Individual Details
Jacopo Muzio Attendolo Sforza
(1369 - 4 Jan 1424)
Jacopo was born in May or June 1369, the son of Giovanni Attendolo and Elisa dei Petrascini. He belonged to a wealthy warrior family from the village of Cotignola in the Romagna, Italy. Several of his brothers achieved renown as condottieri (military leaders who were often mercenaries), and even their mother Elisa dei Petrascini was known to fight side by side with her menfolk.
Jacopo was recruited at the age of fifteen by the condottiere Boldrino da Panicale. According to legend he made up his mind whether or not to join Boldrino by throwing his axe into a tree: if it stuck in the tree he would join; if not he would stay at Cotignola. The axe stuck.
After four years of learning his trade he joined Alberico da Barbiano and stayed for a dozen or so years. Because of his strength he gained the nickname of Sforza, which would henceforth become the family name of his descendants. Most of the time they were fighting for Gian Galeazzo Visconti, duke of Milan, but when Gian Galeazzo created his own band he also fought against him.
By now known as Muzio Attendolo Sforza, he later fought for Florence against Pisa, for Ferrara against Parma, and then both for and against the papacy. Through his service to Pope John XXIII he gained the lordship of Cotignola. His next employer was Ladislaus I of Anjou, king of Naples.
By this time he had fathered seven children by his mistress Lucia Terziani, married Antonia Salembini and fathered another son Bosio by Lucia. When he had to place his eldest son Francisco as a hostage with King Ladislaus, the king took a liking to Francisco and looked after him very well. Only Francesco, Alessandro and Bosio, all by his mistress Lucia Terzani, would have progeny.
In 1423 the city of Aquila rebelled and Jacopo was sent to reconquer it. On 4 January 1424, as he was attempting to save one of his men while crossing the river Aterno in a storm, Jacopo drowned and his body was swept by the waters.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Jacopo was recruited at the age of fifteen by the condottiere Boldrino da Panicale. According to legend he made up his mind whether or not to join Boldrino by throwing his axe into a tree: if it stuck in the tree he would join; if not he would stay at Cotignola. The axe stuck.
After four years of learning his trade he joined Alberico da Barbiano and stayed for a dozen or so years. Because of his strength he gained the nickname of Sforza, which would henceforth become the family name of his descendants. Most of the time they were fighting for Gian Galeazzo Visconti, duke of Milan, but when Gian Galeazzo created his own band he also fought against him.
By now known as Muzio Attendolo Sforza, he later fought for Florence against Pisa, for Ferrara against Parma, and then both for and against the papacy. Through his service to Pope John XXIII he gained the lordship of Cotignola. His next employer was Ladislaus I of Anjou, king of Naples.
By this time he had fathered seven children by his mistress Lucia Terziani, married Antonia Salembini and fathered another son Bosio by Lucia. When he had to place his eldest son Francisco as a hostage with King Ladislaus, the king took a liking to Francisco and looked after him very well. Only Francesco, Alessandro and Bosio, all by his mistress Lucia Terzani, would have progeny.
In 1423 the city of Aquila rebelled and Jacopo was sent to reconquer it. On 4 January 1424, as he was attempting to save one of his men while crossing the river Aterno in a storm, Jacopo drowned and his body was swept by the waters.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 1369 | Cotignola, Romagna | |||
| Death | 4 Jan 1424 |
Families
| Spouse | Lucia Terciani ( - 1461) |
| Child | Count Bosio Sforza of Santa Fiora (1411 - 1476) |
| Father | Giovanni Attendolo ( - ) |
| Mother | Elisa Petracini ( - ) |