1 The king of France, Louis
XII, had arrived in Italy in July and had received in Milan the Duke Valetino,
Cesare Borgia. Loius XII's court was full of small Italian deposed lords ( the da
Veranos, the Montefeltros, the Sforzas, etc) who were hoping in the king's help to free
them from the "plague" of Cesare Borgia. But Cesare was received
by Louis XII with pomp and ceremony, and returned to Romagna with the King's promise of help.