings, he reproves all the vernaculars of Italy.] This Dante, because of his knowledge, was Cf. Canzone, 58-63. somewhat haughty and reserved and disdainful, and after the fashion of a philosopher, careless of graces and not easy in his converse with laymen; but because of the lofty virtues and knowledge and worth of so great a citizen, it seems fitting to confer lasting memory upon him in this our chronicle, although, indeed, his noble works, left to us in writing, are the true testimony to him, and are an honourable report to our city.
END OF THE SELECTIONS FROM BOOK IX.
|
Grato e lontan digiuno Tratto leggendo nel magno volume |
| *** |
| Soluto hai. |
Abati (family), 125.
—— Bocca degli, 180.
Acre, 295-298.
Acquasparta, Cardinal, 328, 331.
—— Tegghiaio Aldobrandi degli, 176, 185.
Adrian I., Pope, 52.
—— V., Pope, 259.
Æneas, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
Alberighi (family), 80.
Albert, king of the Romans, 255, 317.
Alexander III., Pope, 102-106.
—— IV., Pope, 158.
Alibrando, bishop of Florence, 37.
Alighieri, Dante, 449-450.
Amidei (family), 121-122, 124.
Anagna (town), 347-350.
Anchises, 10-13.
Antenora, 10.
Antony, Caius, 18-20.
Apulia, 48-53, 85, 86, 90, 127, 128, 130-132, 151, 152, 154-158, 187, 192, 195, and passim.
Arbia (river), 177.
Arezzo, 286-292.
Arius, 39.
Arno, passim.
Arthur, king of Britain, 48.
Augustus, Octavianus, 17, 31-33.
Bardi, 123.
Barucci (family), 124.
Bella, della (family), 71, 82, 125.
Benedict XI., Pope, 352, 356, 369-370.
Benivento (battle), 209-217.
Berenger, Count Raymond, 195-197.
Berti, Bellincione, 62, 80, 120.
Bianco, Cardinal, 184.
Blacks, party of, 322-331, 357-359, 361-362, and passim.
Bonatti, Guido (astrologer), 273.
Bondelmonti (family), 99, 124.
Boniface VIII., Pope, 305-308, 315-318, 320, 326, 344-352, sqq.
Brunelleschi (family), 124.
Calvoli, Folcieri da, 339-340.
Camilla, 16.
Campaldino (battle), 286-291.
Cancellieri of Pistoia, 322-323.
Carraia (bridge), 76, 126, 246, 360-361.
Carthage, 12.
Catellini (family), 81.
Catiline, 18-22.
Cavalcanti, 124.
—— Guido Cavalcante dei, 224, 331.
Celestine V., Pope, 304-306.
Cepperano, pass of, 206-207.
Charles I. of Anjou, king of Sicily and Apulia, 192-195, 199, 200-217, 225, 228-242, 249-251, 268, 274-276.
—— II., 200, 276, 284-285, 315-316.
—— Martel (son of Charles II.), 276, 316.
—— of Valois, 332-339, 386-387.
—— Martel, 48-49.
—— the Great, 51-56, 59-60, 65-66.
Chiaramontesi (family), 124.
Clement V., Pope, 369-375, 386-390, 427.
Colle di Valdelsa (battle), 243-245.
Colonnesi, 103-104, 261, 317-318.
Conrad, son of Frederick II., 129, 131, 133, 139, 154-156.
Conradino, 156-158, 187, 192, 228-242.
Constance, Empress, 89-90, 92, 113.
Constantine, Emperor, 38-39.
Constantinople, 38-39.
Creusa, wife of Æneas, 10, 11.
Dardanus (founder of Troy), 6, 7, 8, 9, 18.
Desiderius, king of the Lombards, 51, 52.
Dolcino, Frate, 375-376.
Donati (family), 81, 121, 125, 324.
—— Corso, 279, 288-289, 309, 324, 329-331, 335-337, 353-354, 382-386, 400.
Edward I. of England, 247, 251-254.
Elisei (family), 81-125.
Enzo, bastard son of Frederick II., 129, 131.
Europe, 4-5.
Ezzelino of Romano, 167-168.
Faggiuola, Uguccione da, 383, 430-434, 436-437.
Fiesole, 2, 4-8, 18-28, 47, 60-61, 71-73, 98.
Filippi (family), 82.
Firenzuola (city), 151.
Florence (city), 27-30, 75-78, and passim.
Forlì (battle), 272-274.
Frederick I., Barbarossa, Emperor, 101-108, 110-111.
—— II., Emperor, 83, 90-92, 113, 118-119, 126-141, 146-148, 151-152.