BIANCA SFORZA 
spent the next three weeks in the company of Lodovico 
and Beatrice and their children, enjoying the freedom 
of country life and the excellent hunting which he 
found at the Duke’s superb country-seat. 
A fortnight later the Venetian ambassadors, Antonio 
Grimani and Marco Morosini, arrived at Vigevano to 
pay their respects to the Emperor, and were conducted 
by the Duke himself to the fine new palace near the 
Porta Nuova, which Leonardo had lately built for 
Bianca and her lord. Messer Galeaz was unluckily 
confined to his bed by a sharp attack of fever, and 
it was his young wife who welcomed her father’s 
guests, and did the honours of her house with the 
most winning grace. 
The historian, Marino Sanudo, who was attached 
to the Venetian Embassy, has described the audience 
granted by the Emperor to the envoys on the following 
day. His Imperial Majesty, a magnificent-looking 
man with commanding presence and whitening locks, 
clad in black velvet and wearing the collar of the 
Golden Fleece, received the ambassadors, seated on a 
dais draped with cloth of gold, between the Duke 
of Milan and the Cardinal-legate. The Venetian 
secretary was profoundly impressed by Maximilian’s 
stately courtesy, and by Beatrice’s devotion to her 
children and husband, whose side she seldom left, 
and whom she helped in all the negotiations which 
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