Alessandro Sforza
Encyclopedia
Alessandro Sforza was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro
, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family.
in 1409, an illegitimate son of the famous condottiero Muzio Attendolo Sforza.
Alessandro collaborated actively with his brother Francesco
in his military campaign, and with him he conquered Milan
, Alessandria
and Pesaro. In 1435, at Fiordimonte, he won the battle in which the rioutous Niccolò Fortebraccio
was killed. In 1445 at Assisi
he commanded the troops besieged by Pope Eugene IV
's condottiero Niccolò Piccinino
. He was forced to leave the city, abandoning the city to ravages and massacres. In 1444 he obtained the lordship of Pesaro by Galeazzo Malatesta
. Here he enlarged the Ducal Palace to conform it to the Renaissance standards.
During the Wars in Lombardy
in support of Francesco he presided Parma
and, in February 1446, he proclaimed himself lord of the city. After Francesco's conquest of the Duchy of Milan
, the Peace of Lodi (1454) confirmed him in Parma.
In 1464 he obtained by Pope Pius II
the seigniory of Gradara
, which he defended by the Malatesta attempts of reconquest.
He died in 1473 from an attack of apoplexy
. His son Costanzo
succeeded him in Pesaro.
, count of Urbino
. In 1457, fearing a possible conjure of the Malatesta
family to regain the seigniory of Pesaro, he obliged her to become a nun in a monastery in the city.
By Costanza he had two children, Battista (1446–1472), who became the wife of Federico III of Urbino, and Costanzo
.
He also had an illegitimate daughter, Ginevra (c. 1440–1507), known as a patron of the visual and literary arts. She married Sante Bentivoglio
in 1454 and, after his death, Giovanni II Bentivoglio
, duke of Bologna
.
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....
, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family.
Biography
He was born in CotignolaCotignola
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....
in 1409, an illegitimate son of the famous condottiero Muzio Attendolo Sforza.
Alessandro collaborated actively with his brother Francesco
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:...
in his military campaign, and with him he conquered 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 ,...
, Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
and Pesaro. In 1435, at Fiordimonte, he won the battle in which the rioutous Niccolò Fortebraccio
Niccolò Fortebraccio
Niccolò Fortebraccio , also known as Niccolò della Stella, was an Italian condottiero.Born in Sant'Angelo in Vado, he was the son of Stella, sister of Braccio da Montone. His half-brother Oddo and his cousin Carlo were also condottieri....
was killed. In 1445 at Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
he commanded the troops besieged by Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV , born Gabriele Condulmer, was pope from March 3, 1431, to his death.-Biography:He was born in Venice to a rich merchant family, a Correr on his mother's side. Condulmer entered the Order of Saint Augustine at the monastery of St. George in his native city...
's condottiero Niccolò Piccinino
Niccolò Piccinino
Niccolò Piccinino was an Italian condottiero.-Biography:He was born at Perugia, was the son of a butcher.He began his military career in the service of Braccio da Montone, who at that time was waging war against Perugia on his own account, and at the death of his chief, shortly followed by that of...
. He was forced to leave the city, abandoning the city to ravages and massacres. In 1444 he obtained the lordship of Pesaro by Galeazzo Malatesta
Galeazzo Malatesta
Galeazzo Malatesta was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro and Fossombrone.He was the elder son of Malatesta IV Malatesta and Elisabetta da Varano. In 1405 he married Battista da Montefeltro...
. Here he enlarged the Ducal Palace to conform it to the Renaissance standards.
During the Wars in Lombardy
Wars in Lombardy
The wars in Lombardy were a series of conflicts fought in central-northern Italy between the Republic of Venice and the Duchy of Milan, and their different allies. They lasted from 1425 until the signing of the Treaty of Lodi in 1454...
in support of Francesco he presided Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
and, in February 1446, he proclaimed himself lord of the city. After Francesco's conquest of the Duchy of 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...
, the Peace of Lodi (1454) confirmed him in Parma.
In 1464 he obtained by Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...
the seigniory of Gradara
Gradara
Gradara 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....
, which he defended by the Malatesta attempts of reconquest.
He died in 1473 from an attack of apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
. His son Costanzo
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...
succeeded him in Pesaro.
Family
He married Costanza da Varano (1428–1447), the daughter of Pietro Gentile I da Varano, on December 8, 1444. She died while bearing Costanzo. The following year he married to Sveva da Montefeltro (1434–1478), daughter of Guidantonio da MontefeltroGuidantonio da Montefeltro
Guidantonio da Montefeltro was count of Urbino in Italy from 1403 until his death.In 1403, at the death of his father Antonio, Guidantonio inherited the family lands in the region of Italy called the Marche. Later he abandoned the Papal suzerainty and allied with King Ladislaus of Naples, who made...
, count of Urbino
Urbino
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482...
. In 1457, fearing a possible conjure of the Malatesta
Malatesta
Malatesta may refer to:*The House of Malatesta, an Italian family which ruled over Rimini from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century*Errico Malatesta , an Italian anarchist*Malatesta , a 1970 German film...
family to regain the seigniory of Pesaro, he obliged her to become a nun in a monastery in the city.
By Costanza he had two children, Battista (1446–1472), who became the wife of Federico III of Urbino, and Costanzo
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...
.
He also had an illegitimate daughter, Ginevra (c. 1440–1507), known as a patron of the visual and literary arts. She married Sante Bentivoglio
Sante Bentivoglio
Sante I Bentivoglio was an Italian nobleman who ruled as tyrant of Bologna from 1445 to 1462.Alleged to be a natural son of Ercole Bentivoglio, Sante was a cousin of Annibale I Bentivoglio. He was aducated at Florence in the court of Cosimo de' Medici the Elder...
in 1454 and, after his death, Giovanni II Bentivoglio
Giovanni II Bentivoglio
Giovanni II Bentivoglio was an Italian nobleman who ruled as tyrant of Bologna from 1463 until 1506. He had no formal position, but held power as the city's "first citizen." The Bentivoglio family ruled over Bologna from 1443, and repeatedly attempted to consolidate their hold of the Signoria of...
, duke of Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
.