The general history of Spain from the first peopling of it by Tubal, till the death of King Ferdinand, who united the crowns of Castile and Aragon : with a continuation to the death of King Philip III / written in Spanish by the R.F.F. John de Mariana ; to which are added, two supplements, the first by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo, the other by F. Basil Varen de Soto, bringing it down to the present reign ; the whole translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens.

CHAP. III. Disorders continue in Spain. The Florentine War. Pope Eugenius dies. Nicholas the V. succeeds him. The Breach betwixt Castile and Aragon continu'd. Several Noblemen of Castile apprehended. Others fly.

AT his Departure from Atiença the King left the Archbishop of Toledo, and D. Charles de Arellan̄o to observe the Aragonians, and seize upon that Town and Torija if an Occasion offered. From those Towns the Aragonians sent out Parties as far as Guadalajara, where the Archbishop and Arellan̄o resided. Some ill affected Persons sowed Sedition through all those Parts, which the King of Navarre had more Confidence in, than in his Strength. Be∣sides D. Alvaro, and D. John Pacheco to advance their own Interest, put the King and Prince at Variance, to such a degree that both Parties raised Men. In a treaty betwixt the King and his Son, I find the King pardons the Earl of Castro and his Children, and orders them to be restored to their Estates. D. Roderick Manrique without any other right than what he ground∣ed on these Confusions, called himself Master of Santiago, at the Instigation of Pope Eugenius and the King of Aragon, without any consent of the Knights. By this means he hoped to seize the Towns belonging to that Order, but D. Alvaro opposed him, and there ensued much Mischief. Mean while the Moors at the beginning of the Year 1447, having wasted all the * 1.1 Country took the Towns of Arenas, Huescar, Velez el Blanco, and Velez el Roxo in the Kingdom of Murcia, these Places being ill provided. * 1.2

It will not be amiss briefly to give some Account of the Florentine War. Blanch, Daughter to Philip Duke of Milan was married to Francis Sforcia. Her Portion 60000 Crowns, for which Cremona a rich Town in that Dutchy was Mortgaged to him, and he, tho his Father in * 1.3 Law tendred the Mony, refused to restore it, hoping to secure the Succession to the Duke∣dom by the help of the Venetians, Florentines, and Genoeses, with whom he was in League. Duke Philip sent the Bishop of Novara to perswade King Alonso to make War on the Floren∣tines, whilst he recovered Cremona from his Son in Law, whom the Venetians favoured. Pope Eugenius being an Enemy to the Venetians stirred up King Alonso, but it was needless; his own Obligations moved him to do more than was asked. He sent Raymund Buil, an excellent Com∣mander, to Milan, and went himself to Tibur near Rome, where whilst the Florentines made Overtures of Peace, the Venetians possess'd themselves of a great part of the Dutchy of Milan, which obliged the Duke to be reconciled to his Son in Law. King Alonso at his suit did the same, and lent the Duke Mony. This was the posture of Affairs, when on a sudden the Duke changing his Mind sent for King Alonso to resign that Dukedom over to him. The King refused, and Messages past to and fro. The mean while Pope Eugenius dyed at Rome on the 22d of February. Within 10 Days the Conclave elected Thomas Sarzana of Luca, who took the Name of Nicholas the V. a good and virtuous Pope, a great favourer of Learning. Still the War continu'd in Milan, and Duke Philip was earnest with King Alonso's Embassador to resign that Dutchy to him; resolving to live a private Life, so he could first be Revenged of his Son in Law. Whilst Messengers passed betwixt them, Duke Philip dyed in the Castle of Milan on the 13th of August. That same Month the King of Castile married the Lady Elizabeth, but without much Pomp, by reason of the Tumults raised by the Nobility. Immediately the King and Queen began to contrive the Ruin of D. Alvaro de Luna, which was the Reward of his making that Match. King Alonso of Aragon was by Duke Philip appointed his Heir in his Will. In pursuance hereof Raymund Buil, the King's Commissioner, caused all the Officers in the Castle of Milan to take the Oath of Fidelity to him as Duke; but the Rabble soon made themselves Masters of both Castles, and rased them. King Alonso could not repair thither, being employed in the War with the Florentines, from whom he had taken Ripa, Maranica, and Castellon de Pescara. The Florentines implored aid of Frederick, Lord of Ʋrbino, and Ma∣latesta, Lord of Arimino. The King besieged Piombino, and took an Island near it called Lillo. The People of Piombino articl'd to pay yearly as an Acknowledgment, a Gold Cup with 500 Crowns. The Florentines also came to Agreement with the King, who went away to Sulmona, leaving Garrisons in the Island Lillo, and Castellon de Pescara. Next King Alonso marched to∣wards Milan, but Francis Sforcia prevailed and wrested that Duchy from him. In him began a new Race of Dukes, as also an Hereditary War betwixt France, Italy, and Spain, which has lasted to our Days, as will appear in the proper Places.

Castile enjoyed no Peace, for the Moors pressed on the one side, and on the other the King * 1.4 of Navarre waited to make his Advantage of the Discord betwixt the Nobles of that King∣dom.

After a long Siege Torija surrendred to the King, but at the same time the Aragonian Garrison in Atiença surprized the Castle called Pen̄a de Alcaçar in the Territory of Soria. This moved the King to march to Soria with 3000 Horse. At the same time the Cortes of Aragon sat at Zaragoça to make Preparations for War, and ordered that every tenth Man by Lot should be listed. However they sent Embassadors to the King of Castile to know what his Design was, and advise him not to break the Peace. The King answered he always used to go well attended, but that the Aragonians had done ill in assisting the King of Navarre, and if they did not forbear he would take other Measures. He also sent Heraulds to make his Complaints in the Cortes, and the Aragonians sent back another Embassy. Whilst these Mes∣sages passed betwixt them, a Party of Castile surprized the Castle of Verdejo, in the Territory of Calatayud. Thus all treaty of Peace ceased, and they had soon come to blows, but that a Conspiracy of the Nobles in Castile obliged the King to return to Valladolid. There he kept his Christmas, and began the Year 1448. At the same time a party of Navarre, took the * 1.5 Town of Campeço, and the Governour of Albarrazin Huelama, a Town on the Borders of Castile. The chief care was to reduce the Nobility and reconcile the Prince to his Father, for he was a restless and inconstant Youth, never fixed. The Ambition of D. Alvaro de Lu∣na, and John Pacheco hindred any Agreement, each of them striving to ruin the other. D. Alonso de Fenseca, Bishop of Avila, a Person of great Judgment endeavoured to reconcile them. To disappoint the Designs of the Nobility it was resolved on a Day appointed to apprehend many of them. In order to put this Design in Execution, the King and Prince met betwixt Medina del Campo, and Tordesillas, on the 11th of May. As it had been agreed it was per∣formed. The Earls of Benavente and Alva, Henry Brother to the Admiral, the two Bro∣thers, * 1.6 Peter and Suero Quin̄ones were apprehended and sent Prisoners to several Places. It was layed to their Charge that they design'd to bring the King of Navarre into Castile, but the People said this was meer Invention. The Admiral and Earl of Castro fled to Navarre, and their Estates were seized upon, the Towns being unprovided, which were Medina de Ruyseco, Lobaton, Aguilar, Benavente, Mayorga, and many others. James Manrique voluntarily deli∣vered up the Castles of Navarrete and Trevin̄o as a Pledge of his Loyalty to the King. The Cortes still sat at Zaragoça, and a Truce for 6 Months was concluded betwixt Aragon and Ca∣stile. The Earl of Castro after he fled from Castile remained in Navarre, the Admiral came to Zaragoça on the 29th of May. There he consulted with the King of Navarre, and agreed to go over to Italy to give the King of Aragon an account of Affairs. At that time the King of Ara∣gon lay before Piombino, as has been said, thither came to him at the same time the Admiral, and Garci Alverez de Toledo, Son to the Earl of Alva. They were graciously received, and the King promised to assist them. In Castile some Months were spent in seizing the Towns be∣longing to the Nobility, the King and Prince having consulted together agreed to Garrison the Frontiers, especially against the Moors. Alonso Giron, Kinsman to John Pacheco was ap∣pointed to command the Frontiers about Hellin and Humilla with 200 Horse, and 400 Foot, with which Forces he overthrew a Body of Moors that made an Incursion on that side, but his Men falling to Plunder, the Infidels rallyed and charging them afresh cut off most of them, the Commander with a very few escaping. Prince Henry again offended at D. Alvaro de Lu∣na withdrew from Madrid, where he was with his Father, to Sagovia. This perplexed the King, and he resolved to summon the Cortes to meet at Valladolid to seek some Remedy for these Evils. Prince Henry by his Father's Command came to Tordesillas, the King before he met him having declared in publick that he was resolved to be reconciled to his Son, and to reward or punish the rest as they deserved, and particularly that he would divide the Estates of the Rebels, among those that had continued Loyal. All the Representatives of Cities that came to the Cortes commended the King's Resolution, only James Valera, who was for Cuenca, advised not to proceed against the Nobles. Ferdinand de Ribadeneira, told him what he had said would cost him dear, but the King going away seemed not to approve of Ribadeneira's Boldness.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Towns taken by the Moors.
• * 1.2

  1447.
• * 1.3

  The Flo∣rentine War.
• * 1.4

  Castile & Aragon still at va∣riance.
• * 1.5

  1448.
• * 1.6

  Conspira∣tors ap∣prehend∣ed. O∣thers fly.