Pope Julius II became increasingly fearful of the French victories over the Venetians. Secretly, he concluded a peace with Venice and, allying himself with his former enemy, he now turned against the French. When the conflict continued, Charles d’Amboise, the patron of Leonardo, was killed at the battle of Correggio. He was replaced by a new French Viceroy, Gaston de Foix. Although the Pope now hired Swiss mercenaries, this invasion from the North was defeated by the young Gaston. Not to be outdone, the Pope then brought in Spanish troops.
In the ensuing bloody battle at Ravenna, the French completely defeated the armies of the Pope and Spain, despite their use of battle-cars armed with razor-sharp sickles on their wheels—strangely like the early inventions that Leonardo designed for Lorenzo de’ Medici! Although the French were victorious, they lost their brilliant young leader, Gaston de Foix, and with him they lost their heart. As a result, they were soon disorganized. The Pope’s armies renewed their attacks, and the French began a long retreat.
Once again the plague infested Milan and Leonardo’s friend, Marcantonio della Torre, died of it. After some futile attempts at recovery, the French fled across the Alps and with them went Marshal Trivulzio. Milan was left temporarily under the martial rule of the Swiss, and Leonardo with only his few apprentices was left again without a patron.
Tired and prematurely old at sixty-one, Leonardo resignedly gathered his possessions together once more and with Francesco de’ Melzi and four of his loyal pupils, he turned his back on Milan for the last time. The date was September 29, 1513. Their destination was Rome.
“We are coming from Milan by way of Florence. I have quarters being prepared for me at the Belvedere in the Vatican—by order of the Pope. Now, young man, let us pass.”
The guard at the Porta del Popolo changed his manner. He dropped his halberd and motioned to the other guards to let the riders through. He touched his helmet roughly and with a grin he said,
“I’m sorry, Sire—but you know how it is. All these people—there’s bound to be them that we don’t want here. Go ahead, your Excellency. Make way there!”
With these words he laid his spear against a jostling group of broad-hatted pilgrims blocking the entrance to the city of Rome.