in 1396, henry negotiated the neutrality of gian galeazzo visconti, duke of milan, in dealings with the french protectorate in the republic of gênes. he then fought on the side of the duke of nevers in the crusade against the ottoman empire, being captured at the end of the battle of nicopolis on 25 september 1396. he was taken prisoner and later ransomed, but died at the crusader's camp in treviso after contracting the plague in venice on his return trip.