
Tigress Of Forli
The Life of Caterina Sforza
Elizabeth Lev(Author)
Apollo (Publisher)
Published on 12. December 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-1-78954-635-4 (ISBN)
Description
Between her birth in 1463 as the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Milan, to her death in 1509 as a member of the powerful Medici family, Caterina Sforza's life crossed the firmament of Italy's High Renaissance like a shooting star.
In her 46 years she bore eight children and buried three husbands. She was painted by Botticelli, slandered by Machiavelli, and feted by Pope Sixtus IV. She was celebrated as a warrior who fearlessly led her own troops into battle, and ruthlessly defended her city-state of Forli, but Caterina was eventually defeated, imprisoned and raped by Cesare Borgia.
Remembered as the author of a recipe book that went through more than 100 editions, Caterina was honoured at her death as 'without a doubt the first lady of Italy'. Her youngest son would become - like her - a brilliant soldier and a national hero, and the next four generations of her descendants would include two Dukes of Tuscany, a queen of France, and a queen of England.
In her 46 years she bore eight children and buried three husbands. She was painted by Botticelli, slandered by Machiavelli, and feted by Pope Sixtus IV. She was celebrated as a warrior who fearlessly led her own troops into battle, and ruthlessly defended her city-state of Forli, but Caterina was eventually defeated, imprisoned and raped by Cesare Borgia.
Remembered as the author of a recipe book that went through more than 100 editions, Caterina was honoured at her death as 'without a doubt the first lady of Italy'. Her youngest son would become - like her - a brilliant soldier and a national hero, and the next four generations of her descendants would include two Dukes of Tuscany, a queen of France, and a queen of England.
Reviews / Votes
Tigress of Forli is a triumph * Spectator * Warring kingdoms [...] corrupt popes and hapless husbands and lovers... As action-packed as Game of Thrones' * New York Times * A swirling vortex of alliances, grudges and revenge * New York Journal of Books *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Illustrations
1 x 8pp colour
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-78954-635-4 (9781789546354)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Previous edition

Book
07/2015
Head of Zeus
€32.37
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Elizabeth Lev is an art historian living in Rome, where she teaches Baroque and Renaissance Art.