whole of Italy sent
ambassadors to him. The ancient provinces, seeing Rome arise to new
life, again raised their heads, and some induced by hope, others by
fear, honored him as their sovereign. But Niccolo, notwithstanding
his great reputation, lost all energy in the very beginning of
his enterprise; and as if oppressed with the weight of so vast an
undertaking, without being driven away, secretly fled to Charles, king
of Bohemia, who, by the influence of the pope, and in contempt of Louis
of Bavaria, had been elected emperor. Charles, to ingratiate himself
with the pontiff, sent Niccolo to him, a prisoner. After some time, in
imitation of Rienzi, Francesco Baroncegli seized upon the tribunate of
Rome, and expelled the senators; and the pope, as the most effectual
means of repressing him, drew Niccolo from his prison, sent him to Rome,
and restored to him the office of tribune; so that he reoccupied
the state and put Francesco to death; but the Colonnesi becoming his
enemies, he too, after a short time, shared the same fate, and the
senators were again restored to their office. The king of Hungary,
having driven out Queen Joan, returned to his kingdom; but the pope,
who chose to have the queen in the neighborhood of Rome rather than the
king, effected her restoration to the sovereignty, on the condition that
her husband, contenting himself with the title of prince of Tarento,
should not be called king. Being the year 1350, the pope thought that
the jubilee, appointed by Boniface VIII. to take place at the conclusion
of each century, might be renewed at the end of each fifty years; and
having issued a decree for the establishment of it, the Romans, in
acknowledgment of the benefit, consented that he should send four
cardinals to reform the government of the city, and appoint senators
according to his own pleasure. The pope again declared Louis of Tarento,
king, and in gratitude for the benefit, Queen Joan gave Avignon, her
inheritance, to the church. About this time Luchino Visconti died, and
his brother the archbishop, remaining lord of Milan, carried on many
wars against Tuscany and his neighbors, and became very powerful.
Bernabo and Galeazzo, his nephews, succeeded him; but Galeazzo soon
after died, leaving Giovan Galeazzo, who shared the state with Bernabo.
Charles, king of Bohemia, was then emperor, and the pontificate was
occupied by Innocent VI., who sent Cardinal Egidio, a Spaniard, into
Italy. He restored the re