38

DEATH OF BARBARA

family of five children, who were tenderly cared for
by their grandmother. But on the 10th of Novem-
ber 1481, Barbara herself died at the age of fifty-
eight, deeply lamented by all her children. Fra
Bernardino da Feltre, the eloquent Franciscan friar,
pronounced her funeral oration, and Matteo Bossi,
the learned Abbot of Fiesole, addressed a Latin
epistle of condolence to Cardinal Gonzaga on the
death of this admirable lady. She was buried by her
husband’s side in front of the Area di S. Anselmo in
the Duomo, and her sons desired Luca Fancelli to
raise a splendid monument over her grave. But the
Cardinal died in 1483, and although Bishop Lodovico
intended to carry out his scheme, it seems doubtful
if the tomb was ever erected.
Before the good Marchesa died she had the joy
of seeing her granddaughter, Chiara—born in July
1464—married to the King of France’s cousin Gilbert,
Due de Montpensier, and her eldest grandson Fran-
cesco, who was two years younger, betrothed to
Isabella d’Este, with whose mother Leonora she had
long been on friendly terms. Federico himself was
an affectionate father, and took great interest in his
two younger daughters, Elisabetta, whose delicate
health made her an object of especial anxiety, and
Maddalena, who was only seven years old when her
mother died. On the 14th of August 1481, Violante
de’ Preti, the faithful governess in whose charge the
young princesses were spending the summer at the
ducal villa of Porto, wrote the following report to the
Marquis, who was frequently absent from Mantua
during the long war with Venice :—
“ Most illustrious Prince and excellent Lord,—
You will be glad to hear that both your illustrious