h those of their
friends. Taking advice from the ruin of their enemies, they considered
that to allow the great offices to be filled by mere chance of drawing,
did not afford the government sufficient security, they therefore
resolved that the magistrates possessing the power of life and death
should always be chosen from among the leaders of their own party,
and therefore that the _Accoppiatori_, or persons selected for the
imborsation of the new Squittini, with the Signory who had to retire
from office, should make the new appointments. They gave to eight of the
guard authority to proceed capitally, and provided that the exiles, when
their term of banishment was complete, should not be allowed to return,
unless from the Signory and Colleagues, which were thirty-seven in
number, the consent of thirty-four was obtained. It was made unlawful
to write to or to receive letters from them; every word, sign, or action
that gave offense to the ruling party was punished with the utmost
rigor; and if there was still in Florence any suspected person whom
these regulations did not reach, he was oppressed with taxes imposed for
the occasion. Thus in a short time, having expelled or impoverished the
whole of the adverse party, they established themselves firmly in the
government. Not to be destitute of external assistance, and to deprive
others of it, who might use it against themselves, they entered into a
league, offensive and defensive, with the pope, the Venetians, and the
duke of Milan.

CHAPTER II

Death of Giovanni II.--Rene of Anjou and Alfonso of Aragon aspire to
the kingdom--Alfonso is routed and taken by the Genoese--Alfonso being
a prisoner of the duke of Milan, obtains his friendship--The Genoese
disgusted with the duke of Milan--Divisions among the Genoese--The
Genoese, by means of Francesco Spinola, expel the duke's
governor--League against the duke of Milan--Rinaldo degli Albizzi
advises the duke to make war against the Florentines--His discourse to
the duke--The duke adopts measures injurious to the Florentines--Niccolo
Piccinino appointed to command the duke's forces--Preparations of the
Florentines--Piccinino routed before Barga.

The affairs of Florence being in this condition, Giovanna, queen
of Naples, died, and by her will appointed Rene of Anjou to be her
successor. Alfonso, king of Aragon, was at this time in Sicily, and
having obtained the concurrence of many barons, prepared to take
possession of t