ABSTRACT
ThusunderJoannaIItendenciesalreadyclearlyvisible underJoannaIgainedfurtherimpetus:thepowerofthe nobilitywasaccentuated,asfamiliessuchastheCarraciolo, SanseverinoandBalzoOrsini(princesofTaranto,andlords ofmuchelsebesides)learnedthatitwaspossibletoexercise poweraseffectivelybypayinglittleattentiontoanineffectiveandmercurialmonarchasitwastotrytomouldthat monarch'spolicyintheirfavour.Ultimately,theydetermined whathappenedontheirvastestates;they,andnotthecrown, increasinglycontrolledtheincomefromthetownsorfrom thegrowingpastoralsector.Mostimportantly,itwasthe baronswhoexercisedmilitarypower,manyofthemofferingtheirservicesformoney,asdidtheformidableJacopo CaldoraandasdidtheCaracciolo.~Sincethemonarchy wastheobjectofcompetitionbetweenthehouseofAnjouDurazzo,thatofAnjou-ProvenceandthatofAragon,there wereplentyofopportunitiestoearnfameandfundsasa soldier,andtoincreasecontroloveralienatedroyallands aswell.AsAlfonsoofAragonwaseventuallytorealise,itwas notpossibletodismantlesuchformidablepoweratastroke; whatwasneededwastheformulationofanewpolicytowards thenobilitywhichwouldbringinternalpeaceandrestore thefinancesofthecrown.
