Giovanna d'Aragona, Duchess of Amalfi

Her tragic life inspired several works of literature, most notably John Webster's play, The Duchess of Malfi.

Five months later, in March 1499, his son, also called Alfonso, was born and immediately invested with the Duchy of Amalfi as his father's only heir.

[2] Pregnant again, and perhaps aware that her secret could no longer be kept, she suddenly left Amalfi with a large retinue in November 1510, claiming to be going on a pilgrimage to Loreto.

The couple then went to Siena, from which she tried to get to Venice, but was intercepted by agents sent by her powerful family, who brought her and her three children by Antonio back to Amalfi.

[1] Her husband survived in Milan, unaware of his wife's fate, apparently believing that his family were alive but held in confinement.

[4] The tragic story has inspired many literary works, taking their account of events from Matteo Bandello's version.