DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63447#0418
402
THE HISTORICAL PAST OF ITALY.
added to his party the powerful Marquises of Montferrato
and Malaspina di Ceretto, who, in their turn, detached
numerous other lesser nobles from the Ghibellines.
From Rome also was sent another army of monks to
Germany, to undermine the allegiance of the people; and the
open profligacy of the life of Frederick afforded but too just
a theme for reprobation. The severest measures of repres-
sion were, however, unhesitatingly used against these
“ firebrands,” as the Emperor termed them, and, both in
Germany and in Sicily, hundreds perished by the rope or
in tortures.1 His own presence in Germany was greatly
needed to renew his popularity; but the state of Italy
demanded still more imperatively his personal attention,
for the desolation of famine was now added to the other
evils. The fertile fields of Italy had been devastated, and
incessant torrents of rain falling had made it impossible
to sow them afresh. Plague, as usual, followed famine ;
the wretched population of Lombardy, compelled to sup-
port life on the coarse roots and herbs commonly given to
cattle, fell an unresisting prey to the plague called “black
death.” Milan, the stronghold of the Guelphs, was visited in
the severest manner : cart-load after cart-load of the dead
was flung into a trench outside the walls of the city; no
distinction was made between rank or sex; no Christian
burial could be administered.2 Frightful earthquakes
rent the soil in Lucca and in some parts of Tuscany,
prostrating many beautiful and revered fabrics to the
ground. Both the contending factions threw the blame
of these judgments of Heaven on the other; but the Pope
certainly increased the exasperation of public feeling by
sending for the emissaries, not to relieve the unfortunate
people in their distresses, but to levy from them great
sums of money, under the pretext of “ religion.” Every
one professed to sigh for peace, but the evil passions and
rancour of every heart prevented those mutual concessions
which only could have ensured it.
1 Matthew Paris, 1243, p. 414.
2 Galvan. Flammea. Cap. cclxxvi, p. 68. This has been found to
be literally true, and was repeated during the cholera in our own times.
THE HISTORICAL PAST OF ITALY.
added to his party the powerful Marquises of Montferrato
and Malaspina di Ceretto, who, in their turn, detached
numerous other lesser nobles from the Ghibellines.
From Rome also was sent another army of monks to
Germany, to undermine the allegiance of the people; and the
open profligacy of the life of Frederick afforded but too just
a theme for reprobation. The severest measures of repres-
sion were, however, unhesitatingly used against these
“ firebrands,” as the Emperor termed them, and, both in
Germany and in Sicily, hundreds perished by the rope or
in tortures.1 His own presence in Germany was greatly
needed to renew his popularity; but the state of Italy
demanded still more imperatively his personal attention,
for the desolation of famine was now added to the other
evils. The fertile fields of Italy had been devastated, and
incessant torrents of rain falling had made it impossible
to sow them afresh. Plague, as usual, followed famine ;
the wretched population of Lombardy, compelled to sup-
port life on the coarse roots and herbs commonly given to
cattle, fell an unresisting prey to the plague called “black
death.” Milan, the stronghold of the Guelphs, was visited in
the severest manner : cart-load after cart-load of the dead
was flung into a trench outside the walls of the city; no
distinction was made between rank or sex; no Christian
burial could be administered.2 Frightful earthquakes
rent the soil in Lucca and in some parts of Tuscany,
prostrating many beautiful and revered fabrics to the
ground. Both the contending factions threw the blame
of these judgments of Heaven on the other; but the Pope
certainly increased the exasperation of public feeling by
sending for the emissaries, not to relieve the unfortunate
people in their distresses, but to levy from them great
sums of money, under the pretext of “ religion.” Every
one professed to sigh for peace, but the evil passions and
rancour of every heart prevented those mutual concessions
which only could have ensured it.
1 Matthew Paris, 1243, p. 414.
2 Galvan. Flammea. Cap. cclxxvi, p. 68. This has been found to
be literally true, and was repeated during the cholera in our own times.