Louise Borgia

Her father had left her mother soon after their marriage in 1499 as a kind of unofficial hostage in France to ensure that Borgia stayed loyal to French interests.

"[3] Even after the birth, it came apparent that King Louis was reluctant to release Charlotte and Louise, even if she wished to travel to Italy.

During her childhood Louise was betrothed in August of 1502 to Borgia’s godson[4][3] [5]Federigo the son of Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua.

This proposed marriage would not come to pass, however, as Louise’s grandfather Pope Alexander VI died on August 18, 1503, leaving the Borgias’ power and influence waning.

But things had changed since then, and Cesare hoped to make beneficial alliance with Francesco’s uncle the Cardinal Della Rovere.

On 12 March 1507, her father was killed at the siege of Viana in the service of her maternal uncle, King John III of Navarre.

Her mother withdrew from life to her castle of La Motte-Feuilly in Touraine and dedicated herself to mourning and administrating her estates in the company of her daughter.