VI. The duke of Malatesta. CHAP. would gladly have avoided an engagement, but his adversary pressed him so vigorously, that he was compelled either to risque the event of a battle, or to incur the still greater danger of a disorderly retreat. This engagement, we are assured by Machiavelli, was the most obstinate and bloody that had occurred in Italy during the space of fifty years (a). After a struggle of six hours, the contest terminated in the ed by Roberto total defeat of the duke, who owed his liberty, or his life, to the fidelity and courage of his Turkish followers. Having thus delivered the pope from the imminent danger that threatened him, Roberto returned to Rome to enjoy the honours of his victory; but this triumph was of short duration, for a few days after his arrival he suddenly died, not without giving rise to a suspicion, that poison had been administered to him by the intervention of Girolamo Riario (b). This suspicion received confirmation in the public opinion, by the subsequent conduct of Sixtus and his kinsman. No sooner was Roberto dead, than the pope erected an equestrian statue to his memory; and Riario proceeded with the army which Roberto had lately led to victory, to dispossess his illegitimate son Pandolfo, to whom he had bequeathed his possessions, of the city of Rimini (c). In this attempt the (a) "E fu questa giornata combattuta con più virtu, che alcun' altra che "fusse stata fatta in cinquanta anni in Italia; perchè vi morì tra l' una parte " e l'altra più che mille huomini." Mac. Hist. lib. 8. (b) Gli scrittoro dicono che fu sospetto che egli fosse morto di veleno, & io nelle notizie private de Malatesti ritrovo, che l'autore di tanta sceleratezza fu creduto essere stato il conte Girolamo, nipote del papa, o per invidia, o pure con speranza di poter metter le mani a quello stato, non lasciando Ruberto figliuoli leggitimi. Ammir, lib. 25. (c) Mac. Hist. lib. 8. the ecclesiastical plunderers would probably have been suc- arms towards Castello, which was courageously defended CHAP. VI. Venetian arms, Whilst Sixtus was thus employed in defending his own Progress of the dominions, or in attempting to seize upon those of his neighbours, the duke of Urbino had opposed himself to the Venetian army; but not with sufficient effect to prevent its making an alarming progress, and capturing several towns in the territory of Ferrara. The death of that general (b), and the sickness of the duke of Ferrara, which rendered him (a) "Constantinus Sfortia Pisauri princeps fidus antea Florentinis, durante "adhuc stipendio, defecit ad Venetos. Neque multos post dies, tertiana fe"bri correptus, mærore ut creditur violatæ fidei, & a Venetis pacti non soluti stipendii V Kal. Sextiles interiit." Fontius in Annal. ap. Fabr. ii. 235. (b) The duke of Urbino and Roberto Malatesta died on the same day; one at Bologna, the other at Rome; each of them, although at the head of adverse armies, having recommended to the other the protection of his possessions and surviving family: "A dì 12 di Settembre, 1482, ci fu nuove el "Magnifico Roberto de Rimini era morto a Roma di flusso. Stimasi sia stato VI. CHAP. him incapable of attending with vigour to the defence of his dominions, opened to the Venetians the fullest prospect of success. This sudden progress of the republican arms was not however agreeable to the pope; who, having given no aid in the contest, began to be apprehensive that he could claim no share in the spoil, whilst so considerable an accession of power to the Venetians might scarcely be consistent with his own safety. At the same time he perceived a storm gathering against him from another quarter. The emperor had threatened to call together a general council of the church; a measure either originating with, or promoted by Lorenzo de' Medici; and for the effecting of which he had dispatched Baccio Ugolino to Basil (a). Induced by these various considerations, Sixtus was at length prevailed upon to detach himself from the Venetians, and to listen to propositions for a separate peace. Under the nicates his allies; sanction of the imperial ambassador, a league was concluded at Rome for five years, between the pope, the king of Naples, the duke of Milan, and the Florentines, for the defence of the duke of Ferrara. Sixtus, having en Sixtus deserts and excommu gaged "avvelenato. El duca d'Urbino era morto in Bologna, che era andato al 66 soccorso di Ferrara. Morirono in un dì, e ciascuno di loro mandava a rac"comandare all' altro il suo stato, e l'uno non seppe la morte dell' altro." Ex Diario Allegretti ap. Fabr. v. ii. p. 245. (a) Ugolino transmitted to Lorenzo, from time to time, a full account of his proceedings in several letters which are published by Fabroni, in vitâ Laur. v. ii. p. 227. From which it appears, that he was not without hopes of accomplishing his important object. "Non et non domandate," says he, "come "questi dottori della Università leggano con fervore le scripture che io ho pub"licate quì in Consilio. Che più? Il papa è più inviso quì che costì, et se "I'Imperatore non ce la macchia, non sum sine spe di far qualcosa." I VI. gaged in the common cause, was not inactive. Having CHAP. Cremona. At this important juncture a congress was held at Cre- Congress of mona, for the purpose of considering on the most effectual means of repressing the growing power of the Venetians, and of securing the rest of Italy from the effects of their ambition. The persons who assembled on this occasion were Alfonso duke of Calabria, Lodovico Sforza, Lorenzo de' Medici, Lodovico Gonzaga marquis of Mantua, the duke of Ferrara; and on the part of the pope, Girolamo Riario, and the cardinal of Mantua, with others of inferior note. The king of France, aware of the character of Riario, advised Lorenzo by letter not to trust himself to this interview (b); but the important consequences expected from it induced him to disregard the precaution. Among other arrangements it was determined that the Milanese should endeavour to form a diversion by an attack on the Venetian territory, and that the duke of Calabria should repair with a powerful (a) Fabr. in vitâ Laur. adnot. & monum. ii. 234. (b) Thus he addresses Lorenzo in a letter dated xiii. Kal. Febr. 1482, ap. СНАР. 1483. Death of Sixtus IV. a powerful body of troops to the relief of the duke of Ferrara. By these decisive measures, a speedy and effectual stop was put to the further progress of the Venetian arms, whilst the allied troops over-ran the territories of Bergamo, of Brescia, and of Verona. Finding their attempt to subjugate the city of Ferrara frustrated, and solicitous for the safety of their own dominions, the Venetians had recourse to negotiation, and had sufficient influence with Lodovico Sforza to prevail upon him to desert the common cause. His dereliction induced the allies to accede to propositions for peace, which, though sufficiently favourable to the Venetians, secured the duke of Ferrara from the ambition of his powerful neighbours, and repressed that spirit of encroachment which the Venetians had manifested, as well on this as on former occasions. As soon as the affairs of Italy were so adjusted as to give the first indications of permanent tranquillity, Sixtus died. The coincidence of these events gave rise to an opinion, which was rendered in some degree credible by the knowledge of his restless disposition, that his death was occasioned by vexation at the prospect of a general peace (a). Of the character of this successor of St. Peter, we have already had sufficient proof. It must indeed be acknowledged, that no age has exhibited such flagrant instances of the depravity of the Roman see, as the close of the fif teenth (a) He died on the 12th of August 1484, being the fifth day after peace was proclaimed at Rome. Murat. Ann. v. ix. p. 546. 549. "O perchè fusse "il termine di sua vita venuto, o perchè il dolore della pace fatta, come nemica a quella l'amazzasse." Mac. Hist. lib. 8. |