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Italy: Florence, Lucca, San Casciano 241 which I saw filled with the bones of the slain while later passing along that way. But as for the battle of the falcons and ravens, I leave it to each person to form his own opinion and refer its veracity to the verdict of tradition. 54 ITALY: FLORENCE, LUCCA, SAN CASCIANO 204. FLORENCE, a city built on the banks of the Arno from the ruins of Fiesole, was called Fluentia by the ancients. Founded under lucky auspices, it began to outstrip the neighboring cities all around it and to extend its power with extraordinary success, whereupon the name of Florentia became much more appropriate than Fluentia. 205. In this city, Pope Eugenius IV brought to a splendid conclusion the council that he had begun with the Greeks at Ferrara. There were several controversies between the Greeks and Latins over the mysteries of orthodox faith. The greatest and most intractable concerned the procession of the Holy Spirit, for the Greeks claimed that the Paraclete proceeds only from the Father, whereas we say it proceeds from the Father and the Son. After many long, drawn-out debates in which Niccolò Sagundino,659 a skilled speaker in both languages, equally quick in thought and expression, acquired a distinguished reputation as interpreter, they finally agreed with the Latin Church on one creed.660 206. The Greek emperor, the patriarch of Constantinople, and their whole retinue were liberally and sumptuously entertained by 659. Or Nikolaos Sekoundinos; see para. 22. 660. The Council of Florence, or Ferrara-Florence (1438–39), ended with compromises on key issues like the procession of the Holy Spirit, the use of leavened vs. unleavened bread in communion, and purgatory. Especially helpful to Pope Eugenius IV, it affirmed his authority in both East and West at a time when he was challenged by the Council of Basel; see Joseph Gill, The Council of Florence (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1959). See also para. 19. 242 Italy: Florence, Lucca, San Casciano the city. The patriarch died there of old age and was buried inside the church of the Order of Preachers.661 Maffeo Vegio, a poet from Lodi of no small fame, composed his epitaph in uneven couplets.662 207. The exiles of Florence issued an invitation to the illustrious general Niccolò Piccinino, who entered the territory of Mugello, ten miles from Florence, and plundered everything in hostile fashion. Not long afterward, when he had made war on Pope Eugenius and Florence simultaneously, he was defeated and crushed in a great battleintheterritoryofArezzoatAnghiari .663Ludovico,thearchbishop of Florence, was then commander of the papal forces. He was made famous by this victory and a little later promoted to cardinal.664 For after Eugenius had achieved union with the Greeks and put aside his fear of Piccinino, he felt more confident and created seventeen cardinals—men who were either distinguished by birth, outstanding in merit, or conspicuous for their holy way of life. Among them two Greeks were also chosen: Isidore, archbishop of the Ruthenians, and Bessarion, bishop of Nicaea, whom I mentioned previously.665 208. King Alfonso of Aragon was asked by Filippo Maria [Visconti ] to assist him against the power of the Venetians, as I related earlier.666 When Alfonso had gathered a large army, he set out on 661. Some seven hundred Greek delegates were hosted by the city of Florence. Patriarch Joseph II (d. June 10, 1439) is buried in the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella. 662. Priest, poet, and humanist, Vegio (1406–58) taught jurisprudence at Pavia and was later attached to the papal court. The epitaph, composed in the elegiac meter, is extant. 663. Niccolò Piccinino (1386–1444) was serving Filippo Maria Visconti of Milan as condottiere at this time. In concert with Rinaldo degli Albizzi and other Florentine exiles, he attacked territories in the papal state near the Florentine border. Florentine and papal forces defeated Piccinino at the Battle of Anghiari (June 29, 1440); see D. S. Chambers, Popes, Cardinals and War (London: I. B. Tauris & Co, 2006), 45; John Najemy, A History of Florence, 1200–1575 (Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishing, 2006), 289. 664. Ludovico Trevisan, also called Scarampo (1401–65), led papal forces in concert with those of Francesco Sforza; he was apostolic chamberlain, patriarch of Aquileia, and archbishop of Florence (r. 1435–39). Shortly after the Battle of Anghiari, he was awarded the cardinal’s hat; see Chambers, Popes, Cardinals and War, 45. 665. See paras. 19 on Isidore and 201...

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