On the 16th day of August, in this year, the kings of Arragon and of Navarre, the grand master of the order of St James, their brother, the duke of Sessia, and his son the count de Fondi, the prince of Tarentum, his son sir Christopher Garganeymè,[21] surnamed the Eagle, the viceroy of Sicily, and four hundred knights and esquires, were made prisoners before the town of Gaieta, and their army, of four thousand soldiers, defeated.
They had been employed in besieging the town of Gaieta by sea and land, to the great displeasure of Philip Maria Visconti duke of Milan, who had prepared an army and stores in Genoa to raise the siege and revictual the place. The commander of this army for the duke of Milan was the admiral of Genoa, who attempted to enter the port and throw in succours; but the besiegers marched to the shore to combat him,—and though they were far more numerous than he was, fortune favoured him, and he completely routed the arragonian and neapolitan forces.
The kings and princes before mentioned were carried by the admiral prisoners to Genoa, then under the protection of the duke of Milan, and were soon after delivered up to him on certain terms agreed upon between him and the Genoese, and also on his promising not to give them their liberty without their consent.
This promise, however, he did not keep; for, after he had handsomely entertained them in his town of Milan, he gave them their liberty without ransom, or insisting on any terms, and even made them, on their departure, many rich gifts. When this came to the knowledge of the Genoese, they were very indignant thereat, and not without reason, for they were their inveterate enemies; and they now withdrew themselves from the obedience and protection of the duke of Milan.[22]
FOOTNOTES:
[21] Garganeymè. Q.
[22] 'In the year 1435, the town of Gaieta, in the kingdom of Naples, offered to submit itself to the protection of the Genoese, to avoid falling into the hands of Alphonso king of Arragon. In consequence, Francisco Spinola and Ottolino Zoppo are sent with a good garrison to defend the place. Alphonso hastens to besiege it,—and Gaieta, ill provided with provision, is reduced to great distress.
'The Genoese, informed of the situation of the garrison, send thither, on the 22d July, a fleet under the command of Luca Aseréto, a famous captain, to their relief. Alphonso, hearing of this, embarks on board his own fleet, with all the nobility and eleven thousand combatants. The fleets meet near to the island of Ponza on the 5th August, and the battle lasts from sun-rise to night, but victory is on the side of the Genoese. It could not be more complete: the king of Arragon, his two brothers, John king of Navarre, the infant don Henry, with a quantity of nobles, are made prisoners; and of fourteen vessels, only one escaped.
'The besieged, on learning this event, make a sally, drive the enemy from their lines, and deliver the place. The prisoners are carried from on board the fleet to Milan, where the duke entertains the king of Arragon magnificently, enters into a league with him, and gives him and his companions their liberty without ransom. This generosity causes the Genoese to lose the fruit of their victory, and enrages them against the duke of Milan. On the 12th December, they rise in arms, kill the governor, drive away the Milanese, and shake off the yoke of the duke.'
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