orig. Lodovico
born April 6, 1498, Forli, Papal States
died Nov. 30, 1526, Mantua, marquisate of Mantua
Italian general.
A member of the younger branch of the Medici family , he was the son of Giovanni de' Medici, who died soon after his birth, and Caterina Sforza, of the powerful Sforza family of Milan. He took his father's name, trained as a soldier, and fought for a Medici cousin, Pope Leo X , in 151617 and 1521. In the service of the French (1522, 1525) he fought with the army of the League of Cognac in 1526 and was mortally wounded in the battle near Mantua. He was known as Giovanni dalle Bande Nere ("of the Black Bands") for the black banners his army (or bands) carried in mourning for Leo X after 1521.