rmy at Cotignola, ready to pass into Lombardy, when intelligence
was brought him of the death of Filippo, which happened on the last
day of August, 1447. This event greatly afflicted him, for he doubted
whether his troops were in readiness, on account of their arrears of
pay; he feared the Venetians, who were his armed enemies, he having
recently forsaken them and taken part with the duke; he was in
apprehension from Alfonso, his inveterate foe; he had no hope from the
pontiff or the Florentines; for the latter were allies of the Venetians,
and he had seized the territories of the former. However, he resolved to
face his fortune and be guided by circumstances; for it often happens,
that when engaged in business valuable ideas are suggested, which in a
state of inaction would never have occurred. He had great hopes, that if
the Milanese were disposed to defend themselves against the ambition of
the Venetians, they could make use of no other power but his. Therefore,
he proceeded confidently into the Bolognese territory, thence to Modena
and Reggio, halted with his forces upon the Lenza, and sent to offer his
services at Milan. On the death of the duke, part of the Milanese were
inclined to establish a republic; others wished to choose a prince, and
of these, one part favored the count, and another Alfonso. However, the
majority being in favor of freedom, they prevailed over the rest,
and organized a republic, to which many cities of the Duchy refused
obedience; for they, too, desired to live in the enjoyment of their
liberty, and even those who did not embrace such views, refused to
submit to the sovereignty of the Milanese. Lodi and Piacenza surrendered
themselves to the Venetians; Pavia and Parma became free. This confused
state of things being known to the count, he proceeded to Cremona, where
his ambassadors and those of the Milanese arranged for him to command
the forces of the new republic, with the same remuneration he had
received from the duke at the time of his decease. To this they added
the possession of Brescia, until Verona was recovered, when he should
have that city and restore Brescia to the Milanese.

Before the duke's death, Pope Nicholas, after his assumption of the
pontificate, sought to restore peace among the princes of Italy, and
with this object endeavored, in conjunction with the ambassadors sent by
the Florentines to congratulate him on his accession, to appoint a diet
at Ferrara to attempt eith