ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



kingdom from anarchy by his single exertions* We 

 see him by turns successful as a general, eminent as 

 a statesman, distinguished by an unalterable fidelity 

 to his prince, splendid in his alms and foundations, 

 the patron of learning, the friend of Petrarch. 



To this remarkable man the Certosa of Val d'Ema 

 owes her existence. The whole story of her founda- 

 tion is so closely connected with Niccoli's fortunes, 

 and forms so interesting an episode in his career, that 

 a brief sketch of his life may not be out of place here. 



Originally steel workers driven from Brescia by the 

 invasion of Barbarossa, the Acciaiuoli were already one 

 of the most powerful of Florentine merchant-houses 

 when in 1310 Niccol6 was born at a villa on the hill of 

 Montegufoni, in Val di Pesa, some miles to the west 

 of Florence. His father, Acciaiuolo Acciaiuoli, married 

 him to Margherita degli Spini at the age of eighteen, 

 and three years afterwards sent him to Naples, where 

 he had opened a house for the purpose of advancing 

 loans to King Robert. Here the striking beauty of his 

 person, his chivalrous accomplishments and ready wit, 

 won general favour at court, and attracted the notice 

 of Robert, who appointed him guardian of his nephews, 

 the young sons of Catherine, the widowed princess of 

 Taranto, and titular Empress of Constantinople. In 

 1338 he led a successful expedition into Greece to 



recover the dominions of these princes from the 



202 



