t 2000 florins, presented to her by the city of Cologne, in one
single day. Brasca himself felt obliged to remonstrate with her on her
foolish tricks, especially for eating her meals on the floor instead of
at table, and other bad habits which annoyed the emperor, while the
violent friendship which she made with one of her ladies, Violante by
name, led to continual intrigues and quarrels. Maximilian soon began to
find her presence wearisome, and to leave her mostly to herself, and
when he found that his hopes of an heir did not seem likely to be
realized, he allowed the poor empress to lead a very dull and solitary
life. Left alone, as she often was for weeks, in the vast, gloomy castle
of Innsbruck, Bianca pined for the bright and sunny villas and palaces
of Milan, and looked back sadly on the gay years of her old life. She
was constantly writing affectionate letters to her uncle, asking him to
give places and pensions to her old friends and servants in Milan, and
begging him for portraits of himself and Beatrice, as well as for the
silks and feathers, the jewels and perfumes, with which her thoughts
were always busy.[49]

But, to do her justice, she proved a loyal friend to Lodovico in his
darkest days, and when his children lived in exile at Innsbruck, they
found a kind and loving protector in the empress during the few
remaining years of her life. From the year after her marriage her health
began to droop, and she became gradually weaker, until in 1510 she died
of this lingering illness, and was buried in the Franciscan church of
Innsbruck, where the bronze effigy of Maximilian's Lombard bride, robed
in the rich brocades which she loved so well, still adorns his sumptuous
mausoleum.

FOOTNOTES:

[45] Luzio-Renier. _op. cit._, pp. 380-382.

[46] Luzio-Renier, _op. cit._, p. 383.

[47] "Leonardo da Vinci," by Eugene Muntz, vol. i. p. 226.

[48] Luzio-Renier, _op. cit._, p. 388.

[49] F. Calvi, _Bianca Maria Sforza_

CHAPTER XIX

State of political affairs in Italy--Vacillating policy of Lodovico
Sforza--Death of King Ferrante of Naples--Alliance between his successor
Alfonso and Pope Alexander VI.--Lodovico urges Charles VIII. to invade
Naples--Sends Galeazzo di Sanseverino to Lyons--Cardinal della Rovere's
flight from Rome--Alfonso of Naples declares war--Beatrice at
Vigevano--The Gonzagas and the Moro--Duchess Isabella and her husband at
Pavia.

1493-1494

While Lodovico's newly-formed allianc