dinand was frightened when he beheld the formation of this league; but
he thought he could neutralise its effects by depriving Ludovico Sforza
of his regency, which he had already kept beyond the proper time, though
as yet he was not strictly an usurper. Although the young Galeazzo, his
nephew, had reached the age of two-and-twenty, Ludovico Sforza none the
less continued regent. Now Ferdinand definitely proposed to the Duke of
Milan that he should resign the sovereign power into the hands of his
nephew, on pain of being declared an usurper.

This was a bold stroke; but there was a risk of inciting Ludovico Sforza
to start one of those political plots that he was so familiar with, never
recoiling from any situation, however dangerous it might be. This was
exactly what happened: Sforza, uneasy about his duchy, resolved to
threaten Ferdinand's kingdom.

Nothing could be easier: he knew the warlike nations of Charles VIII, and
the pretensions of the house of France to the kingdom of Naples. He sent
two ambassadors to invite the young king to claim the rights of Anjou
usurped by Aragon; and with a view to reconciling Charles to so distant
and hazardous an expedition, offered him a free and friendly passage
through his own States.

Such a proposition was welcome to Charles VIII, as we might suppose from
our knowledge of his character; a magnificent prospect was opened to him
as by an enchanter: what Ludovica Sforza was offering him was virtually
the command of the Mediterranean, the protectorship of the whole of
Italy; it was an open road, through Naples and Venice, that well might
lead to the conquest of Turkey or the Holy Land, if he ever had the fancy
to avenge the disasters of Nicapolis and Mansourah. So the proposition
was accepted, and a secret alliance was signed, with Count Charles di
Belgiojasa and the Count of Cajazza acting for Ludovica Sforza, and the
Bishop of St. Malo and Seneschal de Beaucaire far Charles VIII. By this
treaty it was agreed:--

That the King of France should attempt the conquest of the kingdom of
Naples;

That the Duke of Milan should grant a passage to the King of France
through his territories, and accompany him with five hundred lances;

That the Duke of Milan should permit the King of France to send out as
many ships of war as he pleased from Genoa;

Lastly, that the Duke of Milan should lend the King of France 200,000
ducats, payable when he started.

On his side, Charles VII