Passage: Mantua is the ancestral city where the male line of the Gonzaga dynasty ruled, first as marquesses, then after 1540 as dukes, in vassalage to the Holy Roman Empire. Monferrato was a duchy since 1574 on the eastern side of Piedmont, and an Imperial fief since the eleventh or twelfth century. The Gonzagas had enlarged their realm with Monferrato after receiving it in dowry from the wife of duke Frederick II Gonzaga. On 22 September 1612, Francis IV, Duke of Mantua and Monferrato died at the age of 26. His death occurred only a couple of months after the death of his father Vincent I, Duke of Mantua. He left only a three-year-old daughter, Maria of Mantua. Francis IV also had two younger brothers who, both being cardinals, could not marry and were thus ineligible to succeed to Mantua's throne. Nonetheless, Francis' two brothers, Ferdinando I  and Vincenzo II , eventually did become Dukes of Mantua. Despite marrying, following the resignation of Ferdinando and the expulsion of Vincenzo from the Sacred College of Cardinals, neither produced any legitimate children. A crisis erupted when Vincenzo II died on 26 December 1627 at the age of 33, the same day that his niece Maria Gonzaga's marriage with Charles de Nevers was celebrated. Nevers was the eldest son and heir of Charles, Duke of Nevers, Rethel and Mayenne. Moreover, he was the head of the cadet branch of the House of Gonzaga, and after Vincenzo II, heir male of the Duchy of Mantua.
Did Francis IV die first or did Vincent I die first? How many children did Ferdinando I and Vincenzo II produce? How many children did Francis IV leave behind when he died? How many children did Francis' brothers, Ferdinando I and Vincenzo II have? How many years after Monferrato became a duchy did Francis IV die? How many years after the male line of the Gonzaga dynasty ruled Mantua as dukes did Monferrato become a duchy? How many years older than Francis IV, upon his death, was Vincenzo II, upon his death? How many years passed between the death of Vincent I and Vicenzo II? How many years was it from the death of Francis IV to the death of Vincenzo II? What year was Francis IV born in? What year was Francis IV, Duke of Mantua and Monferrato born? What year was Maria of Mantua born in? What year was Vincenzo II born in? What year was Vincenzo II born? Who died later, Vincent I or Francis IV? Who never produced any children? Who succeeded Vincenzo II? Who was Charles de Nevers' father? Who was Maria of Mantua's father? Who was older at the time of his death, Francis IV or Vincent I? Who was the eldest son of Charles, Duke of Neveres, Rethel and Mayenne? Who was the heir male of the Duchy of Mantua? Whoe was Mariea of Mantua's father?