Muzio Sforza

Muzio Attendolo Sforza.

Muzio Attendolo Sforza (May 28, 1369 – January 4, 1424) was an Italian condottiero. Founder of the Sforza dynasty, he led a Bolognese-Florentine army at the Battle of Casalecchio.

He was the father of Francesco Sforza, who ruled Milan for 16 years.

Biography

He was born as Giacomo or Jacopo Attendolo in Cotignola (Romagna) to a rich family of rural nobility. Muzzo or Muzio was the short form of the nickname of Giacomuzzo. According to tradition, young Giacomo was plowing a field when a platoon of mercenaries led by Boldrino da Panicale passed nearby in search of recruits. He then stole one his father's horses and followed the soldiers to follow the same career.

Later, together with three brothers and two cousins, he joined the company of Alberico da Barbiano, who nicknamed him "Sforza" ("Strong") for his staunchness and his abilities to suddenly reverse the fortunes of battles. In 1398 he was at the service of Perugia against the Milanese troops of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, to whom Muzio soon switched his loyalty following the typical behavior of mercenary chieftains of the time. Later he fought for Florence against Visconti but in 1402, at the battle of Casalecchio, was defeated by his former master Alberico da Barbiano. In 1406 he captured Pisa and was subsequently hired by Niccolò III d'Este of Ferrara, who was being menaced by Ottobono Terzi of Parma.

Muzio Attendolo in a 15th century miniature.

King Ladislaus of Naples named him Gran Connestabile of his kingdom. Sforza's military qualities were mostly needed against Florence and the Pope. He remained for the rest of his life in the Kingdom of Naples, after the King's death (1414), at the service of queen Joan II. However, he attracted the jealousy of Joan's favorite, Pandolfello Alopo, who had him arrested and imprisoned. However, when Sforza's troops intervened, Alopo freed him and Joan gave him the fiefdoms of Benevento and Manfredonia. On this occasion Sforza married Caterina Alopo, Pandolfello's sister. A few months later Sforza was again arrested after a quarrel with James of Bourbon. He was freed only in 1416, after James' fall from power, and Joan gave him back the title of Conestabile.

In 1417 Sforza was sent by Joan to help the pope against Braccio da Montone, together with his son Francesco. Later he returned briefly to Naples, but here he was opposed by Giovanni (Sergianni) Caracciolo, Joan's new lover. In the following, confused, events that led to the arrival of Louis III of Anjou in Naples in opposition to Alfonso V of Aragon, Sforza helped Joan and Sergianni to flee to Aversa.

In 1423, the city of Aquila rebelled and he was sent to reconquer it. In an attempt to save one of his pages during the forging of the Pescara River, Sforza drowned and his body was swept away by the waters.

Family

Sforza's first wife was Antonia Salimbeni, who died in 1411, who had given him Bosio (1411–1476), who was count of Santa Fiora. He had two other children by Caterina Alopo, seven by his mistress Lucia Torsano (including Francesco and Alessandro and Tamira di Cagli.

Descendents

Descendents of Muzio Attendolo Sforza in five generations

Muzio Attendolo Sforza Condottiero	Son: Francesco I Sforza Duke of Milan	Grandson: Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke of Milan	Grandson: Ludovico Sforza 7th Duke of Milan	Great-grandson: Gian Galeazzo Sforza 6th Duke of Milan	Great-grandson: Maximilian Sforza Duke of Milan	Great-grandson: Francesco II Sforza Last Duke of Milan
Great-great-granddaugther: Ippolita Maria Sforza (1493–1501)	Great-great-grandson: Francesco Sforza (il Duchetto)	Great-great-granddaugther: Bona Sforza Queen of Poland	Great-great-great-grandson: Sigismund II Augustus King of Poland	Great-great-great-granddaugther: Sophie Jagiellon, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg	Great-great-great-granddaugther: Anna Jagiellon Queen of Poland	Great-great-great-granddaugther: Catherine Jagellon Queen of Sweden

  Sforza to Prince William

• Muzio Sforza with mistress Lucia da Torsano had 7 illegitimate sons
• son Francesco I Sforza married Bianca Maria Visconti
• son Galeazzo Maria Sforza mistress Lucrezia Landriani
• illegitimate daughter Caterina Sforza married Giovanni de' Medici il Popolano

  Giovanni dalle Bande Nere to Marie de' Medici

• Giovanni dalle Bande Nere married Maria Salviati
• son Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany married Eleanor of Toledo
• son Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany married Archduchess Joanna of Austria (1547–1578)
• daughter Marie de' Medici married Henry IV of France

• daughter Henrietta Maria of France married Charles I of England

  Charles II to Prince William
^{(via Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond)}

• Charles II of England mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth
• son Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond married Anne Brudenell
• son Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond married Sarah Lennox, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox
• son General Lord George Lennox married Lady Louisa Kerr
• son Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond married Lady Charlotte Gordon
• son Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond married Lady Caroline Paget
• daughter Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox married Charles Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan
• daughter Rosalind Cecilia Caroline Bingham (1869-1958) married James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn
• daughter Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer married Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer
• son John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer married Frances Ruth Roche
• daughter Diana, Princess of Wales married Charles, Prince of Wales
• sons Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Henry of Wales

See also

• Condottieri
• Joan II of Naples
• Louis III of Anjou
• Micheletto Attendolo
• Francesco Sforza

Other

The Italian Regia Marina launched a cruiser called Muzio Attendolo in 1935. See also Condottieri class cruiser.

Sources

• Paolo Giovio, Vita di Muzio Attendolo
• Caterina Santoro, Gli Sforza, 1968
• Pompeo Litta, Famiglie celebri d'Italia
• Claudio Rendina, I Capitani di ventura, 1994

Persondata
Name	Sforza, Muzio
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 28, 1369
Place of birth
Date of death	January 4, 1424
Place of death