Louis，whostillpreservedajustascendantoverthemindofhisferociousbrother。ForawhiletheattentionofthatbrotherwasconfinedathomebytheinvasionofConradin，thelastheirtotheimperialhouseofSwabia；butthehaplessboysunkintheunequalconflict；andhisexecutiononapublicscaffoldtaughttherivalsofCharlestotremblefortheirheadsaswellastheirdominions。AsecondrespitewasobtainedbythelastcrusadeofSt。LouistotheAfricancoast；andthedoublemotiveofinterestanddutyurgedthekingofNaplestoassist，withhispowersandhispresence，theholyenterprise。ThedeathofSt。Louisreleasedhimfromtheimportunityofavirtuouscensor:thekingofTunisconfessedhimselfthetributaryandvassalofthecrownofSicily；andtheboldestoftheFrenchknightswerefreetoenlistunderhisbanneragainsttheGreekempire。AtreatyandamarriageunitedhisinterestwiththehouseofCourtenay；hisdaughterBeatricewaspromisedtoPhilip，sonandheiroftheemperorBaldwin；apensionofsixhundredouncesofgoldwasallowedforhismaintenance；andhisgenerousfatherdistributedamonghisaliensthekingdomsandprovincesoftheEast，reservingonlyConstantinople，andoneday\'sjourneyroundthecityfortheimperialdomain。^38Inthisperilousmoment，Palaeologuswasthemosteagertosubscribethecreed，andimploretheprotection，oftheRomanpontiff，whoassumed，withproprietyandweight，thecharacterofanangelofpeace，thecommonfatheroftheChristians。Byhisvoice，theswordofCharleswaschainedinthescabbard；andtheGreekambassadorsbeheldhim，inthepope\'santechamber，bitinghisivorysceptreinatransportoffury，anddeeplyresentingtherefusaltoenfranchiseandconsecratehisarms。HeappearstohaverespectedthedisinterestedmediationofGregorytheTenth；butCharleswasinsensiblydisgustedbytheprideandpartialityofNicholastheThird；andhisattachmenttohiskindred，theUrsinifamily，alienatedthemoststrenuouschampionfromtheserviceofthechurch。ThehostileleagueagainsttheGreeks，ofPhiliptheLatinemperor，thekingoftheTwoSicilies，andtherepublicofVenice，wasripenedintoexecution；andtheelectionofMartintheFourth，aFrenchpope，gaveasanctiontothecause。Oftheallies，Philipsuppliedhisname；Martin，abullofexcommunication；theVenetians，asquadronoffortygalleys；andtheformidablepowersofCharlesconsistedoffortycounts，tenthousandmenatarms，anumerousbodyofinfantry，andafleetofmorethanthreehundredshipsandtransports。AdistantdaywasappointedforassemblingthismightyforceintheharborofBrindisi；andapreviousattemptwasriskedwithadetachmentofthreehundredknights，whoinvadedAlbania，andbesiegedthefortressofBelgrade。TheirdefeatmightamusewithatriumphthevanityofConstantinople；butthemoresagaciousMichael，despairingofhisarms，dependedontheeffectsofaconspiracy；
onthesecretworkingsofarat，whognawedthebowstring^39oftheSiciliantyrant。
[Footnote37:Thebestaccounts，thenearestthetime，themostfullandentertaining，oftheconquestofNaplesbyCharlesofAnjou，maybefoundintheFlorentineChroniclesofRicordanoMalespina，c。175—193，andGiovanniVillani，l。vii。c。1—
10，25—30，whicharepublishedbyMuratoriintheviiithandxiiithvolumesoftheHistoriansofItaly。InhisAnnalstom。
xi。p。56—72hehasabridgedthesegreateventswhicharelikewisedescribedintheIstoriaCivileofGiannone。tom。l。