ance to
overcome, but having accomplished nothing, and having manifested
no distinct purpose on his way, when he found himself, for a
moment, master of Florence and of Rome. The deliverance of
Constantinople was an idea that occurred inevitably to a man of
enterprise who was in possession of Southern Italy. It was the
advanced post of Europe against the East, of Christendom against
Islam; the proper rendezvous of Crusaders; the source of
supplies; the refuge of squadrons needing to refit. The Sultan
was not an overwhelming warrior, like his father; he had not,
like Selim, his successor, control of the entire East, and he was
held in check by the existence of his brother, whom Charles took
with him, on leaving Rome, with a view to ulterior service, but
whom he lost soon after.

Charles VIII was not a man ripened by experience of great
affairs, and he had assumed the title of King of Jerusalem, as a
sign of his crusading purpose. But he also called himself King
of Sicily, as representing the Anjous, and this was not a disused
and neglected derelict. For the island belonged to the King of
Aragon, the most politic and capable of European monarchs.
Before starting for Italy, Charles had made terms with him, and
Ferdinand, in consideration of a rectified frontier, had engaged,
by the Treaty of Barcelona, to take no unfriendly advantage of
his neighbour's absence. The basis of this agreement was
shattered by the immediate unexpected and overwhelming success of
the French arms. From his stronghold in the South it would be
easy for Charles to make himself master of Rome, of Florence, of
all Italy, until he came in sight of the lion of St. Mark. So
vast and sudden a superiority was a serious danger. A latent
jealousy of Spain underlay the whole expedition. The realm of
the Catholic kings was expanding, and an indistinct empire,
larger, in reality, than that of Rome, was rising out of the
Atlantic. By a very simple calculation of approaching contingencies,
Ferdinand might be suspected of designs upon Naples. Now that
the helplessness of the Neapolitans had been revealed, it was
apparent that he had made a false reckoning when he allowed the
French to occupy what he might have taken more easily himself,
by crossing the Straits of Messina. Ferdinand joined the Italians
of the North in declaring against the invader, and his envoy
Fonseca tore up the Treaty of Barcelona before the face of the
French king.

Having be