he king requested him to pay
a visit to them. To the surprise and displeasure of the Florentines,
Federigo complied; for they thought the same fate awaited him as had
befallen Niccolo Piccinino. However, the result was quite different;
for he returned from Naples and Rome greatly honored, and with the
appointment of general to their forces. They also endeavored to gain
over to their interest the lords of Romagna and the Siennese, that they
might more easily injure the Florentines, who, becoming aware of these
things, used their utmost endeavors to defend themselves against the
ambition of their enemies; and having lost Federigo d'Urbino, they
engaged Roberto da Rimino in his place, renewed the league with the
Perugini and formed one with the prince of Faenza. The pope and the king
assigned, as the reasons of their animosity against the Florentines,
that they wished to withdraw them from the Venetian alliance, and
associate them with their own league; for the pope did not think the
church could maintain her reputation, nor the Count Girolamo retain
the states of Romagna, while the Florentines and the Venetians remained
united. The Florentines conjectured their design was to set them at
enmity with the Venetians, not so much for the sake of gaining their
friendship as to be able the more easily to injure them. Two years
passed away in these jealousies and discontents before any disturbance
broke out; but the first which occurred, and that but trivial, took
place in Tuscany.

Braccio of Perugia, whom we have frequently mentioned as one of the
most distinguished warriors of Italy, left two sons, Oddo and Carlo; the
latter was of tender years; the former, as above related, was slain by
the people of Val di Lamona; but Carlo, when he came to mature age, was
by the Venetians, out of respect for the memory of his father, and the
hopes they entertained from himself, received among the condottieri of
their republic. The term of his engagement having expired, he did not
design to renew it immediately, but resolved to try if, by his own
influence and his father's reputation, he could recover possession of
Perugia. To this the Venetians willingly consented, for they usually
extended their dominion by any changes that occurred in the neighboring
states. Carlo consequently came into Tuscany, but found more
difficulties in his attempt upon Perugia than he had anticipated, on
account of its being allied with the Florentines; and desirou