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112 HISTORICAL ABSTRACT.
1501. IT.; Ammirato, iiL 262. For the earlier factions, cf. Machiavelli,
St. Fief. i]. Op. i. 85 ft.
Cesare Borgia's second campaign [continued]: Guicciardini, St.
d'Italia, v. 2 ; Op. Ined. iii. 236 ft. ; Machiavelli, Prineipe, oh. vn.--
Continues his operations in the Romagna at the beginning of
spring: takes Faenza, April 25 : Astorre Manfredl is conveyed to
Rome, and then murdered 1. The growing power of Cesare Borgia
gives alarm at Florence, as the city is hampered by money difficulties,
and distracted by the state of affairs at Plstoia and the war
with Pisa. He is created Duke of Romagna [end of April] : his army
one of the finest in Italy--'aveva a' soldi sua Gian Paulo Baglioni,
Vitellgzzo Vitelli, Paolo Orsini, e quasi tutta la milizia dl Italia' :
advances against Bologna, but is stopped by orders from France.
Sends to demand prowsions and a free pass through Florentine
territory, but advances to Barberino without walting for a reply.
There [May 12] he renews his demands, and further requires
the Florentines to change the government of their State, hoping
to bind Piero de' Medici more closely to his interest, though afterwards
he does not insist upon this point, as the restoration of Plero
would have thrown too much power into the hands of Vitellozzo
and the Orsini. At the same time he demands a condotta from
Florence, with 36,ooo ducats a year, wishing to obtain money, or
failing that, a pretext for attacking Florence. Cesare Borgia
advances to Campi, within seven miles of Florence. Ambassadors
are sent to him, and an agreement concluded, May I52:--_fussi
condotto per nostro Capitano generale per tre anni.., con condotta
di ducati trenta mila [36,oo0] 1' anne' :--the Florentines further
stipulating not to hinder Borgia in his enterprise against Piombmo.
Cesare Borgia moves south, towards Siena, and intrigues with
Pandolfo Petrucci. On August 18 Machiavelli is despatched to
Siena [Opere, P. M. iii. 358, Legazione a Siena : no letters of his
preserved, or perhaps he wrote none ; the object of his mission
has to be inferred from the facts related above: cf. Guicclardini,
Op. Incd. ili. 244 : _Partitosi il Valentine, ne venne in quello di
Siena, e con ordme d] Pandolfo Petrucci sue intrznseco amice, volt6
le genti a Piombino,' etc.]. Cesare Borgia advances towards
Piombino; makes himself master of some small towns in the
neighbourhood, and of the islands Planosa and Elba [June 1-5].
Returns to Rome [arrives June 17] to join the French army
against Naples: leaves his captains to continue the conquest of
Piombino : they take the town September 3 : Jacopo d'Appiano
flies to France. [Cesare Borgia leaves Rome for Naples, July 9 ;
returns September 15.]
1 His body was found in the Tiber June 9, 15o',.
2 The treaty is given in full in Arch. Stor. Ital. vol. xv. p ",69.