A formidable league was soon formed against the new sovereign, by the Venetians and king of Naples, but his cause was warmly adopted by Cosmo di Medici, and the Florentines. Hostilities were, for a short time, delayed by the visit and coronation of the emperor Frederic III. of Austria ; but, immediately on his departure, Tuscany was invaded by Ferdinand, duke of Calabria, natural son to Al phonzo, while the duke of Milan was attacked by the Ve netians, the duke of Savoy, and the Marquess of Montfer rat. Rene of Anjou, however, having entered Italy at the desire of Slorza and the Florentines, effectually checked the progress of Piccinino and the Venetians ; and the taking of Constantinople by the Turks, having excited a general alarm and desire for peace, a treaty was concluded at Lodi, between the Venetians and duke of Milan, to which the king of Naples soon after acceded.
Nicholas V. a pontiff who had given great encouragement to the restorers of literature, was now dead, and his succes sor was Alphonzo Borgia, who was named Calixtus III. The war of Genoa is now the chief object of interest in the affairs of Italy. That state had, for many years, carried on war with Alphonzo of Naples, with various success. At length, weakened by intestine discords, and the destruction of their colonies by the Turks, the Genoese threw them selves under the protection of Charles VII. of France, whom they acknowledged their lord, and received a French garrison, under the command of John, son of Rene of An jou, who took the title of duke of Calabria.
The death of Alphonzo, at Naples, occasioned new changes.
On receiving this intelligence, Calixtus III. immediate ly declared the kingdom forfeited to the holy see by the ex tinction of the legitimate line. But Ferdinand was acknow ledged by the parliament of Naples, and on the death of Calixtus, which happened soon after, Pius II. confirmed his right, and, along with Sforza, embraced warmly his in terest. The Florentines and Venetians remained neutral. On the other hand, the arrival of the Duke of Calabria ex cited a general insurrection among the Neapolitan barons, and Ferdinand, defeated at Sarno, with difficulty retained Naples.
In the mean time, a new revolution at Genoa occasioned the expulsion of the French, and the fleet of Rene was de feated ; and his son, unable to receive succours from France, and deserted by many of his principal generals, was forced to evacuate Naples. At this period, Louis XI, of France, desirous of acquiring the friendship of Sforza, ceded to him his rights over Genoa ; and the violence of the reigning party there having occasioned an insurrection, the state at length submitted to his authority. Soon after this event followed the death of Cosmo di Medici, whose talents and virtues well deserved the title conferred on him by his fel low-citizens, of father of his country. Pope Pius II. having died at Ancona, where he had repaired to join the crusade of the Venetians against the Turks, was succeeded by Paul II. who refused to pay the contribution agreed to by his predecessor for the crusade, and the expedition did not take place. Sforza having now concluded an alliance with Louis XI. sent his son Galeazzo to his aid, in the civil war in which he was then engaged.
This was the last act of that great statesman and warrior, whose character, though tinged with the vices of the age, stands deservedly high in the history of his country. He died of a dropsy at Milan, on the 8th March, 1466, and his son Galeazzo was, without opposition, acknowledged his successor. The death of Sforza occasioned an attempt, by the independent party at Florence, to throw off the yoke of Peter di Medici, but without success ; and the struggle ended in the banishment of Acciaioli, Soderini, and other friends of liberty. By their influence the Venetians de clared war on Florence; but the war had no decisive re sults, and peace was concluded by the intervention of Paul 11. and Borso of Este, duke of Ferrara and Modena. The power of the Medici was now completely established in Florence ; and, on the death of Peter, his sons Lorenzo and Juliano, the eldest of whom was only 22, were acknow ledged chiefs of the republic. But the actual government of the state continued for some time in the hands of the same persons who, during the illness of Peter di Medici, had, as his friends, been possessed of the administration.
A dangerous enemy, however, was soon raised up to the Medici in the person of Sixtus IV. the successor of Paul II. This pope, who was said to have arrived by no very honourable means at that high office, devoted his whole in fluence to the advancement of his nephews ; some of whom, whose characters hut ill qualified them for such situations, were elevated to the highest stations in the church, while the others were invested with temporal principalities. and connected, by marriage, with the most illustrious families of Italy. Jerome Riasio, one of these favoured relatives, had become intimate with Francisco Pazzi, a Florentine gentleman, whose family, having incurred the jealousy of Lorenzo di Medici, had retired to Rome. In him Sixtus found a proper instrument for the destruction of the Me dici. It was agreed, that assassination was the only man ner by which their measures could be effected ; and Salvi ati, archbishop of Pisa, Jacob Pazzi, uncle of Francisco, and other enemies of the Medici, were added to the num ber of the conspirators. The time chosen for their pur pose was during the festivities on the visit of Cardinal Ria rio at Florence; and the two brothers were attacked in the church during the celebration of mass. Juliano was mur dered ; but Lorenzo defending himself was surrounded by his friends, and escaped to his house. In the mean time, the archbishop having attempted to make himself master of the palace of justice, was seized, and hanged, in his priestly dress, from the windows of the palace. Of the conspirators, a similar fate attended the first ; the others were massacred by the people ; and Bandini, the actual murderer of Juliano, who had taken refuge at Constantino ple, was delivered up, a year after, by NlahometII. to the vengeance of Lorenzo. The pope, aware that his connec tion with the conspiracy was discovered, immediately in terdicted Florence, on account of the death of the arch bishop ; and without dissembling his participation in the crime, declared war against the republic.