ABSTRACT
Charles VIII was never able to renew his attempt to conquer Naples, before his premature death in April 1498. While Montpensier’s army held out in Naples the king made efforts to supply and reinforce it, but there was little chance of a relief expedition. Louis’s rule over the duchy of Milan was more securely and completely established than that of Charles VIII over the kingdom of Naples had ever been. The political influence of the Dukes of Milan had reached well beyond their duchy, not just as a participant in alliances and wars, but as the patron and ‘protector’ of lesser lords and of republics such as Lucca and Siena. The accession of Louis d’Orleans as Louis XII, following the sudden death of Charles VIII on 7 April 1498, had significant implications for Italy. From the beginning of his reign, he left no doubt that the rapid conquest of the duchy of Milan was a priority for him.
