Cecilia Gallerani

Cecilia Gallerani (* 1473 in Siena, † 1536) was one of the mistresses of Duke Ludovico Sforza, the ruler and the ruler of Milan from 1494, mother of his son Cesare ( May 3, 1491 † 1512).

At the age of ten she was married in 1483 with Stefano Visconti. The engagement was terminated in 1487 for unknown reasons. In May 1489 she moved to Monastero Nuovo, where they are likely to Ludovico Sforza met.

After the wedding of Prince Sforza with Beatrice d' Este 1492, she received the Palazzo Carmagnola as a residence. She later married the Count Ludovico Carminati de ' Brambilla, called " Il Bergamino ", and bore him four children. After the death of her husband and one of her sons (1514-1515) she retired to the castle of San Giovanni in Croce at Cremona.

Cecilia was an educated woman, fluent in Latin, wrote poetry and discussed with the scholars of Milan on philosophy. Your Leonardo da Vinci painted portrait, known as Lady with an Ermine, is located in the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow.

Bibliography

• Daniela Pizzagalli: La Dama Con L' ermellino: Vita Di Cecilia Gallerani E Passioni Nella Milano Di Ludovico Il Moro, Rizzoli Editore, Milano 1999, ISBN 88-17-86073-5