Mar/Apr 1504

With the fighting concluded, the French had one final mission upon the Italian peninsula. To settle one last bit of business, Louis, Duke of Nemours and Marshal of France marched upon Mantua. He marched not upon banners of war, but on banners of peace. This mission was to retrieve an object promised to the crown by the Gonzagas, one of great importance to the French people. That object was a sword, but not just any sword. This sword was ancient, though many of its parts had been embellished across the centuries. This sword was le Joyeuse, the personal sword of Charlemagne and a part of the crown jewels of France. It had been seized by the Marquess with the baggage train at Fornovo, and now it was to return to France. The Duke had come with his personal retinues, including the reinforcements from Neuchatel, as well as his squire, the young Count of Montpensier. He had told the young man of this great honor bestowed upon them by the king, and had promised that once they entered Paris that he would carry his marshal's baton while the young count would carry the sword to present to King Louis.

When the force reached the gates of Mantua, the Duke petitioned for peaceful entrance, so that his final mission in Italy might be completed.