Louis XII at Milan

CNG 100, Lot: 2184. Estimate $7500. Sold for $6000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY, Milano (Duchi). Lodovico XII di Francia. 1499-1512. AR Testone (28mm, 9.62 g, 3h). +LVDOVICVS ‘ D ‘ G ‘ FRANCORVM ‘REX ‘, capped bust right / ME-DIOL-ANI ‘D-VX, St. Ambrose on horseback right, holding whip and reins; crowned coat-of-arms of France below. CNI V 53; Crippa 3/A; Duplessy 723; Ciani 997. EF, wonderful cabinet tone. Artistic dies.

Louis XII seized control of Milan early in 1499, ousting the ruling Sforzas. In 1508, under the leadership of Pope Julius II, the French joined with the Holy Roman Empire and Spain in the League of Cambrai against Venice. The alliance soon fell apart, however, due to the League’s inability to follow up their successes and the Pope’s growing distrust of the French. The Holy League was formed in 1510, an alliance of the Pope, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, and England against Louis XII. The stunning French victory under Gaston de Foix at Ravenna in 1512 was quickly overshadowed by his death during that battle. At the same time, the Swiss invasion of Milan compelled Louis to withdraw completely from his Italian interests.