DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0039
THE CASTIGLIONI OF MILAN
5
fleet in the war against Venice. In 1488 Sixtus IV.
appointed the Bishop Governor of Rome, but the
enmity of the Pope's nephew, Girolamo Riario, soon
led him to abandon this office and retire to his
diocese. Three years later he was sent by the Regent,
Lodovico Sforza, to congratulate Innocent VIII. on
his accession to the Papacy, and died during his
absence in Rome. He was succeeded in the bishopric
of Como by his nephew, a third Branda, who became
ducal councillor, and was employed by the Moro on
confidential business, and sent to the help of his
niece, Caterina Sforza, when her subjects rebelled
and murdered her first husband, the hated Girolamo
Riario.
Several other members of the family enjoyed
Lodovico s favour and held high office during his
reign. Gian Stefano Castiglione was sent on missions
to Pope Alexander VI. and the Signory of Florence,
and married Lucia, daughter of the Moro's con-
fidential secretary, Bartolommeo Calco. After
Lodovico's fall, however, Gian Stefano was among
the first councillors who took the oath of fealty to
Louis Nil., and received the lands of Saronno,
which the Duke had given to his mistress, Cecilia
Gallerani, in reward for this desertion. His younger
brother Branda was also a ducal councillor and prime
favourite of the Moro. On his death in 149.5, he
was buried by the Duke's command in the choir
of S. Maria della Grazie, where Duchess Beatrice
was laid to rest two years later, and where a beautiful
monument records his rare virtues and the grief of
his kinsfolk. One of Branda's sons, Gian Giacomo,
was made Archbishop of Bari in early youth, by
Lodovico Sforza, but never visited his distant diocese
until after his patron's fall, as he was constantly
5
fleet in the war against Venice. In 1488 Sixtus IV.
appointed the Bishop Governor of Rome, but the
enmity of the Pope's nephew, Girolamo Riario, soon
led him to abandon this office and retire to his
diocese. Three years later he was sent by the Regent,
Lodovico Sforza, to congratulate Innocent VIII. on
his accession to the Papacy, and died during his
absence in Rome. He was succeeded in the bishopric
of Como by his nephew, a third Branda, who became
ducal councillor, and was employed by the Moro on
confidential business, and sent to the help of his
niece, Caterina Sforza, when her subjects rebelled
and murdered her first husband, the hated Girolamo
Riario.
Several other members of the family enjoyed
Lodovico s favour and held high office during his
reign. Gian Stefano Castiglione was sent on missions
to Pope Alexander VI. and the Signory of Florence,
and married Lucia, daughter of the Moro's con-
fidential secretary, Bartolommeo Calco. After
Lodovico's fall, however, Gian Stefano was among
the first councillors who took the oath of fealty to
Louis Nil., and received the lands of Saronno,
which the Duke had given to his mistress, Cecilia
Gallerani, in reward for this desertion. His younger
brother Branda was also a ducal councillor and prime
favourite of the Moro. On his death in 149.5, he
was buried by the Duke's command in the choir
of S. Maria della Grazie, where Duchess Beatrice
was laid to rest two years later, and where a beautiful
monument records his rare virtues and the grief of
his kinsfolk. One of Branda's sons, Gian Giacomo,
was made Archbishop of Bari in early youth, by
Lodovico Sforza, but never visited his distant diocese
until after his patron's fall, as he was constantly