This very soon occurred. The brutal insolence of a French officer to a female roused the indignation of the in habitants of Palermo, and a general massacre of the French was the consequence. The example of Palermo was fol lowed by the other cities of Sicily ; and long before the fleet of the king of Arragon reached its shores, the French had been either exterminated, or expelled from the island ; Peter and Constance acknowledged as king and queen of Sicily ; and the former sent to Charles, whose fleet now be sieged Messina, a solemn defiance and challenge. In the mean time, a scarcity of provisions obliged the latter narch to reland his troops in Italy ; and his whole fleet and transports were destroyed b) Roger de Loria, the Art ago Man admiral. Charles then determined to accept of the chal lenge of his rival ; and it was agreed, that the next year a private and judicial combat should take place at Bourdeaux, under the auspices of the king or England, between 100 knights on each side, which was to decide the fate not only of Naples and Sicily, but of the hereditary dominions of each party. The preparations for this combat left die south of Italy for a short time in a state of tranquillity. But the pope opposed tins mode of decision, and in the mean time passed sentence of excommunication against Peter ; and, as king Edward 1. of England refused to guarantee the place of battle, the king of Arragon did not appear on the day appointed, although waited for by his antagonist. Martin now conferred the title of king of Arragon on Charles of Valois, second son of Philip the Hardy, king of France ; and the king of Naples set out by sea from Pro vence, on his return to Italy. Before his arrival, however, his son Charles, prince of Salerno, had been provoked to hazard an engagement with the Arragonian and Sicilian fleet. The superior skill and valour of Roger de Loria de cided the day; and the prince of Salerno, and his princi pal officers, fell into the hands of the Spanish admiral. Charles of Anjou seemed at first unmoved by this misfor tune, and continued to make preparations to invade Sicily ; but his disguised distress and anxiety produced a fatal ef fect on his health, and occasioned his death at Foggia, in the 69th year of his age, and 19th of his reign. His death was soon followed by that of Martin IV. who was succeed ed by Honorious IV. a man of talents, but aged and infirm. The kings of France and Arragon also died this year, both in consequence of wounds received in a battle, in which the former was defeated by the latter. Peter was succeeded in Sicily by his second son James ; and as Charles of Sa lerno still continued a prisoner, the kingdom of Naples was administered by Robert count d'Artois, his cousin. The division of the Sicilian kingdoms, and the captivity of the king of Naples, tended considerably to alter the state of Italy ; and the republic of Florence, which had lately adopt ed the democratical form of government, which it continu ed to retain, was now generally looked up to as the head of the Guelph confederation.
The object of chief interest in the north of Italy had for some years been the naval war between the states of Pisa and Genoa for the possession of Corsica, in which the fleets of the former were repeatedly defeated. The Guelph cities, taking advantage of this, formed a league against Pisa. In this extremity, the Pisans appointed Count Ugolino de la Gherardesca their general. This nobleman was success ful in his negotiations to dissolve the league ; and, having obtained peace, continued to retain his authority. His ty ranny soon became odious to the Pisans ; and at length having, in a fit of passion, slain the nephew of Roger Ubal dini, archbishop of Pisa, that prelate headed an insurrec tion against him. Ugolino was defeated and taken, and, by ordet of the archbishop, thrown with his sons into a dungeon, where they were left to die of hunger.
Soon after this event, Honorius IV. died, and Nicholas IV. was elected his successor. This pontiff raised the Co lonna family in Rome to that power and eminence, which enabled them to rival the Orsini. He also obtained the de liverance of Charles II. king of Naples ; but no sooner was that prince set at liberty, than he released him from the obligation of his oath; and the king and pope set themselves to attack the house of Arragon both in Spain and Sicily. On the death of Nicholas, the papal see continued for two years vacant ; and was at length filled up by Peter Morone, a hermit, who assumed the name of Celestine V. and en tirely submissive to Charles II. took up his residence at Naples. The unfortunate anchorite soon showed his inca pacity for reigning ; and even Charles found him utterly useless in promoting his designs. Ile was easily persuad ed to resign, and Bootlace VIII. was elected ; but the lat ter, jeitlout, of his feeble predecessor, shut him up in a tower in Campania, where he did not lung survive.
James of Sicily having now succeeded his brother Al phonzo of Arragon, Frederic, the youngest of the family, was left to govern Sicily. But James soon after entered into a treaty with Charles of Naples. Having married his daughter Blanche, and given up Sicily, the pope bestowed on him Sardinia and Corsica, although these belonged to the Pisans and Genoese. But the Sicilians, indignant at this treaty, crowned Frederic as their King. In Tuscany, the rivality of the factions of the Bianchi and Neri at Pis toia had spread to Florence and Lucca. In Florence, the Bianchi were headed by Vicri Cerchi, and the Neri by Corso Donati, and the cities presented the same scene of confusion as during the contest of the Guelphs and Ghibe lines. By the intervention of pope Boniface, the chiefs of both parties were exiled from Florence ; but the Bianchi returning immediately, took possession of the city, and op pressed their antagonists. At Lucca, the Neri were more powerful, and expelled the Bianchi, among whom was Castruccio Castracani, who, retiring to England, entered in to the army of that country. The pope now invited to the assistance of the king of Naples against Sicily, Charles of Valois, on whom he conferred the title of Count of Romag na. On entering Tuscany, he was received into Florence on condition of not interfering with the politics of the state ; but no sooner was he admitted, than he recalled the exiles ; and having arrested the Bianchi, plundered their houses, and banished their chief leaders. Among the latter, were the poet Dante, and the father of Petrarch. Valois then /eft Florence to carry on the war in Sicily ; but the pru dence and valour of Frederic overcame all the attacks made upon him, and a peace was at length concluded, when his title was acknowledged by the pope, and his marriage with Eleonora, daughter of Charles II. of Naples, united the interests of the rival families.
The pride and violence of Boniface had now raised against him powerful enemies in the Colonna family, whom he had excommunicated, and in Philip the Fair, king of France, whom he had offended by interfering with the rights of the Gallican church. At length William de Na garet, a French gentleman, incensed by his insolence, hav ing collected a few soldiers, surprised Boniface in Anagni, and made himself master of his person and treasure. He was however rescued by the people of Anagni, and return ing to Rome, put himself under the protection of the Orsini. But indignation at the late insult offered him, had aggravated the violent passions of the pope. He soon took offence at his protectors, and was preparing to leave them, when he was prevented by the Orsini, and confined to his apartment. Boniface was now raised to a pitch of insanity ; he refused all sustenance, and the following morning was found dead in his chamber, having repeatedly dashed his head against the wall.