of politics the latter held
the better hands, drew more trumps, and gained rubber after rubber. But
what a splendid record the Albizzi had! When the Medici were only
tentatively placing their feet upon the ladder of fame, Orlando,
Filippo, Piero, Luca, and Maso--to name a few only of those leaders of
men and women--had scored the name Albizzi as _Anziani, Priori,
Gonfalonieri_, and _Capitani di Parte Guelfa_.

In fact that aristocratic family dominated Florence and the Florentines
until Salvestro, Giovanni, and Cosimo, of the democratic Medici,
disputed place and power, and built up their fortunes upon the ruins of
their rivals' faults and favours.

Eleanora was the daughter of Messer Luigi di Messer Maso degli Albizzi.
This Messer Maso, a hundred years before, had not seen eye to eye with
his masterful brother--the autocratic Rinaldo, but, noting the trend of
political affairs, had, truth to tell, turned traitor to the traditions
of his family, and had thrown in his lot with the rising house of
Medici.

Messer Luigi was not a rich man, but in fairly comfortable
circumstances, and slowly retrieving the shattered fortunes of his
ancestors. His mansion was in the fashionable Borgo degli Albizzi, and
he owned other town property and some farms in the _contado_. He held,
too, several public offices, and was an aspirant to a Podestaship, as a
stepping-stone to that most coveted of all State appointments, the rank
of ambassador.

In some way or another he gained the favourable notice of Duke Cosimo,
and seems to have rendered him some acceptable service: at all events,
he found himself at home in the entourage of the Sovereign. By his
second wife, Madonna Nannina, daughter of Messer Niccolo de' Soderini--a
lineal descendant of the self-seeking and notorious adviser of Don Piero
de' Medici--he had two daughters, Constanza and Eleanora, named after
her godmother, the Duchess Eleanora.

Constanza was married to Antonio de' Ridolfi, the same year that the
poor broken-hearted Duchess sobbed herself to death at Pisa after the
terrible tragedies of 1557 and 1562, and Messer Luigi was left with
Eleanora, the pride of her father's heart, the joy of his home. As
beautiful as any girl in Florence, she was just sixteen, highly
accomplished, full of spirits, and endowed with some of that pride and
haughty bearing which had distinguished her forbears. She had, in short,
all the makings of a successful woman of the world.

Admitted