Ferdinand II of Naples

Ferdinand II (1469-1496), king of Naples, was the grandson of Ferdinand I, and son of Alphonso II.

Alphonso finding his tenure of the throne uncertain on account of the approaching invasion of Charles VIII of France and the general dissatisfaction of his subjects, abdicated in his son's favour in 1495, but notwithstanding this the treason of a party in Naples rendered it impossible to defend the city against the approach of Charles VIII.

Ferdinand fled to Ischia; but when the French king left Naples with most of his army, in consequence of the formation of an Italian league against him, he returned, defeated the French garrisons, and the Neapolitans, irritated by the conduct of their conquerors during the occupation of the city, received him back with enthusiasm; with the aid of the great Spanish general Gonzalo de Cordova he was able completely to rid his state of its invaders shortly before his death, which occurred on September 7 1496.

This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.