TIMELINE YEAR DATE EVENT 1388 Giangaleazzo Visconti’s testament bequeaths Milan to his sons or—if they should all die—to his daughter Valentina 1395 11 May Emperor Wenceslaus creates Duchy of Milan for Giangaleazzo 1396 13 October Emperor Wenceslaus extends Duchy of Milan in second investiture 1447 18 August Ambrosian Republic declared 1450 26 February Francesco I Sforza assumes control of Duchy of Milan 1466 8 March Francesco I Sforza dies; his son Galeazzo Maria becomes duke 1476 26 December Galeazzo Maria Sforza assassinated 1480 7 October Ludovico Sforza assumes nominal control of duchy 1494 September King Charles VIII invades Italy 1495 26 March Maximilian I invests Ludovico Sforza with Duchy of Milan 6 July Battle of Fornovo 1499 2 September Ludovico flees Milan; city and duchy surrender to France 1500 27 January Pro- Sforza insurrection; Ludovico’s restoration 10 April ­Battle of Novara; Ludovico captured; Milan returns to French control 1502 July- August Louis XII visits Lombardy ix x TIMELINE 1505 7 April Haguenau Conference— Maximilian I invests Louis XII with Duchy of Milan 1506 June Genoa revolts against French rule 1507 April- May Louis XII puts down Genoese revolt; visits Milan 1509 14 May ­Battle of Agnadello 14 June Maximilian I re- invests Louis XII with Duchy of Milan 1511 2 November Council of Pisa- Milan against Julius II opens 1512 11 April ­Battle of Ravenna; French rule of Milan begins to crumble 21 April Council of Pisa- Milan declares Julius II deposed; Julius opens Fifth Lateran Council 12 August Massimiliano Sforza created Duke of Milan 1513 6 June ­Battle of Ariotta (Novara) 19 November French garrison in castle of Milan surrenders 1515 1 January Louis XII dies; François I assumes crown 13 September ­Battle of Marignano; Massimiliano Sforza ousted; François I assumes control of Milan 1521 20 November French withdraw from Milan (except castle); Morone assumes governorship in name of Francesco II Sforza 1522 27 April ­Battle of Bicocca 1523 14 April French garrison in castle of Milan surrenders 1524 23 October French recapture Milan 1525 24 February ­Battle of Pavia; French lose Milan; François I taken prisoner 27 July Charles V invests Francesco II Sforza with Duchy of Milan 30 July Marquis of Pescara writes Charles V of Morone’s plot 14 October Marquis of Pescara arrests Girolamo Morone for treason TIMELINE xi 1526 24 July Francesco II exits Milan’s castle after several months under imperial siege; flees to Como 1527 January Spanish troops depart Milan; replaced by Swiss and Italian forces 1528 Milan governed by Leyva; city assaulted by Sforza, Venetian, and French forces 1529 6 August Peace of Cambrai; France renounces Lombard claims 29 November Charles V re- invests Francesco II Sforza with Duchy of Milan 1530 14 January Francesco II’s forces assume control of Milan 1531 15 February Spanish garrison in castle of Milan departs peacefully 1533 13 October Duchess Christina of Denmark enters Milan 1535 2 November Francesco II Sforza dies; Leyva named governor of Milan .