Muzio Sforza
Giacomo or Muzio Attendolo, sometimes Giacomuzzo (* June 10, 1369 in Cotignola in Romagna; † January 4, 1424 in Pescara River at L' Aquila ) was a Condottiere of peasant origin. He was the son of Giovanni Attendolo and Elisa, who was probably a daughter of Ugolino Petracini.
Muzio Attendolo was the leader of the gang of adventurers who had previously kidnapped him. He took the name of Sforza fought for Perugia, Milan and Florence, served in Naples under Queen Joanna II, fought against the Spaniards, was Pope Martin V (reigned 1417-1431 ), who raised him to the Roman Count.
In his service for Johanna II did not even become king ruled Sforza and her lover Pandolfo Alopo the queen completely, while the barons of the kingdom wanted to ask her a husband to the side, which should be strong enough to break the power of their favorites, but wanted. The choice fell on James II of La Marche (1370-1438), the wedding was celebrated in 1415. However, Jacob made himself king, Alopo put to death, Sforza imprisoned and held his wife almost in isolation, which in turn led to reactions in the barons who forced Jacob, Sforza release to renounce his kingdom and finally to leave the country.
Shortly after, Johanna Sforza sent out to restore its power in Rome, where the Neapolitans had been chased away by Ladislaus ' death. Sforza came into the city and forced the condottieri Braccio da Montone, who defended Rome by order of the Pope to withdraw ( 1416 ). But Oddo Colonna in 1417 when Martin V was elected pope, these allied with Johanna, who in turn promised to abandon Rome and retrieve Sforza to Naples. The latter now found himself without impact to the Queen, which is now completely out of her new lover Giovanni ( Sergianni ) Caracciolo was dominated. Hoping to be able to restore its position and destroy Caracciolo, Sforza promoted the claims of Louis III. of Anjou, which is witnessed by the approval of the Pope on the throne of Naples, who wanted to be Joan's successor after her death. By influencing Caracciola Johanna, but refused to adopt Ludwig, instead she called Alfonso V of Aragon to help, which they promised for the inheritance and adopted him in 1420. The result of this diplomacy was a war between Johanna and Alfons on one, Ludwig and Sforza, the latter, on the other hand, which ended with the support of the Pope in 1422 with the victory of the monarch and a peace agreement. Disagreement between the Aragonese and Neapolitans then led to the fact that Caracciolo was arrested, prompting Johanna to their own security, fearing turn Sforza asked for help, who could bring them with difficulty to Aversa, where in 1423 Louis of Anjou instead of from their perspective Alfons ungrateful adoptees.
Muzio Sforza Attendolo drowned on January 4, 1424 on a campaign in Pescara in Aquila.
He was married to Caterina Orsini since July 16, 1415. He had three sons, but which come from his mistress Lucia Torsano:
- Francesco I Sforza (1401-1466), 1450 Duke of Milan
- Alessandro Sforza (1409-1473), Count of Pesaro 1445
- Bosio Sforza (1411-1476), Count of San Fiora