VINCENTELLO D'ISTRIA.
A man of a similar order began now to take the place of Arrigo
della Rocca. Making their appearance constantly at similar political
junctures, these bold Corsicans bear an astonishing resemblance to
each other; they form an unbroken series of undaunted, indefatigable,
even tragic heroes, from Giudice della Rocca, to Pasquale Paoli and
Napoleon, and their history--if we except the last notable name--is
identical in its general character and final issue, as the struggle
of the island against the Genoese rule remains throughout centuries
one and the same. The commencement of the career of these men, who
all emerge from banishment, has each time a tinge of the romantic and
adventurous.
Vincentello d'Istria was a nephew of Arrigo's, son of one of his
sisters and Ghilfuccio a noble Corsican. Like his uncle, he had in
his youth attached himself to the court of Arragon, had entered into
the Arragonese service, and distinguished himself by splendid deeds
of arms. Later, having procured the command of some Arragonese ships,
he had conducted a successful corsair warfare against the Genoese,
and made his name the terror of the Mediterranean. He resolved to
take advantage of the favourable position of affairs, and attempt a
landing in his native island, where Count Lomellino had drawn odium
on himself by his harsh government, and Francesco della Rocca, natural
son of Arrigo, who ruled the Terra del Commune in the name of Genoa, as
vice-count, was vainly struggling with a formidable opposition.
Vincentello landed unexpectedly in Sagona, marched rapidly to Cinarca,
exactly as his uncle had done, took Biguglia, assembled the people,
and made himself Count of Corsica. Francesco della Rocca immediately
fell by the hand of an assassin; but his sister, Violanta--a woman of
masculine energy, took up arms, and made a brave resistance, though at
length obliged to yield. Bastia surrendered. Genoa now sent troops with
all speed; after a struggle of two years, Vincentello was compelled to
leave the island--a number of the selfish seigniors having made common
cause with Genoa.
In a short time, Vincentello returned with Arragonese soldiers, and
again he wrested the entire island from the Genoese, with the exception
of Calvi and Bonifazio. When he had succeeded thus far, Alfonso, the
young king of Arragon, more enterprising than his predecessors, and
having equipped a powerful fleet, prepared in his own person to make
good the presumed Arragonese rights on the island by force of arms. He
sailed from Sardinia in 1420, anchored before Calvi, and forced this
Genoese city to surrender. He then sailed to Bonifazio; and while the
Corsicans of his party laid siege to the impregnable fortress on the
land side, he himself attacked it from the sea. The siege of Bonifazio
is an episode of great interest in these tedious struggles, and was
rendered equally remarkable by the courage of the besiegers, and the
heroism of the besieged. The latter, true to Genoa to the last drop of
blood--themselves to a great extent of Genoese extraction--remained
immoveable as their own rocks; and neither hunger, pestilence, nor
the fire and sword of the Spaniards, broke their spirit during that
long and distressing blockade. Every attempt to storm the town was
unsuccessful; women, children, monks and priests, stood in arms upon
the walls, and fought beside the citizens. For months they continued
the struggle, expecting relief from Genoa, till the Spanish pride of
Alfonso was at length humbled, and he drew off, weary and ashamed,
leaving to Vincentello the prosecution of the siege. Relief came,
however, and delivered the exhausted town on the very eve of its fall.
Vincentello retreated; and as Calvi had again fallen into the hands
of the Genoese, the Republic had the support of both these strong
towns. King Alfonso made no further attempt to obtain possession of
Corsica. Vincentello, now reduced to his own resources, gradually
lost ground; the intrigues of Genoa effecting more than her arms, and
the dissensions among the seigniors rendering a general insurrection
impossible.
The Genoese party was specially strong on Cape Corso, where the
Signori da Mare were the most powerful family. With their help, and
that of the Caporali, who had degenerated from popular tribunes to
petty tyrants, and formed now a new order of nobility, Genoa forced
Vincentello to retire to his own seigniory of Cinarca. The brave
Corsican partly wrought his own fall: libertine as he was, he had
carried off a young girl from Biguglia; her friends took up arms, and
delivered the place into the hands of Simon da Mare. The unfortunate
Vincentello now resolved to have recourse once more to the House of
Arragon; but Zacharias Spinola captured the galley which was conveying
him to Sicily, and brought the dreaded enemy of Genoa a prisoner to the
Senate. Vincentello d'Istria was beheaded on the great stairs of the
Palace of Genoa. This was in the year 1434. "He was a glorious man,"
remarks the old Corsican chronicler.