.

CHAPTER XXI

Lodovico joins Charles VIII. at Sarzana--Suspicious rumours as to the
late duke's death--Piero de' Medici surrenders the six fortresses of
Tuscany to Charles VIII.--Lodovico retires in disgust from the
camp--Congratulations of all the Italian States on his accession--Grief
of Duchess Isabella--Her return to Milan--Mission of Maffeo Pirovano to
Antwerp--His interviews with Maximilian and Bianca--Letter of Lodovico
to the Bishop of Brixen--Charles VIII. enters Rome--His treaty with
Alexander VI. and departure for Naples.

1494

The short week which had elapsed between the king's departure from Pavia
and the return of Lodovico to the French camp had effected a complete
change in the situation. Suddenly the Moro found himself at the height
of his ambition, elected duke by popular acclamation, and in actual
possession of the throne, while he held in his hands the imperial
diploma that was to give him a surer and safer title to the duchy than
any of his race had possessed.

"All that this man does prospers, and all that he dreams of by night
comes true by day," wrote the Venetian chronicler. "And, in truth, he is
esteemed and revered throughout the world and is held to be the wisest
and most successful man in Italy. And all men fear him, because fortune
favours him in everything that he undertakes."

But already ugly rumours began to be whispered abroad. The unhappy duke,
it was openly said at Florence and Venice, had, it was plain, died of
poison, administered by his uncle. The moment of his death was so
opportune, and fitted in so exactly with Lodovico's plans; the
promptness with which the Moro had acted in seizing the crown which
ought to have belonged to Giangaleazzo's son, helped to confirm the
suspicions that were aroused in the minds of men whom the new duke's
policy had inspired with distrust, and who looked with jealous eyes on
the success of his diplomacy. The French king's doctor, Theodore
Guainiero of Pavia, was quite sure he had detected signs of poisoning in
the sick duke's face when he had been present at the interview between
his royal master and poor Giangaleazzo at Pavia. Contemporary
chroniclers, improving upon this remark, with one voice asserted that
the doctor had found evident traces of poison on the body at a
post-mortem examination held after the duke's death, ignoring the fact
that at that moment Theodore Guainiero was with King Charles at
Piacenza. So the legend grew