Castruccio Castracani - Revision Summary and Quotations PDF

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The Life Of Castruccio Castracani Of Lucca – Revision Notes Contents & Quotes: 

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Of those excellent men who’ve done great things, they’re of humble beginnings and have been afflicted by Fortune to a great extent and believes this is the case because Fortune wishes to show she, and not Prudence, makes the men great. Focuses in on Castruccio Castracani of Lucca who did great things and Machiavelli seeks to bring him back to recollection as, in relation to both his ability & Fortune, he finds things very striking. Castracani family’s counted amongst the noblest of Lucca but, today, it has disappeared. A man called Messer Antonio was born into this family and became a priest with his closet relative being his sister who was widowed early in her life and determined not to marry again. In a vineyard behind their house, Madonna Dianora (the sister) was astonished to find a baby boy after hearing him crying – both she and Antonio determined to bring the boy up as neither had children of their own giving him the name Castruccio, the same as their father.

“They determined to bring him up, since Antonio was a priest and his sister had no children” 

Castruccio showed great ability and prudence from an early age, learning the things Antonio taught him hoping to make him a priest, but as he grew older he neglected churchly activities in favour of physical activities and weapons.

“laying churchly books aside, he began to busy himself with weapons” and in sports “he showed the utmost strength and far surpassed all others his age.” 

In Lucca Messer Francesco of the Guinigi family, very wealthy and involved in war, observed Castruccio. Seeing his skills and talents, and the respect he gained from his peers, he inquired about him and determined to have him. Approaching Castruccio, he offered to teach him how to ride and handle arm and he took up the offer quickly leaving Messer Antonio, Messer Dianora and their religious house and upbringing.

“Messer Antonio gave the boy over to him [Messer Francesco]; to which he was driven more by Castruccio’s nature than anything else.” 

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In a very short time Castruccio became an excellent ride, improved his strength and skills compared to others both his age and older as well as learning manners expected of a gentleman. When Castruccio was 18, the Guelfs drove the Ghibellines out of Pavia and the Visconti of Milan sent Messer Francesco, with Castruccio, on a campaign in which he performed with great courage and prudence increasing his reputation and honour across Lombardy. Upon return to Lucca, Messer Francesco Guinigi died leaving Castruccio as guardian/administrator of his goods and ‘parent’ to his 13-year-old son Pagolo Guinigi to whom Castruccio pledged to raise with love and dedication. After Francesco Guinigi’s death, Castruccio was slandered by many as a tyrant to be feared mainly by Messer Giorgio degli Opizi who’d hoped to become prince of Lucca but feared Castruccio would take this position and thus spread gossip about him. Pisa at the time was ruled by Uguccione della Faggiuola of Arezzo, chosen by the Pisans as their general and ruler, and there in Pisa were some Lucchese exiles with whom Castruccio schemed. To put an end to Opizi’s power, Uguccione and his army were brought to Lucca as

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Castruccio fortified himself in the Onesti tower. Ultimately Messer Giorgio and his family, many friends and supporters were killed and the city reorganised although it caused great damage to many families there who fled, one group to Florence the other to Pistoia. Believing the Ghibelline party in Tuscany to have gained too much power, the Florentines resolved to restore the exiled Lucchese. Raising a great army, they marched to Val di Nievole taking several settlements like Montecarlo but were to be confronted by Uguccione and the army of Pisans, Lucchese & German cavalry he’d raised. Uguccione was forced to withdraw because of illness leaving the army in Castruccio’s command who skilfully manipulated the enemy making them believe, foolishly, that because Uguccione had withdrew they were without strong leadership. Their arrogance having been built up, the Guelfs presented themselves before Castruccio’s army and, after rallying his soldiers with words, he tactfully placed his strongest troops on the wings where his enemies’ weakest were. Only the wings were wholly engaged in the ensuing fight leading to major slaughter of the Guelfs at little price for Castruccio’s army.

“First with words he gave firmness to the spirit of his soldiers and put before them victory as certain, if they were willing to obey his orders.” “The defeat and the slaughter were great; in that battle more than ten thousand men were killed” but “on Castruccio’s side they did not amount to three hundred.” 

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As a result, Castruccio’s reputation grew rapidly making Uguccione jealous and fear him and thus meditated on how to destroy him. Needing a justifiable reason to act, one emerged when a murderer took refugee in Castruccio’s house and he held off the chief of police so the man could escape. Uguccione’s son, Neri ruler of Lucca, was instructed to arrest and kill Castruccio. He arrested him after inviting him to a banquet but, fearing the people, didn’t kill him deeming a trail necessary – this infuriated his father who set forth from Pisa to Lucca with some soldiers but he didn’t make much headway when the Pisans revolted killing the remnants of Uguccione’s household who’d remained in the city. Continuing to Lucca, Uguccione sought to retain control of the city and punish Castruccio but, upon the Pisan news reaching Lucca, the people began organising against him and demanded Castruccio’s freedom. Under Castruccio, the people gathered and attacked Uguccione who fled to Lombardy where he later died in poverty and, with the support of the people and his friends, Castruccio was made prince of Lucca and to bolster this reputation set out to regain many Lucchese towns that had rebelled after Uguccione’s departure. This he did successfully with arms and through his own growing reputation.

Through bribery of important figures of Lucca and formally “by the decree of the people [Castruccio] was chosen prince.” 

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Frederick of Bavaria to take the crown of the empire came to Italy and Castruccio allied himself with him, leaving Pagolo Guinigi in Lucca as his deputy. Castruccio was received by Frederick with great honour and made viceroy of Tuscany and ruler of Pisa which the Pisans accepted. After Frederick returned to Germany, all the Ghibellines of Tuscany and Lombardy took refuge with Castruccio and pledged sovereignty over their cities to him if he would take them back. Through an alliance with the Prince of Milan, Castruccio raised a great army and launched a fearsome attack on the Florentines forcing them to withdraw their soldiers.

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However, Castruccio was forced to return to Lucca and deal with a city revolt after the Poggio family united with other families to overthrow him and it would have been much worse if an influential old man hadn’t stepped forth as mediator and the usurpers laid down their arms. Upon his return, Castruccio found Lucca relatively peaceful and offered those that rebelled – including their ‘leader’ Stefano di Poggio – clemency and kindness. However, ultimately, they were all imprisoned and killed. Florentines regained San Miniato and Castruccio decided to make peace with them to consolidate his power in Lucca to which the Florentines readily agreed.

“Castruccio decided it would be a good thing to end that war, having concluded that until he made himself certain of Lucca, he must not go far from home.” 

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To not fall prey to such a revolt again, Castruccio determined to rid all those in Lucca who might aspire to the princedom sparing nobody, depriving them everything including their lives. He also, for his security, built a fortress in Lucca. With a desire to take Pistoia, Castruccio skilfully conducted himself so both parties in the divided city – the Whites and the Black – confined in him and when the climax came wishing to drive each other out, they both called upon Castruccio who they believed well-armed. To both Castruccio promised to help and told the Blacks he would go in person and to the Whites he would send Pagolo, his foster son. Ultimately, when in place, Castruccio gave a signal to Pagolo where they both killed the leaders of the Blacks and Whites and thus took Pistoia. Furthermore, he pacified the people by making remissions of old debts/promises and the people, moved greatly by his abilities, became quiet.

“At the time, that city [Pistoia] was divided, as she has always been, into Whites and Blacks.” 

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Henry, the Emperor’s deputy, called on Castruccio’s help as the Roman people were rebelling and – deeming it necessary – he went to Rome in person. Having left Pagolo at Lucca, he went with some forces to Rome where very shortly his presence brought such reputation to the Emperor’s party everything was resolved without bloodshed, by providing grain the cause of the disorder, and Castruccio brought the chief men in Rome under Henry’s government. Florentines and Pistoia exiles schemed to push Castruccio out of Pistoia which they did at night, restoring the city’s liberty. Castruccio, infuriated by the news, returned to Lucca and the Florentines decided to try and forestall his coming counter-attack by occupying the Val di Nievole, cutting of the road he’d need to retake the city. Having knowledge of the landscape, and not wishing to confront the much larger Florentine army in open field, Castruccio skilfully determined to encounter them in the pass of Serravalle being a fortified town situated on a hill shutting in the Val di Nievole. In parts it’s so narrow twenty men abreast would fill it which would advantage his smaller army physically and mentally as they couldn’t seen the approaching, much larger, army. The lord of Serravalle, Messer Manfred, promised to all he’d remain neutral trying to stay out of the fight but Castruccio resolved to take the place which he did through the help of a citizen there who he counted friend.

“He [Messer Manfred] promised them all to be neutral and not to bind himself to either of them.” 

Having taken the city quietly, the Florentines advanced up the hill not expecting to find his men in place there and thus Castruccio’s men attacked whilst their enemies were still

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unprepared making resistance difficult. Ultimately, men of the Florentine army began to flee seeing the defeat they faced and it was a great and bloody defeat for them. The Pistolese hearing of this gave themselves to Castruccio and, not being content with this, advanced on the area surrounding Florence at which the Florentines were terrified and sent for help from Robert King of Naples to offer sovereignty of their city if he aided them and subsequently he sane this son with four thousand cavalry. However, Castruccio was forced to return to Pisa to deal with a conspiracy. The conspirators were revealed to Castruccio through a loyal man they tried to recruit to their cause and he responded violently, killing the instigator, beheading many, and exiling others. The Florentines, with King Robert’s soldiers under his son’s command, amassed an army of over 40,000 in Castruccio’s absence and decided to attack Pisa and at the start of May 1328 rapidly captured some, smaller settlements beforehand. Learning of the large army, Castruccio believed it to be his time as provided by Fortune, he organised a force of 28,000 he placed himself at Fucecchio and Pagolo with 5000 infantry at Pisa. The former was a very well-placed area to fight from.

“[Castruccio] believed that this was the hour when Fortune was going to put in his hand dominion over Tuscany.” 

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Determining to attack Castruccio, the Florentines on the 10 th June sent some of their force to cross through the Arno River which was necessary to confront Castruccio but were preemptively attacked by Castruccio’s army, skilfully outmanoeuvred and butchered as they were weighed down by water. The battle continued to rage between both sides and it was fierce and bloody: Castruccio reminded his men they’d already defeated the enemy at Serravalle and the Florentine general emphasised their superiority of numbers. Seeing the Florentines becoming increasingly exhausted, Castruccio pressed home his advantage with cavalry and infantry sealing the victory, and he’s used the Arno River and landscape to great success. Florentine’s lost many men, Castruccio comparatively few.

“The booty was large, the slaughter very large, as in so great a conflict can be expected, because of the Florentine army there were killed 20,231; but of Castruccio’s men 1,570 were killed.” 

Despite this victory, Fortune put in the way the only possible thing which could have stopped Castruccio – death. Judging it a good general’s duty to be first to mount his horse and the last to dismount, after the battle, Castruccio stayed out in the cold which resulted in a severe fever. Knowing it was the end, he called in Pagolo to talk.

“Fortune, hostile to his fame, when it was time to give him life, took it from him and broke off those plans he for a long tie before had been intending to put into effect.” 

States if he’d knew Fortune would cut him off, he’d have just taken a smaller state leaving Pagolo with fewer enemies and less envy which would have been more secure and stable. Wasn’t expecting Fortune’s intervention but accepts her strength.

Castruccio – “I would have toiled less and to you would have left, if a smaller state, fewer enemies and less envy.” Castruccio – “But Fortune, who is admitted to be arbiter of all human things, did not give me so much judgement that I could early understand her, nor so much time that I could overcome her.”

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Briefly outlines his youth and states he brought Pagolo up with love and increased related property as much as loyalty demanded. As a result of this, Castruccio also states he never took a wife nor fathered children being so dedicated.

Castruccio – “I leave you, therefore a large state, at which I am much pleased; but because I leave it to you weak and insecure, I am very sorry.” 

Gives some details on the state he’s leaving behind and those powers around it: Florentines are embittered, princes of Milan untrustworthy and Pistoia hardly loyal because of recent injuries. States Pagolo must trust only in his cleverness, memory of his ability and hard-won reputation. Recommends making Castruccio’s enemies his friends to bring about security too.

Castruccio – “You must not, therefore, trust in anything except your own cleverness and the memory of my ability, and in the reputation brought to you by the present victory.” 

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Before he died, Castruccio made those citizens from Luca, Pisa and Pistoia serving under him swear obedience to Pagolo. Upon his death, his funeral was very honourably celebrated although following it Pagolo wasn’t very fortunate losing Pistoia and Pisa, only hanging onto Lucca with difficulty. Believes Castruccio should go down as a significant man in history as a whole, describing his favourable physical attributes as well as praising his actions, temperament and sayings.

“He was gracious to his friends, to his enemies terrible, just with his subjects, not to be trusted by foreigners.” “Never when he could win by fraud did he attempt to win by force, because he was accustomed to say that the victory, not the manner of the victory, would bring you renown.” “He use to say that men ought to try everything, not to be afraid of anything; and that God is a lover of strong men, because we see that he always punishes the powerless by the means of the powerful.” 

Dying at the age of 44, Machiavelli’s very praiseworthy of him stating he always acted as the prince. Having died at the age of both Philip of Macedon and Scipio of Rome, it’s argued he would have surpassed both had he, instead of Lucca, had Macedonia or Rome as his native country.

“He lived forty-four years and in all fortunes he acted the prince.”...