ch had been accustomed to obey the
emperor; that they might have occasion to dread the latter, and unite
with himself in the defense of Italy. To this end he issued a decree,
confirming to all the tyrants of Lombardy the places they had seized.
After making this concession the pope died, and was succeeded by
Clement VI. The emperor, seeing with what a liberal hand the pontiff had
bestowed the dominions of the empire, in order to be equally bountiful
with the property of others, gave to all who had assumed sovereignty
over the cities or territories of the church, the imperial authority
to retain possession of them. By this means Galeotto Malatesti and
his brothers became lords of Rimino, Pesaro, and Fano; Antonio da
Montefeltro, of the Marca and Urbino; Gentile da Varano, of Camerino;
Guido di Polenta, of Ravenna; Sinibaldo Ordelaffi, of Furli and Cesena;
Giovanni Manfredi, of Faenza; Lodovico Alidossi, of Imola; and besides
these, many others in divers places. Thus, of all the cities, towns, or
fortresses of the church, few remained without a prince; for she did not
recover herself till the time of Alexander VI., who, by the ruin of the
descendants of these princes, restored the authority of the church.

The emperor, when he made the concession before named, being at Tarento,
signified an intention of going into Italy. In consequence of this, many
battles were fought in Lombardy, and the Visconti became lords of Parma.
Robert king of Naples, now died, leaving only two grandchildren, the
issue of his sons Charles, who had died a considerable time before him.
He ordered that the elder of the two, whose name was Giovanna or Joan,
should be heiress of the kingdom, and take for her husband Andrea, son
of the king of Hungary, his grandson. Andrea had not lived with her
long, before she caused him to be murdered, and married another cousin,
Louis, prince of Tarento. But Louis, king of Hungary, and brother of
Andrea, in order to avenge his death, brought forces into Italy, and
drove Queen Joan and her husband out of the kingdom.

At this period a memorable circumstance took place at Rome. Niccolo di
Lorenzo, often called Rienzi or Cola di Rienzi, who held the office of
chancellor at Campidoglio, drove the senators from Rome and, under the
title of tribune, made himself the head of the Roman republic; restoring
it to its ancient form, and with so great reputation of justice and
virtue, that not only the places adjacent, but the