SFORZA, sftetsa. A celebrated Ttalian fam •ily. The founder of the fortunes of the family was a peasant of Cotignola, in the Romagna, by name Giacomo or Muzio (sometimes combined by historians into Giacomuzzo) Attendolo. He was born June 10, 1369, and followed the trade of wood-cutting, but left it to become a member of a band of eondotticri, and by his intelligence and courage rose to a high position. Joanna II. of Naples made him constable of that kingdom, and as such he fought bravely against the Aragonese. He afterwards entered the service of Pope Mar tin V. and became a Roman count. His natural son, FRANCESCo SFORZA (1401-66), succeeded him in command of the band of mercenaries, devised an improved system of tactics, and won a wide spread reputation for sueeess. His greatest pa tron, Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan. con ferred upon him the hand of his daughter Bianca, with Cremona and Pontremoli as a dowry, and the promise of the succession to the duchy itself. (See VnseoNTi.) Sforza, by a judicious com bination of force and stratagem, obtained his ele vation to the Dukedom of Milan (1450), three years after the death of his father-in-law. lie established his authority over all Lombardy, and several districts to the south of the Po, and even Genoa came under his sway. His son, GALEAZZO SFORZA (1444-76), a monster of cruelty and debauchery, was assassinated (December 20, 1476) at the porch of the Cathedral of Galeazzo's son, GIANGALEAZO SFonzA (1469-94), succeeded under the regency of his mother. Bona of Savoy, who held the reins of
government with a firm hand. In 1481 her brother-in-law, Lonovico, surnamed 'the Moor,' banished the Regent and assumed power him self. Lodovico summoned Charles VIII. of France to his aid in 1494, hut found his own power threatened and joined the league against the French. In 1499 he was driven from his duchy by the troops of Louis 111. The follow ing year he made an ineffectual attempt to re cover his pos!±essions, was made prisoner, and carried to France, where he died in the Castle of Loches in 1508. Lodovico was a patron of the arts and sciences. Be gave his niece Bianca in marriage to the Emperor Maximilian 1. Lodovico's eldest son, MASSIMI IAA NO SFORZA, regained the Duchy of .Milan in 1512, but after the battle of Meleguano (1515), in which his Swiss auxiliaries were overwhelmed by Fran cis 1., he abandoned his rights to the French for a pension of 30,000 ducats. his brother, FRAN CESCO :MARIA SFORZA ( 1492-1535) . was put in possession of :Milan after the defeat of the French at La Bicocca in 1522. His death marked the extinction of the main line of the House of Sforza, and the duchy was taken into the pos session of Charles V. Consult: Gli Visconti e gli Sforza (Milan, 1883) ; Ltta, Famiglie celebri d'Italia, vol. i. I819).