Lucrezia Landriani
Encyclopedia
Lucrezia 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
. Lucrezia had three other children by the Duke, and two by her husband.
, Duchess of Milan. Galeazzo Maria would become Duke of Milan upon the death of his father on 8 March 1466.
Lucrezia was born in Milan around 1440; nothing further, however, is known of her early years, or her parentage. A contemporary portrait of Lucrezia painted by Domenico Veneziano
, shows her to have been quite beautiful, with blonde hair, blue eyes, a high forehead, and fine features. She bore her husband Gian Piero two children, a son Piero Landriani, who later became castellan
of the fortress of Forlimpopoli
; and a daughter, Bianca Landriani, who married Tommaso Feo, castellan of Ravaldino Castle and the brother-in-law of Caterina Sforza. Lucrezia became Galeazzo Maria's mistress sometime around 1460, when he was sixteen years of age.
She bore Galeazzo Maria at least four children:
Lucrezia's children were legitimised and raised at the ducal court, alongside Galeazzo's legitimate children by his second wife Bona of Savoy
. They were, however, entrusted into the care of their paternal grandmother, Bianca Maria Visconti. The most gifted, and remarkable child of Galeazzo and Lucrezia was Caterina, who was instructed in the arts of diplomacy and warfare by her grandmother. These were necessary skills in the political ambience of 15th century Italy, which was marked by intrigue, treachery, assassinations, and continuous strife, caused by the intense rivalry of the city-states and their rulers.
On 26 December 1476, Galeazzo Maria Sforza was stabbed to death inside the church of San Stefano in Milan. His only legitimate son by Bona of Savoy, Gian Galeazzo Sforza
, succeeded him as Duke of Milan.
Lucrezia Landriani died on an unknown date.
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, and the mother of his renowned illegitimate daughter, 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...
, Lady of Imola, Countess of Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
. Lucrezia had three other children by the Duke, and two by her husband.
Biography
Lucrezia was the wife of Count Gian Piero Landriani, a courtier at the ducal court and a close friend of Galeazzo Maria Sforza (24 January 1444- 26 December 1476), son of Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan and Bianca Maria ViscontiBianca 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...
, Duchess of Milan. Galeazzo Maria would become Duke of Milan upon the death of his father on 8 March 1466.
Lucrezia was born in Milan around 1440; nothing further, however, is known of her early years, or her parentage. A contemporary portrait of Lucrezia painted by Domenico Veneziano
Domenico Veneziano
Domenico Veneziano was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance, active mostly in Perugia and Tuscany.Little is known of his birth, though he is thought to have been born in Venice, hence his last name. He then moved to Florence in 1422-23 as a boy, to become a pupil of Gentile da Fabriano. He...
, shows her to have been quite beautiful, with blonde hair, blue eyes, a high forehead, and fine features. She bore her husband Gian Piero two children, a son Piero Landriani, who later became castellan
Castellan
A castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...
of the fortress of Forlimpopoli
Forlimpopoli
Forlimpopoli is a town and comune in the Province of Forlì-Cesena, northern Italy. It is located on the Via Emilia between Cesena and Forlì.-History:...
; and a daughter, Bianca Landriani, who married Tommaso Feo, castellan of Ravaldino Castle and the brother-in-law of Caterina Sforza. Lucrezia became Galeazzo Maria's mistress sometime around 1460, when he was sixteen years of age.
She bore Galeazzo Maria at least four children:
- Carlo Sforza, Count of Magenta (1461- 9 May 1483), married Bianca Simonetta (died 1487), by whom he had two daughters, Angela Sforza (1479–1497), and Ippolita Sforza (1481–1520). The latter married Alessandro Bentivoglio by whom she had issue, including a daughter Violante, who became the wife of condottiero Giovanni Paolo I SforzaGiovanni Paolo I SforzaGiovanni Paolo I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the first in the Sforza family line of the Marquesses of Caravaggio....
, an illegitimate son of Ludovico il Moro Sforza by Lucrezia CrivelliLucrezia CrivelliLucrezia Crivelli was a mistress of Ludovico Sforza, il Moro, Duke of Milan . Lucrezia was thought to be the model Leonardo da Vinci used for La belle ferronnière, which is now in the Louvre, in Paris...
. - 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...
, Lady of Imola, Countess of Forli (early 1463- 28 May 1509), married three times. - Chiara Sforza (1467–1531), married firstly, Pietro, Count dal Verme di Sanguinetto, Lord of Vigevano , and secondly, Fregosino Fregoso, Lord of Novi, by whom she had issue.
- Alessandro Sforza, Lord of Francavilla (1465–1523), married Barbara dei Conti Balbiani di Valchiavenna, by whom he had a daughter, Camilla.
Lucrezia's children were legitimised and raised at the ducal court, alongside Galeazzo's legitimate children by his second wife Bona of Savoy
Bona of Savoy
Bona of Savoy, Duchess of Milan was a the second spouse of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan and a member of the noble Italian House of Savoy. She served as regent of Milan during the minority of her son 1476–1481....
. They were, however, entrusted into the care of their paternal grandmother, Bianca Maria Visconti. The most gifted, and remarkable child of Galeazzo and Lucrezia was Caterina, who was instructed in the arts of diplomacy and warfare by her grandmother. These were necessary skills in the political ambience of 15th century Italy, which was marked by intrigue, treachery, assassinations, and continuous strife, caused by the intense rivalry of the city-states and their rulers.
On 26 December 1476, Galeazzo Maria Sforza was stabbed to death inside the church of San Stefano in Milan. His only legitimate son by Bona of Savoy, 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...
, succeeded him as Duke of Milan.
Lucrezia Landriani died on an unknown date.