Chapter 7 - Page 2

soon caused the foreign troops
to fall into disrepute, and gave reputation to the native forces of
the country, of which the princes afterward availed themselves in
their wars with each other. The pope, Boniface IX., being at enmity
with the Romans, went to Scesi, where he remained till the jubilee of
1400, when the Romans, to induce him to return to the city, consented
to receive another foreign senator of his appointing, and also allowed
him to fortify the castle of Saint Angelo: having returned upon these
conditions, in order to enrich the church, he ordained that everyone,
upon vacating a benefice, should pay a year's value of it to the
Apostolic Chamber.

After the death of Giovanni Galeazzo, duke of Milan, although he left
two children, Giovanmaria and Filippo, the state was divided into many
parts, and in the troubles which ensued Giovanmaria was slain. Filippo
remained some time in the castle of Pavia, from which, through the
fidelity and virtue of the castellan, he escaped. Among others who
occupied cities possessed by his father, was Guglielmo della Scala,
who, being banished, fell into the hands of Francesco de Carrera, lord
of Padua, by whose means he recovered the state of Verona, in which he
only remained a short time, for he was poisoned, by order of
Francesco, and the city taken from him. These things occasioned the
people of Vicenza, who had lived in security under the protection of
the Visconti, to dread the greatness of the lord of Padua, and they
placed themselves under the Venetians, who, engaging in arms with him,
first took Verona and then Padua.

At this time Pope Boniface died, and was succeeded by Innocent VII.
The people of Rome supplicated him to restore to them their fortresses
and their liberty; but as he would not consent to their petition, they
called to their assistance Ladislaus, king of Naples. Becoming
reconciled to the people, the pope returned to Rome, and made his
nephew Lodovico count of La Marca. Innocent soon after died, and
Gregory XII. was created, upon the understanding to renounce the
papacy whenever the anti-pope would also renounce it. By the advice of
the cardinals, in order to attempt the reunion of the church,
Benedict, the anti-pope, came to Porto Venere, and Gregory to Lucca,
where they made many endeavors, but effected nothing. Upon this, the
cardinals of both the popes abandoned them, Benedict going to Spain,
and Gregory to Rimini. On the other hand, the cardinals, with the
favor of Balthazar Cossa, cardinal and legate of Bologna, appointed a
council at Pisa, where they created Alexander V., who immediately
excommunicated King Ladislaus, and invested Louis of Anjou with the
kingdom; this prince, with the Florentines, Genoese, and Venetians,