French in
Italy, and we have seen that he laid all the foundations of his family's
future grandeur upon his alliance with the house of Aragon. But here was
this house tattering, and a volcano more terrible than her own Vesuvius
was threatening to swallow up Naples. He must therefore change his
policy, and attach himself to the victor,--no easy matter, for Charles
VIII was bitterly annoyed with the pope for having refused him the
investiture and given it to Aragon.

In consequence, he sent Cardinal Francesco Piccolomini as an envoy to the
king. This choice looked like a mistake at first, seeing that the
ambassador was a nephew of Pius II, who had vigorously opposed the house
of Anjou; but Alexander in acting thus had a second design, which could
not be discerned by those around him. In fact, he had divined that
Charles would not be quick to receive his envoy, and that, in the
parleyings to which his unwillingness must give rise, Piccolomini would
necessarily be brought into contact with the young king's advisers. Now,
besides his ostensible mission to the king, Piccalamini had also secret
instructions for the more influential among his counsellors. These were
Briconnet and Philippe de Luxembourg; and Piccolomini was authorised to
promise a cardinal's hat to each of them. The result was just what
Alexander had foreseen: his envoy could not gain admission to Charles,
and was obliged to confer with the people about him. This was what the
pope wished. Piccolomini returned to Rome with the king's refusal, but
with a promise from Briconnet and Philippe de Luxembourg that they would
use all their influence with Charles in favour of the Holy Father, and
prepare him to receive a fresh embassy.

But the French all this time were advancing, and never stopped more than
forty-eight hours in any town, so that it became more and more urgent to
get something settled with Charles. The king had entered Siena and
Viterbo without striking a blow; Yves d' Alegre and Louis de Ligny had
taken over Ostia from the hands of the Colonnas; Civita Vecchia and
Corneto had opened their gates; the Orsini had submitted; even Gian
Sforza, the pope's son-in-law, had retired from the alliance with Aragon.
Alexander accordingly judged that the moment had came to abandon his
ally, and sent to Charles the Bishops of Concordia and Terni, and his
confessor, Mansignore Graziano. They were charged to renew to Briconnet
and Philippe de Luxembourg the p