A History Of The Papacy From The Great Schism To The Sack Of Rome (Volume 5)

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The publisher of this book utilises modern printing technologies as well as photocopying processes for reprinting and preserving rare works of literature that are out-of-print or on the verge of becoming lost. This book is one such reprint. Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CESARE BORGIA RETURNS TO ROME. 17 When Cesare was master of Faenza he suddenly demanded the surrender of Castel Bolognese, which was in the territory of Bologna, and lay between Imola and Faenza ; its possession was necessary to round off the dominions which Cesare had acquired. Giovanni Bentivoglio was unprepared for war, and ceded Castel Bolognese on condition that the Pope should confirm the ancient privileges of Bologna.1 Cesare was now lord of a large territory, and Alexander VI. conferred upon him indefinite rights by giving him the title of Duke of the Romagna.2 He pre- turns to pared the way for future exploits by excommuni- June 17, eating Giulio Cesare Varano, lord of Camerino, as I5I- another rebellious vicar of the Holy See. But the Orsini, who were with Cesare, urged him to a more important enterprise, an attack upon Florence and the restoration of Piero de' Medici. Cesare asked leave to march to Rome through the Florentine territory. Florence was in a condition of great exhaustion through its long war with Pisa ; its magistrates were timorous and were afraid to refuse. Cesare raised his demands, and the Florentines at last consented to buy him off by taking him into their service for three years with a salary of 36,000 florins.3 Cesare was glad to make such terms, because the French king showed that he would not allow an enterprise against Florence, and Alexander VI., alarmed at Cesare's audacity, recalled him to Rome. He marched his disorderly army through the Florentine territory to Piombino, which he failed to carry by assault. Leaving some troops to carry on the siege, he hastened along the Maremma to Rome, where he was welcomed by the Pope on 1 The capitulation is given by Alvisi, Cesare Borgia, Appendix No. xxxii. 2 He is so styled first in a diplom...

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