Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/41

PARTITION OF NAPLES. 15 demonstrations of vindicating his pretensions to Na- chapter pies, wiiich, however, the intelligence he received '- — from that kingdom induced him to defer to a more convenient season.'^ But it was deferring, not re- linquishing his purpose. In the mean time, he carefully avoided entering into such engagements, as should compel him to a different policy by con- necting his own interests with those of Frederic ; and with this view, no doubt, rejected the alliance, strongly solicited by the latter, of the duke of Cala- bria, heir apparent to the Neapolitan crown, with his third daughter, the infanta Maria. Indeed, this disposition of Ferdinand, so far from being dissem- bled, was well understood by the court of Naples, as is acknowledged by its own historians.^^ It may be thought, that the undisturbed succes- sion of four princes to the throne of Naples, each of whom had received the solemn recognition of the people, might have healed any defects in their original title, however glaring. But it may be remarked, in extenuation of both the French and Spanish claims, that the principles of monarchical succession were but imperfectly settled in that day ; that oaths of allegiance were tendered too lightly by the Neapolitans, to carry the same weight as in other nations ; and that the pre- scriptive right derived from possession, necessarily indeterminate, was greatly weakened in this case by the comparatively few years, not more than 18 See Part 11. Chapter 3, of this lib. 29, cap. 3. — Zurita, Hist, del History. Rey Hernando, torn. i. lib. 3, cap. 19 (iiannone, Istoria di Napoli, 32.