day of her trouble. In
1385 the Venetians set the Scala against Carrara, who thereupon allied
himself with the treacherous Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The Scala were
expelled from Verona, but Carrara and Visconti quarrelled over the
division of the spoils. Visconti was determined to capture Padua as well
as Verona, and made an alliance with Venice and the house of Este for
the purpose. Francesco, seeing that the situation was hopeless,
surrendered to Visconti, in whose hands he remained a prisoner until his
death in 1392.

Francesco Novello, his son, resisted bravely, but was compelled to
surrender owing to dissensions in Padua itself. He was forced to
renounce his dominions, and received a castle near Asti, but he escaped
to France, and after a series of romantic adventures succeeded in making
peace with Venice, who was becoming alarmed at the restless ambition and
treachery of Visconti; in 1390 he raised a small armed force and seized
Padua, where he was enthusiastically welcomed by the citizens, and for
several years reigned there in peace. But in 1399 Visconti recommenced
his wars of conquest, which were to have included Padua had not death
cut short his schemes in 1402. Carrara then allied himself with
Guglielmo Scala, seized Verona, and tried to capture Vicenza. But the
Vicentini had always hated the Carraresi, and after a short siege gave
themselves over to Venice. This led to a war between that republic and
Padua, for now that Visconti was dead the Venetians had no longer any
reason to protect Carrara. Padua and Verona were besieged; the latter,
defended by Novello's son Jacopo, was soon captured. Novello himself,
besieged in his capital, although repeatedly offered favourable terms,
held out for some months hoping for help from Florence and also from
certain Venetian nobles with whom he was intriguing. Hunger, plague, the
treachery of his captains and internal discontent at last forced him to
surrender (November 1405). He and his sons Francesco III. and Jacopo
were conveyed to Venice, and at first treated with consideration; but
when their intrigues with Venetian traitors for the overthrow of the
republic came to light, they were tried, condemned, and strangled in
prison (1406). Novello's other son Marsiglio made a desperate attempt to
recover Padua in 1435, but was discovered and killed. With him the house
of Carrara ceased from troubling.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.--G. Gattaro, "Istoria Padovana," in _Muratori's Rer. It.