Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/50

 12 Readings in European History The pope's selfish reasons for encouraging Louis XII to invade Italy. Louis XII captures Milan. Caesar Bor- gia's methods of ridding himself of his enemies. How Caesar Borgia ruled his duchy of Romagna. It was consequently necessary that the existing order of things should be changed, and the states of Italy thrown into confusion, in order that he might safely make himself master of some part of them ; and this became easy for him when he found that the Venetians, moved by other causes, were plotting to bring the French once more into Italy. This design he accordingly did not oppose, but furthered by annulling the first marriage of King Louis of France. 1 King Louis therefore came into Italy at the instance of the Venetians, and with the consent of Pope Alexander; and no sooner was he in Milan than the pope got troops from him to forward the papal schemes in Romagna, which province, moved by the reputation of the French arms, at once submitted. After thus obtaining possession of Romagna, and after quelling the Colonnesi, Duke Valentine (i.e. Caesar Bor- gia) was desirous of following up and extending his conquests. Two causes, however, held him back ; namely, the doubtful fidelity of his own forces and the waywardness of France. . . . The duke, trusting no longer either to the French or to any other foreign aid, that he might not have to confront them openly, resorted to stratagem, and was so well able to dissemble his designs that the Orsini. . . were drawn, in their simplicity, into his hands at Sinigaglia. 2 When the leaders were thus disposed of and their followers made his friends, the duke had laid sufficiently good foundations for his future power, since he held all Romagna together with the dukedom of Urbino, and had ingratiated himself with the entire population of these states, who now began to see that they were well off. And since this part of his conduct merits both attention and imitation, I shall not pass it over in silence. After the duke had taken Romagna, finding that it had been ruled by feeble lords, who thought more of plundering than of governing 1 Louis XII's desire for a divorce was due to his eagerness to marry the widow of Charles VIII, Anne of Brittany, who would bring to the French crown the important fief of Brittany. 2 Here Caesar had his dangerous generals strangled in a most treach- erous manner. ■ *,