These were not adhered to by Cosmo, who proceeded to new-model the government of the state, witnout any re gard whatever to its former policy. Many of the citizens, however, retired to a small town called Monte Alcino, where they established a government similar to that of Sienna, and consoled themselves with this shadow of their ancient liberty. The pope, overjoyed by the re-union of England, under Mary, to the Romish church, now attempt ed, by his intrigues at the diet of Augsburg, if possible to disunite the Protestants in Germany; but his designs were interrupted by death. Ilis successor, the virtuous Mar cellos 11. died on the 20th day of his pontificate, while me ditating plans for the reformation of the church. The tiara was now conferred on John Peter Caraffa, who took the name of Paul IV, This pope was of an intolerant and severe disposition, and filled with extravagant notions of the power and au thority of the Roman see. He soon displayed this, in his insolent treatment of the imperial ambassador, who inform ed him of the pacific termination of the diet of Augsburg, an event so unpleasing to his bigoted mind, that he openly inveighed against Charles and Ferdinand. His nephews, avhem the duke of Guise had gained over to the French interest, encouraged this temper, and at last induced him to conclude a treaty with Henry. But the emperor, having now abdicated his hereditary dominions in favour of his son Philip II. consecrated the last moments of his political ex istence to the negotiation of a peace with Henry ; and a truce for five years being concluded, the pope was left ex posed to the vengeance of Philip. Paul, alarmed for his safety, now had recourse to intrigue ; and having sent his nephew cardinal Caraffa to Paris, succeeded, by the united influence of the Lorraine family, the queen, and Diana of •Poictiers, Henry's mistress, in persuading him to violate the league, and again renew the war. Emboldened by his success, the pope set the king of Spain at defiance, and proceeded to oppress the Colunna family, and other adhe rents of the house of Austria. Philip at first was prevent ed by religious scruples from openly attacking the pontiff; and it was with extreme reluctance, that, having in vain attempted pacific measures, he ordered the duke of Alva to invade the papal territory. The rapid progress of that general reduced Paul to his old intrigues ; and, under pre tence of negotiating for a truce, he contrived to gain time, till the arrival French troops, and a considerable sum of money, again enabled him to set the duke at defi ance. The French army was commanded by the duke of Guise, who, after relieving Rume, marched towards Na ples, and endeavoured to force Alva to give him battle. But that experienced leader declined an engagement, and remained within his entrenchments, while the allied army was wasted by sickness, and weakened by the dissen tions of its commanders.
But, in the mean time, the Spanish army in the Nether lands, commanded by Emanuel Philibert, duke of Savoy, completely routed the French under constable Montmo rency at St. Quintin; and Henry was forced to recall the duke of Guise for the defence of France. The pope now hastened to appease Philip, which the superstitious venera tion of that prince for the holy See rendered no difficult task ; and the duke of Alva was even obliged to solicit, on his knees, the forgiveness of the pontiff for invading the sacred territory. At the same period, Philip, desirous to ingratiate hinisell with the Italian princes, of whose influence he intended to make use to counterbalance the authutity of the pope, conferred on Octavio Farnese the city and territory of Placentia ; and, having acknowledged him as duke of Parma, succeeded in detaching him from the French alliance. Influenced also by the intrigues of
Cosmo di Medici, he conferred on' him the investiture of Sienna in consideration of the sums due to him by his fa ther, and on condition of his furnishing a body of auxiliary troops, in case of any attack on Naples and Milan.
This acquisition secured to Cosmo, who had assumed the title of Grand Duke of Tuscany, the complete domi nion of that country. Two years after this, the peace of Chateau-Cambresis restored peace to Europe. The prin cipal articles regarding Italy were, the restoration of Savoy to Emanuel Philibert, who was also united in marriage to Margaret of Valois, sister to Henry II. Elizabeth, daugh ter of that monarch, became queen of Spain, although her hand had previously been promised to the unfortunate Don Carlos, Philip's eldest son. Henry's troops evacuated Italy; Montferrat was restored to the duke of Mantua, and Corsica to the Genoese, whose independence was now ac knowledged. The conditions of the treaty were observed with punctuality and fidelity ; a circumstance to which, in Italy, the death of Paul IV. contributed in no small degree. This pontiff is said to have died from the distress occa sioned by his nephew, the duke of Paliano, having in a fit of jealousy assassinated his wife, and murdered her sus pected lover. His successor, Pius IV. instigated proba bly by the court of Spain, a few months alter his accession, ordered this affair to be investigated ; and the result of the inquiry was, the execution of the duke of Paliano, his bro trier, cardinal Charles Caraffa, and two other noblemen, their accomplices.
The return of the duke of Savoy to his hereditary states, was an event no less agreeable to his subjects, than fortu nate to the other states of Italy. This prince, though from his infancy accustomed to war, had learned to estimate the value of peace; and, aware of the misfortunes which his country had suffered from being the theatre of war, exerted himself, in concert with the Venetians, in defending the frontiers of Italy, and preventing it from again being ex posed to the devastation of foreign armies. The general state of Europe forwarded his designs. The death of Hcn ry 11. of France, and the religious animosities which dis tracted that kingdom under his successors, incapacitated it from interfering in foreign politics. The king of Spain, content with the ascendancy he enjoyed by the possession of Naples and Milan, and occupied by his endeavours to suppress the rising spirit of freedom, which, though ex tinct in Italy, was now kindling in the cities of Belgium, was unwilling to excite the jealousy of the infariur Italian potentates. The emperor Ferdinand, having acquired by marriage the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia, was em ployed in confirming his authority, and in increasing among the German princes the influence of the house of Austria. The conduct of Pius IV. and his successors Pius V. and Gregory XIII. also contributed, in no small degree, to the tranquillity of Italy. These pontiffs, instructed by the ex ample of their predecessors, in the pernicious effects re sulting from their attempts to aggrandise their families, devoted their attention to the affairs of the church, and res cued it from the scandal occasioned by former popes and their nephews, of which even the warmest of its defenders could not but be sensible.