IIJSTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 81 



Easter, 1282, were the appointed signal for a general massacre of the 

 French, who were attacked simultaneously all over the island. Peter of 

 Arrao"on aided in the rebellion, and the insurgents at last prevailed. 

 Charles in vain attempted to recover his possessions. Naples remained 

 200 years separated from Sicily, and finally, also became part of the 

 kingdom of Arragon, 1458, after having endured frequent changes of 

 rulers. 



The papal court had resided at Avignon from 1305, and the Eomans 

 longed lor its return to the Eternal City, for the sources of their wealth had 

 been much impaired by its departure. 



The old noble families of the Colonna and Orsini were waging war with 

 each other. Rienzi, a young and ambitious plebeian, made a vigorous 

 eftbrt to exterminate the nobility, and to revive the glories of the ancient 

 republic ; but the fickle populace deserted his cause. He was murdered, 

 1354. Gregory XI. restored the pontifical residence to Eome, 13Y6. 

 From that period the papal power suffered severely by sequestrations. It 

 did not recover its political supremacy till much later, under Nicholas Y., 

 Paul II., Alexander YL, and Julius 11. 



At this period the Marquis of Este, lord of Modena, increased in wealth 

 and powder. Savoy belonged to Burgundy, but in 1416 the counts (at a 

 later period dukes) of Savoy gradually founded an independent power. 



The political ascendency of Pisa sank in the 12th century through its 

 contest with Genoa, w^hich now rose so rapidly as to acquire a footing in 

 Provence and Marseilles, and secure valuable commercial advantages upon 

 the eastern seas. Genoa, however, labored under constant internal strife, 

 w^hich weakened its strength and encouraged its enemies, one of whom, 

 Yenice, after a long war, secm^ed the supremac3\ The severest exactions 

 were imposed on Genoa by its tyrannical doges ; and it was finally subdued 

 by the dukes of Milan or the kings of France. 



Florence felt the revolutionary spirit of the age. At times the nobles 

 oppressed the people, then again the mob had all the power. Through the 

 government, policy, and virtues of the noble house of the Medici, she at 

 length rose to a magnificent position among the nations. One of this family, 

 Cosmo di Medici, was immensely rich ; he presided over the state, yet he 

 kept up the form of republican government. While in the enjoyment of 

 power, his virtues shone with undiminished splendor, and his noble gene- 

 rosity to the people made him very p>opular. The persecutions of his 

 enemies only contributed to elevate him the more, for when thev succeeded 

 in banishing him, he was recalled with great honors, and the people 

 proclaimed anew their attachment to him. Cosmo died in 1464. 



His son Pedro was exposed to a powerful opposition, but it did not resolve 

 itself into a conspiracy until the time of his amiable sons, Lorenzo and 

 Julian, 1442. At the bottom of the plot were the Florentine house of Pazzi, 

 and Salviati, archbishop of Pisa, who laid a cunning scheme for the assassi- 

 nation of the brothers. The villains succeeded in mortally stabbing Julian ; 

 but Lorenzo escaped, bleeding from seven wounds. Proper punishment 

 was at last meted out to these murderers by the people themselves. 



253 



