Editing House of Sforza

{{short description|Noble family of the Italian Renaissance, dukes of Milan}}
{{About|the noble family of Renaissance Italy|the Swiss former footballer|Ciriaco Sforza|the Argentine footballer|Juan Sforza}}
{{Royal house
| surname = Sforza
| estate = Milan, Pesaro, [[Gradara]]
| coat of arms = Arms of the House of Sforza.svg
| country = [[File:Flag of Milan.svg|20px|border]] [[Duchy of Milan]]<br>[[File:Flag of the Golden Ambrosian Republic.svg|20px|border]] [[Golden Ambrosian Republic]]
| titles = *[[Duke of Milan]]
:Cadet branches:
* Prince of [[Genzano di Roma|Gengazano]]
* [[Duchy of Bari|Duke of Bari]]
* Duke of [[Onano]]
* Marquess of [[Castell'Arquato]]
* Marquess of [[Caravaggio, Lombardy|Caravaggio]]
* Count of [[Celano]]
* Count of [[Borgonovo Val Tidone|Borgonovo]]
* [[County of Santa Fiora|Count of Santa Fiora]]
* Lord of [[Pesaro]]
| founder = [[Muzio Attendolo Sforza]]
| final ruler = <div style="font-size:90%">Milan:</div>  [[Francesco II Sforza|Francesco II]] (1535)
<div style="font-size:90%">Pesaro:</div>  Galeazzo Sforza (1512)
| founding year = 1411
| cadet branches = * House of Sforza-Pesaro (extinct in 1515)
* House of Sforza-Cotignola (extinct in 1624)
}}

The '''House of Sforza''' ({{IPA|it|ˈsfɔrtsa|lang}}) was a ruling family of [[Renaissance Italy]], based in [[Milan]]. Sforza rule began with the family's acquisition of the [[Duchy of Milan]] following the extinction of the [[Visconti of Milan|Visconti family]] in the mid-15th century and ended with the death of the last member of the family's main branch, [[Francesco II Sforza]], in 1535.

==History==

The first son of [[Muzio Attendolo Sforza]], [[Francesco I Sforza]], married [[Bianca Maria Visconti|Bianca Maria]] (1425–1468) in 1441.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muzio Attendolo Sforza |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG185699 |website=[[British Museum]]}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Mila, Leonardo and the Sforza Family |url=https://cenacolovinciano.org/en/story/milano-leonardo-and-the-sforza/ |website=Cenacolo Vinciano (Last Supper Museum)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bianca Maria Sforza |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/786269 |website=The Metropolitan Museum of Art}}</ref> She was the daughter and only heir of the last [[Duke of Milan]], [[Filippo Maria Visconti]].<ref name=":0" /> He thus acquired the title of [[Duke of Milan]] (1450–1466), ruled Milan for 16 years, and made the Sforzas the heirs of the house of Visconti.

The family also held the seigniory of [[Pesaro]], starting with Muzio Attendolo's second son, [[Alessandro Sforza|Alessandro]] (1409–1473).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alessandro Sforza, 1409-1468, Lord of Pesaro 1445 [reverse], 1475 |url=https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.44485.html |website=[[National Gallery of Art]]|date=1475 }}</ref> The Sforza held Pesaro until 1512, after the death of [[Costanzo II Sforza]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Eiche |first=Sabine |date=May 1985 |title=Towards a Study of the 'Famiglia' of the Sforza Court at Pesaro |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/i40136077 |journal=Renaissance and Reformation }}</ref>

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 positions in the [[Papal States]], and moved to Rome in 1674, taking the name of Sforza Cesarini.

The Sforza became allied with the [[Borgia|Borgia family]] through the [[arranged marriage]] (1493–1497) between [[Lucrezia Borgia]] and [[Giovanni Sforza|Giovanni]] (the illegitimate son of [[Costanzo I Sforza|Costanzo I of Pesaro]]).<ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.gradara.com/italiano/signoria_sforza.htm |title=La Signoria degli Sforza |publisher=Gradara.com |access-date=2013-04-23}}</ref> This alliance failed, as the Borgia family annulled the marriage once the Sforza family were no longer needed.

In 1499, in the course of the [[Italian War of 1499–1504|Italian Wars]], the army of [[Louis XII of France]] took Milan from [[Ludovico Sforza]] (known as ''Ludovico il Moro'', famous for taking [[Leonardo da Vinci]] into his service).

After Imperial [[Germans|German]] troops drove out the [[France|French]], [[Maximilian Sforza]], son of Ludovico, became Duke of Milan (1512–1515) until the French returned under [[Francis I of France]] and imprisoned him.

In 1521 [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] drove out the French and restored the younger son of Ludovico, Francesco II Sforza to the duchy. Francesco remained the ruler of Milan until his death in 1535 and as he was childless the Duchy reverted to the Emperor, who passed it to his son [[Philip II of Spain|Philip II]] in 1540, thus beginning the period of Spanish rule in Milan.

==Sforza rulers of the Duchy of Milan==
[[Image:Italy 1494 shepherd.jpg|thumb|Map of [[Italy]] in 1494. Insert shows the [[Duchy of Milan]] ruled by the Visconti family and inherited by the Sforzas.]]
* [[Francesco I Sforza|Francesco I]], 1450–1466
* [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza|Galeazzo Maria]], 1466–1476
* [[Gian Galeazzo Sforza|Gian Galeazzo]], 1476–1494
* [[Ludovico Sforza|Ludovico]], 1494–1499
* [[Maximilian Sforza|Massimiliano]], 1513–1515
* [[Francesco II Sforza|Francesco II]], 1521–1535<ref name="CAR">{{cite book |last=Cartwright |first=Julia |title=Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Milan, 1475–1497: A Study of the Renaissance |year=1899 |place=Hallandale}}</ref>

==Sforza rulers of Pesaro and Gradara==
* [[Alessandro Sforza|Alessandro]], 1445–1473
* [[Costanzo I Sforza|Costanzo I]], 1473–1483
* [[Giovanni Sforza|Giovanni]], 1483–1500 and 1503–1510
* [[Costanzo II Sforza|Costanzo II]], 1510–1512
* {{ill|Galeazzo Sforza (Pesaro)|it|lt=Galeazzo}}, 1512<ref name=":1" />

==Sforza family tree==
[[Image:House of Sforza family tree (IT) by shakko.jpg|center|900px|A family tree of the House of Sforza]]
* [[Muzio Sforza]] with mistress Lucia da Torsano had 7 illegitimate sons<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mulazzani |first=Germano |date=May 1971 |title=Observations on the Sforza Triptych in the Brussels Museum |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/876636 |journal=[[The Burlington Magazine]] |volume=113 |issue=818|pages=252–253 |jstor=876636 }}</ref>
** son [[Gabriele Sforza]] archbishop of Milan
** son [[Francesco Sforza|Francesco I Sforza]] married [[Bianca Maria Visconti]]
*** son [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]] married [[Bona of Savoy]], mistress [[Lucrezia Landriani]]
**** daughter [[Bianca Maria Sforza|Bianca Maria]] (1472–1510), second wife of [[Holy Roman Empire|Holy Roman]] Emperor [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]]
**** son [[Gian Galeazzo Sforza|Gian Galeazzo]] (1469–1494), married his cousin [[Isabella of Naples]]
***** son [[Francesco Sforza (il Duchetto)|Francesco (II)]], nominally duke under the regency of Ludovico Maria
***** daughter [[Bona Sforza|Bona]] (1494–1557), second wife of King of Poland [[Sigismund I the Old]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/biography/Sigismund-I-king-of-Poland|title = Sigismund I &#124; king of Poland &#124; Britannica}}</ref>
***** daughter [[Ippolita Maria Sforza (1493–1501)|Ippolita Maria Sforza]] (1493–1501)
**** illegitimate daughter [[Caterina Sforza]] married [[Giovanni de' Medici il Popolano]]
**** illegitimate son [[Ottaviano Maria Sforza]] bishop of Lodi
*** son [[Ludovico Sforza|Ludovico il Moro]] (the Moor) (1451–1508)
**** son [[Maximilian Sforza|Ercole Massimiliano]]
**** son [[Francesco II Sforza|Francesco II (III) Maria]]
**** illegitimate daughter [[La Bella Principessa|Bianca Sforza]] (1483–1496) married to Galeazzo Sanseverino
**** illegitimate son [[Giovanni Paolo I Sforza|Giovanni Paolo I]] (1497–1535), marquess of [[Caravaggio (BG)|Caravaggio]]
*** son [[Ascanio Sforza|Ascanio]] (1444–1505), Cardinal
*** daughter [[Ippolita Maria Sforza|Ippolita Maria]] (1446–1484), married king of [[Alphonso II of Naples|Alfonso II d'Aragon]] of [[Naples]]
*** illegitimate daughter [[Polissena Sforza|Polissena]] (1428–1449), married [[Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta]]
** son [[Alessandro Sforza|Alessandro]], first lord of [[Pesaro]]
*** son [[Costanzo I Sforza|Costanzo I]]
**** son [[Giovanni Sforza|Giovanni]] (1466–1510), first husband of [[Lucrezia Borgia]]
***** son [[Costanzo II Sforza|Costanzo II (Giovanni Maria)]] last ruler of Pesaro
** Bosio (count of Cotignola, lord of [[Castell'Arquato]])

==Notable members==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Portrait
! Relationship to the House of Sforza
|-
|[[Muzio Attendolo]]||[[Image:Muzio Attendolo Sforza.jpg|100px]]|| Founder of the House of Sforza
|-
|[[Francesco Sforza]]||[[Image:Francesforza.jpg|100px]]|| Son of [[Muzio Attendolo]], first Sforza ruler of [[Milan]]
|-
|[[Bianca Maria Visconti]]||[[File:Bonifacio Bembo, Ritratto di Bianca Maria Visconti, Chiesa di Sant’Agostino a Cremona. - копия.jpg|229x229px]]|| Wife of [[Francesco I Sforza]]
|-
|[[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]]||[[File:Piero Pollaiuolo Portrait of Galeazzo Maria Sforza.jpg|152x152px]]|| Son of [[Francesco I Sforza]] and [[Bianca Maria Visconti]], Duke of Milan
|-
|[[Gian Galeazzo Sforza]]||[[File:Workshop of Benedetto Briosco, Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, early 1490s, NGA 128.jpg|100x100px]]||Son of [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]]
|-
|[[Bona Sforza]]||[[Image:Caraglio Cameo of Bona Sforza.jpg|100px]]||Daughter of [[Gian Galeazzo Sforza]]<br> and Queen of [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]], <br>as the wife of [[Sigismund I the Old]], King of [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]]
|-
|[[Bianca Maria Sforza]]||[[Image:Bernhard Strigel 009.jpg|100px]]|| Daughter of [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]] and <br>Holy Roman Empress, as the wife of [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor]]
|-
|[[Anna Sforza]]|| || Daughter of [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]] and wife of [[Alfonso I d'Este]]<br>Her successor would be the infamous [[Lucrezia Borgia]]
|-
|[[Caterina Sforza]]||[[File:Italia, caterina riario di forlì, riproduzione della medaglia del 1488 ca..JPG|100x100px]]|| Illegitimate daughter of [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], Duke of Milan
|-
|[[Ludovico Sforza]]||[[File:Ludovico Sforza by G.A. de Predis (Donatus Grammatica).jpg|151x151px]]|| Son of [[Francesco I Sforza]] and [[Bianca Maria Visconti]], Duke of Milan
|-
|[[Maximilian Sforza]]||[[Image:Massimiliano Sforza by G.A. de Predis (Donatus Grammatica).jpg|100px]]|| Son of [[Ludovico Sforza]], Duke of Milan
|-
|[[Francesco II Sforza]]||[[Image:FrancescoIISforza.jpg|100px]]|| Son of [[Ludovico Sforza]], Duke of Milan
|-
|[[Giovanni Paolo I Sforza]]|| ||Illegitimate son of [[Ludovico Sforza]], first Marquess of [[Caravaggio, Italy|Caravaggio]]
|}

== Castellini Baldissera ==
While the House of Sforza has died out over the last{{specify}} century, it is closely related to the [[Castellini Baldissera|Castellini Baldissera family]], who inherited a number of their palazzos and estates.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=de Sio|first=Gian Filippo|date=March 2019|title=Lo sfarzo abituale di una nobile famiglia milanese. Gli eredi Mellerio 1783-1792|journal=Società e Storia|issue=163|pages=57–89|doi=10.3280/ss2019-163004|s2cid=187172458|issn=0391-6987}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* One of the cursed artefacts from ''[[Friday the 13th: The Series]]'' was the "Sforza Glove", attributed to the original family's possession.
* [[Thomas Harris]]'s character [[Hannibal Lecter]] is a descendant of the House of Sforza.
* In the book, anime, and manga series ''[[Trinity Blood]]'', the Duchess of Milan, who is also one of the Cardinals, is named [[Caterina Sforza (Trinity Blood)|Caterina Sforza]].
* [[Caterina Sforza]] appears as a [[non-playable character]] in the video game ''[[Assassin's Creed 2]]'' and its sequel, ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/10/12/the-real-life-characters-of-assassin-s-creed.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015054754/http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/10/12/the-real-life-characters-of-assassin-s-creed.aspx |url-status=live |archive-date=October 15, 2010 |title=The Real Life Characters of Assassin's Creed |first=Matt |last=Miller |date=12 October 2010 |access-date=18 June 2019 |magazine=[[Game Informer]]}}</ref>
* The Sforza figure prominently in the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] series ''[[The Borgias (2011 TV series)|The Borgias]]''.
* The house is mentioned in a song about the Borgia family in the British edutainment TV show ''[[Horrible Histories (2009 TV series)|Horrible Histories]]''.
* There are notable members from the family in the television series ''[[Medici (TV series)|Medici]]''.
* There is a campaign in the ''[[Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition]]'' computer game named after the Sforza family where the player takes up the position of Francesco I Sforza.

==See also==
* [[Gradara]]
* [[Italian Wars]]
* [[List of rulers of Milan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|House of Sforza}}

{{Royal houses of Italy}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sforza, House Of}}
[[Category:House of Sforza| ]]
[[Category:Dukes of Milan]]
[[Category:Italian noble families]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic families]]