The life of Leonardo da Vinci by John William Brown
Leonardo da Vinci achieves glory at the Court of Ludovico Sforza "Il Moro"
We also learn from an old manuscript, in which there is a memorandum in his hand-writing, that he invented and directed a sort of joust or tournament given by Messer Galeazzo da Sanseverino to the Duke and his Court; which he incidentally mentions from the circumstance of his servant Jachomo having committed a theft on the occasion.
On the 26th of January 1491, I being in the house of Messer Galeazzo da Sanseverino, to superintend his fete or tournament, and some of the footmen having taken off their clothes in order to try on the dress of savages which were necessary for the entertainment, Jachomo got hold of the purse belonging to one of them, which was lying on the bed, and took out the money. In 1499, II Moro having formed a plan to turn the waters of the Ticino, in order to fertihze the country to the right of that river, had recourse to Leonardo's knowledge of hydraulics to carry his intentions into execution. We know from his notes, that about that time he visited Sesto Calende, Varal pombio, and Vegevano, where, "al 20 di Marzo del 1492," he observes that " nella vernata le vigne si sotterano." copper, and that the designs of several old plates, representing the most celebrated literary men at Ludovico's court, were of his composition.
It is also said that these were the first examples of an author's portrait being prefixed to his works, unless we credit Pliny's account that the Romans were accustomed to make use of engravings on wood. His beautiful picture of the Virgin and Child with St. John and St. Michael, now in possession of Count San Vitale of Parma, is dated in that year; and, what is almost without example in his works, is inscribed "Leonardo Vinci fece 1401." The political events of this year are too intimately connected with Da Vinci's life to be passed over without observation, as the circumstances which increased Il Moro's power only served, by fomenting his ambition, to accelerate his ruin, which ultimately occasioned a material change in Leonardo's fortunes.
The loss of the great Lorenzo de' Medici, who died about that time, clearly proved the importance of such an individual in a nation divided into numerous petty states, whose contending interests had only been kept within bounds by his superior energy and conciliatory policy.
Italy was never to well acquainted with his worth as at the moment she had to deplore his loss; for there remained no prince who had sufficient authority to preserve the balance of power. Ludovico it Moro, not content with possessing the actual government, was also ambitious of having the title of Duke, and had therefore long been impatient to deprive his nephew of the mere shadow of sovereignty which he had left him. No longer awed by the superior talents of Lorenzo de' Medici, he wished to arrogate to himself the influence which that great man had universally possessed among the princes of Italy, not from any personal vanity, or foolish love of popularity, but to secure his grand object of usurping his nephew's throne.
To compass this, it became necessary that he should make as many friends as possible, and gain such credit with the greater powers of Europe as should render it their interest to maintain him in the government of Milan. This was only to be done by forming some powerful alliance which would strengthen his precarious situation; and in the year 1493, he succeeded in concluding the greatest marriage to which the House of Sforza could possibly pretend, by uniting his niece Bianca Maria Sforza, the young Dukes sister, to the Emperor Maximilian of Austria.
The Regent had privately stipulated with the Emperor that he ahould be considered as the eldest son of Frances. the First, as his brother, the late Duke Galeazzo Maria, was born before their father was called to the throne, and when he was only in a private station; and therefore, that he should be invested with the Duchy, in preference to Giovan-Galeazzo. By this subterfuge he endeavoured to establish his claim; and the Emperor, as feudal lord, granted the investiture of the Duchy of Milan to Il Moro, on condition of receiving 400,000 florins in money as his wife's dowry, who, besides, had the value of 100,000 florins given to her in jewels and gold.
This shameful arrangement to irritated the pride of Giovanni Galeazzo's young wife, Isabella of Arragon, that she determined to contend against it, and sent the most urgent requests to her father, Alfonso, eldest one of Ferdinand of Arragon, King of Naples, entreating him to come to her own and her husband's relief, the weak state of whose health gave her most serious alarm. The King of Naples immediately sent ambassadors to Milan, bitterly reproaching Ludovico for the injustice of his conduct, and desiring him to relinquish his nephew's sovereignty, under pain of his displeasure.
