martìno had inherited the county of monza as the great nephew of antonio de leyva, a spaniard who became a notorious commander in italy at the service of charles v, who gave him the fiefdom of monza, with its related and substantial incomes. martino was the second son of luis de leyva, prince of ascoli, who was an army captain and first spanish governor of milan.after the death of her mother virginia in 1576, the infant marianna was entered into a long trial for her inheritance, which was eventually not resolved in her favor. her mother wanted to give half of her possessions to marianna and the other half to her first son, marco pio, who was her child from an earlier marriage. her will was contested by marco pio's sisters, who had been left nothing.