Francesco Sforza was an Italian condottiero, a mercenary captain, who became the Duke of Milan from 1450 to 1466. His rise to power and the establishment of the Sforza Dynasty in Milan marked a significant period in the history of Renaissance Italy, characterized by both military prowess and political cunning.
Born on July 23, 1401, in San Miniato, Francesco was the illegitimate son of Muzio Attendolo Sforza, another famous condottiero. Francesco began his military career at a young age, serving under his father. After Muzio's death in 1424, Francesco took over the leadership of his father's company, which was one of the most powerful mercenary forces in Italy at the time.
Francesco's marriage to Bianca Maria Visconti in 1441 was a strategic move. Bianca Maria was the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, the Duke of Milan. This marriage not only allied him with one of the most powerful families in Milan but also positioned him to eventually claim the ducal title for himself.
Upon the death of Filippo Maria Visconti in 1447, Milan was briefly turned into a republic, the Ambrosian Republic. However, internal strife and external threats led to the republic's collapse. Francesco, with his military support and marriage connection, was invited by the Milanese to assume the ducal throne in 1450, thus ending the Ambrosian Republic and beginning the Sforza rule.
As Duke, Francesco worked to stabilize and expand his territory. His reign saw:
Francesco Sforza died on March 8, 1466, in Milan. He was succeeded by his son Galeazzo Maria Sforza, who continued the family's rule over Milan until his assassination in 1476.