ister the duchess."

And she insisted on her desire to appear before the Doge, not as a guest
and foreign visitor, but as a daughter and servant, begging that she
might be treated without any pomp or ceremony.

Fortunately, whether from political motives, or from his usual
attention to his astrologer's advice, Lodovico deferred his visit to
Ferrara until the middle of May, and himself wrote a courteous letter to
Isabella, expressing his regret that he would after all be unable to
accept her invitation to Mantua, since he found himself obliged to visit
Parma. The marchioness, thus happily relieved from her fears, set off
for Ferrara on the 4th of May, and proceeded to Venice a week later,
having doubled the number of her retinue, and strained every nerve to
present an appearance which should not offer too marked a contrast with
Beatrice's regal splendours.

FOOTNOTES:

[32] L. Porro in A. S. L., ix. 327.

[33] Porro, _op. cit._, p. 330.

[34] A. Venturi in A. S. L., xii. 227.

[35] Archivio Storico Lombardo, xvii. 368.

[36] Luzio-Renier, _op. cit._, p. 365.

CHAPTER XV

Lodovico's ambitious designs--Isabella of Aragon appeals to her
father--Breach between Naples and Milan--Alliance between the Pope,
Venice, and Milan proclaimed--Mission of Erasmo Brasca to the king of
the Romans--Journey of Lodovico and Beatrice to Ferrara--_Fetes_ and
tournaments--Visit to Belriguardo, and return of Lodovico to
Milan--Arrival of Belgiojoso from France.

1493

The birth of Beatrice's son marks a new development in her husband's
policy. Up to that time the Moro seems to have been content to govern in
his nephew's name, and had rejected with horror King Ferrante's
suggestion that he should depose Gian Galeazzo as incapable, and reign
in his stead. But whether it was that Beatrice in her turn had become
ambitious to bear the title of Duchess of Milan and see her son
recognized as heir to the crown, or whether the birth of his son stirred
up new desires in her lord's breast, it is certain that the spring of
1493 was a turning-point in Lodovico's career. From this time he began
to aim at reigning in his nephew's stead, and applied himself in good
earnest to obtain legal recognition of his title. In the first place,
the birth of Ercole, and the extraordinary honours paid to the child and
his mother on this occasion, had the effect of exasperating Isabella of
Aragon, and exciting new and bitter rivalry between herself a