This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project
to make the world's books discoverable online.
It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject
to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books
are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover.
Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the
publisher to a library and finally to you.
Usage guidelines
Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the
public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to
prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying.
We also ask that you:
+ Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for
personal, non-commercial purposes.
+ Refrain from automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine
translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the
use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help.
+ Maintain attribution The Google "watermark" you see on each file is essential for informing people about this project and helping them find
additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it.
+ Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just
because we believe a book is in the public domain for users in the United States, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other
countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country, and we can't offer guidance on whether any specific use of
any specific book is allowed. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in Google Book Search means it can be used in any manner
anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe.
About Google Book Search
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers
discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web
at http : //books . google . com/|
Digitized by CjOOQIC
]:f3l 33>^ /
t>an^ar& CoUege XiOrain?
FROM THE BEQUEST OF
CHARLES SUMNER
CLASS OF i8)o
SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS
FOR BOOKS RBLATING TO
POLITICS AND FINE ARTS
Digitized by CjOOQIC
Digitized by CjOOQIC
Digitized by CjOOQIC
A HISTORY
COMMONWEALTH OF FLORENCE.
Digitized by CjOOQIC
Digitized by CjOOQIC
o
A HISTORY
OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF FLOEENCE,
THE EARLIEST INDEPENDENCE OF THE COMMUNE
TO THE FALL OF THE REPUBLIC IN 1531.
T. ADOLPHUS JROLLOPE,
AUTHOR OF "THB OIBLHOOD OF CATHERINE DE* MEDICI," "THE lAT^ OF FIUPPO 8TROZZI,'
"PAUL THE FRIAR AKD PAUL THE POPE," ETC
IN FOUR VOLS.
VOL. IV.
LONDON :
CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
1865.
[jf%e Right of Translation reterved,']
Digitized by VjOOQlC
Xial-bdl^.l
MAR391883
lomdom:
braoburt akd kvams, priktsbs, wbitkrriars.
Digitized by CjOOQ IC
CONTENTS.
BOOK vm.
CHAPTER V.
Lorenzo lamented in Florence — By the populace — By the literary
classes throughout Italy — The three sons of Lorenzo : Pietro,
Giovanni, Giuliano^ — Pietro de* Mddici — His character and quali-
ties — " CiviM" in Florence —Pietro's excellence in athletic sports
—His minister Pietro da Bibbiena— Change of political situation
in Italy — Death of Pope Innocent YIII.— Monstrous attempts to
prolong his life — Savonarola's prediction— His influence in Flo-
rence greatly increased by the success of it — Gradual but rapid
increase of the anti-Medicean party in Florence — Arrest by
Pietro of his two cousins — Signs of coming storm in the political
horizon of Italy — The evils about to fall on Italy necessarily
produced by the governmental theories then in vogue— Feudal
transmission of kingdoms as flefs — Sismondi on this subject-
Disputed succession to the throne of Naples— Ludovico il Moro
at Milan — Isabella of Arragon, wife of Ludovico's nephew Gio-
vanni Galeazzo — Quarrel of Ludovioo with the King of Naples,
Isabella's grandfather — Insecure position of Ludovico at Milan —
Importance to him of the disposition towards him of Pietro de'
Medici — Ambassadors to the new Pope, Alexander VI. — Disa-
greement between Ludovico and Pietro on this subject — Lands
belonging to the Church held by Franceschetto Cybo, sold by
him to Virginio Orsini — Quarrel arising from this transaction
between Ludovico and Milan and the Medici — After much hesi-
tation Ludovico determines on inviting the French to invade Italy
— Claims of the house of Anjou to Naples, descended to Charlts
VI IL — Reception by him and by his court of the proposal to
invade Italy — The incapacity of Charles VIII. — Secret treaty
between him and Ludovioo— Counsellors of Charles VIII. —
Charles at Lyons — Scarcity of money in the French court — Alarm
Digitized by CjOOQIC
CONTEXTS.
VXQlt
among the Italian states — Specially at Florence — Savonarola —
His sermons at this period — His prophetic denunciations — "Why
delayed — Savonarola desires the French invasion — The "Piagnoni"
— Abortive attempts at union and reconciliation among the Italian
sovereigns — Charles crosses the Alps — His stay and illness at Asti
— Shabby means used by him to raise money — Growing mutual
disgusts between the French and Ludovico— Conduct of the French
in Lombardy — Charles at Pavia — His interview there with Gio-
vanni Galeazzo^Death of the latter — French array reaches Pon-
tremoli 1
CHAPTER VI.
Steps taken by Alfonso of Naples for the defence of his kingdom — He
sends a fleet to Genoa — The French, warned by the Cardinal
della Rovere, are there before him— Duke of Orleans at Genoa
— Rappallo — Battle there between the Neapolitans and the French
— Rout of the Italians — Horrible atrocities perpetrated by the
French — Dishonest representation of a French historian — Effect
of this battle throughout Jislj — General alarm in Italy — Omens
and portents of coming trouble — Guicciardini on this subject —
FroDoh ambassadors at various Italian courts — Reception of them
— by the Pope — by the Venetians — by Florence — Feeling of
Florence on the subject different from that of the Medici — Preca-
rious position of Pietro de' Medici — Answer of Florence to the
French ambassadors — Charles banishes from France the servants
of the Mediciy but not other Florentines — Advance of the French
army through the Lunigiana — Cruelties perpetrated by them at
Fivizzano — The Magra — Easily defensible line afforded by that
river — The French besiege Sarzana — Great alarm at Florence —
Increasing unpopularity of Pietro de* Medici — His panic terror —
He forms a sudden resolution to go to the French king at Sarzana
— His arrival at the French camp— Dastardly conduct there —
French army march on to Pisa — Pietro returns to Florence —
Indignation in the city — Reception there of Pietro— The tocsin
bell rung — Attempt of Pietro to put down the discontent of the
city by force — Pietro refused admittance to the Palazzo pubhlico —
He leaves the city and flies to Bologna — Vain attempt of his
brother Giovanni, the Cardinal, to stem the tide — He is obliged
to follow his brother — escapes in the disguise of a friar— Giuliano,
the third brother, also leaves the city 34
Digitized by CjOOQIC
CONTENTS. vu
BOOK IX.
FROM THE EXILE OF THE MEDICI, A.D. U94. TO THE RETURN
OF THE MEDICI, A.D. 1512. 18 YEARS.
CHAPTER L
PAGE
Anecdote of Pietro de' Medici and Ludovioo il Moro — Confusion in
Florence after the flight of Pietro — The populace without guidance
— save that of Savonarola in his sermons in the Duomo— His pru-
dence — The palace of the Medici and others sacked— Savonarola
absent from the city — The French king at Pisa— He gives the
Pisans their liberty — Florentine commissaries driven out — The
French king at Signa — Sends messengers thence to Pietro de'
Medici at Bologna — Views prevailing in the French court and
camp respecting Florence — Misgivings of the Florentines — Entry
of the king into Florence — State of public feeling in Florence —
Savonarola's "Flagellum Dei'* — Personal appearance of the
French king— He refuses to have his horse led by members of the
Signoria — Dangerous position of the French army in Florence —
Progress of King Charles from the gate to the palace of the Medici
— Impression made by Florence on the minds of the French —
Sudden alarm in Florence — Fight between the Swiss soldiers and
the townsmen — Negotiations with the king — The wife and mother
of Pietro get about him — Four commissioners for conducting the
negotiations with the French king — Francesco Valori — Pietro
Capponi — Exorbitant pretensions of the French — Attempts to re-
impose the Medici — Rejected with indignation by the Florentines
— ^They consent to treat on the footing of a money payment to
be made by the city — The French king's ultimatum — Tom
before his face by Capponi — Florentine answer to French inso-
lence — Treaty as ultimately agreed to — The French quit Florence . 57
CHAPTER II.
The Florentines, eager for the departure of Charles, send Savonarola
to him — The French in leaving Florence steal all they can lay their
hands on — A new government to be constituted — Difficulties in the
way of doing so — Death of Poliziano — His character— Death of
Pico della Mirandola — Leading men on whom the care of recon-
structing the government fell — Sermon of Savonarola before them
— ^Nardi's opinion of the Friar— Difficulty in withstanding the will
b 2
Digitized by CjOOQ IC
Tiii CONTENTS.
PAGE
of Savonarola — ^Proposal of the Signoria to the people — Twenty
** Acooppiatori'' appointed — Execution of Antonio di Bernardo
— Other victims saved from the popular fury by Savonarola —
Dissensions among the " Accoppiatori " render them powerless
— No political leaders in Florence — Savonarola the only man who
could rule the people — Circumstances which unfitted him for that
task — Unfitness of all priests for meddling with civil government
— Agitation in Florence — Prevailing notion of the expediency of
imitating the Venetian constitution — Why not feasible —Argu-
ments for and against the creation of a Great Council — Yenetian
** gentlemen/' and Florentine ** citizens*' — Qualifications for
admission to the Great Council — Savonarola begins to preach on
the political questions of the time — Merit of the constitution ela-
borated by Savonarola in these sermons — Constitution of the Great
Council — Construction of the Sala di Cinque Cento — Election of
a Senate of Eighty — The Great Council had no legislative initiative
— ^The ** Accoppiatori" resign their offices 85
CHAPTER III.
March of the French army through Italy — Entire success of the French
arms — Triumphant entry of Charles into Naples — Conduct of
the French at Naples—Charles leaves Naples — Reaches Home —
Charles at Siena — Feelings at Florence towards the French king
— Savonarola visits Charles at Poggibonsi — Charles at Pisa— Leaves
D'Entragues in command of the citadel — Negotiations with the
French at Asti — Order for the restoration of Pisa sent to Tuscany
— Disobeyed by D'Entragues — "Who eventually gives up tho
citadel to the Pisans — Strong desire at Florence to reconquer Pisa
— Pisans give themselves up to Milan and Venice — Ludovico of
Milan persuades Venice to undertake the holding of Pisa alone
— Florence refuses to join the league unless Pisa be restored
to her — Why Savonarola was anxious for the French king to
return to Italy — His prophecies — Fatal path entered on by Savo-
narola—Enmity excited by his preaching — Parties in Florence
— •*Piagnoni" — **Ottimati" — "Arrabbiati"— Nature of the
Friar's moral influence — Necessity for getting up some outward
and visible sign of it — Carnival of 1496 — The Friar's new way of
keeping it — The burning of ** the vanities"— Nature of the objects
burned — Estimated value of them — Spiritual songs for dancing-
Compared with the songs of our own Puritans . . . .111
CHAPTER IV.
Unanimous desire of the citizens to recover Pisa — Isolation of Florence
— The Venetians— The Pope— The Duke of Milan— Alliance of
Digitized by CjOOQIC
CONTET^TS. ii
PAGB
Florence with France— Views of Savonarola — Division of opinion
in Florence— Parties in the Great Coanoil — Death of Pietro Capponi
— Ascendanoj of the " Frateschi^' — Invitation to Maximilian, king
of the Romans, to march into Italy — His negotiations at Florence
— Florentine reply — Maximilian's movements in Italy— His de-
parture from Italy — Francesco Valori, Gonfaloniere — Succeeded in
that office hy Bernardo del Kero — Attempt of Pietro de' Medici
to enter the city — Results of that unsuccessful attempt — Endea-
vour of a part of the Signory to obtain the condemnation of
Savonarola — Disturbance at the Cathedral on Ascension day-
Savonarola excommunicated — Discovery of a plot for the restoration
of the Medici — Five citizens arrested — Difficulties respecting the
trial of them — Board of two hundred citizens appointed for this
purpose — Unjudicial character of this board — Discussion of the
matter in this assembly — Line taken by the defenders of the five
citizens — Appeal to the Great Council^Violent debates on the
question of allowing this appeal— Excitement in the city — Illegal
violence of the Gonfalonieri of the Guilds — Scene of confusion in
the judgment hall— Letters from Rome received during the judg-
ment—Effect of them — Condemnation of the prisoners without
appeal— Timidity of the Signory — Violence of Francesco Valori —
He forces the Signory to Yote the condemnation — The prisoners
brought into the hall in hope of exciting pity — The attempt
unsuccessful— Francesco Valori provides for the execution of the
sentence on the five prisoners — The execution of them — Part
taken in this matter by Savonarola 138
CHAPTER V.
The ** Frateschi" in the ascendant — Savonarola begins to lose ground
in the city — The untenableness of his position as a Catholic-
Formation of the company of the ** Compagnacci " — Soderini and
his son — Efforts of the Signory to induce the Pope to withdraw
his excommunication — Savonarola after six months' silence deter-
mines to preach in defiance of the excommunication — ^Prohibition
of the archbishop— Decisive action of the Signory in Savonarola's
favour — Savonarola's arguments in justification of his disobedience
to Papal authority — Futility of them — His prophecies — Equivocal
explanation of the non-fulfilment of them — The amount of belief
he had in his prophetical gift — Second burning of << the vanities"
— ^Disapproved by a large party in the city — Effect produced by
Savonarola on the world at large — Fear added to the anger of
the Pope— Negotiations of the Signory with the Pope— Florentine
determination not to give up Savonarola to be judged at Rome
— Suvonarola prohibited from preaching in the cathedral — The
anger uf the Pope against the Signory — Painful position of the
Digitized by CjOOQ IC
CONTENTS.
PAGB
Florentine envoys at Rome — Savonarola prohibited from preaching
at all — His endeavours to cause the calling of a council of the
Church— His messenger to France arrested in Milan; and his
letters sent to the Pope — Rage of the latter — Enmity of the Fran-
ciscans to Savonarola — Challenge to the ordeal by fire — Fra Do-
menico — The three dicta of Savonarola — The ordeal by fire pro-
moted by the **Compagnacci" — Their motives — Difficulty in
bringing the Franciscans to the point^Fra Giuliano Rondinelli
consents to be the champion on the part of the Franciscans — The
conduct of Savonarola with regard to the ordeal— Of the Signory
— A few sane men strive to prevent the ordeal — "Piagnoni"
anxious for it — Savonarola's vacillation on the subject — Seventh
of April finally appointed for the ordeal — Arrangements for it in
the Piazza — Scene in the Piazza on the morning of the Seventh
— The pile — Tergiversation of the Franciscans — Impatience of the
people assembled in the Piazza — Disturbance in the Piazza —
Marcuccio Salviati — Determination of the populace to await the
spectacle of the ordeal — Scholastic discussion between the Domi-
nicans and Franciscans — The Signory forbid proceeding with the
ordeal — Disappointment and anger of the people — Injustice to-
wards Savonarola — Reproaches made to him by his own party
— His humiliation— Return to the convent 166
CHAPTER VI.
Injury done to Savonarola by the proposal of the ordeal — ^Lives
of "Piagnoni" not safe in the streets — Proposal of the "Fra-
teschi *' party to take up arms— rejected by Francesco Valori —
His character — Sunday, the 8th April, 1498, in Florence — Savo-
narola preaches, despite the commands of the Signory — His last
sermon — Sermon by Frsl Mariano degli Ughi at the cathedral —
Disturbances in the city — Attack by the mob on the Convent of
St. Mark — Defence by the monks — Francesco Valori escapes from
the convent— Is killed by the mob near his own house — His wife
also murdered — Infamous conduct of the Signory — The mob break
into the convent — Fr4 Benedetto on the roof — Savonarola takes
no part in the fighting — Anecdotes of the fighting in the church
— Illegal proceeding of the Signory — The church doors fired — Frk
Enrico il Tedesco — Savonarola leads the monks to the library — His
exhortations to them — Order sent by the Signory for the arrest
of Savonarola — Fra Malatesta Sacromoro plays the part of Judas
— Savonarola, with Fri Domenico and another, arrested — Taken
with difficulty through the crowd to the Palazzo Pubblico — Im-
prisoned in separate cells — Approbation of Pope Alexander; of
Ludovico, Duke of Milan — News of the death of Charles VIII. of
France 201
Digitized by CjOOQ IC
CONTENTS. xi
CHAPTER VII.
PAGE
Arrest of adherents of Savonarola — The mind of the populace turned
against him — ^A ** pratica " called to decide on what was to be
done in his case — Boards of magistrates packed to ensure his con-
demnation — His condemnation predetermined — ^Numerous illega-
lities of the proceedings in the trial — Examination with torture
prolonged for a month — Reports of the examination garbled —
Three points on which the examination turned — his religious
doctrine — his political conduct — his claims to prophecy — Vacilla-
tions and inconsistencies of Savonarola on this last head — Straight-
forward clearness on the other points — How far was Savonarola
sincere in the matter of his supernatural gifts — Difficulties of the
Signory to find ground for condemnation — Messer Cecconi, the
notary — undertakes to falsify the process — A fresh trial, with re-
newed torture — ^Messer Cecconi« fails to satisfy the Signory — ^At-
tempt to have a third trial — abandoned — Two editions of the pro-
cess printed by the Signory — Savonarola's signature to the
proceedings, how obtained — Nature of the language and ex-
pressions employed by him in his examinations— Trial of Frd
Domenico— Trial of Era Silvestro— of others of Savonarola's
adherents — Conduct of the Friars of St. Mark — The Pope still
insists that Savonarola should be given up to him— The govern-
ment refuse to do this— A new Signory elected — Illegal exclu-
sions from the Qreat Council— The new Signory as hostile to Savo-
narola as the preceding — Pope invited to send commissioners to
Florence to superintend the condemnation and execution of Savo-
narola — This proposal acted on — ^New examination by the Papal
commissioners — Sentence passed — The "Neri" in Savonarola's
condemned cell — Last interview between Savonarola and Era
Domenico and Frd Silvestro— Ceremony of ecclesiastical degra-
dation — ^Preparations for the execution — Taking the monastic habit
from the prisoners — ^The formal cutting off from the Church —
and handing over to the secular arm — Conduct of the three pri-
soners at the place of execution — Infamous conduct of the popu-
lace—The execution 217
CHAPTER VIII
<}uicciardini's testimony to the results of Savonarola's teaching-
Political aspect of affairs after Savonarola's death — The war
against Pisa — Deplorable state of things in the Florentine camp —
Ludovico of Milan jealous of Yenioe — He decides on giving assist-
ance to Florence — Pope will not do anything to assist Florence ;
and why — His views for his son — The death of Savonarola con-
Digitized by CjOOQIC
CONTENTS.
PAGE
tributed to render LudoTico fayourable to Florence — Louis XII.
of France — His claim to the Duchy of Milan— Louis prepares to
invade Italy — Basis of the alliance between Louis and the Pope
— Dispensation granted to the French king — Florentine troops
defeated by the Fisans in May, 1498 — ^Paolo Vitelli engaged by
the Florentines — Caterina Sforza — Alliance with her and her son
—Attempt to negotiate with Yenioe unsuccessful — Successes of
Paolo Yitelli in the district of Pisa — ^The Florentines disapprove of
his conduct of the war — Suspect his good faith — Party spirit less
violent in the city — Venetians in league with the Medici invade
the Casentino— Success of Paolo Vitelli against them — The Abbot
Basilic — Ingratitude of Florence towards Vitelli — Suspicions and
discontents in Florence — Duke of Urbino allowed to quit Bibbiena
— Venice determines on withdrawing from Pisa — Terms of the
agreement — Pisa refuses to submit — Intentions of Ludovico with
regard to Florence — Jealousy between Farnese and Vitelli —
Great Council refuse to vote money for the war — ^Votes some
money at last in May, 1499 — Renewal of the struggle before
Pisa — Further successes of Vitelli— Messer Rinieridella Sassetta
— His liberation by Vitelli — Siege of Pisa begun, July, 1499 —
Breach effected — Opportunity of taking the city lost — Great
indignation against Vitelli — Malaria at Pisa — Deaths of suc-
cessive Florentine Commissioners — Vitelli himself ill— Necessity
of withdrawing the army from the environs of Pisa — Anger of
the Florentines — Orders sent to the Commissioners at the camp to
arrest Vitelli — ^He is conducted to Florence — examined under
torture — and beheaded . 242
CHAPTER IX.
i/mis XII. makes himself master of the Duchy of Milan — ^The
Duke Ludovico flies to Germany — Policy of Florence doubtful —
Agreement between Florence and France— Difficulty of raising
money in Florence — New mode of taxation — The "Decima
Scalata " — The Milanese invite Ludovico to attempt to regain
his duchy — His first temporary success — Attempts at negotiation
with Venice — with Florence— with the Pope — Ludovico is a
second time defeated — and sent prisoner into France — French
troops promised to aid Florence in recovering Pisa — French de-
mands — Mutinous and scandalous conduct of the French troops
before Pisa — The army broken up — All hope of taking Pisa at
an end for the present — Progress of Cesare Borgia — Suspicions of