[66] In the 'Art de Verifier les Dates,' I find that Selim I. emperor of the Ottomans, marches in the year 1514 against Ishmael king of Persia, defeats him in the plain of Chaldéron, and gains Tauris. War was continued between them until the year 1516, when Selim turned his arms against Kansou sultan of Egypt.
THE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN ASSEMBLES A LARGE ARMY, TO ATTEMPT THE CONQUEST OF THE MILANESE, AND TO DRIVE THE FRENCH OUT OF ITALY.—THE CONSTABLE OF BOURBON, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL FOR THE KING IN ITALY, MARCHES AGAINST HIM.
While the king of France was at Lyon, and toward the end of Lent, in the year 1516, another war broke out in Italy, through the usual manœuvres of the emperor Maximilian: he, at this time, was excited by the angels of king Henry of England, which had not for a long time flown in his country,—and by their means he subsidised the cantons of Swisserland and the Grisons. He also urged the citizens of Milan to revolt, principally through Galeas Visconti; and thinking every thing in a good train, he marched toward Milan with a body of troops that he had collected, under the brother of Maximilian Sforza, now resident in France according to the treaty that had been concluded with him after the battle of Marignano.
The emperor having, as I have said, assembled an army, marched it from the plains of Verona to Lodi; but the constable, whom the king had left, as his lieutenant, in the Milanese, hearing of this, collected as many men together as the shortness of the time would allow, and advanced to meet the enemy. His numbers were not great, on account of this expedition of the emperor being unexpected, although he had received hints of his intention, some seven weeks before, but he was not certain of the truth.
The constable marched his army to the river Adda, and found the enemy posted on the opposite bank. A short time prior to this, the king of France had summoned some of the nobles of Milan to come to him, who proceeded as far as Suza, to the number of thirty-seven, when they held a consultation; and on the morrow, thirty-three of them fled to join the emperor,—but the other four remained loyal to the French, continued the road to Lyon, and related to the king the shameful conduct of the others.
To return to our subject; the duke of Bourbon, when on the Adda, dispatched messengers to the Swiss-cantons, to hasten the troops the king had agreed for,—and in consequence, about nine or ten thousand infantry for the preservation of Milan, marched to Jurea. The duke of Bourbon was preparing to attack the imperialists, when he heard that Milan was on the point of a revolt; and as he had not sufficient force to meet the army of the emperor with advantage, he was advised to retreat to Milan, although he was himself most desirous to try the event of a combat, and wait the coming of the Swiss, who remained very long at Jurea.
The duke retreated with his army back to Milan with all diligence, to the great surprise of the inhabitants: he immediately had strict inquiries made after the authors of the intended revolt: several were confined in prison, and many were beheaded. The other citizens, seeing that the French were completely masters of their town, and that they were not the strongest, determined to suffer all extremities should the French continue their ill treatment.