rezzana. To capture this place he constructed a
fort against it, which is called to-day Zerezzanello; in the course of
two months Castruccio captured the town. With the reputation gained
at that siege, he rapidly seized Massa, Carrara, and Lavenza, and in
a short time had overrun the whole of Lunigiana. In order to close the
pass which leads from Lombardy to Lunigiana, he besieged Pontremoli and
wrested it from the hands of Messer Anastagio Palavicini, who was the
lord of it. After this victory he returned to Lucca, and was welcomed by
the whole people. And now Castruccio, deeming it imprudent any longer to
defer making himself a prince, got himself created the lord of Lucca
by the help of Pazzino del Poggio, Puccinello dal Portico, Francesco
Boccansacchi, and Cecco Guinigi, all of whom he had corrupted; and he
was afterwards solemnly and deliberately elected prince by the people.
At this time Frederick of Bavaria, the King of the Romans, came into
Italy to assume the Imperial crown, and Castruccio, in order that
he might make friends with him, met him at the head of five hundred
horsemen. Castruccio had left as his deputy in Lucca, Pagolo Guinigi,
who was held in high estimation, because of the people's love for
the memory of his father. Castruccio was received in great honour by
Frederick, and many privileges were conferred upon him, and he was
appointed the emperor's lieutenant in Tuscany. At this time the Pisans
were in great fear of Gaddo della Gherardesca, whom they had driven out
of Pisa, and they had recourse for assistance to Frederick. Frederick
created Castruccio the lord of Pisa, and the Pisans, in dread of the
Guelph party, and particularly of the Florentines, were constrained to
accept him as their lord.

Frederick, having appointed a governor in Rome to watch his Italian
affairs, returned to Germany. All the Tuscan and Lombardian Ghibellines,
who followed the imperial lead, had recourse to Castruccio for help
and counsel, and all promised him the governorship of his country,
if enabled to recover it with his assistance. Among these exiles were
Matteo Guidi, Nardo Scolari, Lapo Uberti, Gerozzo Nardi, and Piero
Buonaccorsi, all exiled Florentines and Ghibellines. Castruccio had the
secret intention of becoming the master of all Tuscany by the aid of
these men and of his own forces; and in order to gain greater weight
in affairs, he entered into a league with Messer Matteo Visconti, the
Prince of Milan, and