A History of Verona Page: 103 of 493

                                
84         A HISTORY OF VERONA
resign the rule into his hands. Ezzelino kept the compact he
had made with Uberto, and handed half the city over to him.
Each ruler appointed a Podesta, and for a time the two governments
subsisted side by side.
From the first, however, Ezzelino took the lead. He instituted
a reign of terror, which far surpassed the gloomiest anticipation
of the Brescians. Some of the prisoners taken in
battle were slain, or tortured, the rest were heavily fettered
and confined in horrible dungeons. Nobles were beheaded,
priests burnt alive, women mutilated, children and infants
slain. Churches and monasteries were robbed, and nuns and
monks tortured to force them to reveal where their treasures
were buried. So many of the towers and palaces of the nobles
were razed to the ground that it was said that (Ezzelino
had wrought more havoc than the great earthquake of 1222.
Then in the centre of the wealthier quarters, on the east and
the west of the city, Ezzelino built two castles, which were,
says the old Brescian chronicler, Malvecius, like "two swords
thrust into the hearts of the nobles".' The Brescians were to
have no chance of rebelling. It was not long, however, before
Ezzelino began to plot to get rid of Uberto. Partly by intimidation,
partly by argument, he prevailed on the Marquis to return
to Cremona, while he himself remained behind as sole
ruler of Brescia. This treacherous deed was to prove Ezzelino's
undoing. Uberto soon realized that he had been fooled,
and that he would never be allowed to set foot in Brescia
again. When, therefore, in the spring of 1259, the leaders of
the Guelph party opened negotiations with him, he was in the
mood to listen. On IIth June a league was formed against
the da Romano by Uberto, Boso da Dovara, Azzo d' Este, Ludovico
di S. Bonifacio, Mantua, Ferrara and Padua, the allies
swearing a solemn oath to carry on war with fire and sword
against Ezzelino and Alberico till both were slain or crushed.
At the time Ezzelino was not in Brescia. In May the
Paduans had taken a small town called Friola, belonging to
Bassano. Friola itself was of no importance, but Ezzelino was
goaded to frenzy by the thought that the Paduans should dare
R. I. S., vol. xiv. p. 927.