Federico II Gonzaga

In his youth he spent a lot of time at the papal and French courts as a guarantor of Mantua's loyalty to the obligations assumed during the years of the Italian Wars . In Paris and Rome, he made valuable acquaintances. Like his ancestors, he understood and appreciated art. It was for him that Correggio wrote a great series of mythological paintings, Giulio Romano built the inimitable palazzo del Te , and Raphael captured Federico in the " School of Athens ".

Having replaced his father on the throne of Mantua in 1519 , Federico became famous as an experienced horse breeder , who supplied horses to almost all the rulers of Europe. After the battle of Marignano, in collaboration with Prospero, Colonna took possession of the city of Parma on the instructions of the pope. Flattered by the success, Leo X appointed him commander of the papal armies on the condition that Federico would not oppose Emperor Charles V , for the Habsburgs had long been patronizing the rulers of Mantua. For this reason, Federico II was inactive when the imperial troops passed his lands to the south, where they ravaged the papal capital . He died at the age of 40, whether from smallpox or from syphilis .

Federico sought to gain possession of the Margraine of Montferrat, where the Paleology dynasty faded. In the hope of a speedy death of Margrave Boniface IV, he signed a marriage contract with his sister Maria , but upon the recovery of his future father-in-law, he agreed with the Vatican to invalidate the contract with reference to the machinations that his bride allegedly wove against the metressa, Isabella Bosketti.

In 1530, Federico promised the emperor that he would marry his cousin Julia of Aragon and, on the occasion of the signing of the marriage contract, was elevated by the emperor to the dukes. Meanwhile, Boniface of Monferratos fell from his horse and died. Having paid a compensation of 50 thousand ducats, Federico resumed the matchmaking to his daughters. After the death of Maria of Monferrat, her sister Margarita became his wife. Children from this marriage:

• Francesco III Gonzaga (1532-1550), Duke of Mantua and Margrave of Montferrat.
• Guglielmo I Gonzaga (1538-1587), Duke of Mantua and Margrave of Montferrat; wife - Eleanor of Austria .
• Lodovico Gonzaga (1539–1595), Duke of Retel; wife - Henrietta Neverskaya .
• Federico Gonzaga (1540-1565), Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Isabella Gonzaga (1537-1579); husband: c. 1530–1571], Marquis di Pescaro and de Vasto.

• Famous pair portrait of Federigo and his wife, painted by Titian .

• The emblem ( impresa ) of the duke was a lizard . Her image was accompanied by the motto Quod huic deest me torquet (“I am oppressed by what she does not lack”) - a hint at the lady who was the subject of his passion. For images, see the Ducal Castle in Mantua ^[1] .