"If I have to lose, although I am a woman, I want to lose in a manly way."
For my posts for the upcoming months I'm going to feature those incredible, strong women of the past. If you think the concept of Girl Power was first started by Lara Croft, the Spice Girls, Destiny's Child and all the other girl bands, think again! These women would definitely give them a run for their money. This month I will be featuring Caterina Sforza, the Countess of Forli.
Caterina was the bastard daughter of Galleazo Maria Sforza, the Duke of Milan and Lucrezia Landriani. As it happens, Lucrezia was a the wife of the duke's good friend Gian Piero Landriani, a courtier. Perhaps Gian Piero opted to step aside and turn a blind eye to the affair. The duke was known for his cruelty and violence, and this was what the young Caterina seemed to have inherited from him.
Even if she was a bastard, Caterina was given a noble's education. However, she found the lessons boring. She enjoyed the most rigorous activities like riding, hunting and dancing. Being a girl she was expected to advance her family's fortune and prestige by getting married to a rich and influential nobleman.
In 1473 at the age of 10 she got engaged to Girolamo Riario, Count of Imola and Forli. He was also Pope Sixtus IV's nephew. The couple married that same year but the marriage was consummated when Caterina reached the age of 14, which was the legal age at that time. She bore him six children. The marriage may not have been a love match, but Caterina and Girolamo shared a common passion...the advancement of their house. She ruled in her husband's place while he was away to defend the papal states. She fortified defenses, recruited men for their army and oversaw everything herself. When Pope Sixtus IV died, chaos erupted in Rome. Those who suffered from the regime of the dead pope looted and sacked the city including the couple's home, the Orsini palace in Campo de'Fiori. Caterina, seven months pregnant at that time rode on horseback to occupy the fortress of Castel Sant'Angelo on her husband's place. Disorder and chaos still pervaded in the city. Only the election of a new pope can instill order but the college of cardinals refused to enter conclave as they feared Caterina's artillery. The cardinals negotiated with Girolamo who was able to occupy a good strategic position. They reached an agreement that Girolamo will leave Rome for 8,000 ducats and the confirmation of his lordship of the lands of Imola and Forli. Caterina found out what her husband did and proceeded to make preparations to resist so the cardinals will be forced to parley. The cardinals approached Girolamo again and he opposed his wife. Caterina surrendered Castel Sant'Angelo to the Sacred College and left Rome with her family. The cardinals were then able to elect a new pope, Pope Innocent VIII.
The new pope was a long-time opponent of the family. The new pontiff deprived Girolamo any influence in the military and refused to make payments for Girolamo to leave Rome. Upon arriving in Forli, law and order was maintained in Forli with the help of her uncle Ludovico Il Moro (an interesting figure, but I'll save him for another post :) ). Girolamo refused to reimplement taxes on his people despite his loss of income. However, he was persuaded by the Council of Elders to levy taxes. This act earned the hatred of the people of Forli as those who were affected greatly with the increase of taxes were the artisans and landowners. By this time many conspired to assassinate him.
After many failed attempts, Girolamo was killed on 14 April 1488 in a conspiracy led by members of a noble family in Forli, the Orsis. They also took Caterina and her children as prisoners. The fortress of Ravaldino refused to surrender to the Orsis, so Caterina offered to go and convince the castellan Tommaseo Feo to concede to the rule of the Orsis. Convinced that she was not going to double-cross them since she left her children as hostages, the Orsis allowed her to leave. Of course she was bluffing. The minute she entered the fortress she released vulgar threats and promises of vengeance on her captors. According to legend, when her captors threatened to kill her children, it was said that she lifted her skirts and exposed her genitals saying "Ho con me lo stampo per farne degli altri! (I have the instrument to bear more!)." With the help of her uncle Ludovico Il Moro, she was able to rescue her children, defeat her enemies and regain her dominions. As was expected in society at that time, she avenged her husband's murder by ruthlessly torturing and executing all those involved.
Stay tuned next week for the next post about Caterina Sforza...Il Tigre.
