126. The first tale shows very curiously the mercenary and independent
character of warfare, as it now was carried on by the great chiefs,
whether Guelph or Ghibelline. The Florentines wanted to send a troop of
five hundred horse to assist Orvieto, a Guelph town, isolated on its
rock, and at present harrassed upon it. They gave command of this troop
to the Knight Guido Guerra de' Conti Guidi, and he and his riders set
out for Orvieto by the Umbrian road, through Arezzo, which was at peace
with Florence, though a Ghibelline town. The Guelph party within the
town asked help from the passing Florentine battalion; and Guido
Guerra, without any authority for such action, used the troop of which
he was in command in their favour, and drove out the Ghibellines.
Sismondi does not notice what is quite one of the main points in the
matter, that this troop of horse must have been mainly composed of
Count Guido's own retainers, and not of Florentine citizens, who would
not have cared to leave their business on such a far-off quest as this
help to Orvieto. However, Arezzo is thus brought over to the Florentine
interest; and any other Italian state would have been sure, while it
disclaimed the Count's independent action, to keep the advantage of it.
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