Elizabeth Lev

Caterina Sforza, married at 10 and dead at 46 having outlived 2 additional husbands, was exceptional in many ways and not just for her time and gender. She fought and schemed, survived the Borgia's efforts, and had men vying for her favors into her 40s. She leaves behind a record full of inconsistencies which is not surprising as though she lived by deft political maneuvers where possible, after her second husband's death she reacted with violence remarkable even at the time which nearly destroyed her own power base. Her third marriage gave her the association with the Medici which became, other than her own reputation, her lasting legacy.… (mais)

This was really interesting and well written.
The only issue I have is the author's framing of the statutory rape of Caterina at age 10. This clearly causes trauma in Caterina and was really only allowed because as a bastard she had no mother to speak for her or protect her.
The fact that she doesn't blame her father fits for the time she lived in. However we know understand much more about trauma like this. It seems wrong to pretend this was normal when it wasn't even for the times in which she lived.
Sigh… (mais)

This is the first life of Caterina Riario Sforza de' Medici, countess of Imola and Forli, known chiefly for her brave though ultimately unsuccessful stand against Cesare Borgia. Before that, she had successfully defeated her husband's assassins and ruled Imola/Forli as regent for her son for over a decade. Eventually she became the grandmother of the first Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany and through him the ancestor of several kings of France and Spain, including the current Spanish king. The author is a serious Italian scholar, though the one is more popular biography than dry scholarship. ON the whole she is sympathetic to Caterina, while admitting she made some bad mistakes. She dismisses the rumors about Caterina's many lovers as unreliable gossip, which much of it probably was.… (mais)