ver the kingdom for the queen, to expel Urban from
Rome, and establish the anti-pope. But in the midst of this enterprise
Louis died, and his people being routed returned to France. In this
conjuncture the pope went to Naples, where he put nine cardinals into
prison for having taken the part of France and the anti-pope. He then
became offended with the king, for having refused to make his nephew
prince of Capua; and pretending not to care about it, requested he
would grant him Nocera for his habitation, but, having fortified it,
he prepared to deprive the king of his dominions. Upon this the king
pitched his camp before the place, and the pope fled to Naples, where
he put to death the cardinals whom he had imprisoned. From thence
he proceeded to Rome, and, to acquire influence, created twenty-nine
cardinals. At this time Charles, king of Naples, went to Hungary,
where, having been made king, he was shortly afterward killed in battle,
leaving a wife and two children at Naples. About the same time Giovanni
Galeazzo Visconti murdered Bernabo his uncle and took the entire
sovereignty upon himself; and, not content with being duke of Milan and
sovereign of the whole of Lombardy, designed to make himself master of
Tuscany; but while he was intent upon occupying the province with the
ultimate view of making himself king of Italy, he died. Boniface IX.
succeeded Urban VI. The anti-pope, Clement VI., also died, and Benedict
XIII. was appointed his successor.
Many English, Germans, and Bretons served at this period in the armies
of Italy, commanded partly by those leaders who had from time to time
authority in the country, and partly by such as the pontiffs sent, when
they were at Avignon. With these warriors the princes of Italy long
carried on their wars, till the coming of Lodovico da Cento of Romagna,
who formed a body of Italian soldiery, called the Company of St. George,
whose valor and discipline soon caused the foreign troops to fall into
disrepute, and gave reputation to the native forces of the country, of
which the princes afterward availed themselves in their wars with each
other. The pope, Boniface IX., being at enmity with the Romans, went to
Scesi, where he remained till the jubilee of 1400, when the Romans, to
induce him to return to the city, consented to receive another foreign
senator of his appointing, and also allowed him to fortify the castle of
Saint Angelo: having returned upon these conditions, in order t
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