The Tigress of Forlì

Born and raised in the court in Milan in 1463, Caterina Riario Sforza was a remarkably modern woman. A wife, mother, warrior and leader, she defied conventional notions of womanhood, refusing to be pigeonholed into any one role. Renowned for her beauty and impeccable fashion sense, Caterina was also a fearless leader. Beneath an elegant exterior lurked a virago who deftly handled a weapon and fought ferociously to protect family property. She single-handedly put down a revolt after the murder of her husband.

Some early historians tended to wax romantic about her adventures while glossing over the more problematic episodes in her life. They saw her as an inspired warrior along the lines of Joan of Arc. Others compared Caterina to Cleopatra. These detractors dismissed her as a tyrant who was propelled by greed for power and an insatiable sexual appetite. As Elizabeth Lev shows in The Tigress of Forlì, Caterina was far more complicated and nuanced than either characterization. Lev, an expert in Renaissance art and culture, presents a lively portrait of this long-misunderstood figure.

Throughout her childhood Caterina was surrounded by strong-willed men and women. Might was a family trait. Her grandfather Muzio Attendolo’s exploits as a soldier on the battlefield earned him the name “Sforza,” meaning strength. Caterina inherited his courage and moxie. Later as an adult, she would exhibit a steely determination of her own. Unlike the nobility of most other European courts, the Sforza family trained its female children alongside the males in use of weapons, riding and hunting. Caterina gained an unusual advantage over her peers: her education developed both the intellect and the fundamentals of military leadership.

Caterina was ensnared in Italy’s political intrigues early in life. Her childhood was cut short at 10 when she was wed to the corrupt nephew of Pope Sixtus IV. After turbulent years in Rome’s papal court, Caterina moved to the Romagnol province of Forlì where she reigned as Countess of Imola for 11 years. Following her husband’s assassination, she ruled Italy’s crossroads with martial strength, political savvy—and an icon’s fashion sense. In 1499, Caterina defended Imola against the ruthless Cesare Borgia, who sought to claim the town as his own.

Although she finally lost her lands to the Borgia family, she put up a resistance that inspired all of Europe and set the stage for her progeny—including Cosimo de' Medici—to follow her example to greatness. “As a bearer of many qualities and virtues that we admire today, Caterina is an ideal guide to the Renaissance world,” contends Lev. The Tigress of Forlì succeeds in bringing Caterina to brilliant life.