The Emperor Rodolph, instead of coming into Italy, gave the empire the
advantage of having done so, by sending an ambassador, with authority
to make all those cities free which would redeem themselves with money.
Many purchased their freedom, and with liberty changed their mode of
living. Adolpho of Saxony succeeded to the empire; and to the papacy,
Pietro del Murrone, who took the name of Celestino; but, being a hermit
and full of sanctity, after six months renounced the pontificate, and
Boniface VIII. was elected.

After a time the French and Germans left Italy, and the country remained
wholly in the hands of the Italians; but Providence ordained that the
pope, when these enemies were withdrawn, should neither establish nor
enjoy his authority, and raised two very powerful families in Rome,
the Colonnesi and the Orsini, who with their arms, and the proximity
of their abode, kept the pontificate weak. Boniface then determined
to destroy the Colonnesi, and, besides excommunicating, endeavored to
direct the weapons of the church against them. This, although it did
them some injury, proved more disastrous to the pope; for those arms
which from attachment to the faith performed valiantly against its
enemies, as soon as they were directed against Christians for private
ambition, ceased to do the will of those who wished to wield them. And
thus the too eager desire to gratify themselves, caused the pontiffs by
degrees to lose their military power. Besides what is just related, the
pope deprived two cardinals of the Colonnesi family of their office; and
Sciarra, the head of the house, escaping unknown, was taken by corsairs
of Catalonia and put to the oar; but being afterward recognized
at Marseilles, he was sent to Philip, king of France, who had been
excommunicated and deprived of the kingdom. Philip, considering that
in a war against the pontiff he would either be a loser or run great