and grace.

His son-in-law and successor, the fortunate Condottiere Francesco
Sforza (1450- 1466), was perhaps of all the Italians of the fifteenth
century the man most after the heart of his age. Never was the triumph
of genius and individual power more brilliantly displayed than in him;
and those who would P.et recognize his merit were at least forced to
wonder at him as the spoilt child of fortune. The Milanese claimed it
openly as an honour to be governed by so distinguished a master; when
he entered the city the thronging populace bore him on horseback into
the cathedral, without giving him the chance to dismount. Let us listen
t o the balance-sheet of his life, in the estimate of Pope Pius II, a
judge in such matters: 'In the year 1459, when the Duke came to the
congress at Mantua, he was 60 (really 58) years old; on horseback he
looked like a young man; of a lofty and imposing figure, with serious
features, calm and affable in conversation, princely in his whole
bearing, with a combination of bodily and intellectual gifts unrivalled
in our time, unconquered on the field of battle - such was the man who
raised himself from a humble position to the control of an empire. His
wife was beautiful and virtuous, his children were like the angels of
heaven; he was seldom ill, and all his chief wishes were fulfilled. And
yet he was not without misfortune. His wife, out of jealousy, killed
his mistress; his old comrades and friends, Troilo and Brunoro,
abandoned him and went over to King Alfonso; another, Ciarpollone, he
was forced to hang for treason; he had to suffer it that his brother
Alessandro set the French upon him; one of his sons formed intrigues
against him, and was imprisoned; the March of Ancona, which he h ad won
in war, he lost again the same way. No man enjoys so unclouded a
fortune that he has not somewhere to struggle with adversity. He is
happy who has but few troubles.' With this negative definition of