Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/41

 Europe at the Ope?iing of the Sixteenth Century 3 of Calabria (whom I mentioned above), eldest son to Fer- rante, king of Naples. In the year 1493 the lord Ludovico began to solicit King Charles VIII, then reigning in France, to undertake an expedition into Italy, to conquer the kingdom of Naples, and to supplant and exterminate those who pos- sessed it ; for whilst they were in force and authority Ludo- vico durst not attempt what he did afterwards ; for at that time Ferrante, king of Naples, and Alphonso, his son, were both very rich, of great experience in war, and had the reputation of being very valiant princes, though it afterwards appeared otherwise. 1 This Ludovico was a wise man, but very timorous and humble where he was in awe of any one, and false and deceitful when it was for his advantage ; and this I do not speak by hearsay, but as one that knew him well, and had many transactions with him. But to proceed : In the year 1493 he began to tickle King Charles, who was but twenty- two years of age, with the vanities and glories of Italy, demonstrating (as is reported) the right which he had to the fine kingdom of Naples, which he knew well enough how to blazon and display. . . . [Now since the heart of our king, though he was very How Charles young, was strangely bent upon this enterprise,] he requested 7 j 11 entered the Venetians to give him their assistance and counsel in his tiations with expedition, and they returned this answer : That he should the wil y be very welcome in Italy, but that they were wholly incapa- ble of assisting him, upon account of their continual appre- hensions of the Turk — though at that time they were at peace with him. As for undertaking to advise so wise a king, who had so grave a council, that would savor too much of presumption on their part ; nevertheless they would rather assist than disturb him in his designs. 1 Ferrante was king of Naples only, not of Sicily, which belonged to Ferdinand the Catholic, as part of the possessions of the rulers of Aragon. See History of Western Europe, p. 360, note (Vol. II, p. 8, note). Ferrante died just before Charles started on his Italian expedition. He was succeeded by his brutal son, Alphonso, duke of Calabria, who however abdicated in a panic of fear upon the approach of Charles and his army.