The chronicler of these events draws a parallel between Doria and
Themistocles, who, when discontented with the Athenians, passed into Persia
and offered his services to Xerxes, to the great joy of that monarch, who
cried aloud, "I have Themistocles, I have Themistocles."
CHAPTER VII
THE APOTHEOSIS OF THE CORSAIR KING
If Charles V. made no such outward manifestation of his joy as did the
Persian monarch, he possibly was no less pleased than Xerxes; this he
showed by his acts, and the value that he attached to the services of Doria
was instanced in the directions which he gave. He ordered the Governors of
all his possessions in Italy to do nothing without first consulting the
admiral; to lend him prompt aid, whether he demanded it in his own name or
in that of the Republic of Genoa. He made him Admiralissimo of his navy,
with power to act as he liked without even consulting him, as his Emperor.
It will be seen that Charles had in him sufficient greatness to trust
whole-heartedly when he trusted at all; the faith which he reposed in the
Genoese seaman was amply justified by events, and no action of his during
the whole of his singularly dramatic reign was ever to result so entirely
to his profit. When in after-life Charles had received from the Pope the
Imperial Crown, and when, on his return, he put into Aigues-Mortes in
Doria's galley, he there met with Francis, who, in a burst to confidence,
advised the Caesar never to part with his admiral.
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