Monday 25 June 2018

187) Caterina Sforza

Caterina Sforza (1463 – 1509). Italian noblewoman, Countess of Forlì and Lady of Imola firstly with her husband Girolamo Riario, and after his death as a regent of her son Ottaviano. 

The descendant of a dynasty of noted condottieri, from an early age, Caterina distinguished herself through her bold and impetuous actions taken to safeguard her possessions from possible usurpers and to defend her dominions from attack, when they were involved in political intrigues.

In her private life, Caterina was devoted to various activities, including experiments in alchemy and a love of hunting and dancing.

She was the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza and his misterss Lucrezia, wife of Count Gian Piero Landriani, a courtier of the Milanese ducal court and close friend of Galeazzo Maria. She had several half-siblings: Anna Maria Sforza, Bianca Maria Sforza and Gian Galeazzo Sforza.

Her third husband Giovanni il Popolano. She had eight children, among them Ludovico de' Medici and Bianca Riario.



According to Rainessance historian Maike Vogt-Lüerssen, Caterina Sforza was the sitter for many important paintings of her period.
More pictures here http://www.kleio.org/en/history/famtree/vip/073/…





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