François II of Mantoue

François II Gonzague , in Italian Francesco II Gonzaga , born the August 10th 1466 with Mantoue - died the March 29th 1519 with Mantoue, was a noble Italian, Condottiere with the service of the duke of Milan, then of the République of Venice. It was the fourth marquis de Mantoue (area of Lombardy in Italy).

Francois, oldest son of Frederic I {{er}} of Mantoue and Marguerite of Bavaria, is 18 years old when his/her father dies in 1484.

As of before succeeding to him, it had entered, in 1483, with the service of the duke of Milan, Jean Galéas II Sforza as a captain, service which it renews in 1485 and 1486. In 1489, it puts at the service République of Venice, a more important state whose it wanted to avoid the influence while approaching some.

It is in 1495, whereas the king of France Charles VIII started the first war of Italy to go to take again the Royaume of Naples, that the Ligue of Venice is made up to force it to leave Italy. François II is named general governor of the Venetian armies and takes the head of the armies of the coalition. The confrontation will take place during the Bataille of Fornoue, close to Parma, French victory insofar as the French, who in fact returned to France, had less deaths and wounded that the coalition and could carry on their road, victory of the league insofar as the luggage and the Neapolitan war treasure of the French Army were plundered or begun again by the troops of François II. At the very least, this last was thanked for it by a nomination with the rank for general captain and its salaries were increased.

In 1499, second war of Italy: this time, the king of France east Louis XII and it comes to take again with Ludovic '' More '' the duchy of Milan, heritage of his/her grandmother Valentine Visconti usurped by François I {{er}} Sforza, father of the More . The coalition anti-Milanese woman is free-Venetian and François II puts himself at the service of king de France. This last will do it knight of the Ordre of Saint-Michel of which he will become Master in 1507.

During the third war of Italy, Louis XII reconquers Milan which had been taken again by Ludovic More and seizes Naples. François II is named lieutenant-general of the kingdom of Naples in 1503 for one short duration since the French, after three defeats, lose Naples in again 1504.
François II becomes lieutenant in the pontifical troops in 1506 and Gonfalonnier in 1510 will be .

In the plan of the administration of sound marquisat, François II was the organizer of a certain number of improvements of the public life. He encouraged agriculture by instituting the storage of the grain with an aim of fighting against the possible food shortages. He created a body of communal civils servant in charge of the maintenance of law and order and safety of Mantoue. He also reorganized the administration of justice.

François II Maria, the February 12th 1490, with Isabelle d' Este (1474-1539), a princess of a rare beauty which was one of the great figures of the Italian Renaissance. It was the girl of Hercules I {{er}} of Este, duke of Ferrare, Modena and Reggio of Emilie and Éléonore de Naples.
They had eight children:

• Éléonore de Mantoue (1493-1550) which will marry in 1507 François Marie I {{er}} della Rovere, duke of Urbin;
• Margherita (1496-1496);
• Frederic which will be the 5th marquis then 1st duke of Mantoue, titrated Frederic II;
• Livia (1501-1508);
• Ippolita (1503-1570) which will be nun with Mantoue;
• Ercole (1505-1563) which will be bishop of Mantoue in 1521 then cardinal in 1527 and which will be one of the presidents of the Concile of Thirty;
• Ferdinand (Shoeing) which will be the 1st count of Guastalla and chief of the line of Gonzague de Guastalla;
• Paola (1508-1569) which will be nun franciscaine in Mantoue.

François II is deceased in 1519, at the 52 years age.