This aims only to act as a list of topics with pagination for the first section of book i from the edition printed by 1763 in English and found at the John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library. So it therefore reads as a nearly discursive table of contents for this section leading up to the end of 1493. A rambling and wandering table.
(5) Ludovico Sforza described as usurper to Dukedom of Milan.
(6) above described as potential problem for king Ferdinand of Naples, along with Venice, and
(7) nobles in Naples, w/Angevin French interest. Sforza felt secure from attack by Venice and
(8) sought at first to maintain alliances w/Florence, Naples as set prior to this in 1480 - for 25 years.
(9) This alliance was to protect against Venice, described as threatening Milan, Ferrara.
(10) This alliance built tensions between the allies, each wanting to outdo the others. Then Lorenzo died.
(11) Lorenzo had helped quell tensions between Ludovico and Ferdinand. Then pope Innocent died.
(12) Rodrigo Borgia elected as pope Alexander VI w/ promises of gifts for cardinal Ascanio Sforza
(13) as vice-Chancellor in Rome. Description of that office under Borgia, then Ascanio's downfall,
(14) Description of traits of Rodrigo Borgia.
(15) Description of traits of Piero, heir to Lorenzo de'Medici but married to Ordelaffi interests.
(16) But Ordelaffi interests included king Ferdinand & Alfonso of Naples, which Ludovico of Milan feared.
(17) Ludovico proposes all princes enter Rome the same day to honor new pope. All agree, but
(18) Piero begged off to Ferdinand citing the oratory would be eclipsed by so many others that day.
(19) Ferdinando agreed and pleased 'in Effect if not in Manner'; but Ludovico was furious at secrecy.
(20) The castles at Cervetri near Rome, Ferdinand had wanted in hands of Orsini, an ally since
(21) Calixtus III, the previous Borgia pope who had tried to take them from his (F's) father. Aragon-Borgia
(22) relations turn sour, with pope Alexander claiming the castles as Rome's, denouncing Ferdinand et al.
(23) Ludovico of Milan jealous of Ferdinand's power, beseeches the new pope to keep his dignity, that
(24) these provocations could seem small but later would seem bigger & bigger, to remember history.
(25) Ludovico offered pope money & soldiers; he petitioned Ferdinand, the Orsini and Piero de'Medici,
(26) to remember their shared history. But Ferdinand of Naples convinced Orsini to take the castles.
(27) Ludovico then sought some other form of security. Alfonso pressed on with diatribes against Milan.
(28) Isabella, daughter of Alfonso and her letter. Ludovico's subjects, upset with usurper, high taxes, would not be swayed by further arguments of Ludovico that
(29) Naples was legacy of a former Milanese duke Visconti. So Ludovico sought his fortune. The Borgia pope did love his children and wanted to advance them and
(30) offered a son to a daughter of Alfonso. Ferdinand accepted but Alfonso disputed dowries. So pope Alexander turned his efforts toward Ludovico and Venice.
(31) Venice was delighted by all these disputes as they had trouble with previous popes.
(32) Agreement between Milan, Venice and Rome April 1493, for mutual support and oust Orsini from castles, alarms everyone else.
(33) An aliance between Alfonso of Naples, Piero of Florence, the Orsini and Giuliano della Rovere, bishop of Ostia, for mutual aid.
(34) Ferdinand saw the dangers in this and tried to mollify the pope. Then Ludovico saw the dangers if his new allies backed out, and he began then to think of French aid.
"...Resolutions taken out of Fear seldom appear sufficient to the Fearful..."
(35) History of Naples since it was siezed by Manfred from Frederick II, then taken and given (in 1262) to Charles of Anjou by St Louis IX.
(36) History of House of Anjou in Naples.
(37) Charles Durazzo, and Joanna II who adopts Alfonso of Aragon to protect her dominion.
(38) This Alfonso was thrown out and she gave her legacy to Rene of Anjou. She died in 1435.
(39) Rene and Alfonso would fight many battles for control of Naples. Rene gave it to the kings of France.
(40) The state of the kingdom of France in 1400's. Advances of Charles in Guienne and Normandy, by Louis XI in Picardy, Burgundy and Provence and Charles VIII in Brittany by marriage.
(41) Charles VIII of France wanted Naples, if not by inheritance then as platform to beat back the Turks.
(42) Ludovico plays on ploys of persuasion to France and for pope to help send a delegation to France.
(43-51) Charles Barbiano, count of Belgioioso appeals to the nobles and prelates of France with the designs of Ludovico of Milan.
(52-4) French officers of Prudence counsel against such an attack.
(55) Charles VIII 'founded on Levity and Impulse rather than Maturity of Counsel', listened instead to his own attendants 'of mean Condition', some of whom were 'venal' and accepted payment from Ludovico.
(56) List of some of these French advisors to Charles VIII. These were assisted by desperate Neapolitan agitators.
(57) Charles VIII prevaricates then agrees with Ludovico. Terms of agreement follow including Ludovico granting passage through Milan, and 200,000 ducats sent to King Charles.
(58) Ludovico could expect support from the king, help with forces at Asti, & control of Taranto by the end of the war. History of Francesco Sforza on behalf of Naples in fending off Rene of Anjou.
(59) Francesco Sforza's reasons for such deliverance. The avoidance of Louis XI in affairs of Italy:
"... a Scheme which would be attended with great Expense, many Difficulties, and prove, in the End, pernicious to the Kingdom of France."
(60) Opinions in Italy, of the Duke of Ferrara, Ludovico's father-in-law
(61) possibly gave bad advice to him since Milan had sided with Venice over salt mines. Or,
(62) Opinions of King Ferdinand of Naples about such an invasion, that by sea it would fail, and by land would cause chaos for everyone in Italy.
(63) Ferdinand thought it as likely that France would come and take Milan instead, reasoning that Naples was well supported in goods, arms, leaders and friends.
(64) Ferdinand trusted also in the friendship with Spain and his relations there, despite size and reputation of the French army.
(65) But, narrator tells us that Ferdinand's army was not so great and he had few friends in all of Italy. Even Spain and then there were the bad portents, letters and prophecies.
(66) Ferdinand turned to trying to dissuade Charles from the trip. By marriages, bribery, negotiation for an annual tribute.
(67) Ferdinand tried to blame the entire issue of the castles near Rome on Orsinio obstinacy,
(68) fixed an agreement with the pope for them and married a grand-daughter to the pope's youngest son.
(69) This agreement included a mutual defense pact between Naples and Rome. But this did not materialize. Ludovico of Milan was telling Rome, Florence and Naples that
(70) he was trying to dissuade France from coming, at times saying they were talking about their rights re:Genoa. This would change. Charles VIII went securing relations with
(71) Spain who agreed not to help the House of Aragon, but to receive Perpignan at the foot of the Pyrenean mtns. Narrator convinced French people disliked this.
(72) Charles also secured peace with Maximilian II with
(73-4) History of Imperial actions with Louis XI and Mary of Burgundy and Margaret sister to Philip of Austria, who was promised Artois by Charles for peace.
(75) Ludovico sought to marry his niece [ this happened Nov1486] Bianca Maria (sister to Gian Galeazzo) to emperor Maximilian after death of M's father Frederick. Visconti family had a
(76) History and how this was related to such relations, including Francesco Sforza and
(77) how Ludovico used these relations to his advantage. Along with another rumored 400,000 ducats.
(78) Ludovico got more people to believe he should be invested with title of Duke since he was the last Duke's brother.
(79) Aged Ferdinand gets a last list of hopes, that Milanese alliances would fail.
(80) King Charles VIII France sends letters of his demands to Rome, Florence, and Venice of his intentions to cross alps next year to take Naples.
(81) These letters were instigated by Ludovico, but this was discovered only later, FG says.
(82) Piero of Florence brought these letters to Ferdinand but was rebuffed with bitter complaints from the old king.
(83) Cardinal della Rovere stays in Naples while pope tries to 'secure' him. Description of della Rovere, future pope Julius II.
(84) This redounds badly for king Ferdinand as well. 1494, a terrible year for Italy begins.
No comments:
Post a Comment