Chapter 37

CHAPTER VII

Brescia relieved by Sforza--His other victories--Piccinino is
recalled into Lombardy--He endeavors to bring the Florentines to
an engagement--He is routed before Anghiari--Serious disorders in
the camp of the Florentines after the victory--Death of Rinaldo
degli Albizzi--His character--Neri Capponi goes to recover the
Casentino--The Count di Poppi surrenders--His discourse upon
quitting his possessions.

While these events were taking place in Tuscany, so little to the
advantage of the duke, his affairs in Lombardy were in a still worse
condition. The Count Francesco, as soon as the season would permit,
took the field with his army, and the Venetians having again covered
the lake with their galleys, he determined first of all to drive the
duke from the water; judging, that this once effected, his remaining
task would be easy. He therefore, with the Venetian fleet, attacked
that of the duke, and destroyed it. His land forces took the castles
held for Filippo, and the ducal troops who were besieging Brescia,
being informed of these transactions, withdrew; and thus, the city,
after standing a three years' siege, was at length relieved. The count
then went in quest of the enemy, whose forces were encamped before
Soncino, a fortress situated upon the River Oglio; these he dislodged
and compelled to retreat to Cremona, where the duke again collected
his forces, and prepared for his defense. But the count constantly
pressing him more closely, he became apprehensive of losing either the
whole, or the greater part, of his territories; and perceiving the
unfortunate step he had taken, in sending Niccolo into Tuscany, in
order to correct his error, he wrote to acquaint him with what had
transpired, desiring him, with all possible dispatch, to leave Tuscany
and return to Lombardy.

In the meantime, the Florentines, under their commissaries, had drawn
together their forces, and being joined by those of the pope, halted
at Anghiari, a castle placed at the foot of the mountains that divide
the Val di Tavere from the Val di Chiane, distant four miles from the
Borgo San Sepolcro, on a level road, and in a country suitable for the
evolutions of cavalry or a battlefield. As the Signory had heard of
the count's victory and the recall of Niccolo, they imagined that
without again drawing a sword or disturbing the dust under their
horses' feet, the victory was their own, and the war at an end, they
wrote to the commissaries, desiring them to avoid an engagement, as
Niccolo could not remain much longer in Tuscany. These instructions
coming to the knowledge of Piccinino, and perceiving the necessity of
his speedy return, to leave nothing unattempted, he determined to
engage the enemy, expecting to