The confinement of Clement gave the last impulse in favour of liberty to the republic of Florence ; the adhe rents of the Medici were expelled, and the statues of Leo and Clement destroyed. At the head of this revolution was Philip Strozzi, the husband of Clarice, daughter of the unfortunate Peter di Medici, who herself contributed in no small degree to the success of the revolution. The newly emancipated republic embraced the cause of Francis, and were joined by the Venetians ; while Lauti cc, the French general, invaded Italy. Their cause was at first success ful. By the assistance of Andrew Doria, Genoa again ac knowledged the French dominion, Pavia and Alexandria surrendered to Lautrec, who now marched towards Na ples; and Clement, during a negociation for ransoming himself, contrived to escape from his confinement. These apparent advantages, however, were soon frustrated. The pope, who saw no opportunity of regaining his ascendancy at Florence, through Francis, the ally of the republic, be gan to treat secretly with Charles. The army of Lautrec was weakened by pestilence, and its valiant leader fell a victim to its ravages ; and Doria, indignant at the over bearing insolence of the French, deserted the service of Francis, and assisted his fellow citizens in asserting the liberties of then country. Another attempt of Francis on the Milanese failed by the skill of De Leyva, the Spanish general, and the Count de St. Pol was defeated and taken prisoner.
These reverses at length obliged the king of France to listen to terms of accommodation; and the peace of Cam bray was concluded, by which he renounced all claims to Milan, Genoa, and Naples ; and, what was still more de grading, left his Italian allies to the mercy of the em peror. But the formidable invasion of the Turks made that prince unwilling to excite fresh wars by any severity ; awl his proceedings during his visit to Italy were in gene ral conciliating. Francis Sforza was reinstated at Milan, and united to the niece of the emperor ; the duke of Fer rara's dominions were, notwithstanding the remonstrances of the pope, left inviolate ; and an equitable treaty granted to the republic of Venice. Florence, however, with a for titude worthy of its better days, resisted, for several months, the imperial armies ; but its efforts were unavailing ; and, on its surrender, Alexander di Medici, who assumed the title of duke of Florence, was confirmed by the sanction of the emperor. On the death of the marquess of Montferrat without issue, the inheritance, disputed by the duke of Sa voy, the marquess of Saluces, and the marquess of Man tua, was decided by Charles in favour of the last claimant. From this period the affairs of Italy became comparatively of littte interest the petty intrigues, and crooked policy of its tributary chiefs are unworthy the attention of the historian; and its annals in future only contain the alternate victories and defeats of those potentates who contended for its do minion, while the natives themselves remained the passive and obedient slaves of him who gained the victory.
The attention of the emperor was now chiefly occupied by the Fogless of the reformers in Germany, and, anxious to bring to a conclusion the divisions in the church, he re peatedly urged Clement to call a general council, but with out effect. Francis, aware that the importunity with which
this measure was demanded was extremely disagreeable to the pope, now again endeavoured to detach him from the emperor. In this he completely succeeded, by the marriage of his son, Henry duke of Orleans, to Catharine di Medici, his grand-niece. Clement, however, still ap peared devoted to Charles; but his unfortunate reign now drew near a close. The defection of Henry of England, and the complete emancipation of that kingdom from the papal dominion, an event, to which the intemperate violence of the Roman court had in no small degree contributed, deeply affected Clement's mind, and at length injured his health to such a degree as to occasion his death. He was immediately succeeded by Alexander Farnese, who as sumed the name of Paul III. whose prudent government maintained, for sonic time longer, peace in Europe.
At length Sforza, duke of Milan, having put to death one of Francis' emissaries, the impatient spirit of the mo narch could contain no longer, and though unable to gain a single ally, he marched with his troops into Italy. Ilis first attempt was against the duke of Savoy, who, not re ceiving assistance from Charles, then engaged in the siege of Tunis, was expelled from Savoy, and obliged to take refuge in Piedmont. Francis now prepared to turn his arms against Sforza, but his plans were altered by the sud den death of that prince, whose duchy, as he left no hews, was seized by Charles as a vacant fief of the empire.
Francis now lost his time in making out legal claims to the succession, while Charles, now arrived in Italy, and at the head of a powerful army, carried the war into France. This war, which was carried on with great exertions on both sides, was' terminated by the conclusion of a truce for ten years, through the mediation of Paul III. This was signed at Nice, in June 1538.
In the mean time, an attempt was made to excite a revo lution at Florence. Alexander di Medici had rendered himself justly detested by the tyranny of his government, and the brutality of his vices. The death of pope Clement, whose influence had in some degree restrained his ex cesses, left him completely at liberty, and his conduct be came so odious, that his cousin Lorenzino di Medici, him self an associate in his debaucheries, intending perhaps to become his successor, took an opportunity of assassinating him. But Lorenzino's designs were frustrated ; and al though he was well received by Strozzi and the exiles, the principal inhabitants of Florence placed at the head of the government Cosmo di Medici, a youth of 18, the only re maining legitimate descendant of the great Cosmo, and their choice was ratified by Charles, who confirmed Cos mo in the dukedom. The emperor bestowed the hand of his natural daughter Margaret of Austria, the widow of Alexander, on Octavio Farnese, the nephew of the pope.