the love of all his subjects, was again restored; but having
entered into a league with the Pope and Venice to expel the
Imperialists, incurred the displeasure of Charles V., and was besieged
in the Castello by the Connetable de Bourbon, who at length forced him
to surrender. A prolonged struggle followed, in which Francesco Sforza
was often worsted, and at one time forced to retire to Como. In the end,
however, he was restored to the throne by Charles V., whose favour he
succeeded in recovering, when, in 1530, that monarch visited Italy to
receive the imperial crown. At length this long-distracted realm enjoyed
an interval of peace, and a brighter day seemed about to dawn for the
unhappy Milanese.

The young duke was very popular with the people, who rejoiced in having
a prince of their own once more, and who, in Guicciardini's words,
looked to see a return of that felicity which they had enjoyed during
his father's reign. When, in 1534, he married Charles V.'s niece,
Christina of Denmark, the splendour of the wedding _fetes_, the balls
and tournaments that took place in the Castello, recalled the glories of
Lodovico's reign and the marriage of the Empress Bianca. The charms of
the youthful bride revived the memory of the duke's mother, Beatrice
d'Este, and a richly illuminated book of prayers, prepared in honour of
this occasion, and adorned with miniatures and Sforza devices, bore
witness to Francesco's artistic tastes, and showed his desire to tread
in his father's steps. But these bright prospects were soon clouded. The
young duke became seriously ill, owing to a dangerous wound which he had
received from an assassin, Bonifazio Visconti, twelve years before, and,
after lingering through the summer months, he died on All Souls' Day,
1535, to the consternation of the whole Milanese, On the 19th of
November the last of the Sforzas was buried with royal pomp in the Duomo
of Milan, and his childless widow, the youthful Duchess Christina,
retired to the city of Tortona, which had been given her as her marriage
portion. Her portrait, painted by the hand of Holbein, is familiar to us
all as well as "the few words she wisely spoke," when, in reply to Henry
VIII.'s offer of marriage, she said "that unfortunately she had only one
head, but that if she had two, one should be at his Majesty's service."

[Illustration: Tomb of Lodovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este Contessa of
Pavia.]

A week or two later, Lodovico Sforza's only