Bona of Savoy

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Bona of Savoy
BonaSavoy.jpg
Duchess consort of Milan
Tenure 22 July 1468 – 26 December 1476
Born 10 August 1449
Avigliana, Turin
Died 23 November 1503 (aged 54)
Fossano, Piedmont, Italy
Spouse Galeazzo Maria Sforza
Issue Gian Galeazzo Sforza
Bianca Maria Sforza
Hermes Maria Sforza
Anna Maria Sforza
House Savoy
Father Louis, Duke of Savoy
Mother Anne of Cyprus

Bona of Savoy, Duchess of Milan (10 August 1449 – 23 November 1503) was the second spouse of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan and a member of the noble Italian House of Savoy. She served as regent of Milan during the minority of her son 1476–1481.

Born in Avigliana, Turin, Bona was a daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy and Anne de Lusignan of Cyprus. She was one of nineteen children. Her many siblings included: Amadeus IX of Savoy, Philip II, Duke of Savoy, Louis of Savoy, Count of Geneva, Marguerite of Savoy and Charlotte of Savoy, who married King Louis XI.

Life

In 1464, Bona was to have been betrothed to Edward IV of England, until his secret marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was revealed. She married Galeazzo Maria Sforza on 9 May 1468. An alliance between the Sforza and the royal house of France had been rumoured from as early as 1460, and "in June 1464 Bona of Savoy was officially offered to Galeazzo by letters from the King of France and the Duke of Savoy." The union produced four children:

Bona's husband was assassinated, on 26 December 1476 at the age of 32 by three young noblemen on the porch of the cathedral church of San Stefano in Milan. Galeazzo was succeeded after his 10-year reign by his 7-year-old son Gian Galeazzo Sforza (1469–1494) under the regency of Bona. But dissensions soon arose between the regent and her brother-in-law, Ludovico Maria Sforza, nicknamed "Il Moro" (the Moor).

In the first encounter Bona and her chief counsellor, Cicco Simonetta, were victorious, and Ludovico and his brothers were made to leave the city. In order to obtain his re-admission, Ludovico, took advantage of the rivalry between Tassino (the favourite of Bona) and Simonetta. The fall and execution of Simonetta followed. From 1479 the real government of Milan lay in the hands of Ludovico, whose power was further secured in 1480, when he seized his nephew Gian, deprived him of the duchy and assumed control. Consequently, Bona was obliged to leave Milan and Ludovico was left to rule unchallenged.[1]

Bona of Savoy commissioned the Sforza Book of Hours manuscript, which was painted in about 1490 by a famous court artist, Giovan Pietro Birago. She used the book, which contained devotional texts and is considered to be one of the most outstanding treasures of the Italian Renaissance.[2]

Ancestry

Family of Bona of Savoy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Bonne of Bourbon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. John, Duke of Berry
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Bonne of Berry
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Joanna of Armagnac
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Louis, Duke of Savoy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. John II of France
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Philip the Bold
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Bonne of Bohemia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Mary of Burgundy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Louis II of Flanders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Margaret III, Countess of Flanders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Margaret of Brabant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Bona of Savoy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Hugh IV of Cyprus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. James I of Cyprus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Alice d'Ibelin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Janus of Cyprus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. Duke Philip of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Helvis of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27. Helisia of Dampierre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Anne of Cyprus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. James I, Count of La Marche
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. John I, Count of La Marche
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Jeanne of Châtillon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Charlotte of Bourbon-La Marche
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. John VI, Count of Vendôme
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Catherine of Vendôme
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Jeanne of Ponthieu
 
 
 
 
 
 

References

  1. The Official Castello Sforzesco Website
  2. Treasure united with the page it lost 500 years ago - This Britain, UK - Independent.co.uk
Preceded by Duchess of Milan
1468–1476
Succeeded by
Isabella of Aragon, Duchess of Milan