Sidonie of Saxony (also: Sidonia; 1518 – 1575). Princess of the House of Wettin and by marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Calenberg-Göttingen.
Famous Redheads in History
“Redheads have moved history out of proportion to their numbers.”
Wednesday, 17 August 2022
1481) Sidonie of Saxony
Tuesday, 16 August 2022
1480) Barbara Zápolya
Barbara Zápolya (1495–1515). Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the first wife of King Sigismund I the Old from 1512 to 1515. Marriage to Barbara represented an alliance between Sigismund and the House of Zápolya against the Habsburgs in succession disputes over the throne to the Kingdom of Hungary. The alliance was short-lived as the renewed Muscovite–Lithuanian War forced Sigismund to look for Habsburg allies. The marriage was loving, but short. Barbara was the mother of Hedwig, Electress of Bradenburg, but died soon after the birth of her second daughter Anna.
1479) Albert Austin
Albert Austin (1882 – 1953). English actor, film star, director, and script writer, remembered for his work in Charlie Chaplin films.
1478) Henry du Pont
Henry du Pont (1812 – 1889). American military officer and businessman from Delaware, and a member of the Du Pont family.
Monday, 15 August 2022
1477) Beatrice d'Este
Beatrice d'Este (1475 – 1497). Duchess of Bari and Milan by marriage to Ludovico Sforza (known as "il Moro"). She was one of the most important personalities of the time and, despite her short life, she was a major player in Italian politics. A woman of culture, an important patron, a leader in fashion: alongside her illustrious husband she made Milan one of the greatest capitals of the European Renaissance. With her own determination and bellicose nature, she was the soul of the Milanese resistance against the enemy French during the first of the Italian Wars.
She was the second child of Ercole I d'Este and Eleonora d'Aragona.
Mother of Maximilian Sforza.
Below, two portraits of Beatrice d'Este.
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Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este |
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Lunette of Beatrice d'Este in Palazzo degli Atellani in Milan, early sixteenth century, perhaps by Bernardino Luini. |
And below, three presumed portraits of Beatrice d'Este.
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1510 circa, by Alessandro Araldi |
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Portrait of a Lady in Profile, by Bernardino de' Conti (circle of Leonardo da Vinci) |
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Portrait of a Young Lady, c. 1500, from the circle of Leonardo da Vinci |
1476) Anna Maria Sforza
Anna Maria Sforza (1476 – 1497). Hereditary Princess of Ferrara as the first wife of Alfonso I d'Este, future Duke of Ferrara. She was the second legitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, and his second wife, Bona of Savoy.
1475) Eleanor of Naples, Duchess of Ferrara
Eleanor of Naples (Leonora or Eleonora of Aragon; 1450 – 1493). Duchess of Ferrara by marriage to Ercole I d'Este. She was the first duchess of Ferrara, and mother of many famous Renaissance figures. She was a well known political figure, and served as regent of Ferrara during the absence of her spouse.
Mother of Beatrice d'Este.
Her sister Beatrice married Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungray and Croatia.