for Alessandro. He wrote on his behalf to the Emperor Charles V. to
invite him on his way from Flanders, whither he had travelled to avoid
disputes with Ippolito, to visit the Imperial Court. Charles received
Alessandro with great honour, and expressed his pleasure at greeting the
near relative of the Pope.

A treaty was subsequently signed at Barcelona between Charles and
Clement, whereby it was agreed that Alessandro should espouse Margaret,
Charles' illegitimate daughter, and that Clement should create Florence
a Dukedom in favour of Alessandro. At the same time the Emperor was
asked to intercede between the rival cousins but he naively replied,
"Neither wants liberty but aggrandisement! Let them be."

Alessandro entered Florence on 5th July 1531 accompanied by Giovanni
Antonio Muscettola, envoy and chancellor of the Emperor. He proceeded to
the Palazzo Vecchio, there he read aloud the injunction of Clement,
countersigned by Charles, which established him as Duke of Florence. The
office of _Gonfaloniere di Giustizia_ was abolished, and the _Signoria_
restricted in their powers as merely consultative authorities. At the
same time the Republic was superseded and the citizens allowed to
exercise the franchise only in the election of civil magistrates.

The _coup d'état_ was complete and meekly enough the _Signoria_ declared
that--"Considering the excellent qualities, life and habits of the most
illustrious Duke Alessandro de' Medici, son of the late Magnificent
Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino; and in recognition of the many and great
benefits received, both spiritual and temporal, from the House of
Medici, he was eligible for all the offices of State."

Alessandro at once began to follow the bent of his base inclinations. As