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Updated: June 23, 2025
And now Castruccio, deeming it imprudent any longer to defer making himself a prince, got himself created the lord of Lucca by the help of Pazzino del Poggio, Puccinello dal Portico, Francesco Boccansacchi, and Cecco Guinigi, all of whom he had corrupted; and he was afterwards solemnly and deliberately elected prince by the people.
Castruccio had the secret intention of becoming the master of all Tuscany by the aid of these men and of his own forces; and in order to gain greater weight in affairs, he entered into a league with Messer Matteo Visconti, the Prince of Milan, and organized for him the forces of his city and the country districts.
There was no originality in him, for there was no experience; it was exquisite mechanism, his verse, nothing more. It might well deceive him, for it could not but flatter his ear and Tasso's silver march rang not more musically than did the chiming stanzas of Castruccio Cesarini. The perusal of this poetry, and his conversation with the poet, threw Maltravers into a fit of deep musing.
More like an Italian in all things than the careless Norman or the simple Saxon, Machiavel might have made of his character a companion, though a contrast to that of Castruccio Castrucani.
Yet that crisis in life awaited Castruccio, in which a sensitive and poetical man is made or marred; the crisis in which a sentiment is replaced by the passions in which love for some real object gathers the scattered rays of the heart into a focus: out of that ordeal he might pass a purer and manlier being so Maltravers often hoped.
Frederick created Castruccio the lord of Pisa, and the Pisans, in dread of the Guelph party, and particularly of the Florentines, were constrained to accept him as their lord. Frederick, having appointed a governor in Rome to watch his Italian affairs, returned to Germany.
"He will prove an acquisition to our society here," returned Teresa; "he interests me; and you, Castruccio?" turning to seek for her brother; but Cesarini had already, with his usual noiseless step, disappeared within the house. "Alas, my poor brother!" she said, "I cannot comprehend him. What does he desire?" "Fame!" replied De Montaigne, calmly.
About this time Messer Francesco died, leaving a son thirteen years of age named Pagolo, and having appointed Castruccio to be his son's tutor and administrator of his estate.
Now the Florentines were furious at the cunning breach of their truce by which Castruccio had got himself Pistoja; so, while he was in Rome, they determined to capture the place: which they did one night by a ruse, destroying all Castruccio's party. And when he heard it, Castruccio came north in great anger.
But at first the Florentines were too quick for him: they got together all of the Guelph league, and before Castruccio was back again, held Val di Nievole.
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