The party of Jane was successful. Don Pedro, brother to Alphonzo, was obliged to yield Naples, and shut himself up in a fortress; and the queen was completely re-establish ed in her authority, by the decisive battle of Aquila, and the death of Montane. The remains of his band of adventurers entered into the Florentine service, under the command of Nicholas Piccinino. Martin V. resumed the territories wrested from the church ; and of all the principality of Braccio, nothing was left to his son Count Oddo but the castle of Montone.
At this period, the chief influence at Florence was pos sessed by Nicholas d'Uzzano, of the same party and policy as Maso Albizzi; but, notwithstanding his power, the Me dici, at the head of the democratical party, were gradually increasing in wealth and authority, and John di Medici, (father of the great Cosme,) now attained to the office of gonfalonier of justice.
A treaty had been concluded with Philip Visconti; but the ambitious spirit of that prince sum excited new wars and revolutions. Francis Carmagnola, his general, had succeeded in the conquest of Genoa, which was in a state of anarchy from its intestine discords. This was followed by the acquisition of Parma and Bergando; and Brescia and Crema were surrendered to his arms. Bcllinzona, Duomo d'Ossola, and the Levantine Valley, were next wrested from the Swiss ; but :3000 of that gallant nation having crossed Mount St. Gothard, attacked the army of Carmagnola, which, although consisting of 24,000, was with difficulty able to keep its ground, and the Swiss were permitted to retire unmolested.
The interference of Visconti, in the affairs of Romagna, after the death of Montane, was considered by the Floren tines as an infraction of the treaty, and war was immediately commenced ; but were defeated in six suc-_ cessive battles, and obliged to apply for aid to the senate of Venice. In the meantime, Carmagnola, having incurred the jealousy of Philip, had fled to Venice, where, eaget for an opportunity of revenge, he zealously pleaded the cause of Florence ; and the senate, roused by his exhortations, placed him at the head or their troops. Brescia soon sub mitted; and the duke alarmed, acceded to a peace with the republicans, allowing them to retain their conquest. But the Milanese, dissatisfied with the terms of the peace, prevailed on Philip immediately to break the treaty, and invade Mantua. His troops were at first victorious; the
e-vent of a second battle was doubtful ; but in the third, which was fought at ?lacalo, on the Ogles, Charles Nala testi was completely deleated, and, with 8000 men, was ta ken prisoner by Cal magnoln. They were, however, releas ed next day, by the generosity of that leader and his soldiers; but this act excited the suspicions of the supreme council of Venice, and afterwards occasioned his ruin.
This defeat occasioned a second peace between Philip and the republics. But the attempts of Florence against Lucca being frustrated by Sfoi za and Peccumn, now in the pay of the duke, the war was again renewed, but with less favourable auspices. The Venetian fleet on the Po was almost entirely destroyed by the Milanese, and the army of Carmagnola surprised and routed near Soncino by Sforza, while in Tuscany, Piccinino made demonstrations against Pisa, and laid waste the Florentine territory. After his defeat, Carmagnola continued for some time in a state of inaction, which increasing the suspicions of the Venetian council, he was invited to Venice, to give his advice on the sate of affairs ; but no sooner had lie arrived than he was thrown into prison, and after a secret trial, where he suf fered the torture of the rack, was publicly beheaded in St. dark's place. His trial was never made public, but throughout Italy he was generally considered as a victim rather to the jealousy, than the re% enge of the Venetians.
In the meantime, Martin V. had been succeeded in the pontificate, by Gabriel Condolmieri, a Venetian, who em braced tire cause of the republics and of the Orsini at Rome. But this pope, who took the name of Eugene IV. was hasty and passionate, and his whole reign exhibits a series of contests with the Colonna ; the Hussites in Bohe mia ; the council at Basle for the reformation of the church ; and his own vassals in Romagna.
The emperor Sigismond now entered Italy, and at Milan received the iron crown, but without obtaining an inter view with the duke. He then succeeded in restoring peace between the republics and Philip ; and, repairing to Rome, was invested with the imperial crown, from whence, after attempting in vain to act as mediator between the pope and the council of Basle, he returned to Germany, convinced by experience, that it was in vain for an empe ror, without an army, to interfere in the affairs of Italy.