GRANADA HIS PERSON AND CHARACTER HIS TEMPERANCE
AND ECONOMY HIS BIGOTRY ACCUSED OF HYPOCRISY HIS
PERFIDY HIS SHREWD POLICY HIS INSENSIBILITY
CONTRAST WITH ISABELLA GLOOMY CLOSE OF HIS LIFE
HIS KINGLY QUALITIES JUDGMENT OF HIS
CONTEMPORARIES
CHAPTER XXV
. ADMINISTRATION, DEATH, AND CHARACTER OF
CARDINAL XIMENES. DISPUTES RESPECTING THE REGENCY
CHARLES PROCLAIMED KING ANECDOTE OF XIMENES HIS
MILITARY ORDINANCE HIS DOMESTIC POLICY HIS FOREIGN
POLICY ASSUMES THE SOLE POWER INTIMIDATES THE
NOBLES PUBLIC DISCONTENTS TREATY OF NOYON
CHARLES LANDS IN SPAIN HIS UNGRATEFUL LETTER THE
CARDINAL'S LAST ILLNESS HIS DEATH HIS CHARACTER HIS
VERSATILITY OF TALENT HIS DESPOTIC GOVERNMENT HIS
MORAL PRINCIPLE HIS DISINTERESTEDNESS HIS MONASTIC
AUSTERITIES HIS ECONOMY OF TIME HIS PERSON
PARALLEL WITH RICHELIEU NOTICE OF GALINDEZ DE
CARBAJAL
CHAPTER XXVI
. GENERAL REVIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF
FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. POLICY OF THE CROWN
DEPRESSION OF THE NOBLES THEIR GREAT POWER
TREATMENT OF THE CHURCH CARE OF MORALS STATE OF
THE COMMONS THEIR CONSIDERATION ROYAL
ORDINANCES ARBITRARY MEASURES OF FERDINAND
ADVANCEMENT OF PREROGATIVE LEGAL COMPILATIONS
ORGANIZATION OF COUNCILS LEGAL PROFESSION
ADVANCED CHARACTER OF THE LAWS ERRONEOUS
PRINCIPLES OF LEGISLATION PRINCIPAL EXPORTS
MANUFACTURES AGRICULTURE ECONOMICAL POLICY
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS INCREASE OF EMPIRE
GOVERNMENT OF NAPLES REVENUES FROM THE INDIES
SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERY
EXCESSES OF THE SPANIARDS SLAVERY IN THE COLONIES
COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION GENERAL PROSPERITY
PUBLIC EMBELLISHMENTS AUGMENTATION OF REVENUE
INCREASE OF POPULATION PATRIOTIC PRINCIPLE
CHIVALROUS SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE SPIRIT OF BIGOTRY
BENEFICENT IMPULSE THE PERIOD OF NATIONAL GLORY
PART SECOND. [CONTINUED.]
CHAPTER X
.
ITALIAN WARS.--PARTITION OF NAPLES.--GONSALVO
OVERRUNS CALABRIA.
1498-1502.
Louis XII.'s Designs on Italy.--Alarm of the Spanish Court.--Bold
Conduct of its Minister at Rome.--Celebrated Partition of
Naples.--Gonsalvo Sails against the Turks.--Success and Cruelties of
the French.--Gonsalvo Invades Calabria.--He Punishes a Mutiny.--His
Munificent Spirit.--He Captures Tarento.--Seizes the Duke of Calabria.
During the last four years of our narrative, in which the unsettled state
of the kingdom and the progress of foreign discovery appeared to
demand the whole attention of the sovereigns, a most important
revolution was going forward in the affairs of Italy. The death of
Charles the Eighth would seem to have dissolved the relations recently
arisen between that country and the rest of Europe, and to have restored
it to its ancient independence. It might naturally have been expected
that France, under her new monarch, who had reached a mature age,
rendered still more mature by the lessons he had received in the school
of adversity, would feel the folly of reviving ambitious schemes, which
had cost so dear and ended so disastrously. Italy, too, it might have
been presumed, lacerated and still bleeding at every pore, would have
learned the fatal consequence of invoking foreign aid in her domestic
quarrels, and of throwing open the gates to a torrent, sure to sweep
down friend and foe indiscriminately in its progress. But experience,
alas! did not bring wisdom, and passion triumphed as usual.
Louis the Twelfth, on ascending the throne, assumed the titles of Duke
of Milan and King of Naples, thus unequivocally announcing his
intention of asserting his claims, derived through the Visconti family,
to the former, and through the Angevin dynasty, to the latter state. His
aspiring temper was stimulated rather than satisfied by the martial
renown he had acquired in the Italian wars; and he was urged on by the
great body of the French chivalry, who, disgusted with a life of inaction,
longed for a field where they might win new laurels, and indulge in the
joyous license of military adventure.
Unhappily, the court of France found ready instruments for its purpose
in the profligate politicians of Italy. The Roman pontiff, in particular,
Alexander the Sixth, whose criminal ambition assumes something
respectable by contrast with the low vices in which he was habitually
steeped, willingly lent himself to a monarch, who could so effectually
serve his selfish schemes of building up the fortunes of his family. The
ancient republic of Venice, departing from her usual sagacious policy,
and yielding to her hatred of Lodovico Sforza, and to the lust of
territorial acquisition, consented to unite her arms with those of France
against Milan, in consideration of a share (not the lion's share) of the
spoils of victory. Florence, and many other inferior powers, whether
from fear or weakness, or the short-sighted hope of assistance in their
petty international feuds, consented either to throw their weight into the
same scale, or to remain neutral. [1]
Having thus secured himself from molestation in Italy, Louis the
Twelfth entered into negotiations with such other European powers, as
were most likely to interfere with his designs. The emperor Maximilian,
whose relations with Milan would most naturally have demanded his
interposition, was deeply entangled in a war with the Swiss. The
neutrality of Spain was secured by the treaty of Marcoussis, August 5th,
1498,
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.