ROBERT THE WISE OF NAPLES, 1309-43Italy as soon as possible with an imperial army, rather than
negotiating a tentative date in the future. Henry, elated
by his new status, saw himself as a peacemaker who would
end the rivalry of Guelf and Ghibelline towns and bring
back the exiled factions into their home cities. Certainly he
was inadequately informed about the depth of division that
existed. He did not try to resolve practical problems, such
as what would be done with the property of Ghibellines con-
fiscated and sold long ago. He was a pious, well-meaning man
who saw the solution to Italy's problems in the spiritual act
of reconciliation. This attitude scared Pope Clement. Peace
was to him the consolidation of the present order, the Guelf
ascendancy, by the careful extinction of existing rivalries and
trouble-spots. Moreover, Henry naturally enough attracted
to his court, by his very existence, groups of Ghibelline or
White Guelf exiles, whose constant support swung Henry in
their favour, and whose constant presence irritated the Black
Guelfs and aroused their suspicions.^4
Even so, Clement V tried to encourage Robert to show
grace to Henry. Henry aroused Robert's suspicions when
his ambassador instructed the citizens of Asti, in Angevin
Piedmont, not to pay homage to King Robert (1310). Robert
was, of course, technically an imperial vassal, since the county
of Piedmont was held from the emperor; it was a delicate
situation. Looking for allies who were strongly Guelf, Robert
visited Florence in 1310 and was lavishly entertained by his
bankers, the Peruzzi, with whom he stayed for some weeks
in their magnificent palace." In addition, Clement appointed
Robert his 'Rector' in Romagna despite his reluctance, in
common with earlier popes, to let the Angevin king hold
office in papal lands in northern Italy. The front line of
the papal states had to be held in the event of a German
invasion.^6
Henry VII did begin to heal some of the wounds of faction-
fighting in the Lombard towns during 1310-11, notably in
Milan. But Florence was determined to resist Henry. Henry
- W. Bowsky, Henry VII in Italy (Lincoln, Nebraska, 1960); see also K.
Pennington, The Prince and the Law, 1200-1600. Sovereignty and rights in
the western legal tradition (Berkeley/Los Angeles, 1993), pp. 165-201. - E.H. Hunt, The Medieval Super-Companies. A study of the Peruzzi Company
of Florence (Cambridge, 1994), p. 30. - Bowsky, Henry VII, pp. 123-4.