Transcript Bona Sforza - wow project

Bona Sforza
Queen of Poland
Bona Sforza (2 February
1494 or 2 February 1493
– 19 November 1557)
was a member of the
powerful Milanese
House of Sforza.
In 1518, she became the
second wife of
Sigismund I the Old, the
King of Poland and
Grand Duke of
Lithuania, and became
the Queen of Poland
and Grand Duchess
of Lithuania.
She was the third child
of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and
his wife Isabella of Naples.
Her older brother was
Francesco Sforza and
her sisters were Ippolita
Maria and Bianca Maria.
All of Bona's siblings
died young.
When her mother Isabella
of Naples died in 1524, Bona
succeeded to the titles
Duchess of Bari and
Princess of Rossano.
She also became the holder
of the Brienne claim to the
title of King of Jerusalem.
Biography
Early years
Bona was born into the powerful and wealthy Italian Sforza
dynasty who had ruled Milan since 1447. Although her father
belonged to the authority of the Duchy of Milan, he was
ousted by his uncle Ludovico Sforza, known to history as
"Il Moro". He exercised power on behalf of the young prince,
until his death in 1494 at the castle in Pavia.
Shortly afterwards, the Princess Isabella, together with her
daughters, went to Bari. To regain political significance
and their former possessions, Isabella had to find a husband
for Bona (her surviving daughter). Her first attempts were
unsuccessful due to the unfavourable political situation at the
time but due to the support of the House of Habsburg she
succeeded in marrying Bona to the widowed Polish King
Sigismund I the Old. The marriage ceremonies and Bona's
coronation were held in Krakow on 18 April 1518.
In her youth, Bona obtained a good education. Her teacher
was Crisostomo Colonna, a member of the Academy of Pont,
who supervised her education along with Antonio Galateo.
She received instruction in history, law, administration
and theology. She was thrifty, economical, and she also had
the ability to influence people. She demonstrated this skill in
all her activities.
Queen of Poland
Bona came out of the belief that one of the most important things
needed for the effective implementation of policies and plans for
strengthening royal authority is access to appropriate high finance.
Therefore she set herself the objective of magnification and the
assembly domain of dynastic wealth as much as possible, which
would give the Jagiello family financial independence. The family
gained numerous estates in Lithuania, and finally in 1536-1546 they
took over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This generated huge profits.
In 1527, as a result of a fall from a horse, the queen gave birth
prematurely to her second son Albert, who died at birth. After this
event, the Queen could not have any more children. Bona, wanting
to ensure the continuity of the Jagiellonian dynasty on the Polish
throne, decided to make the nobles and magnates to recognise her
only son, the minor Sigismund Augustus as heir to the throne. First, the
Lithuanian nobles gave him the ducal throne (1527-1528).
Then, in 1529 he was crowned Sigismund II Augustus. This led to huge
opposition from Polish lords, which led to the adoption of the bill that
the next coronation would take place after the death of Sigismund
Augustus, and that it would do so with the consent of all the
noble brothers.
From the outset, Bona was wary of the
growing power of the Radziwill family
and was later accused of poisoning
her daughter-in-law Barbara Radziwill.
In foreign policy, she was a fierce
opponent of the Habsburgs and
a supporter of a closer alliance with
France. In Hungary during the wars
that took place after the Battle
of Mohacs in 1526, supported by János
Szapolyai against the Habsburgs. Bona
also sought to maintain good relations
with Sublime Porte and contacts with
Roxelana, the most important wife
of Suleyman the Magnificent.
Bona was also a spokesperson for
connecting Silesia to the Crown
in return for her hereditary principality
Bari and Rosano, but Sigismund the
Old did not support the idea and the
whole project collapsed. Bona
managed to also carry out tax reforms
in Lithuania and agricultural products
(including uniform duties of the
peasants and a unit of area
measurements).
Queen Bona's gardens at the Wawel Castle.
Later life and widowhood
In 1539 Bona Sforza had presided,
reluctantly, over the burning of 80-year
old Katarzyna Weiglowa for heresy, but
this event ushered in an era of tolerance,
and her confessor Francesco Lismanino
assisted in the establishment of a Calvinist
Academy in Pinczów.
In 1544, Sigismund II Augustus was given
independent authority in Lithuania,
and he moved there. It was the cause
of a significant weakening of power in the
queen, who did not want his departure.
The pair had originally entered into
a conflict over her son's marriage
to Barbara Radziwill.
On the 1 April 1548, Sigismund I the Old
died, leaving Bona a widow. Their son
succeeded him.
After the death of the King, Bona moved
to Masovia and stayed there for eight
years. Then she moved back to her
native Bari.
Bona’s children
Bona and Sigismund I the Old had six children:
• Isabella (18 January 1519 – 15 September 1559), was a Queen
of Hungary, wife of John Zápolya
• Sigismund II Augustus (1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572), was a King
of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania
• Sophia (13 July 1522 – 28 May 1575), was a Duchess of BrunswickLüneburg, wife of Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
• Anna (18 October 1523 – 9 September 1596), elected Queen
of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, wife of Stefan Batory
• Catherine (1 November 1526 – 16 September 1583), was a Queen
of Sweden and Grand Duchess of Finland, wife of John III of Sweden
• Wojciech Olbracht, born and died 20 September 1527
Murder
A year after returning to the
Duchy of Bari Bona Sforza was
poisoned by her trusted officer,
Gian Lorenzo Pappacoda.
Pappacoda was acting on
behalf of King Philip II
of Spain,who wished to avoid
repaying his sizable debts to the
Polish queen. She was buried
in St. Nicholas' Basilica in Bari,
where her daughter Anna had
a tomb made in the current
Renaissance style for her
remains.
Contribution
• she was a patron of Polish youth
culture
• on Polish tables hit many
previously unknown vegetables:
tomatoes, cauliflower,
artichokes, green beans,
broccoli, cabbage and spinach
and Italian pasta and spices
• consumption of wine was
increased
• she built bridges, mills, sawmills
and fortified fortresses