stical
benefices. And one Christmas morning _he_ died childless; and three
years later the famous sack of Mantua took place. The events leading
to this crime are part of one of the most complicated episodes of
Italian history.

Ferdinand, as guardian of his brother's daughter Maria, claimed
the Duchy of Monferrato as part of his dominion; but his claim was
disputed by Maria's grandfather, the Duke of Savoy, who contended that
it reverted to him, on the death of his daughter, as a fief which had
been added to Mantua merely by the intermarriage of the Gonzagas with
his family. He was supported in this claim by the Spaniards, then at
Milan. The Venetians and the German Emperor supported Ferdinand, and
the French advanced the claim of a third, a descendant of Lodovico
Gonzaga, who had left Mantua a century before, and entered upon the
inheritance of the Duchy of Nevers-Rethel. The Duke of Savoy was one
of the boldest of his warlike race; and the Italians had great hopes
of him as one great enough to drive the barbarians out of Italy. But
nearly three centuries more were wanted to raise his family to the
magnitude of a national purpose; and Carlo Emanuel spent his greatness
in disputes with the petty princes about him. In this dispute for
Monferrato he was worsted; for at the treaty of Pavia, Monferrato was
assured to Duke Ferdinand of Mantua.

Ferdinand afterwards died without issue, and Vincenzo likewise died
childless; and Charles Gonzaga of Nevers-Rethel, who had married
Maria, Ferdinand's ward, became heir to the Duchy of Mantua, but his
right was disputed by Ferrante Gonzaga of Guastalla. Charles hurriedly
and half secretly introduced himself into Mantua without consultation
with Venetian, Spaniard, or German. While Duke Olivares of Spain was
meditating his recognition, his officer at Milan tried to seize Mantua
and failed; but the German Emperor had been even more deeply offended,
and claimed the remission of Charles's rights as a feudatory of the
Roman Empire, until he should have regularly invested him. Charles
prepared for defense. Meanwhile Spain and Savoy seized Monferrato, but
they were afterwards defeated by the French, and the Spanish Milanese
was overrun by the Venetians and Mantuans. The German Emperor then
sent down his Landsknechts, and in 1630 besieged Mantua, while the
French promised help and gave none, and the Pope exhorted Charles
to submit. The Venetians, occupied with the Uskok pirates, could do