A Renaissance figure marked by both grandeur and defeat
Lord of Tortona, Bozzolo, Rivarolo Mantovano, Sabbioneta, Viadana, Luzzara, Suzzara, San Martino dall’Argine, Gazzuolo, Gonzaga, Reggiolo, and Isola Dovarese. Son of Gian Francesco Gonzaga, brother of Ludovico Gonzaga, son-in-law of Niccolò d’Este and Guidantonio Manfredi, and brother-in-law of Taddeo Manfredi.
Death: 1456, December
| Year, Month | State, Comp. ventura | Opponent | Command | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
| 1432 | |||||
| May | Venice | Milan | Lombardy | After the death of Carmagnola, he is blamed by the Venetians for his actions. | |
| 1433 | |||||
| Sept. | Lombardy | He is knighted in Mantua by Emperor Sigismund of Hungary. | |||
| 1435 | |||||
| Aug. | Lombardy | He participates in a joust organized by Filippo Maria Visconti: he unhorses numerous participants in a tournament; after some evenly matched encounters, he is surpassed by Venturino Benzoni, who wins the final prize. | |||
| 1436 | |||||
| Nov. | Lombardy | His father, Gian Francesco, recognizes him as heir to the marquisate instead of his brother Ludovico. | |||
| 1437 | |||||
| Emilia | He marries Lucia d’Este, daughter of Niccolò and Parisina Malatesta. His wife will die a few months later in June. | ||||
| Sept. | Milan | Venice | Lombardy | In the Brescia area with Niccolò Piccinino. At the end of the month, he clashes with Guglielmo Cavalcabò at Gavardo. | |
| 1439 | |||||
| Spring | Veneto | He crosses the Adige and attacks Legnago. | |||
| June | Veneto | He is defeated at Soave. He is slightly wounded above one eye. | |||
| Sept. | Lombardy | He joins Taliano Furlano at Toscolano-Maderno: in the clash, Taddeo d’Este is captured and part of the Venetian lake fleet is destroyed. | |||
| Nov. | Trentino | He participates in the battle of Tenno; he saves Niccolò Piccinino from capture while he (like Cesare da Martinengo) is taken prisoner with 200 horses and 300 infantry by Francesco Sforza and Gattamelata. There are sixty dead among the Venetians and more than 300 in the Visconti ranks. Carlo Gonzaga is taken to Verona to be imprisoned overnight in Castelvecchio. He is released in mid-January of the following year in exchange for the liberation of Domenico Malatesta. | |||
| 1440 | |||||
| Apr. | Lombardy | Under pressure from the Duke of Milan, he reconciles with his brother Ludovico in Mantua (who, for his part, had made peace with their father the previous year). | |||
| June-Nov. | Lombardy, Veneto | He breaks the communication routes between Salò and Brescia; he is defeated at Soncino. In early November, he attacks Verona near Porta Calzari. He is repulsed; he subsequently recovers Porto and has its defensive works demolished. | |||
| 1441 | |||||
| Dec. | Emilia | He attends the ceremony in Ferrara where his brother-in-law Lionello d’Este is named head of the Este state. | |||
| 1442 | Milan | 300 lances and 157 infantry | He is rehired by the ducal forces for a one-year term of service and one year of retainer. | ||
| 1443 | |||||
| Aug. | Milan | Bologna | Emilia | With Luigi dal Verme, he is defeated by the Bolognese at San Giorgio di Piano. | |
| 1444 | |||||
| Jan. | Romagna | He crosses the Forlì area with Bartolomeo Colleoni at the head of 2000 cavalry and 1000 infantry. During the march, he passes through Villafranca, Ronco, Fornovo, Carpena, and Magliano. | |||
| Feb. | Romagna | In the Cesena area. He links up with Luigi dal Verme at Mercato Saraceno. | |||
| July-Aug. | Romagna | He leaves Faenza. He is hosted in Forlì by the city’s lord, Antonio Ordelaffi. In August, he returns to Faenza with dal Verme. | |||
| Sept. | Romagna | In Imola. His father Gian Francesco dies. He inherits the fiefs of Sabbioneta, Rivarolo Mantovano, Isola Dovarese, Gazzuolo, Viadana, Luzzara, Suzzara, Gonzaga, and Reggiolo. This is a cause for new conflicts with his brother Ludovico. | |||
| 1445 | |||||
| Mar. | 400 lances | His contract is renewed by the Duke of Milan. It is increased to 400 lances. | |||
| Emilia | In Mirandola. | ||||
| July | Emilia | With Luigi da San Severino (5000 cavalry), he invades the Bologna area upon news of the assassination of Annibale Bentivoglio: 400 partisans of the Canedoli also join the ducal forces. With them, Carlo Gonzaga attacks, without success, San Giovanni in Persiceto; he besieges Monterone and forcibly enters Sant’Agata Bolognese, Crevalcore, and many other castles. He retreats after having sacked the nearby countryside. | |||
| Milan | Sforza | Marche | He moves towards the March of Ancona. Simonetto da Castel San Pietro and the Florentines oppose him, putting a stop to his raids. During the year, he marries for the second time, to Rengarda Manfredi, daughter of the lord of Faenza, Guidantonio. | ||
| 1446 | |||||
| Emilia | He links up with Guglielmo di Monferrato. He breaks into the Bologna area. | ||||
| May | Milan | Venice | Emilia | He relieves San Giovanni in Persiceto with 1000 cavalry; in this way, he forces Taddeo d’Este, Pietro Navarrino, Simonetto di Castel San Pietro, and Tiberto Brandolini to desist from the siege of the town and to retreat to Budrio. He enters into a dispute with Guglielmo di Monferrato over matters of precedence. | |
| July | Emilia | The Venetians convince his rival, Guglielmo di Monferrato, to desert to the camp of the Serenissima: Brandolini enters San Giovanni in Persiceto with the infantry of Gregorio d’Anghiari, taking advantage of the help provided by the men of Monferrato. Upon hearing the news, Gonzaga has his lances armed. The inhabitants, however, do not want to follow him, so he finds himself isolated: he is put to flight by Taddeo d’Este after suffering numerous losses. 700 cavalry of his company are captured; he reaches Modena with the exiles and only 6 horses. | |||
| Sept. | Tuscany, Lombardy | With Luigi da San Severino, he attacks Pontremoli. Transferred to Lombardy, he is defeated by Micheletto Attendolo in the battle of Mezzano. | |||
| Oct. | Milan | Florence | Marche and Tuscany | In Recanati with Cristoforo da Tolentino. He joins with San Severino and attacks Pontremoli, a fief of Sforza, which is defended by the Florentines. | |
| Nov. | Lombardy | While guarding Crema, he uncovers a treaty in favor of the Venetians: it ends with the hanging and confiscation of the property of 3 conspirators. Carlo Gonzaga issues a decree that leads to the expulsion of the Guelphs (2500 people) and the looting of their property. | |||
| 1447 | |||||
| Mar. | 1000 cavalry and 200 infantry | The Duke of Milan, Filippo Maria Visconti, renews his contract. In any case, he must pretend to have been dismissed; any of his military actions must appear to be conducted independently. | |||
| June | Lombardy | With Francesco Piccinino and Luigi dal Verme (8000 men, including infantry and cavalry), he is defeated by Attendolo at Monte di Brianza. | |||
| Aug. | Lombardy | He goes to Milan upon the death of Visconti. The insignia of the King of Naples, Alfonso of Aragon, indicated as his heir by the Duke, appear on the city castle. Carlo Gonzaga meets with the sovereign’s lieutenant, Raimondo Boilo; he swears obedience to him along with Guidantonio Manfredi, Guido Torelli, Luigi dal Verme, and the sons of San Severino: Francesco, Amerigo, and Bernabò. Upon leaving the fortress, he is dragged by the population to recognize the Ambrosian Republic, which has just been formed, and to enter its service. He robs the men-at-arms of the Aragonese captain and plunders their goods, which are in the monastery of Sant’Ambrogio. He obtains for money the castle of Porta Giovia, which is demolished by the population. While he is engaged in this operation, his men are expelled from Lodi by the rebelling inhabitants. | |||
| Sept. | Milan | Venice | Lombardy | He besieges San Colombano al Lambro with the lord of Faenza, Guidantonio Manfredi. | |
| Oct.-Dec. | Emilia | He supports Francesco Sforza at the siege of Piacenza; he blocks the city from the side of Porta Fausta. He commands the fleet in the final attack on the walls: he is not always in agreement with his captain-general, as he repeatedly threatens, due to lack of money, to move with his men to winter quarters. Nor does his image gain from his entry into Piacenza: he participates like everyone else in the sack of the city and, moreover, asks that 500 citizens who have locked themselves in a tower be given to him as a prize, upon whom he imposes a ransom. | |||
| 1448 | |||||
| Jan. | Lombardy | He sets up his winter quarters in his lands in the Mantua area. | |||
| June | Lombardy | He signs a treaty with the senate of the Ambrosian Republic which provides for the lordship of Asola, Lonato, and Peschiera del Garda in case of their conquest. | |||
| July | Lombardy | He supports Francesco Sforza in his ambitions; he leaves the Lodi area with this condottiero against the advice of Francesco and Jacopo Piccinino; he moves to the aid of Cremona. He participates in the battle of Mezzano in which the fleet of Andrea Querini is destroyed. At the end of the month, he asks the abbey of Leno for the investiture of Bozzolo and San Martino dall’Argine. | |||
| Aug.-Sept. | Lombardy | He besieges the castle of Caravaggio. With Guglielmo di Monferrato, Cristoforo Torelli, and Luigi dal Verme, he positions himself to the left of the Porta Orientale, while on the right are the condottieri of the Braccesca school. At a certain point, due to the delay in payment, he pesters Sforza with his requests: he goes so far as to ask for leave to depart. In mid-September, he takes part in the battle of Caravaggio. He is tasked with defending a bridge with Alessandro Sforza, Manno Barile, and Fiasco da Giraso: he is repulsed and barely escapes capture. Wounded by a lance thrust near an eye, he flees. He rides to Milan where he gives the news of Sforza’s defeat. Having returned to the camp, he supports him in his plan which involves crossing the Oglio and the consequent invasion of Venetian territory; he also joins him at the siege of Brescia. He is appointed by Sforza as podestà of Asola, taken from the Serenissima in the same days. | |||
| Oct. | Sforza | Milan | Lombardy | At the siege of Brescia. Under pressure from Alessandro Sforza, he initially supports Sforza following the treaty of Rivoltella, in which an alliance between the Sforzeschi and the Venetians is outlined. | |
| Nov. | Milan | Sforza, Venice | 1200 cavalry and 500 infantry | Lombardy | He abandons the Sforza camp at night with 1200 cavalry and 500 infantry; he reaches his castles on the Oglio near the Mantua area (Isola Dovarese, Bozzolo, Rivarolo Mantovano) at full gallop. All of his brother’s supporters are killed. He also seizes Sabbioneta: on this occasion, he sends the members of the local garrison to his brother Ludovico with their ears cut off. He goes to Milan; he is appointed captain of the people by the inhabitants. In this way, he has control of the government of the Ambrosian Republic. Supported by funding from Galeotto Toscani, he hopes to obtain dominion over Milan, or at least the lordship of some Lombard city. For this reason, he tries to be recognized as a point of reference, in order to gain supporters and to guide events to his advantage. |
| Dec. | Lombardy | He favors the Guelph citizens to the detriment of the Ghibellines. He comes into possession of coded messages sent by Sforza himself to the Ghibelline leaders Teodoro Bossi and Giorgio Lampugnani; he captures them with a stratagem and has them taken to the prisons of Monza where Lampugnani is beheaded: his head is brought to Milan to be publicly displayed. Teodoro Bossi, subjected to torture, denounces many accomplices who are imprisoned; 7 are beheaded in Piazza del Broletto (Piazza Mercanti). The property of the conspirators is confiscated and given to the people. Gonzaga, with Antonio da Trivulzio and Innocenzo Cotta, forms a new government; he is again elected captain of the people. The new magistrates do not follow him in his ambition, so all his attempts to seize the lordship of Milan fail. | |||
| 1449 | |||||
| Jan.-Feb. | Lombardy | He tries in vain with Francesco Piccinino to provide aid to the defenders of Crema. He is blocked on the Adda by the action of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. He is forced to return to Milan. He is in turn harshly besieged. He thinks of reconciling with Sforza; he keeps him constantly informed about the course of events in the city. He asks him for a cavalry command equal to that of Guglielmo di Monferrato, a monthly provision of 2000 ducats, a house in Pavia, the fiefs of Bassignana, Borgofranco, and Sartirana Lomellina, the recognition of the assets granted to him by the Ambrosian Republic in Monza (for an annual income of 600 ducats), Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, and the house in Milan at Porta Romana, formerly of Guido Torelli. | |||
| Mar. | Lombardy | He becomes increasingly suspicious in the eyes of the Ambrosian Republic. His men stationed at Porta Romana, in Milan, are robbed by the inhabitants themselves; they get their property back only the following day. Carlo Gonzaga takes advantage of the inaction of Francesco Piccinino, who has recently switched to the Sforza camp, and enters Monza, besieged by Sforza, with many squads of cavalry and infantry led by Michele di Piemonte. Days later, Gonzaga leaves Monza at dawn and attacks the Sforza troops, which lack effective surveillance systems. Giovanni Ventimiglia asks Francesco Piccinino for help without success. The counterattack of the Milanese soon prevails; the Sforza camp is put to fire and sword; Ventimiglia is forced to flee, Dolce dell’Anguillara is mortally wounded; dal Verme is also seriously wounded. Gonzaga captures 300 horses with all the artillery pieces and baggage wagons. | |||
| Apr. | Lombardy | In Milan, he is joined by Francesco and Jacopo Piccinino who, continuing their turnabouts, have returned to military service for the Ambrosian Republic. With them, he marches towards Crema; he forces the Venetians of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, who is besieging the city, to withdraw to Fontanella. He is in Melegnano. | |||
| May | Lombardy | He moves with the two Piccinino brothers to the aid of Melegnano at the head of 6000 cavalry, 4000 infantry, and 20000 Milanese armed mostly with arquebuses. The citizen infantry does not have the courage to face the Sforza heavy cavalry. Carlo Gonzaga then stops at San Giuliano Milanese and returns to Milan. | |||
| June | Lombardy | Francesco Sforza now moves to the siege of Vigevano; Carlo Gonzaga with Jacopo Piccinino raids along the left bank of the Po, plunders various centers, and sets fire to Villanterio. The Pavia fleet forces him to retreat. | |||
| Aug. | Lombardy | He relieves Crema from the attacks still carried out by Malatesta. | |||
| Sept. | Sforza | Milan | 2100 cavalry and 1000 infantry | Lombardy | New disorders arise in Milan, culminating in the killing of his friend Galeotto Toscani; Carlo Gonzaga’s designs meet with increasing opposition from some powerful aristocrats, the imperial legate Enea Silvio Piccolomini, and the two Piccinino brothers. This leads him to reconnect with Sforza through Francesco Capra, to betray the cause of the Milanese, and to hand over the fortress of Lodi to the Sforzeschi and that of Crema to the Venetians. In exchange, he obtains a command of 2100 cavalry and 1000 infantry: the term is set for one year with a renewal option; other terms include an annual provision of 48000 ducats, of which 12000 are advanced to him, the lordship of Tortona, Pontecurone, Vighizzolo, Pozzolo, and Casale; he is granted possession of the house at Porta Romana in the parish of San Nazario e Celso and another in Pavia. His wife is granted revenues in the Pavia area for 1000 ducats a year; with the conquest of Milan, he is finally promised another 23000/24000 ducats from the city’s treasury. He abandons Lodi and, so as not to make his betrayal seem too great, he has the city rise up against the Ambrosian Republic through his supporters. |
| Sforza | Milan, Venice | Lombardy | With the alliance of the Milanese and Venetians against Sforza, he moves to the Cremona area. He gathers 1000 cavalry who have deserted from the ranks of Francesco and Jacopo Piccinino and joins Sforza at the siege of Milan. | ||
| 1450 | |||||
| Jan. | Lombardy | He is defeated at Erba by Bartolomeo Colleoni. | |||
| Feb. | Lombardy | With Giovanni da Landriano and Giovanni Ventimiglia, he attempts to surprise Monza: the action fails because his guide, due to heavy rain, takes the wrong road and leads the Sforzeschi to Carate Brianza. Sforza finally enters Milan; Carlo Gonzaga is appointed its governor with the mandate to prohibit any tumult or robbery. | |||
| Mar. | Lombardy | He cleanses Milan of the elements most hostile to the Sforza house. He attends the proclamation of Francesco Sforza as Duke in the cathedral. With other nobles, he knights 91 people of various nationalities. | |||
| Nov. | Lombardy | He is imprisoned in the Rocchetta di Porta Romana in Milan and in the fortress of Binasco because of his protests following the agreement of Francesco Sforza with his brother Ludovico. He gets in touch with the Venetians. His attempt at betrayal is discovered. He is arrested. | |||
| 1451 | |||||
| Mar. | Emilia | Tortured, he obtains his freedom by ceding Tortona (obtained at the time); he also acknowledges the payment of a penalty of 60000 florins. The sum is lent to him by his brother through the cession of the revenues of the lands inherited from his father. He is confined to Corano. | |||
| June-July | Piedmont | When his brother Ludovico goes to Milan, he flees to the lands of the Duke of Savoy; at the end of July, he takes refuge in Venice. He is granted a monthly provision of 1000 ducats for his needs. | |||
| 1452 | |||||
| Feb. | Venice | 400 lances and 200 infantry | He is hired for a one-year term of service and one year at their pleasure; he is given command of the broken lances of the Treviso area and is granted a monthly provision of 400 ducats: for his part, he commits to the review of his men and to return to the Venetians those possessions in the Verona and Cremona areas that are still in his possession. | ||
| Apr. | Venice | Milan | Veneto | Under the command of Gentile da Leonessa, he wages war against Sforza from the Verona area. | |
| May | Lombardy | He arrives at Manerbio with 350 cavalry; he crosses the Adda at Rivolta on a pontoon bridge and raids as far as the Muzza canal, near Melzo. He attacks some bastions. | |||
| July | Lombardy | He crosses the Adda again with Carlo di Montone and Matteo da Capua to devastate the Lodi area. Alessandro Sforza comes to meet them and is defeated at Abbadia Cerreto with the capture of 400 cavalry and all the baggage wagons. Gonzaga takes part in a council of war. | |||
| Sept. | Lombardy | In the middle of the month, 50 men of his company are captured while they are guarding some herds of horses at pasture: rescued by the Venetians, he recovers the raided animals. He moves to Villachiara, where with Antonello da Forlì and Gentile da Leonessa he clashes with the Sforzeschi (capture of 8 men-at-arms). | |||
| Oct. | Lombardy | He opposes Gaspare da Vimercate at Leno; Colleoni intervenes; the latter is wounded by an arrow following the prompt response of Jacopo Piccinino’s men. | |||
| Nov. | Lombardy | He attacks Leno with bombards. He moves between Gottolengo and Iseo with Jacopo Piccinino to block the flow of supplies to the Sforza camp: he attacks a column. He is in difficulty until Gentile da Leonessa intervenes in his favor. At the camp of Ghedi with 4 companies of cavalry and 200 infantry. | |||
| Dec. | Lombardy | He assists Gentile da Leonessa in quelling some disorders that arose in the Venetian camp at Ghedi, caused by the sackmen: he has 2 of them killed by his archers. The revolt ends immediately. He guards the banks of the Adda; he is recalled to Crema due to the loss of some of the bastions defending Abbadia Cerreto. | |||
| 1453 | |||||
| Feb. | 1500 cavalry | Lombardy | His contract is renewed for one year of service and one year of retainer; in addition to the usual provision, he is guaranteed 25000 florins for the salary of his militias. He is appointed captain of the Verona area and is promised the lordship of Mantua in case of conquest of the marquisate: Ostiglia, Borgoforte, Goito, and Belforte in this case would have gone to the Venetians. | ||
| May | Veneto and Lombardy | He enters the Mantua area to retake some castles that were taken from him by his brother Ludovico; he quickly occupies Belforte and Piuforte (Bigarello). Ludovico Gonzaga, who is at Ostiglia, rushes in and with a contingent of Sforza troops attacks him from behind and puts him to flight at Castel d’Ario. He is pursued towards Legnago and beyond the Adige. | |||
| June | Lombardy and Veneto | At the head of 3000 cavalry and 500 infantry, he clashes again with his brother Ludovico and Tiberto Brandolini (who now serves the Duke of Milan) at Villabona. He suffers a new setback following a clash that lasts five hours (capture of 1000 cavalry and some squad leaders). He retreats to Vigasio with the provveditore Marino Capello. | |||
| July | Lombardy and Veneto | He is stationed with Antonello da Forlì in a bastion near Ghedi: he is driven out by his brother Ludovico. He returns to Verona and attempts a diversionary action at Montichiari. He attacks the Sforza camp at night and seizes 100 mounts. | |||
| Oct. | Lombardy | He is guarding Lonato with 8 squads of cavalry and 300 infantry; he reaches Piccinino at Ghedi and goes to Manerbio with Pietro Brunoro. He returns to Lonato. | |||
| Nov. | Lombardy | He is always reported at Lonato. | |||
| Dec. | Emilia | He takes refuge in Ferrara. | |||
| 1454 | |||||
| Lombardy | With the Peace of Lodi, he recovers the properties that were previously confiscated from him by his brother Ludovico. | ||||
| Aug. | Siena | Pitigliano | 1000 cavalry | Tuscany | He is hired by the Sienese, after obtaining permission from the Venetians, to fight the Count of Pitigliano, Aldobrandino Orsini. |
| Nov. | Tuscany | He besieges Sorano. He camps towards the mountain with 3 pieces of artillery. | |||
| Dec. | Tuscany | Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, captain-general of the Sienese, signs an unauthorized truce with the opponents just when Sorano is about to fall into the power of the republic. Carlo Gonzaga is given the task of killing the Riminese condottiero, suspected of treason. Gonzaga is shortly after accused, in turn, of having been aware of every plot and of not having done anything to thwart it. He moves away from the territory of Sorano, leaves the artillery unguarded, and raids the Sienese territory. He enters Orbetello and sacks it. The commissioner Antonio Petrucci arrives in the town with most of the Sienese infantry. He meets with Petrucci; he tries to justify his conduct. Having fallen ill, the ambassador of the Serenissima comes to visit him. He is sharply reprimanded: as a result, he returns Orbetello and is forgiven by the Sienese for his misdeeds. He is tasked with occupying Marsiliana. | |||
| 1455 | |||||
| Jan. | Tuscany | In the general chaos, he enters into a dispute with Giberto da Correggio, another Sienese condottiero; he takes 2 bombards from him which he brings to Castell’Ottieri. | |||
| June | Siena | Mercenary Company | Tuscany | He is contacted by Silvestro da Lucino to join Jacopo Piccinino’s company to invade the Sienese territory. He does not accept the invitation; on the contrary, he opposes the threats brought to that territory by Piccinino himself. He joins with Giberto da Correggio and Pietro Brunoro; with these captains, he opposes the adversary at Magliano in Toscana. | |
| Aug. | In precarious economic conditions. | ||||
| 1456 | |||||
| Mar. | Emilia | He moves to Ferrara with his second wife Rengarda Manfredi. | |||
| May | In search of a commission. He offers his services in vain to the Aragonese. | ||||
| June | Romagna | He leaves Faenza and goes to Forlì with 20 horses. He is hosted in the city by Cecco and Pino Ordelaffi. At the end of the meal, he returns to Faenza. | |||
| Dec. | Emilia | He dies of a hemorrhage in Ferrara; without heirs. His assets, therefore, pass to his brother Ludovico. He is buried in the sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie near Mantua. A disciple of Vittorino da Feltre. Medal by Pisanello. Lorenzo Spirito mentions him in “Lamento di Perugia soggiogata”. He is also the protagonist of the eponymous nineteenth-century historical drama by Riccardo Ceroni. He marries Lucia d’Este, daughter of Niccolò, and in his second marriage Rengarda Manfredi, sister of Taddeo. |
Sources
-“Fece molte opere degne.” ALBERTI
-“Dux quidem ut statura,ita et animo et prudentia maximus..Duce mea sententia, ut praestante animo, ita in re militari prudentissimo.” PORCELLIO
-“Pessimo uomo per l’animo corrotto da insaziabile sete di dominio.” MAGENTA
-“Condottiere di celebrità, non già per valore, ma per le molte vicende di sua vita, gigantesco di statura, uomo turbolento e di corta fede.” LITTA
-“Grande di corpo, di forza e assai eloquente.” SANSOVINO
-“Con Cristoforo Torelli e Antonio Ventimiglia “Clari bello viri praefectique singularum turmarum.” RIPAMONTI
-“One of the most prestigious condottieri.” MALLETT
-“Fece gran torto al suo nascimento e alla virtù militare, ch’egli hebbe in alto grado, essendo come Annibale pieno di poca fede e di molto valore.” MAFFEI
-Con Ludovico Gonzaga “Homini preclarissimi nelle arme et lectere.” NOTAR GIACOMO
-Con Guglielmo di Monferrato “Risplendevano nelle battaglie quali astri luminosi.” V. DE CONTI
-“La sua figura rimane in qualche modo incompiuta: fu un buon capitano, consapevole del suo rango e talora proiettato verso vicende politiche di più ampia prospettiva, forse memore, come ricorda la storiografia mantovana, della signoria su Mantova che per breve tempo sembrò essergli destinata per l’allontanamento del fratello Ludovico, ma non ebbe l’opportunità, o la capacità, di perseguire coerentemente disegni di più largo respiro.” LAZZARINI
-“Sebbene discepolo di Vittorino da Feltre viene concordemente definito di “corto cervello”, di “cortissima fede” e di nessuna cultura.” E. BARTOLINI
-“Il Racheli (Delle memorie di Sabbioneta) traccia un diffuso ritratto, fisico e psicologico dello sfortunato ed ambizioso, Carlo, dal quale possiamo apprendere tutti i numerosi vizi e difetti, come le virtù e le doti che contribuirono a formare insieme la complessa personalità del primo Gonzaga, signore di Sabbioneta, sia pure per poco tempo.” AGOSTA DEL FORTE
