The Wars of the Papal States 1492-1517 - Italian Princes, Warrior Popes, and Holy Roman Emperors (Illustrated) by Mandell Creighton

Author:Mandell Creighton [Creighton, Mandell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Didactic Press
Published: 2015-01-27T16:00:00+00:00

THE LEAGUE OF CAMBRAI 1506-1510

LORENZO LOREDAN

The care of architecture and sculpture did not divert the attention of Julius II from politics. His scheme against Venice had failed for the present. The league of Blois came formally to an end in October, 1505, when Louis XII entered into an alliance with Ferdinand of Spain; and the struggle between Ferdinand and his son-in-law Philip was the point of interest in the politics of Europe. Italy was at peace save for the war which still dragged on between Florence and Pisa. It needed little to break this peace, and Julius II determined to be the first to do so. He made preparations, but kept their object secret. He allowed the Venetian envoy to think that he intended an expedition against Naples, for which he refused to accept the homage of Spain. At last it became known that the Pope intended to reduce Perugia and Bologna under the obedience of the Roman See. It was an undertaking which Alexander VI had found too large to be contemplated; but Julius II calculated on the neutrality of all and the help of many. Venice remained still; Louis XII of France reluctantly promised help; Florence was ready to do anything which would annoy Venice; the Dukes of Mantua, Ferrara, and Urbino promised troops.

Gianpaolo Baglione of Perugia and Giovanni Bentivoglio of Bologna were, in name, papal vicars of their states: in reality they ruled as independent lords. The rule of the Baglioni had been tyrannical, and the city suffered from bloody feuds; so that Julius II was in some measure justified in declaring that he went to free Perugia from a tyrant. But he had on his accession confirmed the privileges of Bologna; and Giovanni Bentivoglio was an ally of Louis XII and was under French protection. A more cautious man might have doubted of the success of his enterprise against such foes; but Julius II trusted to his audacity. Machiavelli instances his success as a proof of the advantage of promptitude. Julius II, he says, ordered the Venetians to remain neutral, and ordered the French king to help him; had he given them time to deliberate they probably would not have obeyed him; but he took the field at once, and they saw nothing else to do but fall in with his wishes.

Julius II left Rome before sunrise on August 26, having committed the care of the city to Cardinal Cibò. He was mounted on horseback, and wore a rochet; before him was carried a cross, and a bishop bore the Host. But as the bishop's horse had to be led by an attendant on foot, the Pope on the second day sent him along the road, while he himself chose to ride through the woods; he seems to have wished to lay aside his ecclesiastical character as much as possible and adopt the manners of the camp. He set out with twenty-four Cardinals, but only with a force of 500 men. He advanced by way of

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.