The memoirs of Philip de Commines, Lord of Argenton, volume 2 (of 2)

About this eBook

Author

Commynes, Philippe de, 1447?-1511

Title

The memoirs of Philip de Commines, Lord of Argenton, Volume 2 (of 2) : Containing the histories of Louis XI. and Charles VIII. Kings of France, and of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. To which is added the Scandalous Chronicle, or, secret history of Louis XI., by Jean de Troyes.

Original Publication

London: H.G. Bohn, 1855, pubdate 1856.

Credits

Tim Lindell, Turgut Dincer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Language

English

LoC Class

DC: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: France, Andorra, Monaco

Subject

France -- History -- House of Valois, 1328-1589

Category

Text

Project Gutenberg

eBook-No. 77951

Release Date

February 16, 2026

Copyright

Public domain in the USA.

Contents

1. 1.Untitled
2. 2.CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
3. 3.THE MEMOIRS OF PHILIP DE COMMINES, LORD OF ARGENTON. — BOOK THE SIXTH. — Chapter I. —How the King of France cajoled the English after the Duke of Burgundy’s Death, for fear they should have interrupted him in the Conquest of the Territories belonging to the said Duke.—1477.
4. 4.Ch. II. —Of the Conclusion of the Marriage between the Princess of Burgundy, and Maximilian Duke of Austria, and since Emperor.—1477.
5. 5.Ch. III. —How King Louis, by the Management of Charles d’Amboise his Lieutenant, recovered many Towns in Burgundy, which the Prince of Orange had persuaded to revolt from him.—1478.
6. 6.Ch. IV. —How the Lord of Argenton was sent to Florence during the Wars in Burgundy, and how he received Homage of the Duke of Milan, in the King’s Name, for the Duchy of Genoa.—1478.
7. 7.Ch. V. —Of the Lord of Argenton’s Return out of Italy into France, and of the Battle of Guinegaste.—1479.
8. 8.Ch. VI. —How King Louis was surprised with a Malady that for some time took away the Use of both his Senses and Tongue; how he recovered and relapsed several Times, and how he kept himself in his Castle at Plessis les Tours.—1479.
9. 9.Ch. VII. —How the King sent for the Holy Man of Calabria to Tours, supposing he could cure him; and of the strange Things that were done by the King, during his Sickness, to preserve his Authority.—1482.
10. 10.Ch. VIII. —Of the Conclusion of the Marriage between the Dauphin and Margaret of Flanders, and how she was brought into France; upon which Edward IV., King of England, died with displeasure.—1482-3.
11. 11.Ch. IX. —How the King behaved towards his Neighbours and Subjects during his Sickness; and how several Things were sent him from several Parts, for the Recovery of his Health.—1483.
12. 12.Ch. X. —How King Louis sent for his Son Charles a little before his Death; and the Precepts and Commands which he laid upon him and others.
13. 13.Ch. XI. —A Comparison of the Troubles and Sorrows which King Louis suffered, with those he had brought upon other People; with a Continuation of his Transactions till the Time of his Death.—1483.
14. 14.Ch. XII. —A Digression concerning the Miseries of Mankind, especially of Princes, by the Example of those who reigned in the Author’s Time, and chiefly of King Louis.
15. 15.BOOK THE SEVENTH. — Ch. I. —How Duke René of Lorraine came into France to demand the Duchy of Bar and the County of Provence, which King Charles had in his Possession; and how he failed to obtain the Kingdom of Naples, to which he laid Claim as well as the King; and what Right each had thereto—1484-6.
16. 16.Ch. II. —How the Prince of Salerno, a Neapolitan by Birth, came into France; and the Endeavours that were used by him and Ludovic Sforza, surnamed the Moor, to persuade the King to make War upon the King of Naples; and the Occasion of it.—1486-92.
17. 17.Ch. III. —How the Duchy of Milan is one of the finest and most valuable Territories in the World, if relieved from the heavy Tribute which oppresses it.—1492-3.
18. 18.Ch. IV. —How King Charles VIII. made Peace with the King of the Romans and the Archduke of Austria; and returned the Lady Margaret of Flanders to them, before his Expedition to Naples.—1493.
19. 19.Ch. V. —How the King sent to the Venetians, in order to induce them to enter into an Alliance with him, before undertaking his Expedition to Naples; and of the Preparations in order to it.—1493.
20. 20.Ch. VI. —How King Charles set out from Vienne, in Dauphiny, to conquer Naples in Person; and the Action that was performed by his Fleet, under the Command of the Duke of Orleans.—1494.
21. 21.Ch. VII. —How the King, being at Asti, resolved to go in Person into the Kingdom of Naples, by the Persuasion and Advice of Ludovic Sforza: how Philip de Commines was sent on an Embassy to Venice: and of the Duke of Milan’s Death.—1494.
22. 22.Ch. VIII. —How and by what Means the Lord Ludovic seized and usurped the Lordship and Duchy of Milan, and was received by the Milanese as their Sovereign.—1494.
23. 23.Ch. IX. —How Peter de Medicis put Four of his strongest Garrisons into the King’s Possession; and how the King restored Pisa, which was one of them, to its ancient Liberty.—1494.
24. 24.Ch. X. —How the King departed from Pisa to go to Florence; and of the Flight and Destruction of Peter de Medicis.—1494.
25. 25.Ch. XI. —How the King made his Entrance into Florence, and what other Towns he passed through in his March to Rome.—1494.
26. 26.Ch. XII. —How the King sent the Cardinal of St. Peter ad Vincula (who was afterwards Pope, by the name of Julius II.) to Ostia; what the Pope did at Rome in the Meantime; and how the King entered Rome, notwithstanding all the Endeavours of his Enemies to the contrary; and of the Factions between the Ursini and the Colonne in Rome.—1494.
27. 27.Ch. XIII. —How King Alphonso caused his Son Ferrand to be crowned King; his Flight into Sicily; and of the evil Life his Father (old Ferrand) and he had led during their Reigns.—1495.
28. 28.Ch. XIV. —How King Alphonso fled into Castile, and did Penance.—1495.
29. 29.Ch. XV. —How, after Ferrand the Younger was crowned King of Naples he encamped with his Forces at St. Germain, in order to oppose King Charles; and of the Agreement King Charles made with the Pope during his stay at Rome.—1495.
30. 30.Ch. XVI. —How the King departed from Rome to Naples; of the Transactions in that Kingdom in the Meantime; and an Account of the Places the King of France passed through in his March.—1495.
31. 31.Ch. XVII. —How King Charles was crowned King of Naples; the Errors he committed in his Government of that Kingdom; and of the Discovery of a Design in his Favour against the Turks by the Venetians.—1495.
32. 32.Ch. XVIII. —A Digression or Discourse, by no Means unconnected with the main Subject, in which Philip de Commines, Author of this present Book, speaks at some Length of the State and Government of the Signory of Venice, and of what he saw, and what was done, while he was Ambassador from the King of France in the City of Venice.—1495.
33. 33.Ch. XIX. —What were the Subjects of the Embassy of the Lord of Argenton to the Republic of Venice.—1495.
34. 34.Ch. XX. —How the Lord of Argenton was informed that the King had gained Possession of Naples and the Places round about; at which the Venetians were displeased.—1495.
35. 35.BOOK THE EIGHTH. — Ch. I. —Of the Order in which the King left his Affairs in the Kingdom of Naples upon his Return into France.—1495.
36. 36.Ch. II. —How the King departed from Naples, and returned to Rome, from whence the Pope fled to Orvieto; of the Conference the King had with the Lord of Argenton upon his Return from Venice; and his Deliberation about the Restitution of the Florentine Towns.—1495.
37. 37.Ch. III. —Of the memorable Preachings of Friar Jerome of Florence.—1495.
38. 38.Ch. IV. —How the King retained Pisa and several other Florentine Towns in his Hands, while the Duke of Orleans on the other Side entered Novara, in the Duchy of Milan.—1495.
39. 39.Ch. V. —How King Charles crossed several dangerous Passages over the Mountains between Pisa and Sarzana; and how the Germans burned Pontremoli.—1495.
40. 40.Ch. VI. —How the Duke of Orleans behaved himself in the City of Novara.—1495.
41. 41.Ch. VII. —How the King passed the Apennine Mountains with his Train of Artillery, by the Assistance of the Swiss; and of the great Danger to which the Marshal de Gié and his whole Vanguard were exposed.—1495.
42. 42.Ch. VIII. —How the Marshal de Gié withdrew with his Army to the Mountains, and waited until the King came up to him.—1495.
43. 43.Ch. IX. —How the King and his small Army arrived at Fornovo, near the Camp of his Enemies, who awaited him in very fine Order, and with a Determination to defeat and capture him.—1495.
44. 44.Ch. X. —The Arrangement of the two Armies for the Battle of Fornovo.—1495.
45. 45.Ch. XI. —How Parleys were vainly attempted; and the Beginning of the Battle of Fornovo.—1495.
46. 46.Ch. XII. —Consequences of the Victory gained by the French at Fornovo; and the Danger to which King Charles VIII. found himself exposed.—1495.
47. 47.Ch. XIII. —How the Lord of Argenton went alone to parley with the Enemy, upon the Refusal of those that were deputed to go along with him, and of the King’s safe Arrival with his whole Army at Asti.—1495.
48. 48.Ch. XIV. —How the Swiss secured the French army in its retreat.—1495.
49. 49.Ch. XV. —How the King fitted out a Fleet with an intention to have relieved the Castles of Naples; and of the Miscarriage of that Design.—1495.
50. 50.Ch. XVI. —Of the great Famine and Misery to which the Duke of Orleans and his army were reduced at Novara: Of the Death of the Marchioness of Montferrat: Of the Death of the Duke of Vendôme; and the conclusion of a Peace for the preservation of the besieged after several negotiations.—1495.
51. 51.Ch. XVII. —How the Duke of Orleans and his Army were delivered upon Terms of Accommodation from the dire Misery they suffered during their being besieged in Novara; and of the Arrival of the Swiss that came to the Relief of the King and the said Duke of Orleans.—1495.
52. 52.Ch. XVIII. —How Peace was concluded between the King and the Duke of Orleans on the one Part, and the League on the other; and of the Conditions and Articles contained in that Treaty of Peace.—1495.
53. 53.Ch. XIX. —How the King sent the Lord of Argenton to Venice again, to invite the Venetians to accept the Terms of Peace that were offered, which the Venetians refused; and of the Tricks and Jugglings of the Duke of Milan.—1495.
54. 54.Ch. XX. —How the King forgot those that were left behind at Naples, upon his Return into France; and of the Dauphin’s Death, which was a great Affliction to the King and Queen.—1495.
55. 55.Ch. XXI. —How the King received News of the Loss of the Castle of Naples; of the selling of the Towns belonging to the Florentines to several Persons; of the Treaty of Atella in Apulia, much to the Prejudice of the French; and of the Death of Ferrand, King of Naples.—1496.
56. 56.Ch. XXII. —How several Plots were formed (in favour of our King) by some of the Italian Princes, not only for the Recovery of Naples, but for the Destruction of the Duke of Milan; how they miscarried for want of Supplies; and how another Design against Genoa came to the same ill End.—1496.
57. 57.Ch. XXIII. —Of certain Differences that arose between Charles King of France, and Ferrand King of Castile; and the Ambassadors who were sent by both of them to accommodate the Affair.—1497.
58. 58.Ch. XXIV. —A Digression concerning the Fortunes and Misfortunes which happened to the House of Castile in the Author’s Time.—1497.
59. 59.Ch. XXV. —Of the magnificent Building which King Charles began not long before his Death; his good Inclination to reform the Church, the Laws, the Treasury, and himself; and how he died suddenly in this Resolution in his Castle at Amboise.—1498.
60. 60.Ch. XXVI. —How holy Friar Jerome was burned at Florence by the Malice and Solicitation of the Pope, and several Venetians and Florentines who were his Enemies.—1498.
61. 61.Ch. XXVII. —Of the Obsequies and Funeral of King Charles VIII., and the Coronation of his Successor Louis XII.; with the Genealogies of the Kings of France to King Louis XII.—1498.
62. 62.Untitled
63. 63.EDITOR’S PREFACE.
64. 64.The Scandalous Chronicle. — 1460. — Strange Adventures that happened in England in the same Year, 1460. — 1461. — 1462-3. — 1464. — 1465.
65. 65.FOOTNOTES
66. 66.INDEX.

Community reviews

Sign in to write a review.

No reviews yet.