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14 HISTORICAL ABSTRACT.
1502. of Arezzo, Borgo San Sepolcro, Anghiari, Pieve San Stefano; to
the South, Castlglione and Monte San Savino. Cesare Borgia
professed to know nothing of the rebelhon till it was accomplished :
' disse mai aver prima inteso nulla': Op. vi. 19o.] On June 2i
Cesare Borgia by a rapid march captures Urbino [cf. Arte della
Guerra, lib. vii : ' sotto colore di andare a danni di Camerino, si
volse verso lo Stato di Urhino, ed occup6 uno stato in un giorno, e
senza alcuna fatma, il quale un altro con assai tempo e spesa non
avrebbe appena occupato.' Cf. Op. vl. 192.] Guidobaldo dl Montefeltro,
who had believed in his friendship, flies for his life--first to
Ravenna, thence to Mantua. The taking of Urbino causes Cesare
Borgia's own captains to fear for their safety : ' per 1mall d' altrui
comminciavano chlaramente a conoscere il pericolo proprio'
(Guicciardini, St. d' Italia, hb. v. ch. iii). Anxiety at Florence increases
; pressing requests for aid are made to France ; Louis XII
as indignant with Cesare Borgia, and helps Florence, according to
the agreement of April I2. French troops are sent, and join the
Florentine torces at Montevarchi. Directly afterwards Francesco
Gualterotti, Luigi della Stufa, and Piero Soderini are sent to
Lores XII at Asti; fresh troops [Swiss] are promised. Cesare
Borgm, aware that French troops are coming to the assistance of
Florence, sends to ask that some one may be despatched with
whom he may settle on friendly terms about Arezzo. Francesco
Soderini and Machiavelli are appointed, June 22. Reach Ponti-
celli same day ; find Cesare Borgia at Urbino, June 24 : he demands
a change in the government of Florence, which is refused. Machiavelh
leaves for Florence, June 26. [Legazione al Duca Valentino ;
Opere, P. M. iv. 1-63 : only two letters of Machiavelli, of June 22
and 26 : others from Soderini, up to July 20 : cf. Guicciardini, Op.
Ined. iii. 267.] The French forces under Imbault arrive before
Arezzo at the beginning of July: on July 29 Vltellozzo hands
over Arezzo (after a diplomatic struggle) and the other places he
had conquered in Tuscany to Imbault, who makes difficulties about
handing them over to Florence, according to his instructions : he is
consequently superseded by Lanques : ]_achiavelli is sent to him
on August 14, to urge him to carry out his orders (returns before
August 2o): Arezzo is handed over August 26: the other places
a few days later. [Scritti Ined., Rlbellione della Valdmhlana e di
Arezzo, pp. 1-4o ; Commissioni a Arezzo, Op. vi. I73 ; Opere, P. M.
iil. 360. Machiavelli was subsequently sent to Arezzo on September
ii and September 17 : about the same time he wrote ' Del modo di
trattare i popoli della Val di Chlana ribellati,' Op. ii. 385, and Opere,
P. M. iii. 365. A short account of the rebellion in Gumciardini, Op.
Ined. iil. 255 ft.] Cesare Borgia on July 19 receives the news that his
troops have captured Camerino, and driven out Giulio Cesare da