about twenty miles from the Adriatic and not far from historic Rimini,
but here was a most splendid principality with a glittering court.
Federigo, Count of Montefeltro, had been created Duke of Urbino by Pope
Sixtus IV. in 1474, and he it was who laid the foundations for that
prosperous state which at his death passed into the hands of his son
Guidobaldo, the husband of Elizabetta. Federigo's immense wealth was not
gained by burdening his subjects with heavy taxes, but rather from the
money which he was able to earn as a military leader, for he was a noble
soldier of fortune. Vespasiano tells us, with regard to his military
science, that he was excelled by no general of his time, and his good
faith was never questioned. He was also a man of singularly religious
nature, and no morning passed without his hearing mass upon his knees.
In his lifetime he served no less than three pontiffs, two kings of
Naples, and two dukes of Milan; the republic of Florence and several
Italian leagues had appointed him their general in the field, and in
this long life of warfare the sums of money paid him for his services
were immense. Dennistoun relates that in the year 1453 "his war-pay from
Alfonso of Naples exceeded eight thousand ducats a month, and for many
years he had from him and his son an annual peace-pension of six
thousand ducats in the name of past services. At the close of his life,
when general of the Italian league, he drew, in war, one hundred and
sixty-five thousand ducats of annual stipend, forty-five thousand being
his own share." With this wealth he caused his desert-like domain to
rejoice and blossom as the rose. His magnificent fortified palace was
most elaborately decorated with rare marbles and priceless carvings,
frescos, panel pictures, tapestries, tarsia work, stucco reliefs, and
works of art of all kinds; here, according to his biographer Muzio, he
maintained a suite so numerous and distinguished as to rival that of any
royal household. So famed indeed did Urbino become, that all the
chivalry of Italy crowded the palace to learn manners and the art of war
from its courteous duke.

Further details are furnished by Vespasiano, who says that "his
household, which consisted of five hundred mouths entertained at his own
cost, was governed less like a company of soldiers than a strict
religious community. There was no gaming or swearing, but the men
conversed with the utmost sobriety." It is interesting to know tha