CHAPTER XL

1530-1581

Charles V. at Mantua-The Marquis Federico created Duke, and betrothed to the Infanta Giulia - Capture of Florence by Ferrante Gonzaga-Isabella goes to Venice-Titian employed by the Duke to paint a Magdalen for Vittoria ColonnaDeath of Bonifazio, Marquis of Monferrato-Federico breaks off his contract with Donna Giulia, and asks for the hand of Maria di Monferrato-Death of this Princess-Federico asks for her sister Margherita's hand-Goes to Casale for the wedding-Giulio Romano adds new rooms to the CastelloIsabella superintends their decoration, and receives the bride.

ON the Feast of the Annunciation-the 25th of March-the Emperor entered Mantua in state. He was sumptuously clad in gold and silver brocade, and wore the sword and cap of Empire with which he had been invested at Bologna. At his side rode the Papal legates, Cardinals Cibo and Ippolito dei Medici, and immediately behind was the Duke of Ferrara, who had escorted him on his journey from Modena. Federico Gonzaga rode out to receive his illustrious guest as far as the Porta Pradella, accompanied by the Marchese del Vasto, who had been at Mantua for some days, and all his own valiant kinsmen. Fifty noble youths, clad in white, and bearing long silver staves in their hands, carried a white satin baldacchino over the Emperor's head as he rode through the crowded streets, under a series of triumphal arches designed by Giulio Romano,1 1 M. Sanuto, liii. 80-108,

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CHARLES V. AT MANTUA

The utmost ingenuity had been expended on these decorations. Each arch was adorned with groups of gods and goddesses, and inscribed with Greek and Latin verses. Mars and Venus, Mercury and Pallas, saluted Cæsar in the words of Virgil and in the name of Mantua. On the Piazza di San Pietro a colossal Victory held a crown of laurel over the Emperor's head. The procession paused at the gates of the Duomo, and Charles entered the church to receive the Bishop's benediction, after which he crossed the Piazza to the Castello gates, where the Marchesa Isabella was waiting at the foot of the grand staircase to welcome him to the ancestral palace of the Gonzagas.1

Here Charles spent the next four weeks, enjoying a brief respite from public business and State functions. He accompanied the Marquis on a series of hunting parties, which had been planned on a splendid scale. On Sunday the 27th, as many as 5000 riders joined in the sport, and 1000 guests were entertained at a banquet at Marmirolo, that superb palace on which Giulio Romano had lavished all the treasures of his luxuriant fancy. After dinner the Emperor joined in a game of palla, and slew a wild boar with his own hand in the hunt that followed. But the same day His Majesty nearly met with a serious accident. He was pur

suing a wounded stag, when his horse came into violent collision with that of the young Cardinal Ippolito. Both riders were thrown to the ground, and Ippolito dei Medici received a severe blow; "so that," as the Venetian, Marco Antonio Venier, wrote, "one stag, in seeking to avoid death, almost 1 G. Daïno, Cronaca, in Arch. St., App. ii. p. 232.

FEDERICO CREATED DUKE

325 caused the death of an Emperor and a Cardinal.” Fortunately, no serious harm was done, and Charles V. expressed the greatest delight with his day's sport. During the next fortnight he visited the palaces and villas of the Gonzagas, and enjoyed the refined luxury and high culture of an Italian court. He saw the treasures of Isabella's Grotta, the famous armoury in the Corte Vecchia, the triumphs of Mantegna in the palace of S. Sebastiano, and the wonderful frescoes of the story of Psyche, which Giulio Romano had painted in Federico's new Palazzo del Tè. But, more than any of these, he admired the portraits and Holy Families painted by Titian, the great Venetian master, who was to become his chosen artist in days to come.

It was a proud hour in Isabella's life, and she did the honours of her son's house and entertained her august guest with all her wonted grace. But her proudest moment was on the 8th of April, when, after signing the deed creating the marquisate of Mantua into a duchy, by virtue of his Imperial authority, and sealing it with a gold seal, the Emperor publicly proclaimed Federico Duke of Mantua from the steps of S. Pietro, in the presence of a large and enthusiastic assembly.1 On the same spot, a hundred years before, another Roman emperor, Sigismund, had proclaimed the present Duke's ancestor, Giovanni Francesco II., first Marquis of Mantua. Many, indeed, had been the perils and troubles through which the little State had passed, and great was the glory and prosperity to which the noble house of Gonzaga had attained. This, Isabella felt, was the crowning triumph of her long

1 G. Daïno, op. cit., p. 232.

326 HIS BETROTHAL TO THE INFANTA

life, the reward of her unwearied labours and passionate devotion to her family and country.

On the following morning, the betrothal of the new Duke of Mantua with his cousin, the Infanta Giulia of Aragon, was solemnised in the presence of Cæsar. The Imperial Chancellor, Cardinal Gattinara, placed the ring on the bridegroom's hand, and blessed another ring, which the Duke of Ferrara was charged to deliver to the princess. Alfonso took leave of the Emperor the next morning, and on Holy Thursday Charles V. retired to the Convent of S. Benedetto, a few miles out of the town, and spent the next three days in devout exercises. On Tuesday in Easter week, the 19th of April, he finally left Mantua, and was escorted by his host as far as Goito, on his way to Trent.1 The Imperial visit had passed off in the most successful manner, and Isabella could look back with complete satisfaction on these splendid and memorable days. Fortunately she did not know that these events, in which she saw the fulfilment of her fondest hopes, were in reality downward steps in the history of Mantua and of Italy, and that the Spanish rule would prove ere long the ruin of all that made life good and beautiful in her eyes. Four months after Charles V. left Mantua, the city of Florence surrendered to Ferrante Gonzaga, who had succeeded to the command of the Imperial armies on the death of the Prince of Orange, and the last bulwark of Italian independence was swept away.

In May, Isabella went to Venice, and spent several weeks there, enjoying change of air and rest. After all the expenses of the fêtes at Bologna and 1 M. Sanuto, liii. 154,

ISABELLA AT VENICE

327

Mantua, the Marchesa found herself very short of money, and when, in June, she wished to make some purchases before leaving Venice, she was compelled to write in great haste to her treasurer, Paolo Andreassi, begging him to send her 100 ducats on the spot. Here she saw Titian, who was engaged on several works for the Duke, and went to Bologna at his request in July, to paint the portrait of a fair lady whose bright eyes had captivated the Emperor's secretary, Covos. On the 19th of June

Isabella returned to Mantua, and soon afterwards received a letter from the painter, expressing his regret that he had been unable to pay her a farewell visit before she left Venice, and saying that he had almost finished the little "travelling" picture which she had ordered. At the same time, he begged the Marchesa to use her influence with the Duke on behalf of his son Pomponio, for whom he was anxious to obtain the benefice of Medola.1 This request was readily granted by Federico, and the promise of this rich benefice proved a sensible consolation in the loss which Titian suffered by the sudden death of his wife Cecilia. "Messer Tiziano," wrote the Mantua envoy, Benedetto Agnello, on the 4th of October, "is recovering his spirits, and hopes soon to come to Mantua." Whether he visited Mantua or not that autumn, he certainly executed several commissions for the Duke during the winter.

One of these, in which Isabella took especial interest, was a Magdalen, which Federico intended as a gift to Vittoria Colonna, Marchesa di Pescara. On the 11th of March, the Duke wrote the following letter to this accomplished lady, for whom he and all his 1 Crowe e Cavalcaselle, Titian, i. 343.