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About¡¡this¡¡time¡¡great¡¡disturbances¡¡arose¡¡in¡¡Rome£»¡¡owing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡dearness¡¡of¡¡living¡¡which¡¡was¡¡caused¡¡by¡¡the¡¡absence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pontiff¡¡at¡¡Avignon¡£¡¡The¡¡German¡¡governor£»¡¡Enrico£»¡¡was¡¡much¡¡blamed¡¡for¡¡what¡¡happenedmurders¡¡and¡¡tumults¡¡following¡¡each¡¡other¡¡daily£»¡¡without¡¡his¡¡being¡¡able¡¡to¡¡put¡¡an¡¡end¡¡to¡¡them¡£¡¡This¡¡caused¡¡Enrico¡¡much¡¡anxiety¡¡lest¡¡the¡¡Romans¡¡should¡¡call¡¡in¡¡Ruberto£»¡¡the¡¡King¡¡of¡¡Naples£»¡¡who¡¡would¡¡drive¡¡the¡¡Germans¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city£»¡¡and¡¡bring¡¡back¡¡the¡¡Pope¡£¡¡Having¡¡no¡¡nearer¡¡friend¡¡to¡¡whom¡¡he¡¡could¡¡apply¡¡for¡¡help¡¡than¡¡Castruccio£»¡¡he¡¡sent¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡begging¡¡him¡¡not¡¡only¡¡to¡¡give¡¡him¡¡assistance£»¡¡but¡¡also¡¡to¡¡come¡¡in¡¡person¡¡to¡¡Rome¡£¡¡Castruccio¡¡considered¡¡that¡¡he¡¡ought¡¡not¡¡to¡¡hesitate¡¡to¡¡render¡¡the¡¡emperor¡¡this¡¡service£»¡¡because¡¡he¡¡believed¡¡that¡¡he¡¡himself¡¡would¡¡not¡¡be¡¡safe¡¡if¡¡at¡¡any¡¡time¡¡the¡¡emperor¡¡ceased¡¡to¡¡hold¡¡Rome¡£¡¡Leaving¡¡Pagolo¡¡Guinigi¡¡in¡¡command¡¡at¡¡Lucca£»¡¡Castruccio¡¡set¡¡out¡¡for¡¡Rome¡¡with¡¡six¡¡hundred¡¡horsemen£»¡¡where¡¡he¡¡was¡¡received¡¡by¡¡Enrico¡¡with¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡distinction¡£¡¡In¡¡a¡¡short¡¡time¡¡the¡¡presence¡¡of¡¡Castruccio¡¡obtained¡¡such¡¡respect¡¡for¡¡the¡¡emperor¡¡that£»¡¡without¡¡bloodshed¡¡or¡¡violence£»¡¡good¡¡order¡¡was¡¡restored£»¡¡chiefly¡¡by¡¡reason¡¡of¡¡Castruccio¡¡having¡¡sent¡¡by¡¡sea¡¡from¡¡the¡¡country¡¡round¡¡Pisa¡¡large¡¡quantities¡¡of¡¡corn£»¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡removed¡¡the¡¡source¡¡of¡¡the¡¡trouble¡£¡¡When¡¡he¡¡had¡¡chastised¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Roman¡¡leaders£»¡¡and¡¡admonished¡¡others£»¡¡voluntary¡¡obedience¡¡was¡¡rendered¡¡to¡¡Enrico¡£¡¡Castruccio¡¡received¡¡many¡¡honours£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡made¡¡a¡¡Roman¡¡senator¡£¡¡This¡¡dignity¡¡was¡¡assumed¡¡with¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡pomp£»¡¡Castruccio¡¡being¡¡clothed¡¡in¡¡a¡¡brocaded¡¡toga£»¡¡which¡¡had¡¡the¡¡following¡¡words¡¡embroidered¡¡on¡¡its¡¡front£º¡¡¡¨I¡¡am¡¡what¡¡God¡¡wills¡£¡¨¡¡Whilst¡¡on¡¡the¡¡back¡¡was£º¡¡¡¨What¡¡God¡¡desires¡¡shall¡¡be¡£¡¨
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Castruccio£»¡¡having¡¡prepared¡¡everything£»¡¡had¡¡now¡¡to¡¡encourage¡¡the¡¡Florentines¡¡to¡¡persist¡¡in¡¡their¡¡desire¡¡to¡¡carry¡¡the¡¡seat¡¡of¡¡war¡¡away¡¡from¡¡Pistoia¡¡into¡¡the¡¡Val¡¡di¡¡Nievole£»¡¡therefore¡¡he¡¡did¡¡not¡¡move¡¡his¡¡army¡¡from¡¡Montecarlo¡£¡¡Thus¡¡the¡¡Florentines¡¡hurried¡¡on¡¡until¡¡they¡¡reached¡¡their¡¡encampment¡¡under¡¡Serravalle£»¡¡intending¡¡to¡¡cross¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡on¡¡the¡¡following¡¡morning¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡meantime£»¡¡Castruccio¡¡had¡¡seized¡¡the¡¡castle¡¡at¡¡night£»¡¡had¡¡also¡¡moved¡¡his¡¡army¡¡from¡¡Montecarlo£»¡¡and¡¡marching¡¡from¡¡thence¡¡at¡¡midnight¡¡in¡¡dead¡¡silence£»¡¡had¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡foot¡¡of¡¡Serravalle£º¡¡thus¡¡he¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Florentines¡¡commenced¡¡the¡¡ascent¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡time¡¡in¡¡the¡¡morning¡£¡¡Castruccio¡¡sent¡¡forward¡¡his¡¡infantry¡¡by¡¡the¡¡main¡¡road£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡troop¡¡of¡¡four¡¡hundred¡¡horsemen¡¡by¡¡a¡¡path¡¡on¡¡the¡¡left¡¡towards¡¡the¡¡castle¡£¡¡The¡¡Florentines¡¡sent¡¡forward¡¡four¡¡hundred¡¡cavalry¡¡ahead¡¡of¡¡their¡¡army¡¡which¡¡was¡¡following£»¡¡never¡¡expecting¡¡to¡¡find¡¡Castruccio¡¡in¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hill£»¡¡nor¡¡were¡¡they¡¡aware¡¡of¡¡his¡¡having¡¡seized¡¡the¡¡castle¡£¡¡Thus¡¡it¡¡happened¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Florentine¡¡horsemen¡¡mounting¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡were¡¡completely¡¡taken¡¡by¡¡surprise¡¡when¡¡they¡¡discovered¡¡the¡¡infantry¡¡of¡¡Castruccio£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡close¡¡were¡¡they¡¡upon¡¡it¡¡they¡¡had¡¡scarcely¡¡time¡¡to¡¡pull¡¡down¡¡their¡¡visors¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡case¡¡of¡¡unready¡¡soldiers¡¡being¡¡attacked¡¡by¡¡ready£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡were¡¡assailed¡¡with¡¡such¡¡vigour¡¡that¡¡with¡¡difficulty¡¡they¡¡could¡¡hold¡¡their¡¡own£»¡¡although¡¡some¡¡few¡¡of¡¡them¡¡got¡¡through¡£¡¡When¡¡the¡¡noise¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fighting¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡Florentine¡¡camp¡¡below£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡filled¡¡with¡¡confusion¡£¡¡The¡¡cavalry¡¡and¡¡infantry¡¡became¡¡inextricably¡¡mixed£º¡¡the¡¡captains¡¡were¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡get¡¡their¡¡men¡¡either¡¡backward¡¡or¡¡forward£»¡¡owing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡narrowness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pass£»¡¡and¡¡amid¡¡all¡¡this¡¡tumult¡¡no¡¡one¡¡knew¡¡what¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡done¡¡or¡¡what¡¡could¡¡be¡¡done¡£¡¡In¡¡a¡¡short¡¡time¡¡the¡¡cavalry¡¡who¡¡were¡¡engaged¡¡with¡¡the¡¡enemy's¡¡infantry¡¡were¡¡scattered¡¡or¡¡killed¡¡without¡¡having¡¡made¡¡any¡¡effective¡¡defence¡¡because¡¡of¡¡their¡¡unfortunate¡¡position£»¡¡although¡¡in¡¡sheer¡¡desperation¡¡they¡¡had¡¡offered¡¡a¡¡stout¡¡resistance¡£¡¡Retreat¡¡had¡¡been¡¡impossible£»¡¡with¡¡the¡¡mountains¡¡on¡¡both¡¡flanks£»¡¡whilst¡¡in¡¡front¡¡were¡¡their¡¡enemies£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rear¡¡their¡¡friends¡£¡¡When¡¡Castruccio¡¡saw¡¡that¡¡his¡¡men¡¡were¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡strike¡¡a¡¡decisive¡¡blow¡¡at¡¡the¡¡enemy¡¡and¡¡put¡¡them¡¡to¡¡flight£»¡¡he¡¡sent¡¡one¡¡thousand¡¡infantrymen¡¡round¡¡by¡¡the¡¡castle£»¡¡with¡¡orders¡¡to¡¡join¡¡the¡¡four¡¡hundred¡¡horsemen¡¡he¡¡had¡¡previously¡¡dispatched¡¡there£»¡¡and¡¡commanded¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡force¡¡to¡¡fall¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡flank¡¡of¡¡the¡¡enemy¡£¡¡These¡¡orders¡¡they¡¡carried¡¡out¡¡with¡¡such¡¡fury¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Florentines¡¡could¡¡not¡¡sustain¡¡the¡¡attack£»¡¡but¡¡gave¡¡way£»¡¡and¡¡were¡¡soon¡¡in¡¡full¡¡retreatconquered¡¡more¡¡by¡¡their¡¡unfortunate¡¡position¡¡than¡¡by¡¡the¡¡valour¡¡of¡¡their¡¡enemy¡£¡¡Those¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rear¡¡turned¡¡towards¡¡Pistoia£»¡¡and¡¡spread¡¡through¡¡the¡¡plains£»¡¡each¡¡man¡¡seeking¡¡only¡¡his¡¡own¡¡safety¡£¡¡The¡¡defeat¡¡was¡¡complete¡¡and¡¡very¡¡sanguinary¡£¡¡Many¡¡captains¡¡were¡¡taken¡¡prisoners£»¡¡among¡¡whom¡¡were¡¡Bandini¡¡dei¡¡Rossi£»¡¡Francesco¡¡Brunelleschi£»¡¡and¡¡Giovanni¡¡della¡¡Tosa£»¡¡all¡¡Florentine¡¡noblemen£»¡¡with¡¡many¡¡Tuscans¡¡and¡¡Neapolitans¡¡who¡¡fought¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Florentine¡¡side£»¡¡having¡¡been¡¡sent¡¡by¡¡King¡¡Ruberto¡¡to¡¡assist¡¡the¡¡Guelphs¡£¡¡Immediately¡¡the¡¡Pistoians¡¡heard¡¡of¡¡this¡¡defeat¡¡they¡¡drove¡¡out¡¡the¡¡friends¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Guelphs£»¡¡and¡¡surrendered¡¡to¡¡Castruccio¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡not¡¡content¡¡with¡¡occupying¡¡Prato¡¡and¡¡all¡¡the¡¡castles¡¡on¡¡the¡¡plains¡¡on¡¡both¡¡sides¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Arno£»¡¡but¡¡marched¡¡his¡¡army¡¡into¡¡the¡¡plain¡¡of¡¡Peretola£»¡¡about¡¡two¡¡miles¡¡from¡¡Florence¡£¡¡Here¡¡he¡¡remained¡¡many¡¡days£»¡¡dividing¡¡the¡¡spoils£»¡¡and¡¡celebrating¡¡his¡¡victory¡¡with¡¡feasts¡¡and¡¡games£»¡¡holding¡¡horse¡¡races£»¡¡and¡¡foot¡¡races¡¡for¡¡men¡¡and¡¡women¡£¡¡He¡¡also¡¡struck¡¡medals¡¡in¡¡commemoration¡¡of¡¡the¡¡defeat¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Florentines¡£¡¡He¡¡endeavoured¡¡to¡¡corrupt¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡citizens¡¡of¡¡Florence£»¡¡who¡¡were¡¡to¡¡open¡¡the¡¡city¡¡gates¡¡at¡¡night£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡conspiracy¡¡was¡¡discovered£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡participators¡¡in¡¡it¡¡taken¡¡and¡¡beheaded£»¡¡among¡¡whom¡¡were¡¡Tommaso¡¡Lupacci¡¡and¡¡Lambertuccio¡¡Frescobaldi¡£¡¡This¡¡defeat¡¡caused¡¡the¡¡Florentines¡¡great¡¡anxiety£»¡¡and¡¡despairing¡¡of¡¡preserving¡¡their¡¡liberty£»¡¡they¡¡sent¡¡envoys¡¡to¡¡King¡¡Ruberto¡¡of¡¡Naples£»¡¡offering¡¡him¡¡the¡¡dominion¡¡of¡¡their¡¡city£»¡¡and¡¡he£»¡¡knowing¡¡of¡¡what¡¡immense¡¡importance¡¡the¡¡maintenance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Guelph¡¡cause¡¡was¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡accepted¡¡it¡£¡¡He¡¡agreed¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Florentines¡¡to¡¡receive¡¡from¡¡them¡¡a¡¡yearly¡¡tribute¡¡of¡¡two¡¡hundred¡¡thousand¡¡florins£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡send¡¡his¡¡son¡¡Carlo¡¡to¡¡Florence¡¡with¡¡four¡¡thousand¡¡horsemen¡£
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