It only remains now to speak of ecclesiastical principalities, touching which all difficulties are prior to getting possession, because they are acquired either by capacity or good fortune, and they can be held without either; for they are sustained by the ancient ordinances of religion, which are so all-powerful, and of such a character that the principalities may be held no matter how their princes behave and live. These princes alone have states and do not defend them; and they have subjects and do not rule them; and the states, although unguarded, are not taken from them, and the subjects, although not ruled, do not care, and they have neither the desire nor the ability to alienate themselves. Such principalities only are secure and happy. But being upheld by powers, to which the human mind cannot reach, I shall speak no more of them, because, being exalted and maintained by God, it would be the act of a presumptuous and rash man to discuss them.
It remains only to discuss ecclesiastical principalities, or states ruled by the Church. All the difficulties come before gaining possession of them. They are acquired through either ability or good fortune, but they can be held without either. They are supported by ancient religious institutions. These are so powerful and so firmly established that princes can retain their states however they behave or live. These princes alone have states without defending them, and subjects without governing them. Their states, though undefended, are not taken from them. Their subjects, though ungoverned, do not mind and have neither the desire nor the ability to break away. These principalities alone are secure and happy. But they are supported by powers beyond human understanding, so I will say no more about them. Since God raises them up and maintains them, only a presumptuous and reckless man would discuss them.
Nevertheless, if any one should ask of me how comes it that the Church has attained such greatness in temporal power, seeing that from Alexander backwards the Italian potentates (not only those who have been called potentates, but every baron and lord, though the smallest) have valued the temporal power very slightly—yet now a king of France trembles before it, and it has been able to drive him from Italy, and to ruin the Venetians—although this may be very manifest, it does not appear to me superfluous to recall it in some measure to memory.
Still, someone might ask me how the Church gained such great worldly power. Before Alexander, Italy’s rulers had thought very little of the Church’s worldly power. This included not only the major rulers, but every baron and lord, even the smallest. Yet now a king of France trembles before it. The Church has been able to drive him from Italy and ruin the Venetians. Although the reasons may be very clear, I do not think it unnecessary to recall them briefly.
Before Charles, King of France, passed into Italy, this country was under the dominion of the Pope, the Venetians, the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and the Florentines. These potentates had two principal anxieties: the one, that no foreigner should enter Italy under arms; the other, that none of themselves should seize more territory. Those about whom there was the most anxiety were the Pope and the Venetians. To restrain the Venetians the union of all the others was necessary, as it was for the defence of Ferrara; and to keep down the Pope they made use of the barons of Rome, who, being divided into two factions, Orsini and Colonnesi, had always a pretext for disorder, and, standing with arms in their hands under the eyes of the Pontiff, kept the pontificate weak and powerless. And although there might arise sometimes a courageous pope, such as Sixtus, yet neither fortune nor wisdom could rid him of these annoyances. And the short life of a pope is also a cause of weakness; for in the ten years, which is the average life of a pope, he can with difficulty lower one of the factions; and if, so to speak, one people should almost destroy the Colonnesi, another would arise hostile to the Orsini, who would support their opponents, and yet would not have time to ruin the Orsini. This was the reason why the temporal powers of the pope were little esteemed in Italy.
Before Charles, King of France, entered Italy, the country was ruled by five powers. These were the Pope, Venice, the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and Florence. These rulers had two main concerns. First, no foreign power should enter Italy with an army. Second, none of them should take more territory. The Pope and the Venetians caused the greatest concern. All the other powers had to unite to restrain Venice, as they did to defend Ferrara. To keep the Pope in check, they used the barons of Rome. These barons were divided into two factions, the Orsini and the Colonna, and always had an excuse for unrest. They remained armed under the Pope’s very eyes, keeping the papacy weak and powerless. Sometimes a bold pope, such as Sixtus, came to power. Yet neither good fortune nor wisdom could free him from these troubles. The short length of a pope’s reign was another source of weakness. A pope ruled for ten years on average, barely enough time to weaken one faction. If one pope nearly destroyed the Colonna, his successor would be hostile to the Orsini and support their opponents. Yet he would not have time to destroy the Orsini. This was why the Pope’s power as a territorial ruler carried little weight in Italy.
Charles VIII invaded Italy in 1494.
Alexander the Sixth arose afterwards, who of all the pontiffs that have ever been showed how a pope with both money and arms was able to prevail; and through the instrumentality of the Duke Valentino, and by reason of the entry of the French, he brought about all those things which I have discussed above in the actions of the duke. And although his intention was not to aggrandize the Church, but the duke, nevertheless, what he did contributed to the greatness of the Church, which, after his death and the ruin of the duke, became the heir to all his labours.
Alexander VI came next. More than any pope before him, he showed what a pope could achieve with both money and military power. He acted through Duke Valentino and took advantage of the French invasion. In this way, he accomplished all the things I discussed above when describing the duke’s actions. His aim was not to strengthen the Church, but to strengthen the duke. Nevertheless, his actions increased the Church’s power. After Alexander’s death and the duke’s downfall, the Church inherited the fruits of all his efforts.
Pope Julius came afterwards and found the Church strong, possessing all the Romagna, the barons of Rome reduced to impotence, and, through the chastisements of Alexander, the factions wiped out; he also found the way open to accumulate money in a manner such as had never been practised before Alexander’s time. Such things Julius not only followed, but improved upon, and he intended to gain Bologna, to ruin the Venetians, and to drive the French out of Italy. All of these enterprises prospered with him, and so much the more to his credit, inasmuch as he did everything to strengthen the Church and not any private person. He kept also the Orsini and Colonnesi factions within the bounds in which he found them; and although there was among them some mind to make disturbance, nevertheless he held two things firm: the one, the greatness of the Church, with which he terrified them; and the other, not allowing them to have their own cardinals, who caused the disorders among them. For whenever these factions have their cardinals they do not remain quiet for long, because cardinals foster the factions in Rome and out of it, and the barons are compelled to support them, and thus from the ambitions of prelates arise disorders and tumults among the barons. For these reasons his Holiness Pope Leo found the pontificate most powerful, and it is to be hoped that, if others made it great in arms, he will make it still greater and more venerated by his goodness and infinite other virtues.
Pope Julius came next and found the Church strong, holding all of Romagna. Rome’s barons had been made powerless, and Alexander’s punishments had wiped out the factions. He also found the way open to raise money by methods never used before Alexander’s time. Julius not only followed these policies but improved on them. He aimed to capture Bologna, ruin the Venetians, and drive the French out of Italy. All these undertakings succeeded. This brought him even greater credit because he did everything to strengthen the Church, not any private individual. He also kept the Orsini and Colonna factions within the limits already imposed on them. Although some among them wanted to stir up trouble, he held firmly to two safeguards. One was the Church’s power, which terrified them. The other was his refusal to let them have cardinals of their own, who caused disorder among them. Whenever these factions have their own cardinals, they do not stay quiet for long. Cardinals encourage the factions both inside and outside Rome, and the barons are forced to support them. In this way, the ambitions of high-ranking churchmen cause disorder and unrest among the barons. For these reasons, His Holiness Pope Leo inherited a papacy at the height of its power. Others made it great through military force. It is to be hoped that his goodness and countless other virtues will make it still greater and more revered.
Pope Leo X was previously known as Cardinal de’ Medici.