CHAPTER II.. Alliances and Counter-Alliances. Preparations for the Conflict.

ALLIANCES AND COUNTER-ALLIANCES. PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONFLICT.

Dangerous Position and Measures of Precaution—Donato Acciaiuoli in Rome—The Florentines and the Papacy—Demands of Sixtus IV.—Florentines in the Castle of St. Angelo—Cardinal Riario in Florence—His Return to Rome—Bull of Excommunication against Lorenzo de’ Medici—King Ferrante and Lorenzo—Relations of the King with Florence and Siena—The Papacy and Bologna—Sixtus IV.’s Observations on the Events at Florence—The Republic of Venice and the Florentines—Representations of Venice to the Papacy—King Louis XI. and his Relation to Florence and the Papacy—Naples and Burgundy—Mission of Philippe de Commines, Lord of Argenton—Commines in Florence and Rome—His Opinion of the States of the Church 337