Condottiero fought to improve the town of his birth
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| Ludovico Gonzaga in a detail from a painting by Andrea Mantegna |
Ludovico Gonzaga, who ruled his native city for 34 years,
was born on this day in 1412 in Mantua.
He grew up to fight as a condottiero - a military leader for hire - and
in 1433 he married Barbara of Brandenburg, the niece of the Holy Roman Emperor,
Sigismund.
After Ludovico entered the service of the Visconti family in
Milan, he and his wife were exiled from Mantua by his father, Gianfrancesco I.
But father and son were later reconciled and Ludovico became
Marquis of Mantua in 1444, inheriting territory that had been reduced in size
and was impoverished after years of war.
He continued to serve as a condottiero, switching his
allegiance between Milan, Florence, Venice and Naples, to gain territory and
secure peace for Mantua.
The high point of his reign came when Pope Pius II held a
Council in Mantua between 1459 and 1460 to plan a crusade against the Ottoman
Turks. Although the Pope was unimpressed with Mantua and criticised the food
and wine afterwards, the event earned prestige for Ludovico, whose son,
Francesco, was made a Cardinal.
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| The Torre dell'Orologio Gonzaga built for Mantua |
During Ludovico’s reign, he paved the streets of Mantua,
built a clock tower and reorganised the city centre. He also appointed Andrea
Mantegna to be court artist to the Gonzaga family.
Ludovico died in 1478 in Goito, to the north of Mantua,
during an outbreak of plague and was subsequently buried in Mantua Cathedral.
Having fathered 14 legitimate children, Ludovico was
succeeded by his eldest surviving son, who became Federico I of Mantua.
Travel tip:
Mantua is an atmospheric old city in Lombardy, to the south
east of Milan, famous for its Renaissance Palazzo Ducale, the seat of the
Gonzaga family between 1328 and 1707. The Camera degli Sposi is decorated with
frescoes by Andrea Mantegna, depicting the life of Ludovico Gonzaga and his
family. The beautiful backgrounds of imaginary cities and ruins reflect
Mantegna’s love of classical architecture.
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| The Cathedral of St Peter in Mantua |
Travel tip:
Ludovico III was buried in the Cathedral of Saint Peter in
Mantua, where his ancestor, Ludovico I, the founder of the Gonzaga family, is
also buried. There was a church on the site from early Christian times,
followed by a later building that was destroyed by fire. The current church was
built between 1395 and 1401. It was given a baroque façade made from Carrara
marble during the 18th century.