Details
ANNE, Duchess of Brittany (1477-1514, Queen of Charles VIII and of Louis XII of France). Letter signed with autograph subscription ('V[ot]re bonne cousine Anne de France') to the Duke of Milan [Ludovico Sforza], La Flèche [Sarthe], 5 October n.y. [1494-1498], 8 lines of writing, one page, 108 x 109mm, addressed on verso 'A mon cousin le duc de milan' (seal slits, traces of seal, slightly browned at left hand edge).
A courteous letter sending greetings by the King's secretary and asking for news from her correspondent. 'Le Roy envoye devers vous maistre Estienne Petit son notaire et secret[air]e ainsi quil vous escript Auquel Jay charge Vous dire aucunes choses de ma part. Je vous prye mon cousin que le vueillez croyre dece quil vous dira depar moy comme ma propre personne et par lui me faire favour de vos nouvelles en quoy je prandrais ung tres singulier plaisir.'
The reference to Etienne Petit suggests that the letter was written while Anne was consort of Charles VIII, for whom Petit executed several important diplomatic commissions, attending the negotiations with Spain at Narbonne and negotiating the Treaty of Barcelona. Ludovico Sforza ('Il Moro') ruled Milan from 1494 until he was deposed following the French occupation in 1499, and again briefly in 1500. Apart from these few months, from September 1499 to June 1512 Milan was governed by Louis XII's viceroys.
A courteous letter sending greetings by the King's secretary and asking for news from her correspondent. 'Le Roy envoye devers vous maistre Estienne Petit son notaire et secret[air]e ainsi quil vous escript Auquel Jay charge Vous dire aucunes choses de ma part. Je vous prye mon cousin que le vueillez croyre dece quil vous dira depar moy comme ma propre personne et par lui me faire favour de vos nouvelles en quoy je prandrais ung tres singulier plaisir.'
The reference to Etienne Petit suggests that the letter was written while Anne was consort of Charles VIII, for whom Petit executed several important diplomatic commissions, attending the negotiations with Spain at Narbonne and negotiating the Treaty of Barcelona. Ludovico Sforza ('Il Moro') ruled Milan from 1494 until he was deposed following the French occupation in 1499, and again briefly in 1500. Apart from these few months, from September 1499 to June 1512 Milan was governed by Louis XII's viceroys.
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