This sprung from the popular goodwill which the house of Bentivogli enjoyed in those days in Bologna; which was so great that, although none remained there after the death of Annibale who was able to rule the state, the Bolognese, having information that there was one of the Bentivogli family in Florence, who up to that time had been considered the son of a blacksmith, sent to Florence for him and gave him the government of their city, and it was ruled by him until Messer Giovanni came in due course to the government.
Il che nacque dalla benivolenzia populare che la casa de' Bentivogli aveva in quelli tempi: la quale fu tanta, che, non restando di quella alcuno in Bologna che potessi, morto Annibale, reggere lo stato, et avendo indizio come in Firenze era uno nato de' Bentivogli che si teneva fino allora figliuolo di uno fabbro, vennono e' Bolognesi per quello in Firenze, e li dettono el governo di quella città: la quale fu governata da lui fino a tanto che messer Giovanni pervenissi in età conveniente al governo.