STRUGGLES WITH GENOA--ARRIGO DELLA ROCCA.
The people themselves, driven to desperation after the departure of
Boccaneria, begged the assistance of Genoa. The republic accordingly
sent Tridano della Torre to the island. He mastered the barons, and
ruled seven full years vigorously and in peace.
The second man of mark from the family of Cinarca or Rocca, now appears
upon the stage, Arrigo della Rocca--young, energetic, impetuous, born
to rule, as stubborn as Giudice, equally inexhaustible in resource
and powerful in fight. His father, Guglielmo, had fought against the
Genoese, and had been slain. The son took up the contest. Unfortunate
at first, he left his native country and went to Spain, offering his
services to the House of Arragon, and inciting its then representatives
to lay claim to those rights which had already been acknowledged by the
Pope. Tridano had been murdered during Arrigo's absence, the seigniors
had rebelled, the island had split into two parties--the Caggionacci
and the Ristiagnacci, and a tumult of the bloodiest kind had broken
out.
In the year 1392, Arrigo della Rocca appeared in Corsica almost without
followers, and as if on a private adventure, but no sooner had he shown
himself, than the people flocked to his standard. Lionello Lomellino
and Aluigi Tortorino were then governors, two at once in those
unsettled times. They called a diet at Corte, counselled and exhorted.
Meanwhile, Arrigo had marched rapidly on Cinarca, routing the Genoese
troops wherever they came in their way; immediately he was at the gates
of Biguglia, the residence of the governors; he stormed the place,
assembled the people, and had himself proclaimed Count of Corsica. The
governors retired in dismay to Genoa, leaving the whole country in the
hands of the Corsicans, except Calvi, Bonifazio, and San Columbano.
Arrigo governed the island for four years without
molestation--energetically, impartially, but with cruelty. He caused
great numbers to be beheaded, not sparing even his own relations.
Perhaps some were imbittered by this severity--perhaps it was the
inveterate tendency to faction in the Corsican character, that now
began to manifest itself in a certain degree of disaffection.
The seigniors of Cape Corso rose first, with the countenance of Genoa;
but they were unsuccessful--with an iron arm Arrigo crushed every
revolt. He carried in his banner a griffin over the arms of Arragon, to
indicate that he had placed the island under the protection of Spain.
Genoa was embarrassed. She had fought many a year now for Corsica,
and had gained nothing. The critical position of her affairs tied the
hands of the Republic, and she seemed about to abandon Corsica. Five
_Nobili_, however, at this juncture, formed themselves into a sort of
joint-stock company, and prevailed upon the Senate to hand the island
over to them, the supremacy being still reserved for the Republic.
These were the Signori Magnera, Tortorino, Fiscone, Taruffo, and
Lomellino; they named their company "The Mahona," and each of them bore
the title of Governor of Corsica.
They appeared in the island at the head of a thousand men, and found
the party discontented with Arrigo, awaiting them. They effected
little; were, in fact, reduced to such extremity by their energetic
opponent, that they thought it necessary to come to terms with him.
Arrigo agreed to their proposals, but in a short time again took up
arms, finding himself trifled with; he defeated the Genoese _Nobili_
in a bloody battle, and cleared the island of the Mahona. A second
expedition which the Republic now sent was more successful. Arrigo was
compelled once more to quit Corsica.
He went a second time to Spain, and asked support from King John of
Arragon. John readily gave him two galleys and some soldiers, and after
an absence of two months the stubborn Corsican appeared once more on
his native soil. Zoaglia, the Genoese governor, was not a match for
him; Arrigo took him prisoner, and made himself master of the whole
island, with the exception of the fortresses of Calvi and Bonifazio.
This occurred in 1394. The Republic sent new commanders and new troops.
What the sword could not do, poison at last accomplished. Arrigo della
Rocca died suddenly in the year 1401. Just at this time Genoa yielded
to Charles VI. of France. The fortunes of Corsica seemed about to take
a new turn; this aspect of affairs, however, proved, in the meantime,
transitory. The French king named Lionello Lomellino feudal count of
the island. He is the same who was mentioned as a member of the Mahona,
and it is to him Corsica owes the founding of her largest city, Bastia,
to which the residence of the Governors was now removed from the
neighbouring Castle of Biguglia.