[Sidenote: 1220 A.D.]
_How Frederick II. was consecrated and made Emperor, and the
great things which came to pass._
[Sidenote: Inf. x. 119; xiii. 59, 68, 75; xxiii. 66. Purg. xvi. 117.
Par. iii. 120. Convivio iv. Canzone, ver. 21; also cap. 3: 37-44; 10:
6-12. De Vulg. El. i. 12: 20-35. Epist. vi. (5) 126-135. Par. iii.
118-120.]
[Sidenote: Inf. x. 119.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Purg. xvi. 115-117.]
Sec. 1.--In the year of Christ 1220, on the day of St. Cecilia in
November, there was crowned and consecrated Emperor at Rome Frederick
II., king of Sicily, son of the Emperor Henry of Suabia, and of the
Empress Constance, by Pope Honorius III., with great honour. In the
beginning he was a friend of the Church, and well might he be, so many
benefits and favours had he received from the Church, for through the
Church his father Henry had for wife Constance, queen of Sicily, and
for dowry the said realm, and the kingdom of Apulia; and when his
father was dead, he being left a little child, was cared for and
guarded by the Church as by a mother, and also his kingdom was
defended, and he was elected king of the Romans against the Emperor
Otho IV., and he was afterwards crowned Emperor, as aforesaid. But he,
son of ingratitude that he was, not acknowledging Holy Church as a
mother, but as a hostile stepmother, in all things was her enemy and
persecutor, he and his sons, almost more than his precursors, as
hereafter we shall make mention. This Frederick reigned thirty years
as Emperor, and was a man of great capacity and of great valour, wise
in books, and of natural intelligence, universal in all things; was
acquainted with the Latin tongue, and with our vernacular, with
German and French, Greek and Arabic, of abounding talents, liberal and
courteous in giving, courageous and prudent in arms, and was much
feared. And he was dissolute and licentious after divers fashions, and
had many concubines and catamites, after the manner of the Saracens,
and he sought indulgence in all bodily pleasures, and led an epicurean
life, not taking account that there were ever another life; and this
was one chief cause why he became the enemy of the clergy and of Holy
Church. And the other was his greed in taking and sequestrating the
revenues of Holy Church, to squander them evilly. And many monasteries
and churches he destroyed in his kingdom of Sicily and Apulia, and
throughout all Italy, and this, either through his own vices and
defects, or by reason of the rulers of Holy Church who could not or
would not deal with him, nor be content that he should have the
Imperial rights, wherefore he subdued and smote Holy Church; or
because that God permitted it as a Divine judgment, because the rulers
of the Church had been the means through whom he became the child of
the holy nun, Constance, they not remembering the persecutions which
Henry, his father, and Frederick, his grandfather, had caused Holy
Church to endure. This Frederick did many noteworthy things in his
time, and raised in all the chief cities of Sicily and of Apulia,
strong and rich fortresses which are still standing, and built the
fortress of Capovana, in Naples, and the towers and gate upon the
bridge over the river of Volturno at Capua, the which are very
marvellous; and he made the park for sport on the marsh of Foggia in
Apulia, and made the hunting park near Gravina and Amalfi in the
mountains. In winter he abode at Foggia, and in summer in the
mountains, for the delights of the chase. And many other noteworthy
things he caused to be made, as the castle of Prato, and the fortress
of Samminiato, and many other things, as we shall make mention
hereafter. And he had two sons by his first wife, Henry and Conrad,
whom he caused each one during his lifetime to be elected king of the
Romans; and by the daughter of King John of Jerusalem he had King
Giordano, and by others he had King Frederick (from whom are descended
the lineage of those who are called of Antioch), King Enzo and King
Manfred, who were great enemies to Holy Church; and during his life he
and his sons lived and ruled with much earthly splendour; but in the
end he and his sons because of their sins came to an ill end, and
their line was extinguished, as we shall make mention hereafter.
[Sidenote: 1222 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1224 A.D.]
Sec. 2.--_Of the cause why war broke out between the Florentines and the
Pisans._ Sec. 3.--_How the Pisans were routed by the Florentines at
Casteldelbosco._ Sec. 4.--_How the Florentines marched against Fegghine,
and built l'Ancisa._
Sec. 5.--_How the Florentines led an army against Pistoia, and laid waste
the country round about._
[Sidenote: 1228 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Inf. xxv. 1-3.]
In the year of Christ 1228, when M. Andrea of Perugia was Podesta of
Florence, the Florentines led an army against Pistoia with the
Carroccio, and this was because the Pistoians were making war against
Montemurlo, and ill-treating it; and the said host laid waste the
country round about the city up to the suburbs, and destroyed the
towers of Montefiore which were very strong; and the fortress of
Carmignano surrendered to the commonwealth of Florence. And note that
upon the rock of Carmignano there was a tower seventy cubits high,
and thereupon two arms in marble, whereof the hands were 'making the
figs' at Florence; wherefore the artificers of Florence, to express
contempt for money or ought else offered to them, were wont to say: "I
can't see it, for the fortress of Carmignano is in the way." And the
Pistoians hereupon agreed to whatever terms the Florentines might
devise, and caused the said fortress of Carmignano to be destroyed.
[Sidenote: 1229 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1232 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1233 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1234 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1235 A.D.]
Sec. 6.--_How the Sienese renewed the war with the Florentines on account
of Montepulciano._ Sec. 7.--_Of a great miracle that came to pass in S.
Ambrogio in Florence, concerning the body of Christ._ Sec. 8.--_Yet again
of the war of the Florentines with the Sienese._ Sec. 9.--_Of the
conflagration in Florence._ Sec. 10.--_Yet again of the war with Siena._
Sec. 11.--_The same._ Sec. 12.--_Of the conflagration in Florence._ Sec.
13.--_How peace was made between the Florentines and the Sienese._
Sec. 14.--_How the Emperor Frederick came to enmity with the Church._
[Sidenote: 1220 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1226 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. De Vulg. El. i. 10: 50, 63. i. 11: 20. i. 13: 31. Par.
xi. 53.]
[Sidenote: 1230 A.D.]
After that Frederick II. was crowned by Pope Honorius, as we have
aforesaid, in the beginning he was the friend of the Church, but a
little time after, through his pride and avarice, he began to usurp
the rights of the Church throughout all his Empire, and in the realm
of Sicily and Apulia, appointing bishops and archbishops and other
prelates, and driving away those sent by the Pope, and raising imposts
and taxes from the clergy, doing shame to Holy Church; for the which
thing by the said Pope Honorius, which had crowned him, he was cited,
and admonished that he should leave to Holy Church her rights, and
render the dues. But the Emperor perceived himself to be great in
power and estate, alike through the force of the Germans and through
that of the realm of Sicily, and that he was lord over sea and land,
and was feared by all the rulers of Christendom, and also by the
Saracens, and was buttressed around by the sons which he had of his
first wife, daughter of the landgrave of Germany, to wit Henry and
Conrad, the which Henry he had caused to be crowned in Germany king of
the Romans, and Conrad was duke of Suabia, and Frederick of Antioch,
his first natural son, he made king, and Enzo, his natural son, was
king of Sardinia, and Manfred prince of Taranto; wherefore he would
not yield obedience to the Church, but rather was he obstinate, living
after the fashion of the world, in all bodily delights. For the which
thing by the said Pope Honorius he was excommunicated the year of
Christ 1220, and did not for that reason cease from persecuting the
Church, but so much the more usurped its rights, and so remained the
enemy of the Church and of the Pope Honorius as long as he lived. The
which Pope passed from this life the year of Christ 1226, and after
him was made Pope Gregory IX., born at Alagna in the Campagna, the
which reigned as pope fourteen years; the which Pope Gregory had a
great war with the Emperor Frederick, forasmuch as the Emperor would
in no wise relinquish the rights and jurisdiction of Holy Church, but
rather the more usurped them; and many churches of the kingdom he
caused to be pulled down and deserted, laying heavy imposts upon the
clergy and the churches; and whereas there were certain Saracens in
the mountains of Trapali in Sicily, the Emperor, that he might be the
more secure in the island, and might keep them at a distance from the
Saracens of Barbary, and also to the end that by them he might keep in
fear his subjects in Apulia, by wit and promises drew them from those
mountains, and put them in Apulia in an ancient deserted city, which
of old was in league with the Romans, and was destroyed by the
Samnites, to wit by those of Benivento, the which city was then called
Licera, and now is called Nocera, and they were more than 20,000
men-at-arms; and that city they rebuilt very strong; the which
ofttimes overran the places of Apulia to lay them waste. And when the
said Emperor Frederick was at war with the Church, he caused them to
come into the duchy of Spoleto, and besieged at that time the city of
Assisi, and did great harm to Holy Church; for the which thing the
said Pope Gregory confirmed against him the sentence given by Pope
Honorius his predecessor, and again gave sentence of excommunication
against him, the year of Christ 1230.
[Sidenote: 1233 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1234 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1236 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1237 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1239 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1240 A.D.]
Sec. 15.--_How peace was made between Pope Gregory and the Emperor
Frederick._ Sec. 16.--_How the Church ordered a crusade over seas,
whereof the Emperor Frederick was captain, and how, after the
expedition had set forth, he turned back._ Sec. 17.--_How the Emperor
Frederick passed over seas, and made peace with the Soldan, and
recovered Jerusalem, against the will of the Church._ Sec. 18.--_How the
Emperor returned from over seas because the Kingdom had rebelled
against him, and how he began war again with the Church._ Sec. 19.--_How
the Emperor Frederick caused the Pisans to capture at sea the prelates
of the Church which were coming to the council._ Sec. 20.--_How the
Milanese were discomfited by the Emperor._ Sec. 21.--_How the Emperor
Frederick besieged and took the city of Faenza._
Sec. 22.--_How the Emperor laid hold of King Henry, his son._
[Sidenote: Purg. iii. 121.]
[Sidenote: 1236 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Inf. xiii. 31-108.]
In these same times (albeit it had begun before) Henry Sciancato [the
Lame], the first-born of the said Emperor Frederick, who had had him
chosen king of the Romans by the electors of Germany as aforesaid,
perceiving that the Emperor his father was doing all he might against
Holy Church, and feeling the same heavy upon his conscience, time and
again reproved his father, for that he was doing ill; whereat the
Emperor set himself against him, and neither loving him nor dealing
with him as with a son, raised up false accusers who testified that
the said Henry had it in his mind to rebel against him as concerning
his Empire, at the request of the Church. On the which plea (were it
true or false) he seized his said son, King Henry, and two sons of
his, little lads, and sent them into Apulia, into prison severally;
and there he put him to death by starvation in great torment, and
afterward Manfred put his sons to death. The Emperor sent to Germany,
and again had Conrad, his second son, elected king of the Romans in
succession to himself; and this was the year of Christ 1236. Then
after a certain time the Emperor put out the eyes of that wise man
Master Piero dalle Vigne, the famous poet, accusing him of treason,
but this came about through envy of his great estate. And thereon the
said M. Piero soon suffered himself to die of grief in prison, and
there were who said that he himself took away his own life.
Sec. 23.--_How the war began between Pope Innocent IV. and the Emperor
Frederick._
[Sidenote: 1241 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Purg. xix. 100-102.]
It came to pass afterwards, as it pleased God, that there was elected
Pope Messer Ottobuono dal Fiesco, of the counts of Lavagna of Genoa,
the which was cardinal, and was made Pope as being the greatest friend
and confidant whom the Emperor Frederick had in Holy Church, to the
end there might be peace between the Church and him; and he was called
Pope Innocent IV., and this was the year of Christ 1241, and he
reigned as Pope eleven years, and added to the Church many cardinals
from divers countries of Christendom. And when he was elected Pope,
the tidings were brought to the Emperor Frederick with great
rejoicing, knowing that he was his great friend and protector. But the
Emperor, when he heard it, was greatly disturbed, whence his barons
marvelled much, and he said: "Marvel not; for this election will be of
much hurt to us; for he was our friend when cardinal, and now he will
be our enemy as Pope;" and so it came to pass, for when the said Pope
was consecrated, he demanded back from the Emperor the lands and
jurisdictions which he held of the Church, as to which request the
Emperor held him some time in treaty as to an agreement, but all was
vanity and deception. In the end, the said Pope seeing himself to have
been led about by deceitful words, to the hurt and shame of himself
and of Holy Church, became more an enemy of the Emperor Frederick than
his predecessors had been; and seeing that the power of the Emperor
was so great that he ruled tyrannously over almost the whole of Italy,
and that the roads were all taken and guarded by his guards, so that
none could come to the court of Rome without his will and license,
the said Pope seeing himself in the said manner thus besieged, sent
secret orders to his kinsfolk at Genoa, and caused twenty galleys to
be armed, and straightway caused them to come to Rome, and thereupon
embarked with all his cardinals and with all his court, and
immediately caused himself to be conveyed to his city of Genoa without
any opposition; and having tarried some time in Genoa, he came to
Lyons on the Rhone, by the way of Provence; and this was the year of
Christ 1241.
Sec. 24.--_Of the sentence which Pope Innocent pronounced at the council
of Lyons-on-Rhone, upon the Emperor Frederick._
[Sidenote: 1245 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Inf. xiii. 55-78.]
When Pope Innocent was at Lyons, he called a general council in the
said place, and invited from throughout the whole world bishops and
archbishops and other prelates, who all came thither; and there came
to see him as far as the monastery of Crugni [Clugny] in Burgundy the
good King Louis of France, and afterwards he came as far as to the
council at Lyons, where he offered himself and his realm to the
service of the said Pope and of Holy Church against the Emperor
Frederick, and against all the enemies of Holy Church; and then he
took the cross to go over seas. And when King Louis was gone the Pope
enacted sundry things in the said council to the good of Christendom,
and canonized sundry saints, as the Martinian Chronicle makes mention
where it treats of him. And this done, the Pope summoned the said
Frederick to the said council, as to a neutral place, to excuse
himself of thirteen articles proved against him of things done
against the faith of Christ, and against Holy Church; the which
Emperor would not there appear, but sent thither his ambassadors and
representatives--the bishop of Freneborgo [Freiburg] in Germany, and
Brother Hugh, master of the mansion of S. Mary of the Germans, and the
wise clerk and master Piero dalle Vigne of the Kingdom, who, making
excuses for the Emperor that he was not able to come by reason of
sickness and suffering in his person, prayed the said Pope and his
brethren to pardon him, and averred that he would cry the Pope mercy,
and would restore that which he had seized of the Church; and they
offered, if the Pope would pardon him, that he would bind himself so
to frame it that within one year the soldan of the Saracens should
render up to his command the Holy Land over seas. And the said Pope,
hearing the endless excuses and vain offers of the Emperor, demanded
of the said ambassadors if they had an authentic mandate for this,
whereon they produced a full authorization, under the golden seal of
the said Emperor, to promise and undertake it all. And when the Pope
had it in his hand, in full council, the said ambassadors being
present, he denounced Frederick on all the said thirteen criminal
articles, and to confirm it said: "Judge, faithful Christians, whether
Frederick betrays Holy Church and all Christendom or no: for according
to his mandate he offers within one year to make the soldan restore
the Holy Land, very clearly showing that the soldan holds it through
him, to the shame of all Christians." And this said and declared, he
caused the process against the said Emperor to be published; and
condemned him and excommunicated him as a heretic and persecutor of
Holy Church, laying to his charge many foul crimes proved against
him; and he deprived him of the lordship of the Empire, and of the
realm of Sicily, and of that of Jerusalem, absolving from all fealty
and oaths all his barons and subjects, excommunicating whoever should
obey him, or should give him aid or favour, or further should call him
Emperor or king. And the said sentence was passed at the said council
at Lyons on the Rhone, the year of Christ 1245, the 17th of July. The
principal causes why Frederick was condemned were four: first,
forasmuch as when the Church invested him with the realm of Sicily and
of Apulia, and afterwards with the Empire, he swore to the Church
before his barons, and before the Emperor Baldwin of Constantinople,
and before all the court of Rome, to defend Holy Church in all her
honours and rights against all men, and to pay the rightful tribute,
and to restore all the possessions and jurisdictions of Holy Church,
of the which things he had done the contrary, and was perjured, and
treacherous, and had vilely and wrongfully defamed Pope Gregory IX.
and his cardinals by his letters throughout the whole world. The
second thing was, that he broke the peace made by him with the Church,
not remembering the pardons granted to him by withdrawal of the
excommunications, and with respect to all the misdeeds done by him
against Holy Church; and in that peace he had sworn and promised never
to injure those who had been with the Church against him; but he had
done quite the contrary, seeing that he had scattered them all, either
by death or by exile, them and their families, taking away their
possessions, and had not restored either to the Templars or to the
Hospitallers their mansions which he had occupied, the which by the
articles of the peace he had promised to restore and give back; and
by force he had kept vacant eleven archbishoprics, with many
bishoprics and abbeys in the Empire and in the Kingdom, not suffering
those who were duly elected by the Pope to hold or to till them; doing
violence and extortions on sacred persons, constraining them to appear
and plead before his bailiffs and secular lords. The third cause was
the sacrilege he had done, when by the galleys of Pisa, and by his son
King Enzo, he had taken the cardinals and many prelates at sea, as we
afore told, and caused some to be drowned in the sea, and kept some
dying in cruel and harsh prisons. The fourth cause was, because he was
found and convicted in many articles of heresy in the faith; and
certainly he was no Christian Catholic, living always more after his
delight and pleasure than according to reason or just law; and in
fellowship with the Saracens. Likewise he used the Church and her
offices but little or not at all, and did no alms; so that not without
great and evident causes he was deposed and condemned; and albeit he
did much injury and persecution to Holy Church after that he was
condemned, yet in a short time every honour and state and power and
greatness God took from him, and showed him His wrath, as we shall
make mention hereafter. And because many have made question, who was
to blame in the quarrel, whether the Church or the Emperor, hearing
his excuses in his letters, therefore to this I make answer and say,
that manifestly not by one divine miracle but by many was it shown
that the Emperor was to blame, as God showed by open and visible
judgments in His wrath upon Frederick and his seed.
Sec. 25.--_How the Pope and the Church caused a new Emperor to be
elected in place of Frederick, the deposed Emperor._
[Sidenote: 1245 A.D.]
The said Frederick being deposed and condemned, as has been afore
said, the Pope sent word to the electors of Germany who elect the king
of the Romans, that they should without delay make a new choice for
the Empire; and this was done, for they elected William, count of
Holland and landgrave, a valiant lord, to whom the Church gave her
support, causing a great part of Germany to rebel, and gave indulgence
and pardon as if they were going over seas, to whoever should be
against the said Frederick; whence in Germany there was great war
between the said elected King William of Holland and King Conrad, son
of the said Frederick; but the war endured but a short time, for the
said King William died, the year of Christ . . . and the said Conrad
reigned in Germany, whom his father Frederick the Emperor had caused
to be elected king, as we shall make mention. From this sentence
Frederick appealed to the successor of Pope Innocent, and sent his
letters and messengers throughout all Christendom, complaining of the
said sentence, and setting forth how iniquitous it was, as appears by
his epistle written by the said Messer Piero dalle Vigne, which
begins, after the salutation: "Although we believe, that words of the
already current tidings, etc." But considering the real facts as to
the process, and as to the deeds of Frederick against the Church, and
as to his dissolute and uncatholic life, he was guilty and deserving
of the deposition, for the reasons set forth in the said process; and
afterwards for the deeds done by the said Frederick after his
deposition; for if before he was and had been cruel and persecuting to
Holy Church and to the believers in Tuscany and in Lombardy,
afterwards he was much more so, as long as he lived, as hereafter we
shall make mention. We will now leave for a time the story of the
doings of Frederick, and turn back to where we left off telling of the
doings of Florence and of the other noteworthy events which came to
pass in those days throughout the whole world; returning afterwards to
the doings and to the end of the said Frederick and of his sons.
Sec. 26.--_We will tell an incident in the affairs of Florence._
[Sidenote: 1237 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Purg. xii. 102.]
The year of Christ 1237, Messer Rubaconte da Mandello of Milan being
Podesta of Florence, the new bridge was made in Florence, and he laid
the first stone with his own hand, and threw the first trowelful of
mortar, and from the name of the said Podesta the bridge was named
Rubaconte. And during his government all the roads in Florence were
paved; for before there was but little paving, save in certain
particular places, master streets being paved with bricks; and through
this convenience and work the city of Florence became more clean, and
more beautiful, and more healthy.
[Sidenote: 1238 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1240 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1248 A.D.]
Sec. 27.--_How and when there was a total eclipse of the sun._ Sec.
28.--_Of the coming of the Tartars into the parts of Europe, as far as
Germany._ Sec. 29.--_Of a great miracle of an earthquake in Burgundy._
Sec. 30.--_Of a great miracle that took place in Spain._ Sec. 31.--_How
the town of Sanginiegio was rebuilt and then destroyed._ Sec. 32.--_How
the Tartars routed the Turks._
Sec. 33.--_How the Guelf party was first driven from Florence by the
Ghibellines and the forces of the Emperor Frederick._
[Sidenote: 1248 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Par. xvi. 109, 110.]
[Sidenote: 127.]
[Sidenote: 121, 104, 101, 112-114, 115-117.]
[Sidenote: 108.]
[Sidenote: 110, 111.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Par. xvi. 151-154.]
[Sidenote: 93, 66, 140-144, 127, 93.]
[Sidenote: Par. xv. 115.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Inf. x. 48.]
In the said times when Frederick was in Lombardy, having been deposed
from the title of Emperor by Pope Innocent, as we have said, in so far
as he could he sought to destroy in Tuscany and in Lombardy the
faithful followers of Holy Church, in all the cities where he had
power. And first he began to demand hostages from all the cities of
Tuscany, and took them from both Ghibellines and Guelfs, and sent them
to Samminiato del Tedesco; but when this was done, he released the
Ghibellines and retained the Guelfs, which were afterwards abandoned
as poor prisoners, and abode long time in Samminiato as beggars. And
forasmuch as our city of Florence in those times was not among the
least notable and powerful of Italy, he desired especially to vent his
spleen against it, and to increase the accursed parties of the Guelfs
and Ghibellines, which had begun long time before through the death of
M. Bondelmonte, and before, as we have already shown. But albeit ever
since this the said parties had continued among the nobles of Florence
(who were also ever and again at war among themselves by reason of
their private enmities), and albeit they were divided into the said
parties, each holding with his own, they which were called the Guelfs
loving the side of the Pope and of Holy Church, and they which were
called the Ghibellines loving and favouring the Emperor and his
allies, nevertheless, the people and commonwealth had been maintained
in unity to the well-being and honour, and good estate of the
republic. But now the said Emperor sent ambassadors and letters to the
family of the Uberti, which were heads of his party, and their allies
which were called Ghibellines, inviting them to drive their enemies,
which were called Guelfs, from the city, and offering them aid of his
horsemen; and this caused the Uberti to begin dissension and civil
strife in Florence, whence the city began to be disordered, and the
nobles and all the people to be divided, some holding to one party,
and some to the other; and in divers parts of the city there was
fighting long time. Among the other places, the chief was at the
houses of the Uberti, which were where the great palace of the people
now is. They gathered there with their allies, and fought against the
Guelfs of the sesto of San Piero Scheraggio, whereof were leaders the
family dal Bagno, called Bagnesi, and the Pulci, and the Guidalotti,
and all the allies of the Guelfs of that sesto; and also the Guelfs of
Oltrarno passing over the mill-dams, came to succour them when they
were attacked by the Uberti. The second place of combat was in the
Porte San Piero, where the leaders of the Ghibellines were the
Tedaldini, forasmuch as they had the strongest dwellings in palaces
and towers, and with them held the Caponsacchi, the Lisei, the Giuochi
and Abati, and Galigari, and the fighting was against the house of the
Donati, and the Visdomini, and Pazzi, and Adimari. And the third place
of combat was in Porte del Duomo, at the tower of Messer Lancia of the
Cattani of Castiglione, and of Cersino, to whom belonged the heads of
the Ghibellines, with the Agolanti and Brunelleschi, and many popolari
of their party, against the Tosinghi, Agli and Arrigucci. And the
fourth combat and battle was in San Brancazio, whereof the leaders for
the Ghibellines were the Lamberti, and Toschi, Amieri, Cipriani, and
Migliorelli, with many followers of the Popolo, against the
Tornaquinci, and Vecchietti, and Pigli, albeit part of the Pigli were
Ghibellines. And the Ghibellines drew up in San Brancazio at the tower
of the Scarafaggio [Scarabaeus] of the Soldanieri, and from that tower
an arrow struck M. Rustico Marignolli in the face (who was bearing the
Guelf standard, to wit, a crimson lily on a white field), whence he
died; and the very day that the Guelfs were expelled, and before they
departed, they came in arms to bury him in San Lorenzo; and when the
Guelfs were departed, the canons of San Lorenzo carried away the body,
to the end that the Ghibellines might not unbury it and do it outrage,
forasmuch as he was a great leader of the Guelf party. And the next
force of the Ghibellines was in the Borgo, whereof the leaders were
the Scolari, and Soldanieri, and Guidi, against the Bondelmonti,
Giandonati, Bostichi and Cavalcanti, Scali and Gianfigliazzi. In
Oltrarno it was the Ubbriachi and the Mannelli (and there were no
other nobles of renown, but families of the popolari) against the
Rossi and the Nerli. Thus it came to pass that the said frays endured
long time, and there was fighting at barricades from street to street,
and from one tower to another (for there were many in Florence in
these times, 100 cubits and more in height), and with mangonels and
other engines they fought together by day and by night. And in the
midst of this strife and fighting the Emperor Frederick sent into
Florence King Frederick, his bastard son, with 1,600 horsemen of his
German followers. When the Ghibellines heard that they were nigh unto
Florence, they took courage fighting with more force and boldness
against the Guelfs, which had no allies, nor were expecting any
succour, forasmuch as the Church was at Lyons on the Rhone beyond the
mountains, and the power of Frederick was beyond measure great in all
parts of Italy. And on this occasion the Ghibellines used a device of
war; for at the house of the Uberti the greater part of the Ghibelline
forces assembled, and when the fight began at the places of battle set
forth above, they went in a mass to oppose the Guelfs, and in this
wise they overcame them well nigh in every part of the city, save in
their own neighbourhood against the barricades of the Guidalotti and
the Bagnesi, which endured more stoutly; and to that place the Guelfs
repaired, and all the forces of the Ghibellines against them. At last,
the Guelfs saw themselves to be hard pressed, and heard that
Frederick's knights were already in Florence (King Frederick having
already entered with his followers on Sunday morning), yet they held
out until the following Wednesday. Then, not being able longer to
resist the forces of the Ghibellines, they abandoned the defence, and
departed from the city on the night of S. Mary Candlemas in the year
of Christ 1248. When the Guelf party were driven from Florence, the
nobles of that party withdrew, some of them to the fortress of
Montevarchi in Valdarno, and some to the fortress of Capraia; and
Pelago, and Ristonchio, and Magnale, up to Cascia, were held by the
Guelfs, and were called the League; and therein they made war against
the city and the territory around Florence. Other popolani of that
party repaired to their farms and to their friends in the country. The
Ghibellines which remained masters in Florence, with the forces and
the horsemen of the Emperor Frederick, changed the ruling of the city
after their mind, and caused thirty-six fortresses of the Guelfs to be
destroyed, palaces and great towers, among the which the most noble
was that of the Tosinghi upon the Mercato Vecchio, called the Palace,
90 cubits high, built with marble columns, and a tower thereto 130
cubits. Also the Ghibellines attempted a yet more impious deed,
forasmuch as the Guelfs resorted much to the church of S. Giovanni,
and all the good people assembled there on Sunday morning, and there
they solemnized marriages; and when the Ghibellines came to destroy
the towers of the Guelfs, there was one among them very great and
beautiful, which was upon the piazza of S. Giovanni, at the entrance
of the street of the Adimari, and it was called the tower of the
Guardamorto, forasmuch as of old all the good folk which died were
buried at S. Giovanni; and the Ghibellines, purposing to rase to the
ground the said tower, caused it to be propped up in such wise that
when the fire was applied to the props it should fall upon the church
of S. Giovanni; and this was done. But as it pleased God, by reverence
and miracle of the blessed John, the tower, which was 120 cubits high,
showed manifestly, when it came to fall, that it would avoid the holy
church, and turned and fell directly upon the piazza, wherefore all
the Florentines marvelled and the popolo rejoiced greatly. And note,
that since the city of Florence had been rebuilt, not one house had
been destroyed, and the said accursed destruction thereof was then
begun by the Ghibellines. And they ordained that of the Emperor
Frederick's followers there should remain 1,800 German horsemen in
their pay, whereof Count Giordano was captain. It came to pass that in
the same year when the Guelfs were driven from Florence, they which
were at Montevarchi were attacked by the German troops which were in
garrison in the fortress of Gangareta in the market place of the said
Montevarchi, and there was a fierce battle of but few people, as far
as the Arno, between the Guelf refugees from Florence, and the
Germans. In the end the Germans were discomfited, and a great part
thereof slain and taken prisoners, and this was in the year of Christ
1248.
Sec. 34.--_How the host of the Emperor Frederick was defeated by the
Parmesans, and by the Pope's legate._
[Sidenote: Epist. vi. (5) 127-135.]
[Sidenote: 1248 A.D.]
At this time the Emperor Frederick was laying siege to the city of
Parma in Lombardy, because they had rebelled against his lordship and
held with the Church; and within Parma was the Pope's legate with
mounted men-at-arms sent by the Church to aid them. Frederick was
without the city, with all his forces and with the Lombards, and abode
there many months, and had sworn never to depart thence until he
should have taken it; and for this reason he had made a camp over
against the said city of Parma, after the manner of another town, with
moats and palisades and towers, and houses roofed and walled, to which
he gave the name of Vittoria; and by the said siege he had much
straitened the city of Parma, and it was so poorly furnished with
victuals, that they could hold out but a short while longer, and this
the Emperor knew well by his spies; and for the said cause he held
them for folk well-nigh vanquished, and troubled himself little about
them. It came to pass, as it pleased God, that one day the Emperor was
taking his pleasure in the chase, with birds and with dogs, going
forth from Vittoria with certain of his barons and servants; and the
citizens of Parma, having learnt this from their spies, as folk
reckless, or rather desperate, all sallied forth from Parma in arms,
foot and horse together, and vigorously attacked the said camp of
Vittoria in divers parts. The Emperor's soldiers, unprepared and in
disorder, with insufficient guards (as they who took little thought of
their enemies), seeing themselves thus suddenly and fiercely attacked,
and being unable to defend themselves in the absence of their lord,
were all put to flight and discomfiture, albeit there were three times
as many horse and foot as there were in Parma; in which defeat many of
them were taken or slain, and the Emperor himself, when he heard the
news, fled with great shame to Cremona; and the Parmesans took the
said camp, wherein they found great store of muniments of war, and
victual, and vessels of silver, and all the treasure which the Emperor
had in Lombardy, and the crown of the said Emperor, which the
Parmesans still have in the sacristy of their bishop's palace; whereby
they were all enriched. And when they had spoiled the said place of
its booty, they set fire thereto, and destroyed it utterly, to the end
there might be no trace of it, whether as city or as camp, for ever.
And this was the first Tuesday in February, in the year of Christ
1248.
Sec. 35.--_How the Guelf refugees from Florence were taken in the
fortress of Capraia._
[Sidenote: 1248 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1249 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1248 A.D.]
A short time afterwards the Emperor departed from Lombardy, leaving
there his natural son Enzo, king of Sardinia, with many horsemen, as
his vicar-general over the Lombard League, and came into Tuscany, and
found that the Ghibelline party which was ruling the city of Florence
had laid siege in the month of March to the fortress of Capraia,
wherein were the leaders of the chief families of Guelf nobles exiled
from Florence. And when the Emperor came into Tuscany, he would not
enter into the city of Florence, nor ever had entered therein, but was
ware of it, for by soothsayers or by the saying of some demon or
prophecy, he had discovered that he should die in Firenze, wherefore
he feared greatly. Nevertheless, he came to the army, and went to
sojourn in the castle of Fucecchio, and left the greater part of his
followers at the siege of Capraia, which stronghold being straitly
besieged, and having scanty provisions, was not able to hold out
longer; and the besieged held counsel about coming to parley, and they
would have been granted any liberal terms which they desired; but a
certain shoemaker, an exile from Florence, which had been a leading
Ancient, not being invited to the said council, came to the gate very
wrathful, and cried to the host that the town could hold out no
longer, for the which thing the host would not consent to treat,
wherefore they within, as dead men, surrendered themselves to the
mercy of the Emperor. And this was in the month of May, in the year of
Christ 1249. And the captains of the said Guelfs were Count Ridolfo of
Capraia, and M. Rinieri Zingane of the Bondelmonti. And when they came
to Fucecchio to the Emperor, he took them all with him prisoners to
Apulia; and afterwards, by reason of letters and ambassadors sent to
him by the Ghibellines of Florence, he put out the eyes of all which
belonged to the great noble families in Florence, and then drowned
them in the sea, save M. Rinieri Zingane, because he found him so wise
and great of soul that he would not put him to death, but he put out
his eyes, who afterwards ended his life as a monk in the island of
Montecristo. And the aforesaid shoemaker was spared by the besiegers;
and when the Guelfs had returned to Florence, he also returned
thither, and being recognised in the parliament, at the outcry of the
people he was stoned, and vilely dragged along the ground by the
children, and thrown into the moats.
[Sidenote: 1250 A.D.]
Sec. 36.--_How King Louis of France was routed and taken prisoner by the
Saracens at la Monsura in Egypt._ Sec. 37.--_How King Enzo, son of the
Emperor Frederick, was routed and taken prisoner by the Bolognese._ Sec.
38.--_How certain Ghibellines of Florence were discomfited in the
village of Fegghine by the Guelf refugees._
Sec. 39.--_How the Primo Popolo was formed in Florence to be a defence
against the violence and attacks of the Ghibellines._
[Sidenote: 1250 A.D.]
When the said host came back to Florence there was great contention
amongst the citizens, inasmuch as the Ghibellines, who ruled the land,
crushed the people with insupportable burdens, taxes, and imposts; and
with little to show for it, for the Guelfs were already established up
and down in the territory of Florence, holding many fortresses and
making war upon the city. And besides all this, they of the house of
the Uberti and all the other Ghibelline nobles tyrannized over the
people with ruthless extortion and violence and outrage. Wherefore the
good citizens of Florence, tumultuously gathering together, assembled
themselves at the church of San Firenze; but not daring to remain
there, because of the power of the Uberti, they went and took their
stand at the church of the Minor Friars at Santa Croce, and remaining
there under arms they dared not to return to their homes, lest when
they had laid down their arms they should be broken by the Uberti and
the other nobles and condemned by the magistrates. So they went under
arms to the houses of the Anchioni of San Lorenzo, which were very
strong, and there, still under arms, they forcibly elected thirty-six
corporals of the people, and took away the rule from the Podesta,
which was then in Florence, and removed all the officials. And this
done, with no further conflict they ordained and created a popular
government with certain new ordinances and statutes. They elected
captain of the people M. Uberto da Lucca, and he was the first captain
of Florence, and they elected twelve Ancients of the people, two for
each sesto, to guide the people and counsel the said captain, and they
were to meet in the houses of the Badia over the gate which goes to
Santa Margherita, and to return to their own homes to eat and sleep;
and this was done on the twentieth day of October, the year of Christ
1250. And on this day the said captain distributed twenty standards
amongst the people, giving them to certain corporals divided according
to companies of arms and districts, including sundry parishes, in
order that when need were every man should arm himself and draw to the
standard of his company, and then with the said standards draw to the
said captain of the people. And they had a bell made which the said
captain kept in the Lion's Tower. And the chief standard of the
people, which was the captain's, was dimidiated white and red.
* * * * *
Sec. 40.--_Of the ensigns of war which were borne by the commonwealth of
Florence._
Sec. 41.--_How the Emperor Frederick died at Firenzuola in Apulia._
[Sidenote: 1250 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Purg. iii. 121.]
In the said year 1250, the Emperor Frederick being in Apulia, in the
city of Firenzuola, at the entrance to the Abruzzi, fell grievously
sick, and for all his augury he knew not how to take heed; for he had
learned that he must die in Firenze, wherefore, as aforesaid, never
would he set foot in Firenze, neither in Faenza; yet ill did he
interpret the lying word of the demon, for he was bidden beware lest
he should die in Firenze, and he took no heed of Firenzuola. It came
to pass that, his malady increasing upon him, there being with him one
of his bastard sons, named Manfred, which was desirous of having the
treasure of Frederick, his father, and the lordship of the kingdom and
of Sicily, and fearing that Frederick might recover him of that
sickness, or leave a testament, the said Manfred made a league with
his private chamberlain, and promising him many gifts and great
lordship, covered the mouth of Frederick with a bolster and so stifled
him, and after the said manner the said Frederick died, deposed from
the Empire, and excommunicated by Holy Church, without repentance or
sacrament of Holy Church. And by this may we note the word which
Christ said in the Gospel: "Ye shall die in your sins," for so it came
to pass with Frederick, which was such an enemy to Holy Church, who
brought his wife and King Henry, his son, to death, and saw himself
discomfited, and his son Enzo taken, and himself, by his son Manfred,
vilely slain, and without repentance; and this was the day of S. Lucy
in December, the said year 1250. And him dead, the said Manfred became
guardian of the realm and of all the treasure, and caused the body of
Frederick to be brought and buried with honour in the church of
Monreale above the city of Palermo in Sicily, and at his burying he
desired to write many words of his greatness and power and the mighty
deeds done by him; but one Trottano, a clerk, made these brief verses,
the which were very pleasing to Manfred and to the other barons, and
he caused them to be engraven on the said sepulchre, the which said:--
Si probitas, sensus, virtutum gratia, census
Nobilitas orti, possent resistere morti,
Non foret extinctus Federicus, qui jacet intus.[3]
[Footnote 3:
If sense or frankness bold, if virtues' grace or gold,
If birth from noble source, could stay death in his course,
Frederick who here doth lie, would ne'er have come to die.]
And note, that at the time when the Emperor Frederick died, he had
sent into Tuscany for all the hostages of the Guelfs to cause them to
be put to death; and on the way to Apulia, when they were in Maremma,
they heard news of the death of Frederick, and the guards, for fear,
abandoned them, who escaped to Campiglia, and thence returned to
Florence and to the other cities of Tuscany, very poor and in great
need.
Sec. 42.--_How the Popolo of Florence peaceably restored the Guelfs to
Florence._
[Sidenote: 1250 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Inf. x. 49, 50.]
The same night that the Emperor Frederick died, the Podesta who ruled
for him in Florence, died also, who was named Messer Rinieri di
Montemerlo; for, as he slept in his bed, there fell upon him of the
vaulting from the roof of the chamber, which was in the house of the
Abati. And this was a sure sign that in the city of Florence his
lordship was to be ended, and this came to pass very soon; for the
common people having risen in Florence against the violence and
outrages of the Ghibelline nobles, as we have said, and tidings coming
to Florence of the death of the said Frederick, a few days after, the
people of Florence recalled and restored to Florence the party of the
Guelfs who had been banished thence, causing them to make peace with
the Ghibellines, and this was the seventh day of January, year of
Christ 1250.
Sec. 43.--_How at the time of the said Popolo the Florentines discomfited
the men of Pistoia, and afterwards banished certain families of the
Ghibellines from Florence._
[Sidenote: 1251 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Par. xvi. 151-154.]
Greatly did the party for the Church and the Guelf party rejoice
throughout all Italy at the death of the Emperor; and the party for
the Empire, and the Ghibellines were brought low, inasmuch as Pope
Innocent returned from beyond the mountains with his court to Rome,
bringing aid to the faithful followers of the Church. It came to pass
that in the month of July, in the year of Christ 1251, the people and
commonwealth of Florence gathered a host against the city of Pistoia,
which had rebelled against them, and fought with the said inhabitants
of Pistoia, and discomfited them at Mount Robolini with great loss in
slain and prisoners of the men of Pistoia. And at that time Messer
Uberto da Mandella of Milan was Podesta of Florence. And because the
government of the Popolo was not pleasing to the greater part of the
Ghibelline families in Florence, forasmuch as it seemed to them that
they favoured the Guelfs more than was pleasing to them, and as in
past times they were used to do violence, and to be tyrannical,
relying on the Emperor, therefore they were even now unwilling to
follow the people and the commonwealth on the said expedition against
Pistoia, rather did they both in word and in deed oppose it through
factious hatred; forasmuch as Pistoia was ruled in those days by the
Ghibelline party; whereby was caused so great mistrust, that when the
host returned victorious from Pistoia, the said Ghibelline families in
Florence were banished and sent forth from the city by the people of
Florence, the said month of July, 1251. And the heads of the
Ghibellines in Florence being banished, the people and the Guelfs who
remained in the lordship of Florence, changed the arms of the
commonwealth of Florence; and whereas of old they bore the field red
and the lily white, they now made on the contrary the field white and
the lily red; and the Ghibellines retained the former standard, but
the ancient standard of the commonwealth dimidiated white and red, to
wit, the standard that went with the host upon the carroccio, never
was changed. We will leave for a while the doings of the Florentines,
and we will tell somewhat of the coming of King Conrad, son of the
Emperor Frederick.
Sec. 44.--_How King Conrad, son of Frederick the Emperor, came from
Germany into Apulia, and had the lordship over the realm of Sicily,
and how he died._
[Sidenote: 1251 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1252 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Purg. iii. 121.]
When King Conrad of Germany heard of the death of the Emperor
Frederick, his father, he prepared with a great company to pass into
Apulia and Sicily, to take possession of the said Kingdom, of the
which Manfred, his bastard brother, had become vicar-general, and was
ruling it altogether, save only the cities of Naples and of Capua, the
which had rebelled after the death of Frederick, and were returned to
obedience to the Church; as also many cities of Lombardy and Tuscany,
on occasion of the death of the said Frederick, had changed their
government and returned to the obedience of the Church. The said
Conrad would not adventure himself to come by land, but being arrived
in the Trevisan March, he caused a great fleet to be equipped by the
Venetians, and from thence by sea with all his people came to Apulia
the year of Christ 1251. And albeit Manfred was wrath at his coming,
forasmuch as he had purposed to be lord of the said kingdom, he made a
great welcome to Conrad, his brother, rendering him much honour and
reverence, and when he was in Apulia he led a host against the city of
Naples, the which before had been five times attacked and besieged by
Manfred, prince of Salerno, and he had not been able to conquer it;
but Conrad, with his great host after a long siege, gained the city by
surrender, on condition that he should neither slay the defenders nor
dismantle the place. But Conrad did not abide by the pact, but so soon
as he was in Naples he caused the walls and all the fortresses of
Naples to be destroyed; and the like did he to the city of Capua,
which had rebelled; and in a short space he had restored all the
Kingdom to his lordship, casting down every rebel, or whosoever was a
friend or follower of Holy Church; and not only the laity but the
monks and holy persons he caused to die by torments, robbing the
churches, and subduing whosoever was not in obedience to him, and
appointing to benefices, as if he were Pope; so that if Frederick, his
father, was a persecutor of Holy Church, this Conrad, if he had lived
longer, would have been worse; but as it pleased God, a little time
after, he was smitten with a grievous sickness, but not mortal, and
as he was being tended by leeches and physicians, Manfred, his
brother, to remain in power, caused the said leeches for money and
great promises to poison him by a clyster. By such a judgment of God,
by his brother's deed, of such a death did he die without repentance
and excommunicated, the year of Christ 1252. And he left behind him in
Germany a young son who was named Conradino, whose mother was daughter
to the duke of Bavaria.
Sec. 45.--_How Manfred, natural son of Frederick, took the lordship of
the kingdom of Sicily and of Apulia, and caused himself to be
crowned._
[Sidenote: 1252 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1254 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Purg. iii. 121.]
[Sidenote: 1255 A.D.]
Conrad, called king of Germany, being dead, Manfred remained lord and
governor of Sicily and of the Kingdom, albeit through the death of
Conrad, some cities of the Kingdom rebelled, and Pope Innocent IV.,
with a great host of the Church, entered into the Kingdom to regain
the lands which Manfred was holding against the will of the Church,
and under sentence of excommunication; and when the said host of the
Church had entered into the Kingdom, all the cities and villages as
far as Naples surrendered themselves to the said Pope; but he had
sojourned but a short time in Naples ere he fell sick, and passed from
this life the year of Christ 1252, and was buried in the city of
Naples. Wherefore by the death of the said Pope, and by the vacancy
which the Church had after him, which for more than two years abode
without pastors, Manfred regained all the Kingdom, and his strength
increased greatly both far and near; and with great care he allied
himself with all the cities of Italy which were Ghibelline and
faithful to the Empire, and aided them by his German knights, making a
league and alliance with them in Tuscany and in Lombardy. And when the
said Manfred saw himself in glory and state, he thought to have
himself made king of Sicily and of Apulia, and to the end this might
come to pass, he sought for the friendship of the greatest barons of
the Kingdom, with monies and gifts and promises and offices. And
knowing that King Conrad, his brother, had left a son named Conradino,
the which was by law the rightful heir to the realm of Sicily, and was
in Germany under the guardianship of his mother, he devised guileful
practices whereby to become king; wherefore he gathered together all
the barons of the Kingdom, and took counsel with them what should be
done with the lordship, forasmuch as he had received tidings that his
nephew Conradino was grievously sick, and could never rule over a
realm; wherefore it was counselled by his barons that he should send
his ambassadors into Germany to learn of the state of Conradino, and
if he were dead or ill; and meanwhile they counselled that Manfred
should be made king. To this Manfred agreed, seeing it was he which
had falsely arranged it all, and he sent the said ambassadors to
Conradino and to his mother with rich presents and great offers. The
which ambassadors being come to Suabia, found the boy whom his mother
guarded most carefully, and with him she kept many other boys of
gentle birth clothed in his garments; and when the said ambassadors
asked for Conradino, his mother being in dread of Manfred, showed to
them one of the said children, and they with rich presents, offered
him gifts and reverence, among the which gifts were poisoned comfits
from Apulia, and the boy having eaten of them, straightway died.
They, believing Conradino to be dead by poison, departed from Germany,
and when they had returned to Venice, they caused sails of black cloth
to be made to their galley and all the rigging to be black, and they
were attired in black, and when they were come into Apulia, they made
a show of great grief, as they had been instructed by Manfred. And
having reported to Manfred, and to the German barons, and to those of
the Kingdom how Conradino was dead, and Manfred having made show of
deep affliction, by the call of his friends and of all the people (as
he had arranged), he was elected king of Sicily and of Apulia, and at
Monreale, in Sicily, caused himself to be crowned, the year of Christ
1255.
Sec. 46.--_Of the war between Pope Alexander and King Manfred._
[Sidenote: 1255 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1256 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Purg. iii. 107.]
[Sidenote: Cf. De V.E. i. 12, 21 sqq.]
After the death of Pope Innocent, and the vacancy which followed,
there was elected Pope Alexander IV., born in the city of Alagna, in
Campagna, the year of Christ 1255, and he sat on the papal throne
seven years, and certain months and days. The which Pope Alexander,
hearing how Manfred had caused himself to be crowned king of Sicily
against the will of Holy Church, by the said Pope Manfred was required
to abandon the lordship of the Kingdom and of Sicily, the which he
would neither hearken to, nor obey; for the which thing the said Pope
first excommunicated and deprived him, and then sent against him Otho,
the cardinal legate, with a great host of the Church, and he took many
places on the coasts of Apulia; to wit, the city of Sipanto, and Mount
Santagnolo, and Barletta and Bari, as far as Otranto in Calabria; but
afterwards the said host, by reason of the death of the said legate,
returned with labour lost, and Manfred took back and regained all, and
this was the year of Christ 1256. The said King Manfred was son of a
beautiful lady, of the family of the Marquises of Lancia in Lombardy,
of whom the Emperor Frederick was enamoured, and he was beautiful in
person, and, like his father, but even more, dissolute in every
fashion; a musician he was, and singer, and loved to see around him
buffoons and minstrels, and beautiful concubines, and was always clad
in green raiment; very liberal was he, and courteous, and gracious, so
that he was much loved and in great favour; but all his way of life
was epicurean, caring neither for God nor the saints, but only for
bodily delights. An enemy he was to Holy Church, and to priests and
monks, occupying the churches as his father had done, and was a very
rich lord, alike from the treasure bequeathed to him by the Emperor
and by King Conrad, his brother, and from his kingdom, which was rich
and fruitful; and, for all the wars that he had with the Church, he
kept it in good state so long as he lived, so that he increased much
in riches and in power by sea and by land. For wife he took the
daughter of the despot of Romagna, by whom he had sons and daughters.
The arms which he took and bore were those of the Empire, save where
the Emperor, his father, bore the gold field and the black eagle, he
bore the silver field and the black eagle. This Manfred caused the
city of Sipanto in Apulia to be destroyed, forasmuch as through the
marshes around it was not healthy, and it had no harbour; and by its
citizens, at two miles distance upon the rock, and in a place where
there might be a good harbour, he caused a city to be founded, which
after his name was called Manfredonia, the which has now the best
harbour that there is between Venice and Brindisi. And of that city
was Manfred Bonetta, count chamberlain of the said King Manfred, a
delightsome man, a musician and singer, who caused the great bell of
Manfredonia to be made in his memory, the which is the largest that
can be found for size, and because of its size cannot be rung. We will
now leave speaking of Manfred until fit place and time, and will
return where we left off in our subject, namely to the doings of
Florence and of Tuscany and of Lombardy, albeit they were much mixed
up with the doings of the said King Manfred in many things.
[Sidenote: 1251 A.D.]
[Sidenote: 1252 A.D.]
Sec. 47.--_How the Florentines discomfited the Ubaldini in Mugello._ Sec.
48.--_How the Florentines took Montaia and routed the troops of the
Sienese and the Pisans._ Sec. 49.--_How the Florentines took Tizzano and
then routed the Pisans at Pontadera, the Pisans having routed the
Lucchese._
Sec. 50.--_How the bridge Santa Trinita was built._
In this time, the city of Florence being in happy state under the rule
of the Popolo, a bridge was built over the Arno from Santa Trinita to
the house of the Frescobaldi in Oltrarno, and in this the zeal of
Lamberto Frescobaldi helped much, which was a noted Ancient in the
Popolo, and he and his had come to great state and riches.
[Sidenote: 1252 A.D. Cf. Par. xvi. 50.]
Sec. 51.--_How the Florentines took the fortress of Fegghine._
Sec. 52.--_How the Sienese were routed by the Florentines at Montalcino._
Sec. 53.--_How the golden florins were first made in Florence._
[Sidenote: 1252 A.D.]
[Sidenote: Cf. Par. xviii. 133-136.]