DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0142
CHAPTER VII
1494—1495
Journey of Isabella to Loreto and Urbino—Letters from Gubbio
and Urbino —Charles VIII. enters Italy—The Marquis of
Mantua refuses his offers—Visit of Isabella to Milan—Con-
quest of Naples by the French—League against France—
Francesco Gonzaga, captain of the armies of the League—
Isabella governs Mantua—Battle of the Taro—Heroism of
Francesco Gonzaga—Rejoicings at Venice and Mantua—The
Jew Daniele Norsa and Mantegna’s Madonna della Vittoria.
As soon as the carnival fetes at Marmirolo were
ended and her infant daughter had been christened,
Isabella set out on a pilgrimage to Loreto, to fulfil
a vow which she had made to Our Lady before the
birth of her child. She started on the 10th of March,
taking with her an offering of chased gold ornaments,
worked by the skilful Mantuan goldsmith, Barto-
lommeo Meliolo, who had lately been appointed
Master of the Mint, and whose medals of the
Gonzaga princes are well known. Her original
intention had been to spend Holy Week at Urbino
with her sister-in-law, but the Duchess begged her
to put off her visit till after Easter, since it was
difficult to obtain sufficient supplies of fish at
Urbino to feed a large number of guests. So
after spending a few days at Ferrara and a night
at Ravenna, where she visited the ancient churches
and admired the mosaics, the Marchesa travelled
by Pesaro and Ancona to Loreto. Here she
108
1494—1495
Journey of Isabella to Loreto and Urbino—Letters from Gubbio
and Urbino —Charles VIII. enters Italy—The Marquis of
Mantua refuses his offers—Visit of Isabella to Milan—Con-
quest of Naples by the French—League against France—
Francesco Gonzaga, captain of the armies of the League—
Isabella governs Mantua—Battle of the Taro—Heroism of
Francesco Gonzaga—Rejoicings at Venice and Mantua—The
Jew Daniele Norsa and Mantegna’s Madonna della Vittoria.
As soon as the carnival fetes at Marmirolo were
ended and her infant daughter had been christened,
Isabella set out on a pilgrimage to Loreto, to fulfil
a vow which she had made to Our Lady before the
birth of her child. She started on the 10th of March,
taking with her an offering of chased gold ornaments,
worked by the skilful Mantuan goldsmith, Barto-
lommeo Meliolo, who had lately been appointed
Master of the Mint, and whose medals of the
Gonzaga princes are well known. Her original
intention had been to spend Holy Week at Urbino
with her sister-in-law, but the Duchess begged her
to put off her visit till after Easter, since it was
difficult to obtain sufficient supplies of fish at
Urbino to feed a large number of guests. So
after spending a few days at Ferrara and a night
at Ravenna, where she visited the ancient churches
and admired the mosaics, the Marchesa travelled
by Pesaro and Ancona to Loreto. Here she
108