Background
Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only seven years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and he became the Duke of Milan.
Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only seven years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and he became the Duke of Milan.
Ludovico later became the duke after Gian Galeazzo"s death, which was widely viewed as suspicious. Concerning Gian Galeazzo"s death in 1494 at Pavia, the Italian historian Francesco Guicciardini had to say in his Louisiana Historia di Italia (The History of Italy): The rumor was widespread that Giovan Galeazzo"s death had been provoked by immoderate coitus. Nevertheless, it was widely believed throughout Italy that he had died not through natural illness nor as a result of incontinence, but had been poisoned … one of the royal physicians … asserted that he had seen manifest signs of lieutenant