DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0334
CHAPTER XVIII
1509-1510
War against Venice—Campaign of Romagna—Victories of Fran-
cesco Maria — Capture of Ravenna — Castiglione's illness —
Fresh marriage proposals—The Duchess goes to Mantua—
Madonna Luigia returns with her—The young Duchess Leonora
-—Visit of the Duke and Duchesses to Rome—Castiglione and
Raphael.
WiTH the New Year, the clash of arms and tumult
of warlike preparations came to disturb the peace of
Urbino. The Popes long-cherished schemes for the
overthrow of Venice were at length to be put into
execution. On December 10, 1508, the League of
Cambray was signed between Louis XII. and Maxi-
milian, and in March the Pope publicly announced
that he had joined the confederacy against Venice.
The Duke of Urbino was hastily recalled from Mantua,
where he was paying a brief visit to his bride, to take
command of the Papal army. Castiglione forgot his
matrimonial hopes and disappointments in the task
of equipping his company of fifty men. As usual, he
was sorely in need of money, and his letters to his
mother abound in requests for horses, arms, and
ducats. ' I hnd that I have several debts here/ he wrote
at the end of January, ' and although they are none of
them large, the whole amount to a considerable sum,
so that I must ask you to send me sixty ducats
without delay/
265
1509-1510
War against Venice—Campaign of Romagna—Victories of Fran-
cesco Maria — Capture of Ravenna — Castiglione's illness —
Fresh marriage proposals—The Duchess goes to Mantua—
Madonna Luigia returns with her—The young Duchess Leonora
-—Visit of the Duke and Duchesses to Rome—Castiglione and
Raphael.
WiTH the New Year, the clash of arms and tumult
of warlike preparations came to disturb the peace of
Urbino. The Popes long-cherished schemes for the
overthrow of Venice were at length to be put into
execution. On December 10, 1508, the League of
Cambray was signed between Louis XII. and Maxi-
milian, and in March the Pope publicly announced
that he had joined the confederacy against Venice.
The Duke of Urbino was hastily recalled from Mantua,
where he was paying a brief visit to his bride, to take
command of the Papal army. Castiglione forgot his
matrimonial hopes and disappointments in the task
of equipping his company of fifty men. As usual, he
was sorely in need of money, and his letters to his
mother abound in requests for horses, arms, and
ducats. ' I hnd that I have several debts here/ he wrote
at the end of January, ' and although they are none of
them large, the whole amount to a considerable sum,
so that I must ask you to send me sixty ducats
without delay/
265