The friends of the king and those who opposed Lando and his followers, were either of noble families or the highest of the people, and all Guelphs; but their adversaries being in power they could not discover their minds without incurring the greatest danger.  Being, however, determined to deliver themselves from such disgraceful tyranny, they secretly wrote to King Robert, requesting him to appoint for his vicar in Florence Count Guido da Battifolle.  The king complied; and the opposite party, although the Signory were opposed to the king, on account of the good quality of the count, did not dare to resist him.  Still his authority was not great, because the Signory and Gonfaloniers of the companies were in favor of Lando and his party.

During these troubles, the daughter of King Albert of Bohemia passed through Florence, in search of her husband, Charles, the son of King Robert, and was received with the greatest respect by the friends of the king, who complained to her of the unhappy state of the city, and of the tyranny of Lando and his partisans; so that through her influence and the exertions of the king’s friends, the citizens were again united, and before her departure, Lando was stripped of all authority and send back to Agobbio, laden with blood and plunder.  In reforming the government, the sovereignty of the city was continued to the king for another three years, and as there were then in office seven Signors of the party of Lando, six more were appointed of the king’s friends, and some magistracies were composed of thirteen Signors; but not long afterward the number was reduced to seven according to ancient custom.

CHAPTER VI

War with Castruccio—­Castruccio marches against Prato and retires without making any attempt—­The emigrants not being allowed to return, endeavor to enter the city by force, and are repulsed—­Change in the mode of electing the great officers of state—­The Squittini established—­The Florentines under Raymond of Cardona are routed by Castruccio at Altopascio—­Treacherous designs of Raymond—­The Florentines give the sovereignty of the city to Charles duke of Cambria, who appoints the duke of Athens for his vicar—­The duke of Calabria comes to Florence—­The Emperor Louis of Bavaria visits Italy—­The excitement he produces—­Death of Castruccio and of Charles duke of Calabria—­Reform of government.

About the same time, Uguccione lost the sovereignty of Lucca and of Pisa, and Castruccio Castracani, a citizen of Lucca, became lord of them, who, being a young man, bold and fierce, and fortunate in his enterprises, in a short time became the head of the Ghibellines in Tuscany.  On this account the discords among the Florentines were laid aside for some years, at first to abate the increasing power of Castruccio, and afterward to unite their means for mutual defense against him.  And in order to give increased strength and efficacy to their counsels, the Signory appointed