The wars of the Fronde, which now raged in France, completely withdrew the attention of Mazarine from Italy; and in the course of a few years, the Spaniards recovered Elba, Piombino, and Casal : but no sooner was the car dinal reinstated in his power, than he again attempted to invade Naples, allowing the expedition to appear, how ever, as if solely the work of the duke of Guise, now delivered from prison. The capture of Castelmare was all that the duke could effect ; and, meeting with no en couragement from the Neapolitans, he was obliged to return to France. Nothing farther of any importance was attempted in Italy during this war ; which was put an end to by the peace of the Pyrennees.
From this period, there follows about twenty years of profound repose in Italy, which can scarcely be said to be interrupted by the contest of the Venetians with the Turks, commonly called the war of Candia, in which Pope Innocent X. in vain endeavoured to procure the assistance of the other Catholic potentates. During the pontificate of Alexander VII. a dispute which arose between him and Louis XIV. occasioned a mutual dismissal of ambas sadors ; and preparations for war were made on both sides : but the pope soon becoming convinced of his ina bility to oppose so powerful an antagonist, hastened to appease Louis, whose pardon he only obtained by the most humiliating concessions.
The king of France was now engaged in his wars in Flanders, and for some years interested himself but little in Italian affairs : the oppressive government of the Spa niards at length gave him an opportunity.
The city of Messina, in Sicily, had, from a very early period, enjoyed the privilege of being governed by its own senate, a right which its citizens had defended against the aggressions of several monarchs of the different dynasties which had in their turn been oppressors in Sicily. The Spanish ministers, jealous of this last remain of independence, made an attempt to deprive the senate of its jurisdiction, and put to death two of the magistrates who ventured to defend its rights. The remonstrances of the people on this atrocious outrage were considered by the court of Madrid as acts of rebellion, and the governor of Messina endeavoured to secure the persons of the senators as its instigators. But the people, alarmed for the fate of their magistrates, flew to arms, and the garri son were forced to take refuge in the citadel, which they were soon compelled to evacuate. The armies of the viceroys of Naples and Sicily now prepared to besiege the city, and the Messenians had recourse to the duke d'Estrees, French ambassador at Rome.
Louis, on receiving this intelligence, immediately sent a body of troops to Messina, to the great joy of the in habitants, who hoisted the standard of France, and pro claimed Louis as their sovereign. In the course of the following year, the Spanish fleet being defeated by the French, the siege was raised, and the of Louis entertained hopes of conquering the whole island. But the lapse of 400 years had not effaced the recollection of the tyranny of Charles of Anjou ; and however averse the Sicilians might be to the Spanish government, they exhibited still greater antipathy to the dominion of the French, and the conquests of the latter were confined to a few inconsiderable towns. At last Louis, weary proba bly of the expense of the contest, suddenly sent a pe remptory order to his general, Feuillade, to evacuate Messina. The senate and nobles having in vain remon strated against this cruel desertion, were forced to sur render to the Spani.trds, but more than one half of the inhabitants removed to France: an emigration which, with the loss during the war, and the subsequent oppres sion of the Spaniards, so much weakened Messina, that half a century elapsed before it regained its former pros perity.
Not long after this, Louis acquired the important city of Casal, in Montferrat, by a treaty with Guerrieri, prime minister to Ferdinand Charles, duke of Mantua, by which, on the payment of 500,000 livres, the city was delivered up to Louis, and immediately occupied by 12,000 French, under Bouflers and Catinat. This dishonourable transaction excited so great indignation among the Italian states against the duke of Mantua, that he disavowed any knowledge of the transaction. The French, however, re tained possession, and the extravagance and thoughtless ness of the duke, who was devoted to the passion of gaming, render his participation in the treaty not at all improbable.
The republic of Genoa now incurred the displeasure of Louis, by the steady attachment it continued to main tain to the Spanish interest. Under pretence of their fitting out a fleet for the service of Spain, the Genoese were attacked by a powerful French squadron : and on their refusal to surrender the ships, Genoa was bombarded and part of the city reduced to ashes ; and the doge, and four of the principal senators, obliged to proceed to Paris, and there humble themselves before the haughty Louis.