The Carafas of Maddaloni : Naples under Spanish dominion

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1. THE MISCELLANEOUS WORKS AND REMAINS OF THE REV. ROBERT HALL, with Memoir by Da. Gregory, and Essay by John Foster. Portrait.

Preface

that they only dwell upon it with reluctance. In our days an author, equally distinguished by his poetical genius, his historical mind, and his moral tendency, has overcome this aversion. If the story of the 4 Promessi Sposi,' one of the most beautiful productions of modern literature, has given us more insight into the deplorable condition of Lombardy than any historical literature, it has, at the same time, given an impulse to more or less successful labours on the subject in other quarters. But this epoch is little known at Naples, and still less considered by foreigners. The episode of Masaniello, or of the Duke of Guise, has been selected, and, not in romances and operas alone, placed in a false light.

And yet the later and present circumstances of Naples are not to be explained clearly without an exact knowledge of this period of the Spanish dominion. This I have endeavoured to give in the present work : others may decide if I have succeeded.

It is not a complete history of the Spanish administration. My aim is to discuss the causes of the inveterate evil, destructive to the public and social relations ; the development of the forms, as well as the system of the constitution ; a description of the way of life, in conjunction with the localities and their historical points of association. The materials of all kinds, both manuscript and in print, which I have obtained by the kindness of my Neapolitan friends, have in many cases been so abundant and various, that I have not been able to make use of them all within the limits of my task.

May they give this work the same reception they once gave to its author !

Borne, Easter Sunday, 1851.

( vii )

Introduction

CHAPTER L

THE ARRAGONESE AND THE VICEROYS TILL THE DEATH OF PHILIP III.

The Normans in Salerno — Foundation and growth of the Norman Power — the Hohenstaufens — Charles of Anjou and his successors — Alphonso of Arragon King of Naples and Sicily — Ferdinand I. —The War of the Barons — March of Charles VIII. to Naples — — Alphonso II. — Condition of Italy in the year 1494 — The last Arragonese, Ferdinand and Frederick — Division of Naples between Ferdinand the Catholic and Lewis XII. — Departure and death of King Ferdinand — The Spaniards in sole possession of Naples — French and Spanish war — Charles V. — Naples besieged by Lautrec — Causes which led to the establishment of the Spanish Power

— Don Pedro de Toledo : condition of Naples from the beginning of his government — Reform of justice — New laws — Restoration of the public security — Undertakings and works of Toledo — Financial relations — The hearth-tax — The donative — Attempt to introduce the Spanish Inquisition — Insurrection of the Neapolitans— The municipality — The nobility — Embassy from the town to the Emperor — Decree of Charles V. — End of the disturbances

— Last years of Toledo — Intercourse with the Emperor — Transformation of Naples into a Spanish province — The Consiglio-collaterale — The Council of Italians — The Secretaryships of War and Justice — The great courts of justice : the proceedings of the court

— The later Viceroys under Philip II. and III. — General relations

— Disputes about jurisdiction with Rome — Military system — Description of the Viceroys : their position — Don Pedro Giron, Duke of Ossuna — War against Venice — Ossuna's plans and deposition — The Cardinals Gaspar Borgia and Zaputa — Famine and insurrection — Death of Philip III Page 1 viii

CONTENTS.

Chapter II. Constitution, Nobility, People

The nobility and people in the presence of King Charles VIII. — The people claim their ancient privileges — The old constitution — The Norman parliaments — The feudal system — Change under the Angevins — Municipal constitution of the capital — The sediles — The sediles compared with the Florentine associations and loggies — Form, number, and privileges of the sediles : their double representations, with reference to the town and kingdom: political importance — Difference between the feudal nobility and the city nobility — Sedile of the people — Different classes of the people — The joint government of the town conducted by the sediles of the nobility and the sedile of the people — The associations of the people, or ottinen — The eletio del popolo — Destruction of the sedile of the people under Alphonso L of Arragon — Revival of the popular element under the French dominion — Comparison between the nobility and the people in the year 1495 — Position of the people under the last Arragonese — Claims of the people for an equal share of representation with the nobility under Ferdinand the Catholic — Form of the municipal government of the sediles under the viceroys— Mode of election — Deputies — The municipal government (tribunal of the Eletti) in San Lorenzo — Spanish policy with reference to the sediles as substitutes for the general parliaments — Form of the parliaments under the viceroys — The locality of the parliament in San Lorenzo — The opposition of the sediles to the viceroys — The nobility in the sediles— Opposition— Spain's endeavour to oppress the great nobility — Apparent contradiction in its position — Feudalism and the communities — Privileges of the communities to redeem themselves from feudal ties, the so-called proclamation of liberty — Re-alienation of the communities by the government — The right of rebellion in the name of the king — Relations of the barons to their vassals — Actual and assumed rights of the feudatories — Political condition of the nobility — Granting of titles — Disadvantageous position of the communities with regard to the tribute-securities — Money transactions — Farming tolls — Banks — The Genoese — Money-market — Exchange — Agio— Loans on the banks — System of coinage — Usury — False coinage — Conditions of admission into the sediles — Foreign sovereigns and great families — Neapolitan feudatories — Difficulties in being enrolled amongst the sediles in the time of the Spaniards — Deputations;

CONTENTS.

ix rejection of their claims — Different lines of the system of titles — Spanish families in the kingdom — Orders — Judicial relations — Jurisdiction of the nobility — The second, or new nobility — The people — Description of Camillo Porzio Page 58

Chapter III

THE CARAFAS OF MADDALONI. XVth AND XVIth CENTURIES.

Castle and village of Maddaloni— The family of Carafa — Malizia Carafa — Diomed Carafa, first Count of Maddaloni — The war of the barons — Coppola and Petrucci — The Count of Maddaloni, with reference to Ferdinand I. — His monument in San Domenico — Activity about the sciences — Palace of Maddaloni, now St. Angelo — The bronze horse's head — Posterity of Diomed Carafa — The Carafas of Montorio — Gian Pietro Carafa, afterwards Pope F*aul IV. — Paul IV. opposed to Spain — Alva's march against Rome — Alva before the gates of the city — Retreat — Peace at Cave — The nephews of the pope—The Cardinal of Carafa— The Duke of Pagliano— Fall of the Carafas — Death of Paul IV. — Insurrection of the Roman people. — Complication of the catastrophe of the Carafas — Murder of the Duchess of Pagliano — Pius IV. — Trial and condemnation of the Carafas — Letter of the Duke of Pagliano to his son — Final destiny of the Carafas of Montorio — Cardinal Alphonso, Archbishop of Naples — Cardinal Olivieri Carafa 108

Book II, Chapter I

THE VICEROYS UNDER PHILIP IV. TILL THE YEAR 1647.

The Spanish monarchy under Philip II. and III. — Idea of a universal Christian monarchy — Condition of Spain — Disunion of its individual parts — Centralization of policy — Philip II. 's foreign policy — Decline of Spain under Philip III. — Change of system under Philip IV. — War in the Netherlands, Germany, and France — Insurrection in Catalonia and Portugal — War in Lombardy — Political condition of Italy— Don Antonio de Toledo, Duke of Alva, Viceroy at Naples — Great distress in the country — The viceroys :

X

CONTENTS.

Duke of Alcalk. Count of Monterey, Duke of Medina — Share of Naples in the Spanish wars — Military service of the nobility — Increasing pressure, and increasing distress — Quarrels between the sediles and the viceroys — The donative, and general system of taxation — The arrendamenti, or monopolies — The composizioni, or money indemnities — Compulsory loans, tributes, sale of places — System of robbery, squadra di campagna, bisogni — Administration of justice — Right of asylum — Disputes between the secular and clerical authorities — Cardinal Ascanio Filomarino — Courts of the viceroys — The Admiral of Castille, Viceroy of Naples — Misery and immorality — The Duke of Arcos in the admiral's place — Attempts of the French against the Spanish presidencies on the shores of Tuscany — Ineffectual siege of Orbetello — Second attempt — Conquest of Piombino and Porto Lungone — Warlike preparations at Naples — Want of money — Fruit-tax — Excessive pauperism . . Page 142

.CHAPTER II.

THE YOUTHFUL LIFE OF DIOMED CARAFA. THE NOBILITY IN THE XVIIth CENTURY.

Don Marzio Carafa, Duke of Maddaloni — Warlike fame and splendour of the family — Diomed Carafa' s birth and youth — Military service of the nobility — Social relations and position of the great families — Their pride— Inability to resist the viceroys — Attempt to attract the feudal nobility to the capital — Magnificence of the viceroys in the seventeenth century — The royal palace at Naples — Count of Lemos — Domenico Fontana — Festivities — Masquerades, theatres, tournaments — Feats of horsemanship — Pleasure excursions — Play, and gambling-houses — Courtesans (Donna di Libera Vita) — The Prince of Conca and his family — Corruption of the morals of the higher classes — Duels — Insecurity of the streets — Bravoes — Quarrels with the police — Deeds of violence done by the nobles — Murder of Camillo Soprano — Proceedings against the murderers — Debts of the nobility — Oppression of vassals — Domestic life — Women — Disputes about rank — Balls and quadrilles — Convents — Feasts in them — Presence of the Infanta Maria — Diomed Carafa's way of life — Anna Carafa, Princess of Stigliano, Duchess of Medina — The palace of Donna Anna — The ill-fated house— Story of Anna Acquaviva's marriage — Nuptials of Diomed Carafa— The Caracciolos of Avellino — Avellino and its neighbourhood 18 3

CONTENTS.

xi

CHAPTER III.

THE CITY OF NAPLES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE XVIIth CENTURY.

Situation and first impression — Earliest settlement — Normans — Hohenstaufens — Period of the House of Anjou — San Lorenzo and Santa Maria la Nuova — The Cathedral — San Domenico Maggiore — Sta. Chiara — Connexion of Naples with Tuscan art and poetry — U Incoronata — Giotto — S. Martino — Buildings of the Durazzo race — Antonio Bamboccio of Piperno — S. Giovanni de' Pappacoda — S. Giovanni a Carbonara — Palaces and houses of the last Angevin period — Corporations and streets named after them — Aragonese era — Triumphal arch of Alphonso I. — Principal gate of the Castelnuovo— Wall of Ferdinand I. — Palace upon the Poggio Reale — Pietro and Polito del Donzello — Villas of Alphonso II. — Cardinal Pompeo Colonna — Montoliveto — Modanino's group of the Pieta. — San Severino — Palaces of private individuals: Carafa, San Severino, Orsini— Pontano's chapel — Santa Maria del Parto — Sannazzaro — Increase of the city since 1 530 — Consumption — Number of inhabitants — Trades — Commerce — Enlargement under Don Pedro de Toledo — General view of Spanish Naples — San Giacomo degli Spagnoli — Tomb of Toledo — Art of painting in the 14th and 15th centuries— Zingaro— The Donzello — Art of painting

in the 16th century — Andrea del Salerno — Earlier sculpture

Agnolo Aniello Fiore — Giovanni da Nola— Girolamo Santa Croce, Domenico d' Auria, and others — Changes in the last half of the

16th century — Art in the 17th century — M. A. Naccarino

General condition of the town — Palaces of the nobility, and their establishments — Magnificence of the churches — Carthusian monastery of S. Martino — Cosimo Fansaga — Chapel of St. Januarius in the Cathedral — Pictures in the chapels — Contention of Neapolitan artists with those of Rome and Bologna — Cav. d' Arpino

Guido Reni — Belisario Correnzio — Domenichino — Lanfranco

Michelangelo da Caravaggio— Lo Spagnoletto— G. B. Caracciolo

The Painter-knights — II Cavalier Calabrese . . . Page 237

Xll CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Masaniello

The years 1547 and 1647 and their consequences — Insurrection at Palermo — The gabelles. The fruit-tax — Tommaso Aniello — Increasing discontent of the populace — Giulio Genuino. Festival of Our Lady of Carmel — Beginning of the dispute on the morning of the 7th of July — The deputy of the people Naclerio's interview with the Duke of Arcos — Attack upon the palace. Danger and flight of the viceroy — Cardinal Filomarino as peacemaker — The viceroy in the Castle dell' Uovo and in Castelnuovo— Disturbances in the night from the 7th to the 8th of July — Progress of the rebellion, 8th July — The Duke of Maddaloni as an officer with a flag of truce — The privileges of Charles V. — Destruction of the toll-houses and of private houses — Maddaloni detained by the rebels — His flight to Torella — Filomarino again a mediator. Monsignor Altieri — Storming of San Lorenzo — Masaniello's great influence — Attack of the banditti upon Masaniello and his followers — Murder of Don Giuseppe Carafa — Destruction of the dwellings of the Carafas — Negotiations of the viceroy with the rebels — Treaty of the Duke of Arcos with the people — Masaniello in the royal palace

Continuation of the rebellion. Masaniello's acts of violence.

The captain-general of the people — Aniello Falcone and his death- troop. Salvator Rosa — Solemn convention in the cathedral, 13th July — The beginning of Masaniello's delirium — Senseless rage. The palace of Maddaloni — Plot of the Duke of Arcos against Masaniello — Murder of Masaniello in the Carmelite convent — His funeral Page 299

Chapter II. War During- The Years 1g47-1648

An imperfect and only apparent tranquillity after the death of Masaniello— Flight of Genuino — The gabelles — Open war— Advantages gained by the troops of the people — Francesco Toraldo captain-general of the people — New treaty of the 7th of September — The Carafas of Maddaloni outlawed by the people — Giovann' Angelo Barile — Arrival of the Armada of Don John of Austria —

CONTENTS.

xiii

Measures taken against many of the leaders of the people — Attack of the Spaniards upon the town — Victory of the people — Don John retires to Bajae — Destruction of the pictures and arms of the king — The Nuncio Altieri — French intrigues — Attack of the people upon the posts garrisoned by the Spaniards —Murder of Toraldo — Gennaro Annese captain-general — Siege of Castelnuovo — Picturesof Salvator Rosa — Condition of the provinces — Extension of the rebellion in the feudal principalities and in the royal cities — The Count of Conversano in Nardo — Deceitfulness of the Duke of Arcos — Persecution of the Duke of Maddaloni — Rising of the nobility in behalf of Spain — Battles in the vicinity of Naples — Skirmish at Scafati — Conquest of Acerra and Aversa — Successes of the barons at Castellammare, &c. — Don Vincenzo Tuttavilla undertakes the command of the royal and baronial troops— Defence of the bridge of Scafati — Don Francesco Capecelatro's description of the state of the neighbourhood of the capital — Want of union amongst the royalists — Blockade of Naples — Don John's ineffectual negotiations with the rebels — Henry of Lorraine Duke of Guise — Landing of Guise at Naples the 16th of November — Naples a republic — Homage performed in the cathedral — Conference with the nobles

— Advantages of the "rebels in the provinces — The fleet of the Duke of Richelieu on the coasts — Deplorable condition of the town at the beginning of the new year, 1648 — Dissensions between Guise and Gennaro Annese — The Duke of Arcos resigns his office — Don John of Austria takes his place provisionally — Rapid change in the fortunes of war in the provinces — The Count of Onate viceroy, the 2nd March, 1648 — Guise's attack upon the island of Nisida — Onate's negotiation with the leaders of the people — Re-conquest of the town on the 5th April — Guise's flight and imprisonment — Ineffectual attempts of the French, later, against Naples . Page 340

Chapter III. Last Years Of Diomed Carafa

Condition of Naples after the return of the Spaniards — Activity and policy of the Count of Onate — Measures against the disturbers of the peace — Corn-law system and laws — Abuses of the corn-trade

— Measures of finance — Expedition against Piombino and Elba — Re-conquest of Porto Lungone — Departure of Don John of Austria — Disposition of the Neapolitan people — Conduct of the viceroy towards the nobility — Secret motives — Rumour of a conspiracy — xiv

CONTENTS.

Imprisonment of the Prince of Montesarchio and the Prior of Eoccella— Transactions with the banditti— New proceedings against the nobility — Measures against the Count of Celano, the Princes of Avellino and Forino, and the Duke of Maddalpni — Persecution of Diomed Carafa— Vain attempts at reconciliation — The Duchess of Maddaloni and the viceroy — Diomed Carafa presents himself, and is pardoned — Condition of the provinces — Don Francesco Capecelatro in Calabria — Family life of Diomed Carafa — Gaspar Eomer — Construction of the palace of Maddaloni — Festivities under the Count of Onate — The influence of Spain upon Italian literature, morals, and the way of life — Marini, Gongora, Salvator Rosa — The Spanish power during the second part of the 17th century — Recall of the Count of Onate — The Count of Castrillo viceroy in 1653 — Donatives and feast — Maddaloni and Cardinal Filomarino — Renewal of the robbery system — The Count of Conversano — Imprisonment of Diomed Carafa — His departure for Spain, and his death, 1660 — The Carafas of Maddaloni in later times — Results of the Neapolitan revolutions — Subsequent viceroys — Weakness and decline of the aristocracy — Extinction of the Spanish line of Hapsburg — Attempt at an insurrection by the Prince of Massa — Charles III., King of Naples, 1734 — His system of government — Bernardo Tanucci — The nobility during the revolutions of the year 1799 — Dissolution of the sediles and of the old constitution — The Spanish era with reference to the present time Page 382

Appendix Page 423

THE

CAEAFAS OF MADD ALONI,

Vis imperii virtus. — Capecelatro.

Chapter I

THE AltRAGONESE AND THE VICEROYS TILL THE DEATH OF PHILIP III.

The Normans in Salerno — Foundation and growth of the Norman Power — The Hohenstaufens — Charles of Anjou and his successors

— Alphonso of Arragon King of Naples and Sicilv — Ferdinand I.

— The War of the Barons — March of Charles VIII. to Naples —

— Alphonso II. — Condition of Italy in the year 1494 — The last Arragonese, Ferdinand and Frederick — Division of Naples hetween Ferdinand the Catholic and Lewis XII. — Departure and death of King Ferdinand — The Spaniards in sole possession of Naples — French and Spanish war — Charles V. — Naples besieged by Lautrec — Causes which led to the establishment of the Spanish Power

— Don Pedro de Toledo : condition of Naples from the beginning of his government — Reform of justice — New laws — Restoration of the public security — Undertakings and works of Toledo — Financial relations — The hearth-tax — The Donative — Attempt to introduce the Spanish Inquisition — Insurrection of the Neapolitans — The municipality — The nobility — Embassy from the town to the Emperor — Decree of Charles V. — End of the disturbances

— Last years of Toledo — Intercourse with the Emperor — Transformation of Naples into a Spanish province — The Consiglio-collaterale — The Council of Italians — The Secretaryships of War and Justice — The great courts of justice : the proceedings of the court

— The later Viceroys under Philip II. and III. — General relations

— Disputes about jurisdiction with Kome — Military system — Description of the Viceroys : their position — Don Pedro Giron, Duke of Ossuna — War against Venice — Ossuna's plans and deposition — The Cardinals Gaspar Borgia and Zaputa — Famine and insurrection — Death of Philip III.

" A thousand years after our Saviour's birth there appeared in the world forty valiant Pilgrims. They came from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, whither they had been to

B

THE CARAFAS OF MADDALONI.

worship Jesus Christ. They reached Salerno, which was invested by the Saracens, and so distressed that it was on the point of surrender. Before this the town had been tributary to the Saracens, but, as the inhabitants were careless and did not pay their tribute regularly every year, the Saracens came upon them suddenly in numerous vessels, plundering, destroying, and laying waste the country. As soon as this was known to the Norman Pilgrims, they would not bear such enormities, nor endure that Christians should be subject to Saracens. So the Pilgrims went to Guaimar, the illustrious prince who then ruled the land with much justice, and begged him to allow them horses and arms. They would fight against the enemy, not for the sake of the hire or of the money, but because they could not endure the insolence of their adversaries. So they asked for horses ; and after they had received both them and arms, they assaulted the Saracens, killed many of them, put others to flight, driving some to the sea-shore, and others to their camp. And thus did these brave Normans conquer, and the Salernians were freed from their slavery to the infidels/'*

It was in the year 1017, according to common reckoning, that the valiant Normans, who at first acquired a domicil in France, appeared in the south of Italy. In the country which is bounded by the Tronto and the Liris, and the chain of the Apennines from the Adriatic, the Ionian, and the Tuscan Seas, there had existed for centuries two conflicting principles ; two hostile races had struggled one against another, till both the spirit of the Greek and of the Lombard civilization were exhausted, and could with difficulty ward off the attacks of their vigorous enemy, Mahometanism, which seemed invincible till the West roused all its vigour and set a limit to its progress. The Normans brought to the south a new principle of life. They drove back the Saracens from the shores of Southern Italy, and took from them their conquest of Sicily. The Norman feudal monarchy raised itself on the ruins of the small, weak States of the southern continent, adopting many of the local elements and incorporating with it many others. The success of these knights-

CHARLES OF ANJOU.

errant before Salerno stimulated other of their countiymen to make similar attempts.

Tancred of Hauteville, a nobleman of Cotentin, sent many of his sons to Italy. Robert Guiscard, born at Coutances, first established, as well by strength of arms as by dexterity, a solid power. In the year 1059 Pope Nicholas II. gave him the investiture of Apulia and Calabria, to which possessions he united those of Amalfi and Salerno, whilst Roger, Tancred's youngest son, conquered Sicily, and took the title of Great Count of that beautiful island. Through Roger's son the royal dignity passed into the Norman race. Naples submitted to this first King Roger in 1130, — Naples which was destined to become the principal city of the southern Italian kingdom, as it had been the last seat of east Roman civilization. Two kings of the name of William, the Wicked and the Good, and Tancred of Lecce, an illegitimate scion of the house, wore the crown, which by right of inheritance belonged to Constance, the last legitimate descendant of Tancred of Hauteville.

" Appulus et Calaber, Siculus mihi servit et After," King Roger had caused to be engraved on his sword. Now the dominion, as beautiful as it had been rapidly acquired, passed from the stem of the Northern Franks to a mighty race in the south of Germany. The Emperor Frederick Barbarossa had betrothed his eldest son Henry to the heiress of Apulia, Calabria, and Sicily : it was a rich and precious inheritance, but it led to the ruin of the splendid house of Hohenstaufen. The Emperors Henry VI. and Frederick II., and the Kings Conrad and Manfred fought, conquered, and were subdued ; the crown came again through the papal investiture upon a French head. Charles of Anjou, Count of Provence, overcame the last of the Hohenstaufens, and founded the monarchy which was maintained 174 years by his posterity. Frederick II. did the most towards moulding the kingdom ; Charles L adapted the work of the greatest of his predecessors, according to the exigences of his day and the traditions of the country in which his hereditary states were situated. The settlement of the Swabians first, and then that of the Provencals, in the southern portion of the peninsula, the establishment of a feudal state upon the soil which had for centuries been fertilized by the Grecian element of civilization, the contrasts which had been elicited by these different fundamental principles warring against one another,

b 2

THE CARAFAS OF MADDALONT.

and only at last imperfectly intermixed, have necessarily led to characteristic differences between, the kingdom of Naples and the northern parts of the peninsula, as well as to the eccentric phenomena in this kingdom. The blood-guiltiness as well as the injustice of the proceeding were fearfully avenged on the house of Anjou. Even the first of them lost Sicily, and with it one of the principal causes of its glory, as well as of its power and stability. He died of grief at the failure of his daring plans, and at his death left his son and successor in prison. If Charles I. during eighteen years governed by fear and not by love, erecting with a firm hand an edifice of government, which he sought to finish in its various parts, Charles II., who succeeded his father in the year 1284, pursued a milder course. His dominion lasted for a quarter of a century, and that of his second son Robert lasted still longer, that is, thirty-four years. The house of Anjou, in consequence of the means of its elevation, represented in Italy the Papal or Guelphic principle. Charles I., whose strong hand grasped with vigour all relations, had done this with an energy so consistent, that the Papacy itself perceived its danger ; because the authority of the King of Naples extended itself over Rome, where he was a senator, to Florence where he was lord protector, and even to Upper Italy ; and so the Popes had again before their eyes the image of terror which they had struggled against with such tenacity of purpose in the race of Hohenstaufen. Even King Robert, who ascended the throne in the year 1309, assumed a similar position, and stood at the head of the Guelphic party in opposition to the two last Emperors, who instinctively took up the great battle of the middle ages, though in different ways— Henry of Luxembourg and Lewis of Bavaria. But the Italian relations assumed practically other forms, and Robert's later years were devoted to cherishing efforts of peace, and to the cultivation of the arts and sciences, which has made his name so famous, and connected it so indissolubly with the history of Italian art in its most flourishing period.

After the death of King Robert, which happened in 1 343, bad times followed. His son Charles, Duke of Calabria, called by the Italian chroniclers V Illusive, though he had not exactly acquired a just fame in the affairs of Tuscany, died about fifteen years before, and the crown devolved upon the head of a girl of seventeen, Joanna, the eldest granddaughter

SUCCESSOBS OF CHARLES OF ANJOU.

of Robert. According to the strict law of inheritance, it ought to have descended to his great-nephew, the grandson of his eldest brother, Charles Martel, King of Hungary. If Pope Clement V., who, like his predecessors, feared from a sort of natural instinct the too great power of the house of Anjou, had by his decree altered the usual course of succession, the King sought a means of adjustment by uniting in marriage his great-nephew, Andrew of Hungary, with the heiress. But that which seemed likely to strengthen the union of the family produced incurable divisions, and to Naples many years of war and of intestine commotions, the wounds of which centuries have not sufficed to heal over. The murder of Andrew in Aversa, the second marriage of the young Queen, the march of the Hungarian army against Naples, the flight of the Queen to Provence, and her return later, the claims on the crown of the collateral line of Anjou- Durazzo, the adoption of Prince Lewis, Count of Anjou, the brother of Charles V. of France, from whom the younger race of Anjou descended, the pretensions of which passed to the Valois as well as to the Guises, Joanna's murder at the command of Charles Durazzo — all this happened during the thirty-five years that immediately followed. Nor was the time which succeeded it happier ; the period of government which comprises the dominion of the line of Durazzo possessed few or none of the brilliant qualities of the elder branch, but only their weaknesses, faults, and vices. The short and unquiet reign of Charles III., whose chief interests lay in Hungary, where he met with his death ; — the regency of his widow during the minority of her son Ladislaus ; — the first successes and later discomfiture of the Anjou faction, who fought for the rights of the French pretender to the throne — the complete victory of the Durazzi — and the reign of Ladislaus rich in fruitful deeds of war, occupied the years from 1381 to 1414. Then another Joanna ascended the throne, the last of the Anjou-Durazzi, and her reign, scarcely less eventful and variable than that of her unhappy namesake, extended longer than the duration of her house, and beyond the struggle for the throne, as she first selected Alphonso of Arragon for her successor, then the French Prince Lewis of Anjou, after whose early death she chose the " bon roi Rene," the knighterrant of the fifteenth century, who forgot his lost kingdoms in his passion for painting and poetry. It was this inconstancy