1493 Alarmed at this alliance, Lodovico (Il Moro) Sforza invites Charles VIII of France to invade Naples in the interests of the Angevin claim.
1494 Death of Ferdinand as he is preparing to resist the French invasion. His son Alfonso II succeeds. Charles enters Italy. The Neapolitan fleet is defeated off Genoa.
1495 Alfonso abdicates in favour of his son Ferdinand II and retires to a monastery. Charles enters Naples; Ferdinand flees. Lodovico now becomes alarmed at Charles’ progress and forms a league against him. Charles leaves Naples in charge of a viceroy and hurriedly returns to France. Ferdinand returns to Naples. Most of his kingdom returns to his allegiance.
1496 The viceroy dies and the French garrison leaves Naples. Venice seizes Brindisi and Otranto for debt. Death of Ferdinand, succeeded by his uncle Frederick II.
1501 Louis XII of France and Ferdinand of Spain and Sicily agree by Treaty of Granada to conquer Naples and divide it between them. The conquest is easily accomplished by the duke of Nemours and Gonsalvo de Cordova. Frederick surrenders his rights to the French king and is given the duchy of Anjou.
1502 France and Spain begin to quarrel over the partition of Naples.
1503 Ferdinand adds Naples to the kingdom of Sicily.
Sicily—the Royal Line of Aragon (1458-1503 A.D.)
1458 Juan of Aragon, hitherto known as king of Navarre, receives Sicily “beyond the Pharos,” as part of his dominions on death of his brother Alfonso. Henceforth it is ruled by viceroys.
1479 Death of Juan, succeeded by his son Ferdinand the Catholic.