FEDERICO I d'Aragona, king of NAPLES. — Born to Ferrante I and Isabella di Chiaromonte, probably on 16 October 1451. His father entrusted him with diplomatic and military missions, including the one intended to support Carlo il Temerario against Luigi XI (1474) and to secure for F. the Burgundian inheritance through a marriage with Maria, the duke’s daughter. The project failed, and F., who had nevertheless taken part in the battle of Grandson (2 March 1476), abandoned the Temerario’s camp. Instead, he married Anna di Savoia, granddaughter of the king of France, and, after her death, Isabella del Balzo (1486).
During the conspiracy of 1485 he refused to accept his father’s throne, offered to him by the barons, and managed to escape the trap that had been set for him. After Alfonso succeeded to the throne (25 January 1494) and Carlo VIII’s offensive against the Kingdom had begun, F. operated with unfortunate results as commander of the fleet in Ligurian waters (battle of Rapollo, 14 September 1494). Following Alfonso’s abdication and the latter’s brief reign of Ferrante II, he in turn became king (7 October 1496). He succeeded in reconquering Gaeta and subduing the barons, who were perpetually rebellious. He hoped, with the help of the Catholic king, to resist Alessandro VI, who had formed an alliance with Luigi XII and had excommunicated him on 15 December 1499; these hopes were dashed by the Treaty of Granada (11 November 1500). In the absence of other allies, F. had no alternative but to negotiate with the French (25 July 1501); and in the following September he abandoned his Kingdom, renouncing it in favor of Luigi XII and receiving in compensation the disputed territories of Maine. He died at Montile-Plessis-Los-Tours on 9 November 1504. During his exile he found consolation in the friendship of Sennazaro, who had generously followed him.
Carlo de Frede