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BLANCHE OF MONTFERRAT, Duchess of Savoy. Letter signed to Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan, Montecalieri, 10 January 1496, reporting on the visit of Gileto Rivalto ambassador of Charles VIII of France who felt 'grande malcontentessa' that Blanche's authority was lessened on the grounds that her son had died, and had reassured her that his Majesty had her interests in mind, and notifying Ludovico that the ambassador would be departing in a day or two to visit him, 17 lines on one page, 290 x 212mm, address panel, papered seal (small tear by seal cut, worm hole).
Blanche was regent of the State of Savoy from 1490 until the death of her infant son in 1494 when Philippe de Bresse took the ducal throne and her influence diminished. This did not suit Charles VIII, for alliance with Savoy was vital to his political ambitions with regard to Italy, and Blanche was much more of a francophile than Philippe. Neither did the sidelining of Blanche suit Ludovico, her uncle. He had actively supported her throughout the period of her regency; while she was head of state he could regard his own western borders as secure. Blanche tells in the letter how she assured Rivalto of Ludovico's being 'continuamente in bona dispositione verso dicta Maestà'; such diplomatic reassurance would have been useful. It was with Ludovico's encouragement that Charles VIII had entered Italy to claim the crown of Naples, but after the easy French conquest of the city Ludovico changed sides. In March 1495 he joined the Holy League of Venice and the French were expelled from Italy after the Battle of Fornavo. Then, fearing Venice's excessive power, Ludovico changed his political allegiances once more, and from this point on he tried to enlist one faction against the other for the benefit of his own position. In 1499 the French invaded Italy again, but this time the target was Milan itself, for Louis XII had a claim to the duchy through his descent from the daughter of the first Duke. Ludovico was captured as he tried to flee through French lines disguised as a common soldier. From April 1500 until his death he was emprisoned in the Château de Loches, Indre.
Blanche was regent of the State of Savoy from 1490 until the death of her infant son in 1494 when Philippe de Bresse took the ducal throne and her influence diminished. This did not suit Charles VIII, for alliance with Savoy was vital to his political ambitions with regard to Italy, and Blanche was much more of a francophile than Philippe. Neither did the sidelining of Blanche suit Ludovico, her uncle. He had actively supported her throughout the period of her regency; while she was head of state he could regard his own western borders as secure. Blanche tells in the letter how she assured Rivalto of Ludovico's being 'continuamente in bona dispositione verso dicta Maestà'; such diplomatic reassurance would have been useful. It was with Ludovico's encouragement that Charles VIII had entered Italy to claim the crown of Naples, but after the easy French conquest of the city Ludovico changed sides. In March 1495 he joined the Holy League of Venice and the French were expelled from Italy after the Battle of Fornavo. Then, fearing Venice's excessive power, Ludovico changed his political allegiances once more, and from this point on he tried to enlist one faction against the other for the benefit of his own position. In 1499 the French invaded Italy again, but this time the target was Milan itself, for Louis XII had a claim to the duchy through his descent from the daughter of the first Duke. Ludovico was captured as he tried to flee through French lines disguised as a common soldier. From April 1500 until his death he was emprisoned in the Château de Loches, Indre.