ABSTRACT
Isabella d’Este and Francesco Gonzaga’s teamwork is demonstrated in their response to the threat Cesare Borgia posed to the Italian states between 1499 and 1503, a period requiring from the Gonzaga a delicate political balancing act and excellent skills in masking. The couple’s policy involved projecting different fronts to ensure Mantua would be considered a loyal ally by prevailing powers. Their correspondence, particularly dense once Francesco departed for the court of Louis XII leaving Isabella to govern Mantua, suggests shared political decision making. While previous chapters have illustrated domestic power sharing, showing shared resources, administration, and authority, and Isabella and Francesco’s reaction to various problems with members of the court, this chapter specifically considers their power sharing in foreign policy, as they worked together for the security and advancement of the state.
