Across the Iberian Peninsula is the Renaissance, the Renaissance. People despise what is left of them - the dark Middle Ages, see the shining peaks of ancient art behind, and their own geniuses who have risen over time. But the country is fragmented into small possessions. And in Russia at the same time, for example, the Mongolian yoke has already been dropped, and the country seeks unity, gathering around Moscow. These same processes are in France, which is not yet, but the gravitation toward one center is already being planned. As in England.
In Italy, let's call it so conditionally, because no Italy is yet, and for a long time there will be a bloody massacre for the redistribution of possessions, in which the greedy and greedy Duke of Milan, a bloody despot, who is killed at the age of 33 directly in the service in churches. He left behind him, including, and an illegitimate daughter, who was called Katerina Sforza. This lady scandalously enters the history of Italy.
First marriage
She, the illegitimate, was lucky. She was brought up perfectly, together with all the children of the duke, she had a pleasant appearance, an extraordinary intelligence and a steel character, topped with a layer of sugar. Married Catherine Sforza came out well: for his nephew and, as they say, the son of the brightest Pope Stikst IV, Girolamo Riario, also illegitimate. In the dowry for the bride he got the city of Imola. And then - a gift from his father - the city of Forli. Everyone recognizes Catherine as one of the most beautiful and elegant ladies of the time. A young family lives in Rome, where her husband serves. But the husband, greedy and greedy, is not enough. He squandered the money that should be paid to the soldiers, decided to compete with the powerful Medici. This did not pass for nothing. A series of unsuccessful plots fell upon the family. And then their patron dies, the pontiff Styxst IV. This misfortune is so unhappy. All those who were in favor with him are persecuted and robbed. But the young twenty-year-old woman shows character and captures with the weapon in her hands the castle of Saint Angela. There, in the siege, she remains alone, without a husband who flies to Forli. She does not give up very long until she is threatened that many troubles will be brought to her husband. And the troubles at that time were torture and quartering. And yet later in Forli a conspiracy against Count Imola and Forli Girolamo is being drawn up. At the age of 45, he was killed before his wife's eyes and the naked was thrown out to be scolded from the window of the palace. From him the wife had a daughter and four sons. Countess Caterina Sforza with the children was arrested. They demanded that she renounce her property - Forli and Imola. She promised her husband's murderers to help her capture the fortress in a city that does not give up if she is allowed to negotiate with the commandant, and she left the children hostage. But twenty-five years old Katerina Sforza (photo) was not a simpleton. A thoughtful and gentle angel, who only holds flowers in his hands, turned into a fury in a safe fortress and threatened with brutal punishment for the murder of her husband. And the children, well, in them, she has five of them, she is pregnant with the sixth one, she also gives birth to new ones. Knowing the military aid going to the countess from her uncle, the conspirators fled. So Katerina Sforza returned to herself Imola and Forli, and then, gathering strength, mercilessly avenged her husband's death and her humiliation. The enemies were hanged on the same window where her husband was dropped, then they cut the ropes on which they hung, and the crowd under the windows tore their bodies. The houses where they lived, completely destroyed, brutally tortured relatives. Their property was divided between the poor.
Second marriage
Remaining regent, guardian of his eldest son, the countess is actively engaged in reform of taxation, reforming the army, realizing that her small possessions are of strategic importance and are needed by anyone who wants to take possession of Italy. However, she did not take off her shoes yet, she did not pass another year after the death of her husband, as love fell on her countess. It was a time of tender feelings toward a chosen one who did not yet know about his happiness. Eighteen-year-old commoner was very clever and practical. He was able to immediately benefit from his situation. First, the couple secretly married (so as not to lose the ability to manage their lands and not give them to their son), secondly, he became the first counselor of the countess in all matters and followed her treasury. In this marriage, the son of Carlo, who is so named after the French king , is born . The king grants the child the title of Baron of France. For children already grown up, this state of affairs did not like at all. For seven years her happiness lasted, but her sons found those to whom the influence of her husband on Countess Imola and Forli seemed too strong. My husband was killed in front of Katerina. And she herself had to flee. But she quickly got ready with the spirit. Rabies and determination had no limit when she learned that the conspiracy involved sons from the first marriage of Ottavio and Cesare. But besides these two disgraced, she still has five children. The two of them, fluttering with rage, sent to the casemates, and tortured the killers, and cut them out with all their families mercilessly, without mercy.
Third marriage
But after a year the countess looked elegant and captivating. Eternal enemies of the Medici, deciding to offer peace, sent their messenger Giovanni de Medici. He liked the widow and was fascinated by her. This woman easily achieved everything she wanted. For the marriage, the consent of the eldest son was required, and he, apparently reluctantly, gave it. Two years lasted a serene life, the last eighth child, the boy Giovanni, was born, but the husband, having fallen ill with an unknown disease, died. At thirty-five the countess was again widowed.
Feudal land redistribution
Forlì and Imola, the troops of Cesare Borgia began to advance. The Countess was preparing to siege in Forli, but naively believed that the citizens of Imola would fight with the troops of the conquerors. They, however, hating the countess and the entire Sforza family, simply handed over the keys and let the troops go to them. The countess fired her former city from cannon. Borgia, after an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a truce, seized Forli and the countess, over which he immediately outraged.
The countess was taken to Rome, chained in thin gold chains, and thrown into the cave of the castle of Saint Angela. There she spent about a year, aged and fat.
She did not have any personal land, and she went to her homeland, her last husband, to Florence. There she was waiting for the children. She spent the last nine years with them. So vigorously spent her life Katerina Sforza. Her biography is such that she is remembered to this day, although five centuries have elapsed.
There is an unproven legend that the portrait of the Mona Lisa depicts Katarina Sforza. The time of the beginning of the creation of the portrait and the stay of Catarina in Florence coincides. But this is only one of the assumptions. Around the Great Lernard, everything is shrouded in mystery.
The last child
The children of Catherine Sforza did not remain in history. But Giovanni de 'Medici, the son of the last marriage, was the most outstanding of her eight children. Machiavelli respected him and assumed that if anyone can assemble Italy in a single whole, it's Giovanni. When his mother died, he was eleven years old, and up to seventeen his guardian was a relative, a banker. The teenager was interested only in military career and nothing more. And he dies twenty-eight years after the wound in battle. But he left the son of Cosimo, whom Cosimo I later became, the great Duke of Tuscany. From Cosimo, the Medici family first of all will marry through Maria de 'Medici with the French royal house, and through her descendants will become the ancestor of many royal families of Europe.
Katerina Sforza was the product of her time: steel character, stubbornness and rancor, vindictiveness and cruelty, quickness to kill. And even in the saddle, she was almost not equal. She always had a dagger on her belt. She, if she was not true to her husbands, skillfully concealed it. To children, no matter what, she was caring and tender. Death at forty-five years is natural for the time when there were no long-livers.