House of Sforza
Encyclopedia
Sforza was a ruling family of Renaissance
Italy
, based in Milan
.
(1369–1424), called Sforza (from sforzare, to exert or force), a condottiero from Romagna
serving the Angevin
kings of Naples
. He was the most successful dynast of the condottieri
.
His son Francesco I Sforza
ruled Milan for the first half of the Renaissance
era, acquiring the title of Duke of Milan from the extinct Visconti
family in 1447.
Rising from peasant origins, the Sforzas became condottieri and used this military position to become rulers in Milan. The family governed by force, ruse, and power politics, similar to the Medici
in Florence
. Under their rule the city-state flourished and expanded. The family also held the seigniory of Pesaro
, starting from Muzio Attendolo's second son, Alessandro
(1409–1473). The Sforza held Pesaro until 1519, with the death of Galeazzo
. Muzio's third son, Bosio (1411–1476), founded the branch of Santa Fiora
, who held the title of count of Cotignola
; the Sforza ruled the small county of Santa Fiora
in southern Tuscany
until 1624. Members of this family also held important ecclesiastical and political position in the Papal States, and moved to Rome in 1674.
The Sforza would later join with the Borgia Family
, through the arranged marriage
of Lucrezia Borgia
to Giovanni
(the illegitimate son of Costanzo I of Pesaro
http://www.gradara.com/italiano/signoria_sforza.htm).
Ludovico Sforza
(also known as Ludovico il Moro, famous also for taking Leonardo da Vinci
at his service) was defeated in 1500 by the French army of Louis XII of France
- see also Italian Wars
.
After the French
were driven out by Imperial German
troops, Maximilian Sforza
, son of Ludovico, became Duke of Milan, until the French returned under Francis I of France
and imprisoned him.
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, based in Milan
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
.
History
The dynasty was founded by Muzio AttendoloMuzio Sforza
Muzio Attendolo Sforza was an Italian condottiero. Founder of the Sforza dynasty, he led a Bolognese-Florentine army at the Battle of Casalecchio.He was the father of Francesco Sforza, who ruled Milan for 16 years....
(1369–1424), called Sforza (from sforzare, to exert or force), a condottiero from Romagna
Romagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
serving the Angevin
House of Valois-Anjou
The Valois House of Anjou, or the Younger House of Anjou, was a noble French family, deriving from the royal family, the House of Valois. They were monarchs of Naples, as well as various other territories....
kings of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. He was the most successful dynast of the condottieri
Condottieri
thumb|Depiction of [[Farinata degli Uberti]] by [[Andrea del Castagno]], showing a 15th century condottiero's typical attire.Condottieri were the mercenary soldier leaders of the professional, military free companies contracted by the Italian city-states and the Papacy, from the late Middle Ages...
.
His son Francesco I Sforza
Francesco I Sforza
Francesco I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the founder of the Sforza dynasty in Milan, Italy. He was the brother of Alessandro, with whom he often fought.-Early life:...
ruled Milan for the first half of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
era, acquiring the title of Duke of Milan from the extinct Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
family in 1447.
Rising from peasant origins, the Sforzas became condottieri and used this military position to become rulers in Milan. The family governed by force, ruse, and power politics, similar to the Medici
Medici
The House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
in Florence
History of Florence
Florence is a major historical city in Italy, distinguished as one of the most outstanding economical, cultural, political and artistic centres in the peninsula from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance.-Prehistoric evidence:...
. Under their rule the city-state flourished and expanded. The family also held the seigniory of Pesaro
Pesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
, starting from Muzio Attendolo's second son, Alessandro
Alessandro Sforza
Alessandro Sforza was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family.-Biography:...
(1409–1473). The Sforza held Pesaro until 1519, with the death of Galeazzo
Galeazzo Maria Sforza
Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical....
. Muzio's third son, Bosio (1411–1476), founded the branch of Santa Fiora
Santa Fiora
Santa Fiora is a comune in the Province of Grosseto, in the Italian region of Tuscany, located about 110 km southeast of Florence and about 40 km east of Grosseto...
, who held the title of count of Cotignola
Cotignola
Cotignola is a comune in the Province of Ravenna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 50 km southeast of Bologna and about 20 km west of Ravenna....
; the Sforza ruled the small county of Santa Fiora
County of Santa Fiora
The County of Santa Fiora was a small historical state of southern Tuscany, in central Italy. Together with the county of Sovana, it was one of the two subdivisions into which the possessions of the Aldobrandeschi, then lords of much of southern Tuscany, were split in 1274.At the moments of its...
in southern Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
until 1624. Members of this family also held important ecclesiastical and political position in the Papal States, and moved to Rome in 1674.
Borgia
The Borgias, also known as the Borjas, Borjia, were a European Papal family of Italian and Spanish origin with the name stemming from the familial fief seat of Borja belonging to their Aragonese Lords; they became prominent during the Renaissance. The Borgias were patrons of the arts, and their...
, through the arranged marriage
Arranged marriage
An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...
of Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
to Giovanni
Giovanni Sforza
Giovanni Sforza d'Aragona was an Italian condottiero, lord of Pesaro and Gradara from 1483 until his death. He is best known as the first husband of Lucrezia Borgia...
(the illegitimate son of Costanzo I of Pesaro
Costanzo I Sforza
Costanzo I of Sforza was an Italian condottiero, lord of Pesaro and Gradara.He was the son of Alessandro Sforza, under whom he fought in his early years and from whom he inherited the lordship of Pesaro...
http://www.gradara.com/italiano/signoria_sforza.htm).
Ludovico Sforza
Ludovico Sforza
Ludovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance...
(also known as Ludovico il Moro, famous also for taking Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
at his service) was defeated in 1500 by the French army of Louis XII of France
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
- see also Italian Wars
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
.
After the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
were driven out by Imperial German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
troops, Maximilian Sforza
Maximilian Sforza
Maximilian Sforza was a Duke of Milan from the Sforza family, the son of Lodovico Sforza. He ruled between the occupations of Louis XII of France , and Francis I of France in 1515...
, son of Ludovico, became Duke of Milan, until the French returned under Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
and imprisoned him.
Sforza rulers of Duchy of Milan
- Francesco I 1450-1466
- Galeazzo MariaGaleazzo Maria SforzaGaleazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical....
1466-1476 - Gian GaleazzoGian Galeazzo SforzaGian Galeazzo Sforza was the sixth Duke of Milan.Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only 7 years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and Gian Galeazzo became the Duke of Milan...
1476-1494 - LudovicoLudovico SforzaLudovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance...
1494-1499 - LudovicoLudovico SforzaLudovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance...
(restored) 1500 - Massimiliano 1512-1515
- Francesco IIFrancesco II SforzaFrancesco II Sforza , also known as Francesco Maria Sforza, was the last Duke of Milan from 1521 until his death.He was the son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este...
1521-1535
Sforza rulers of Pesaro and Gradara
- AlessandroAlessandro SforzaAlessandro Sforza was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family.-Biography:...
- Costanzo ICostanzo I SforzaCostanzo I of Sforza was an Italian condottiero, lord of Pesaro and Gradara.He was the son of Alessandro Sforza, under whom he fought in his early years and from whom he inherited the lordship of Pesaro...
- GiovanniGiovanni SforzaGiovanni Sforza d'Aragona was an Italian condottiero, lord of Pesaro and Gradara from 1483 until his death. He is best known as the first husband of Lucrezia Borgia...
- Costanzo II
- Galeazzo
Sforza family tree
- Muzio SforzaMuzio SforzaMuzio Attendolo Sforza was an Italian condottiero. Founder of the Sforza dynasty, he led a Bolognese-Florentine army at the Battle of Casalecchio.He was the father of Francesco Sforza, who ruled Milan for 16 years....
with mistress Lucia da Torsano had 7 illegitimate sons- son Francesco I Sforza married Bianca Maria ViscontiBianca Maria ViscontiBianca Maria Visconti was Duchess of Milan from 1450 to 1468.-Early years:Born near Settimo Pavese, Bianca Maria was the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan and last of the Visconti rulers, and Agnese del Maino, the only person the shy, secluded Filippo ever loved...
- son Galeazzo Maria SforzaGaleazzo Maria SforzaGaleazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical....
mistress Lucrezia LandrianiLucrezia LandrianiLucrezia Landriani , was the mistress of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, and the mother of his renowned illegitimate daughter, Caterina Sforza, Lady of Imola, Countess of Forlì...
- daughter Bianca MariaBianca Maria SforzaBianca Maria Sforza was Holy Roman Empress as the second wife of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. She was the eldest legitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, by his second wife, Bona of Savoy....
(1472–1510), second wife of Holy RomanHoly Roman EmpireThe Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
Emperor Maximilian IMaximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorMaximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky... - son Gian GaleazzoGian Galeazzo SforzaGian Galeazzo Sforza was the sixth Duke of Milan.Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only 7 years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and Gian Galeazzo became the Duke of Milan...
(1469–1494), married Isabella of NaplesIsabella of NaplesIsabella of Naples was the daughter of King Alphonse II of Naples by his wife, Ippolita Maria Sforza. From 1489 to 1494, she was the Duchess consort of Milan, and from 1499 to 1524 the Duchess of Bari and Princess of Rossano...
- son Francesco (II)Francesco Sforza (il Duchetto)Francesco Sforza, nicknamed Il Duchetto was the eldest son of Gian Galeazzo Sforza, duke of Milan, and Isabella of Naples.He was count of Pavia from 1491 to 1499...
, nominally duke under the regency of Ludovico Maria - daughter BonaBona SforzaBona Sforza was a member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza. In 1518, she became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and became the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania.She was the third child of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and his wife...
(1494–1557), second wife of King Sigismund I of PolandSigismund I the OldSigismund I of Poland , of the Jagiellon dynasty, reigned as King of Poland and also as the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until 1548...
- son Francesco (II)
- illegitimate daughter Caterina SforzaCaterina SforzaCaterina Sforza, Countess of Forlì was an Italian noblewoman, the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan and Lucrezia Landriani, the wife of the courtier Gian Piero Landriani, a close friend of the Duke...
married Giovanni de' Medici il PopolanoGiovanni de' Medici il PopolanoGiovanni de' Medici, later known as il Popolano was an Italian nobleman of the Medici House of Florence. He was the son of Pierfrancesco di Lorenzo de' Medici, and therefore a member of a secondary branch of the family.-Biography:Giovanni was born in Florence...
- son Giovanni dalle Bande NereGiovanni dalle Bande NereLodovico de Medici also known as Giovanni dalle Bande Nere was an Italian condottiero.-Biography:Giovanni was born in the Northern Italian town of Forlì to Giovanni de' Medici and Caterina Sforza, one of the most famous women of the Italian Renaissance.From an early age, he demonstrated great...
married Maria SalviatiMaria SalviatiMaria Salviati was an Italian noblewoman, the daughter of Lucrezia di Lorenzo de' Medici and Jacopo Salviati. She married Giovanni dalle Bande Nere and was the mother of Cosimo I de Medici. Her husband died November 30, 1526, leaving her a widow at the age of 27...
- son Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of TuscanyCosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of TuscanyCosimo I de' Medici was Duke of Florence from 1537 to 1574, reigning as the first Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1569.-Biography:...
married Eleanor of ToledoEleonora di ToledoEleanor of Toledo Eleanor of Toledo Eleanor of Toledo (Italian: Eleonora di Toledo (1522 – 17 December 1562), born Doña Leonor Álvarez de Toledo y Osorio, was a Spanish noblewoman who was Duchess of Florence from 1539. She is credited with being the first modern first lady, or consort...
- son Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of TuscanyFrancesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of TuscanyFrancesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany was the second Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1574 to 1587.- Biography :...
married Archduchess Joanna of Austria (1547–1578)Johanna of AustriaJoanna of Austria was born an Archduchess of Austria as the youngest daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. By marriage, she was the Grand Princess of Tuscany and later the Grand Duchess of Tuscany...
- daughter Marie de' MediciMarie de' MediciMarie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
married Henry IV of FranceHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
- daughter Henrietta Maria of FranceHenrietta Maria of FranceHenrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
married Charles I of EnglandCharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
- son Charles II of EnglandCharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of PortsmouthLouise de Kérouaille, Duchess of PortsmouthLouise Renée de Penancoët de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth was a mistress of Charles II of England. Through her son by Charles II, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, she is ancestress of both wives of The Prince of Wales: the late Diana, Princess of Wales, as well as The Duchess of...
- son Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 1st Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Aubigny was the illegitimate son of Charles II of England and his mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth....
married Anne Brudenell- son Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 2nd Duke of RichmondThe 2nd Duke of Richmond has been described as early cricket's greatest patron. Although he had played cricket as a boy, his real involvement began after he succeeded to the dukedom...
married Sarah Lennox, Duchess of Richmond and LennoxSarah Lennox, Duchess of RichmondSarah Lennox , was born Sarah Cadogan as the eldest daughter of William Cadogan and his wife Margaret Cecilia Munter...
- son General Lord George Lennox married Lady Louisa Kerr
- son Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 4th Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox KG, PC was a British soldier and politician and Governor General of British North America.-Background:...
married Lady Charlotte Gordon- son Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of RichmondCharles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond and 5th Duke of Lennox KG, PC , styled Earl of March until in 1819, was a British soldier, politician and a prominent Conservative.-Background and education:...
married Lady Caroline PagetLady Caroline PagetLady Caroline Paget was the daughter of Charles Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey and Lady Marjorie Manners, eldest daughter of the 8th Duke of Rutland. She was born on 15 June 1913, and became the second wife of Sir Michael Duff, 3rd Baronet, on 14 July 1949.During the thirties, she was a notable...
- daughter Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox married Charles Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan
- daughter Rosalind Cecilia Caroline Bingham (1869–1958) married James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of AbercornJames Hamilton, 3rd Duke of AbercornJames Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn KG, KP, PC , styled Marquess of Hamilton between 1885 and 1913, was a British peer and Unionist politician. He was the first Governor of Northern Ireland, a post he held between 1922 and 1945...
- daughter Cynthia Spencer, Countess SpencerCynthia Spencer, Countess SpencerCynthia Elinor Beatrix Spencer, Countess Spencer, DCVO, OBE , known as Lady Cynthia Hamilton until her marriage, and from then as Viscountess Althorp until 1922 when her husband inherited his father's title of Earl Spencer, was a British peeress and the paternal grandmother of Diana, Princess of...
married Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer- son John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer married Frances Shand Kydd
- daughter Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
married Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
- sons Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Henry of Wales
- daughter Diana, Princess of Wales
- son John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer married Frances Shand Kydd
- daughter Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer
- daughter Rosalind Cecilia Caroline Bingham (1869–1958) married James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn
- daughter Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox married Charles Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan
- son Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond
- son Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond
- son General Lord George Lennox married Lady Louisa Kerr
- son Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
- son Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
- son Charles II of England
- daughter Henrietta Maria of France
- daughter Marie de' Medici
- son Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
- son Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
- son Giovanni dalle Bande Nere
- daughter Bianca Maria
- son Ludovico il MoroLudovico SforzaLudovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance...
(the Moor) (1451–1508)- son Ercole MassimilianoMaximilian SforzaMaximilian Sforza was a Duke of Milan from the Sforza family, the son of Lodovico Sforza. He ruled between the occupations of Louis XII of France , and Francis I of France in 1515...
- son Francesco II (III) MariaFrancesco II SforzaFrancesco II Sforza , also known as Francesco Maria Sforza, was the last Duke of Milan from 1521 until his death.He was the son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este...
- illegitimate son Giovanni Paolo IGiovanni Paolo I SforzaGiovanni Paolo I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the first in the Sforza family line of the Marquesses of Caravaggio....
(1497–1535), marquess of CaravaggioCaravaggio (BG)Caravaggio is a town and comune in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardy, Italy, 40 kilometres east of Milan.Caravaggio received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on December 22, 1954.-Main sights:...
- son Ercole Massimiliano
- son AscanioAscanio SforzaAscanio Maria Sforza Visconti was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church, generally known as a skilled diplomat who played a major role in the election of Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI.-Early years:...
(1444–1505), Cardinal - daughter Ippolita MariaIppolita Maria SforzaIppolita Maria Sforza , Duchess of Calabria, was a member of the powerful Italian condottieri Sforza family which ruled the Duchy of Milan from 1450 until 1535...
(1446–1484), married king of Alfonso II d'Aragon of NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
- son Galeazzo Maria Sforza
- son AlessandroAlessandro SforzaAlessandro Sforza was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family.-Biography:...
, first lord of PesaroPesaroPesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
- son Costanzo ICostanzo I SforzaCostanzo I of Sforza was an Italian condottiero, lord of Pesaro and Gradara.He was the son of Alessandro Sforza, under whom he fought in his early years and from whom he inherited the lordship of Pesaro...
- son Galeazzo, last Sforza ruler of Pesaro
- son GiovanniGiovanni SforzaGiovanni Sforza d'Aragona was an Italian condottiero, lord of Pesaro and Gradara from 1483 until his death. He is best known as the first husband of Lucrezia Borgia...
(1466–1510), first husband of Lucrezia BorgiaLucrezia BorgiaLucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
- son Costanzo II (Giovanni Maria)
- son Costanzo I
- Bosio (count of Cotignola, lord of Castell'ArquatoCastell'ArquatoCastell'Arquato is an Italian town located on the first hills of Val D’Arda in the province of Piacenza, in Emilia-Romagna, approximately 30 km from Piacenza and 35 km from Parma...
)
- son Francesco I Sforza married Bianca Maria Visconti
Notable members
| Name | Portrait | Relationship to the House of Sforza |
|---|---|---|
| Muzio Attendolo | Founder of the House of Sforza | |
| Francesco Sforza | Son of Muzio Attendolo, first Sforza ruler of Milan Milan Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,... |
|
| Bianca Maria Visconti Bianca Maria Visconti Bianca Maria Visconti was Duchess of Milan from 1450 to 1468.-Early years:Born near Settimo Pavese, Bianca Maria was the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan and last of the Visconti rulers, and Agnese del Maino, the only person the shy, secluded Filippo ever loved... |
Wife of Francesco I Sforza Francesco I Sforza Francesco I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the founder of the Sforza dynasty in Milan, Italy. He was the brother of Alessandro, with whom he often fought.-Early life:... |
|
| Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical.... |
Son of Francesco I Sforza Francesco I Sforza Francesco I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the founder of the Sforza dynasty in Milan, Italy. He was the brother of Alessandro, with whom he often fought.-Early life:... and Bianca Maria Visconti Bianca Maria Visconti Bianca Maria Visconti was Duchess of Milan from 1450 to 1468.-Early years:Born near Settimo Pavese, Bianca Maria was the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan and last of the Visconti rulers, and Agnese del Maino, the only person the shy, secluded Filippo ever loved... , Duke of Milan |
|
| Gian Galeazzo Sforza Gian Galeazzo Sforza Gian Galeazzo Sforza was the sixth Duke of Milan.Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only 7 years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and Gian Galeazzo became the Duke of Milan... |
Son of Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical.... |
|
| Bona Sforza Bona Sforza Bona Sforza was a member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza. In 1518, she became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and became the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania.She was the third child of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and his wife... , Queen of Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
Daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza Gian Galeazzo Sforza Gian Galeazzo Sforza was the sixth Duke of Milan.Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only 7 years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and Gian Galeazzo became the Duke of Milan... |
|
| Bianca Maria Sforza Bianca Maria Sforza Bianca Maria Sforza was Holy Roman Empress as the second wife of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor. She was the eldest legitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, by his second wife, Bona of Savoy.... |
Daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical.... and Holy Roman Empress, as the wife of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky... |
|
| Anna Sforza Anna Sforza Anna Sforza was the daughter of Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza of Milan. She married Alfonso I d'Este, future Duke of Ferrara.-Biography:... |
Daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical.... and wife of Alfonso I d'Este Alfonso I d'Este Alfonso d'Este was Duke of Ferrara during the time of the War of the League of Cambrai.-Biography:He was the son of Ercole I d'Este and Leonora of Naples.... Her successor would be the infamous Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia... |
|
| Caterina Sforza Caterina Sforza Caterina Sforza, Countess of Forlì was an Italian noblewoman, the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan and Lucrezia Landriani, the wife of the courtier Gian Piero Landriani, a close friend of the Duke... |
Illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical.... , Duke of Milan |
|
| Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance... |
Son of Francesco I Sforza Francesco I Sforza Francesco I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the founder of the Sforza dynasty in Milan, Italy. He was the brother of Alessandro, with whom he often fought.-Early life:... and Bianca Maria Visconti Bianca Maria Visconti Bianca Maria Visconti was Duchess of Milan from 1450 to 1468.-Early years:Born near Settimo Pavese, Bianca Maria was the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan and last of the Visconti rulers, and Agnese del Maino, the only person the shy, secluded Filippo ever loved... , Duke of Milan |
|
| Beatrice d'Este Beatrice d'Este Beatrice d'Este , duchess of Milan, one of the most beautiful and accomplished princesses of the Italian Renaissance, was the daughter of Ercole I d'Este and younger sister of Isabella d'Este and Alfonso d'Este.... |
Wife of Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance... |
|
| Maximilian Sforza Maximilian Sforza Maximilian Sforza was a Duke of Milan from the Sforza family, the son of Lodovico Sforza. He ruled between the occupations of Louis XII of France , and Francis I of France in 1515... |
 |
Son of Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance... , Duke of Milan |
| Francesco II Sforza Francesco II Sforza Francesco II Sforza , also known as Francesco Maria Sforza, was the last Duke of Milan from 1521 until his death.He was the son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este... |
 |
Son of Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance... , Duke of Milan |
| Giovanni Paolo I Sforza Giovanni Paolo I Sforza Giovanni Paolo I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the first in the Sforza family line of the Marquesses of Caravaggio.... |
Illegitimate son of Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza Ludovico Sforza , was Duke of Milan from 1489 until his death. A member of the Sforza family, he was the fourth son of Francesco Sforza. He was famed as a patron of Leonardo da Vinci and other artists, and presided over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance... , first Marquess of Caravaggio |
|
In popular culture
- One of the cursed artifacts from Friday the 13th: The SeriesFriday the 13th: The SeriesFriday the 13th: The Series is an American-Canadian horror television series that ran for three seasons, from October 3, 1987 to May 26, 1990 in first-run syndication....
was the "Sforza Glove", attributed to the original family's possession. - Thomas HarrisThomas HarrisThomas Harris is an American author and screenwriter, best known for a series of suspense novels about his most famous character, Hannibal Lecter...
's character Hannibal LecterHannibal LecterHannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
is a descendant of the House of Sforza. - In the anime, manga and book series Trinity BloodTrinity Bloodis a series of Japanese light novels written by Sunao Yoshida with illustrations by Thores Shibamoto and originally serialized in The Sneaker. Set 900 years after an apocalyptic war between humans and vampires, the series focuses on the on-going cold war between the Vatican, the human government,...
, one of the Cardinals and Duchess of Milan is named Caterina Sforza. - Caterina SforzaCaterina SforzaCaterina Sforza, Countess of Forlì was an Italian noblewoman, the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan and Lucrezia Landriani, the wife of the courtier Gian Piero Landriani, a close friend of the Duke...
appears as a non-playable character in the video game Assassin's Creed 2 and its sequel, Assassin's Creed: BrotherhoodAssassin's Creed: BrotherhoodAssassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2010, Microsoft Windows in March 2011 and Mac OS X in May 2011...
. - The Sforza figure prominently in the Showtime seriesThe Borgias (2011 TV series)The Borgias is a 2011 historical fiction television series created by Neil Jordan.The series is based on the Borgia family, an Italian dynasty of Spanish origin, and stars Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI with David Oakes, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger and Aidan Alexander as Juan, Cesare,...
on the Borgia family
See also
- List of rulers of Milan
- Italian WarsItalian WarsThe Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
- House of ViscontiHouse of ViscontiVisconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
- PesaroPesaroPesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
- GradaraGradaraGradara is a town and comune in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the region of Marche in central Italy. It is located 25 km from Rimini and 13 km from Pesaro....