Guidobaldo da Montefeltro

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Portrait of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro by Raphael.

Guidobaldo (Guido Ubaldo) da Montefeltro also known as Guidobaldo I (January 17, 1472 – April 10, 1508) was an Italian condottiero and the Duke of Urbino from 1482 to 1508.

[edit] Biography

Born in Gubbio, he succeeded his father Federico da Montefeltro as Duke of Urbino in 1482.

Guidobaldo married Elisabetta Gonzaga, the sister of Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua. They could not issue any children, due to the impotency of Guidobaldo, but Elisabetta refused to divorce.

As captain he fought for Pope Alexander VI alongside the French troops of King Charles VIII of France during the latter's invasion of southern Italy; later, he was hired by the Republic of Venice against Charles. In 1496, while fighting for the Pope near Bracciano, Guidobaldo was taken prisoner by the Orsini and the Vitelli, being freed the following year.

Guidobaldo was forced to flee Urbino in 1497 to escape the armies of Cesare Borgia, but came back after Cesare Borgia's father, pope Alexander VI, had died in 1503. He adopted Francesco Maria della Rovere, his sister's child and nephew of pope Julius II, thus uniting the seigniory of Senigallia with Urbino. He aided pope Julius II in reconquering the Romagna.

The court of Urbino was at that time one of the most refined and elegant among Italian courts. Many men of letters met there. The Italo-English historian Polydore Vergil may have worked in the service of Guidobaldo and Elisabetta as well as Baldassare Castiglione, the author of the book Il Cortigiano, in which he described the court of Urbino.

Guidobaldo died by pellagra in Fossombrone, at the age of 36. Francesco Maria della Rovere succeeded him.

[edit] References

Rendina, Claudio (1985). I capitani di ventura. Rome: Newton Compton, pp. 393-394.
Stewart, James, Calculus Vol. II, 5th Edition

Preceded by Federico III	Duke of Urbino 1482–1502	Succeeded by Cesare Borgia
Preceded by Cesare Borgia	Duke of Urbino 1503–1508	Succeeded by Francesco Maria I della Rovere