Ludovico I of Milan

Ludovico I Matteo (23rd June 1482 - 3rd December 1520) known as the Great, was a monarch of the House of Visconti who ruled as Duke of Milan from 1502 to 1514 and then on as King of Milan from 1514 until his death. He was a renowned military strategist and commander, most well-known for carving himself a Kingdom in Italy though conquest and subjugation.

Though he was notably an incompetent politician, and had little prowess for rulership and justice, he was an unparalleled strategist in Italian Warfare. He revolutionised all the armies of Italy, unifying his force into one united Royal Army, not quarrelling condottieri units.

Birth
Ludovico Matteo Visconti was born to Gian Visconti and his wife Francesca Sforza on June 23rd 1482. His father was of a relatively minor branch of House Visconti, with Gian being a cousin of Duke Francesco II and the later Duchess Isabella. At the time of Ludovico's birth, Milan was in an unstable position despite its growing power. The unstable rule of Francoise de Valois, Francesco II's mother, had left the Duchy in a precarious state.

Dynastic Instability
Ludovico grew up in the shadow of Visconti instability. Francoise had ruled as regent for her young son for years, but when the time to give up power came in 1470, she refused and armed herself with a personal garrison and maintained an iron grip on the throne of Milan. Ludovico's father, Gian, saw the boy little due to constantly being locked in Visconti political disputes in Milan, as the opposition to Francoise's unstable rule continued. When Francesco II himself murdered Francoise at the age of 28, supporters of Francoise retaliated by murdering the Duke.

Isabella, Francesco II's sister, was the next in line to inherit the Duchy of Milan, and after her came Ludovico's own father, Gian. Isabella was weak minded and frail, and thus Gian came to rule Milan in all but name. He manipulated the weak-minded Isabella into performing his will, and when Isabella took ill in 1487, Gian had his family brought to the capital. Isabella had tried to declare her husband Francois as her heir, and as such Gian had him murdered. Isabella died soon after, and Gian became Duke of Milan as Gian III, leaving Ludovico as heir to the duchy.

Childhood
Ludovico had a happy childhood, mostly living between the Palazzo Boromeo and the Castello Visconti prior to his father's ascension to the ducal seat. He grew up alongside his elder sister Isabella, who he got on well with. His parents were distant from him, however, especially his mother Francesca who possessed no maternal instincts despite bearing her husband twelve children. He was a rowdy and playful child, caring little for academics and learning during his early years, only being forced into his lessons by his father later on.

He grew strong and healthy, and was introduced to the realm when his father became Gian III of Milan in 1487. He was given a martial focused education, and became skilled with arms by the time he was 13.

[WIP]