Siena expelled Don Diego Urtado di Mendozza with his Spanish garrison and established a free government; but the emperor at once despatched the Marquis of Marignano to punish the rebellion, and France sent Pietro Strozzi to make a diversion in favour of the city.
On the 16th of June, 1554, the Duke of Florence wrote to the government of Genoa:—
“Your Excellencies will have learned that Pietro Strozzi, with about four thousand infantry and three hundred horse, is advancing to unite with the troops of Mirandola and then to penetrate into Tuscany and make a diversion in favour of Siena. Being resolved to make a spirited resistance, I have sent the Marquis of Marignano with about two thousand infantry and seven hundred horse from my army, who will encamp to-night at Pescia and advance to-morrow to fight the enemy at the first good opportunity. I write to your Excellencies, as faithful allies, to give you an account of our proceeding and to ask you to add to our troops, for this emergency the one thousand Germans who are stationed at Spezia, sending them forward direct to Pietra Santa or embarking them for Leghorn, as shall seem to you most expeditious. I promise you that as soon as this affair shall be terminated, your troops shall be returned to you with any part of my own that you may need. I earnestly entreat your instant coöperation in this matter, which, as you will see, concerns our common interest and safety. Above all act promptly for celerity is everything, as we are on the brink of an engagement with the enemy.”
The Republic, forgetful of the generous sympathy of Siena in its own straits and the solidarity of the two peoples, granted the request of Cosimo and hastened to prop the declining fortunes of Spain.
Siena was defended by the bravest Italians of that period. Of many illustrious names it will suffice to cite only those of Cornelio Bentivoglio, who succeeded Termes in the supreme command, his brothers Giovanni and Antongaliazzo—the first of whom was killed at the battle of Marciano and the second taken prisoner—the Orsini, Giovanni Vitelli, Adriano, Baglioni, Don Carlo Caraffa, Count Muzio da Tolentino, Lionetto da Todi, an Avogardo, a Martinengo, Sampiero di Bastelica and the Genoese Aurelio Fregoso—once a captain in the French service—and Ottobuono Fieschi. Some other Genoese fought on the side of Spain, against the brave city, among whom besides Doria (of whom we shall speak presently) were Alberico Cybo Malaspina, who commanded the troops of the Holy See. Phillip II. afterwards rewarded him for this service by creating him prince of the empire and of Massa and Carrara.
The defence of Siena is one of the most brilliant episodes of Italian history. The very women, led by Laudomia Forteguerri and Faustina Piccolomini emulated the valour of ancient times. But it was all fruitless. Leone Strozzi was killed at Piombino, Pietro his brother was routed at Marciano, and the city, deprived of reënforcements by Doria, who beat off the French fleet, was forced to yield. The remnant of the defenders, reduced from forty thousand inhabitants to six thousand, repaired to Montalcino where they set up their fallen Republic.
The she-wolf of Siena had fallen into the jaws of the Florentine lion, but the French troops under the command of Flaminio Orsino, Pietro Strozzi, Port’ Ercole, Orbetello and Talamone remained to be vanquished, and the Count Marignano moved upon them with a strong army. Andrea Doria supplied provisions and artillery and his forty galleys prevented the reënforcement or retreat of the French by sea. Marignano carried the fortress of Sant’Ippolito by storm, and successively the castles of Avvoltojo and Stronco fell into his hands. Chiappino Vitelli, captain in the pay of Orsino, distinguished himself greatly at Stronco. Strozzi found his position untenable and retired with Orsino to Montalto, a castle belonging to the Farnese, situated near the sea. This retreat discouraged the friends of Siena and all the towns which had favoured them surrendered to the imperials. At Avvoltojo, Ottobuono Fieschi was taken prisoner and delivered to Andrea Doria. Neither his own great age, nor the memory of his bloody vengeance against the Fieschi family, softened the spirit of the admiral. It is enough to make one’s heart bleed to think that he who had often spared the lives of Turkish pirates, who treated the inhuman Barbarossa with courtesy and released Dragut from his chains, ordered Ottobuono to be brought to him enclosed in a sack and barbarously butchered before his eyes.
The murder of this brave warrior, captured while fighting for national independence, deepened the resentment in the Genoese already exasperated by the sanguinary vengeance taken against the Fieschi and the perversion of the Republic. Nor was Genoa alone in opposing the Doria government; the Ligurians generally shared the feeling of the capital and the Corsicans, suffering under the despotism of our nobles, began to show signs of revolt.
Fregoso and Sampiero shared the perils of Ottobuono in the siege of Siena. Aurelio Fregoso and Fieschi had laid aside their hereditary enmity at Mirandola and set out together for the seat of war. Eleonora, widow of Gianluigi, had sealed this new friendship by giving in marriage to Fregoso her sister-in-law Lucrezia Vitelli. Aurelio was a soldier of great merit and was afterwards honoured for his valour. Siena enrolled him among her citizens, Francesco Maria, Duke of Urbino, invested him with the feud of St. Agata, and Cosimo himself treated him as an intimate friend.