Taddea Malaspina was an Italian marchesa. She was the mistress

Mistress (lover)

A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...

 of Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence

Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence

Alessandro de' Medici called "il Moro" , Duke of Penne and also Duke of Florence , ruler of Florence from 1530 until 1537...

 from the early 1530s to about 1537 and was likely the mother of at least two of his children, Giulio di Alessandro de' Medici

Giulio di Alessandro de' Medici

Giulio de' Medici was the illegitimate son of Alessandro de' Medici, the Duke of Florence, and probably of Taddea Malaspina....

 and Giulia de' Medici

Giulia de' Medici

Giulia Romola di Alessandro de' Medici was the illegitimate, possibly biracial, daughter of Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence and his mistress Taddea Malaspina....

. Giulio de' Medici was associated with the Malaspina family at different points throughout his life. Taddea was the younger daughter of Antonio Alberico II Malaspina, sovereign marquis of Massa, and Lucrezia d'Este

Este

The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...

. She married Count Giambattista Boiardo di Scandiano. After his death and the death of her father, Malaspina lived with her mother in Florence and had a number of lovers, including Alessandro. Her sister Ricciarda inherited the title after their father's death. Through Ricciarda's marriage, the family was related to Pope Innocent VIII

Pope Innocent VIII

Pope Innocent VIII , born Giovanni Battista Cybo , was Pope from 1484 until his death.-Early years:Giovanni Battista Cybo was born at Genoa of Greek extraction...

. Ricciarda was probably also one of Alessandro de' Medici's lovers.

In a portrait of Alessandro by Pontormo

Pontormo

Jacopo Carucci , usually known as Jacopo da Pontormo, Jacopo Pontormo or simply Pontormo, was an Italian Mannerist painter and portraitist from the Florentine school. His work represents a profound stylistic shift from the calm perspectival regularity that characterized the art of the Florentine...

, dated to about 1534, the Duke, dressed in black, draws the profile of a woman in silverpoint

Silverpoint

Silverpoint is a traditional drawing technique first used by Medieval scribes on manuscripts.-History:A silverpoint drawing is made by dragging a silver rod or wire across a surface, often prepared with gesso or primer. Silverpoint is one of several types of metalpoint used by scribes, craftsmen...

. The portrait may have been a gift for Malaspina. The Chiesa della Madonna del Carmine and the Santa Chiara monastic complex in Massa, now in the Italian province of Massa Carrara, were built on Taddea Malaspina's order; they still stand.