His geographical position between Milan and Naples enforced this policy.

Another difficulty against which he had to provide was in the future rather than the present.

Should his father die, and a new Pope adverse to his interests be elected, he might lose not only the support of the Holy See, but also his fiefs of Romagna and Urbino.

To meet this contingency he took four precautions, mentioned with great admiration by Machiavelli.

In the first place he systematically murdered the heirs of the ruling families of all the cities he acquired--as for example three Varani at Camerino, two Manfredi at Faenza, the Orsini and Vitelli at Sinigaglia, and others whom it would be tedious to mention.