In the said year 1311, on the 1st day of June, the Florentines, the Bolognese, the Lucchese, the Sienese, the Pistoians, and they of Volterra, and all the other Guelf cities of Tuscany held a parliament, and concluded a league together, and a union of knights, and swore together to defend one another and oppose the Emperor. And afterwards, on the 26th day of June, the Florentines sent the king's marshal with 400 Catalan soldiers which were in their pay, for the defence of Bologna, and to oppose the Emperor if he should advance from that quarter; and in like manner the Sienese and Lucchese sent troops, and they abode there many months in Bologna and in Romagna in the service of King Robert.
§ 18.—How King Robert caused the Ghibellines of Romagna to be taken 1311 a.d. by craft. § 19.—How the Pope's marquis took Fano and Pesaro.
§ 20.—How the Emperor Henry took the city of Brescia by siege.
1311 a.d.
Epistola vii.
In the said year 1311, the Emperor being with his army before Brescia, there were many assaults made, wherein much people died both within and without the city, among which was slain in an assault, by an arrow from a large crossbow, M. Waleran of Luxemburg, brother in blood and marshal of the Emperor, and many other barons, good knights; whence came great fear to all the host. And encouraged by this, the Brescians sallied forth ofttimes to attack the host, and in the month of June some of them were routed and discomfited, and forty of them were taken prisoners of the chief of the city, and fully 200 slain, among which prisoners was M. Tebaldo Brusciati, which was leader of the people within the city, a man of great valour, which had been a friend of the Emperor, who had restored him to Brescia when the Guelfs had been driven out: wherefore the Emperor caused him to be drawn asunder by four horses as a traitor, and many others he caused to be beheaded, whereby the power of the Brescians was much enfeebled; but for all that they within the city did not abandon the defence of the city. In that siege the air was corrupted by the stench of the horses and the long sojourn of the camp, wherefore there arose much sickness both within and without, and a great part of them from beyond the mountains fell sick, and many great barons died there, and some departed by reason of sickness, and afterwards died thereof on the road. Among the others died there the valiant M. Guy of Namûrs, brother of the count of Flanders, which was leader of the Flemings at the rout of Courtray, a man of great worth and renown; for which cause most part of the host counselled the Emperor that he should depart. He holding the needs within the city to be yet greater, alike from sickness and death, and from lack of victuals, determined not to depart till he should have taken the city. They of Brescia, as food was failing them, by the hand of the cardinal of Fiesco surrendered themselves to the mercy of the Emperor, on the 16th day of September, in the said year. Who, when he had gotten the city, caused all the walls and strongholds to be destroyed, and exacted a fine of 70,000 golden florins. Thus with great difficulty, after much time, he gained the city by reason of their evil estate; and 100 of the best men of the city, both magnates and popolari, he sent into banishment, confining them within bounds in divers places. When he had departed from Brescia, with great loss and hurt, seeing that not a fourth part of his people were left to him, and of these a great part were sick, he held his parliament in Cremona. There, by the influence and encouragement of the Pisans and of the Ghibellines and Whites of Tuscany, he determined to come to Genoa, and there re-establish his state, and in Milan he left as vicar and captain M. Maffeo Visconti; and in Verona, M. Cane della Scala; and in Mantua, M. Passerino de' Bonaposi; and in Parma, M. Ghiberto da Correggia; and all the other cities of Lombardy in like manner he left under tyrants, not being able to do otherwise, through his evil estate, and from each one he received much money, and invested them with the privileges of the said lordships.
§ 21.—How the Florentines and Lucchese strengthened the frontiers by 1311 a.d. reason of the Emperor's coming.
§ 22.—How Pope Clement sent legates to crown the Emperor Henry.
1311 a.d.
Par. xvii. 82.
In the year of Christ 1311, Pope Clement, at the request of the Emperor, not being able to come in person to Rome to crown him, by reason of the council which had been summoned, sent the bishop of Ostia, Cardinal da Prato, as legate, with power to act as if he had been the Pope in person; and he was with him in Genoa in the month of October; and the said Pope sent as legate into Hungary Cardinal Gentile da Montefiore to crown Carlo Rimberto, son that was of Charles Martel and nephew of King Robert, as king over the realm of Hungary, and to give him the aid and favour of the Church. And this the said cardinal did, and abode long time in Hungary, until the said Carlo had conquered almost all the country, and he had crowned him in peace. And on the return of the said cardinal to Italy, he received commandment from the Pope to bring to him across the mountains all the Church treasure which was in Rome and in the other cities pertaining to the Holy See, and this he brought as far as the city of Lucca. Beyond that he could not bring it, neither by land nor by sea, because the coasts of Genoa, both land and sea, were all in commotion of war through the Guelf and Ghibelline parties, by reason of the Emperor's coming. He left it in Lucca in the sacristy of San Friano, which treasure was afterwards robbed by the Ghibellines; as hereafter we shall make mention.
§ 23.—How Pope Clement summoned a council at Vienne in Burgundy, and 1311 a.d. canonised S. Louis, son of King Charles. § 24.—How the Emperor Henry came into the city of Genoa. § 25.—How an imperial vicar came to Arezzo.