Tigress Of Forli: The Life of Caterina Sforza (Great Lives) - Hardcover

Lev, Elizabeth

4.06

2,621 ratings by Goodreads

9781908800176: Tigress Of Forli: The Life of Caterina Sforza (Great Lives)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1908800178 ISBN 13: 9781908800176

Publisher: Head of Zeus, 2012

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Between her birth in 1463 as the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Milan, and her death in 1509 as a member of the powerful Medici family, the life of Caterina Sforza crossed the firmament of Renaissance Italy like a shooting star. She was painted by Botticelli, feted by Pope Sixtus IV, slandered by Macchiavelli and celebrated as a warrior who led her own troops fearlessly into battle. While defending her fortress city-state of Forli, she was prepared to sacrifice her children rather than surrender - yet she was eventually defeated, imprisoned and raped by a Borgia. Caterina Sforza bore 8 children, buried 3 husbands, and wrote a recipe book that has since been through more than 100 editions. Her youngest child became, like his mother, a brilliant soldier and a national hero. But not even the determined Caterina could have planned that her son's direct descendants would include the kings of France and of England ... Or that she herself would be reborn 600 years later as the kick-ass lead character in the multimillion-selling videogame Assassin's Creed.

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Review:

'Warring kingdoms, feuding cousins, corrupt popes and hapless husbands and lovers. Caterina's tale is as action-packed as 'Game of Thrones.' --New York Times.

'A tale of murder, childhood marriage, revenge, rape, accession to power by a Florentine woman, and a violent downfall. Lev offers a rich, nuanced portrait of a highly controversial beauty and military leader.' --Publishers' Weekly.

From the Back Cover:

In this insightful, fascinating portrayal, Elizabeth Lev brings Caterina Sforza and her times very much to life. Kathleen Turner, actress and author of Send Yourself Roses

A strategist to match Machiavelli; a warrior who stood toe to toe with the Borgias; a wife whose three marriages would end in bloodshed and heartbreak; and a mother determined to maintain her family s honor, Caterina Riario Sforza de Medici was a true Renaissance celebrity, beloved and vilified in equal measure. In this dazzling biography, Elizabeth Lev illuminates her extraordinary life and accomplishments.
Raised in the court of Milan and wed at age ten to the pope s corrupt nephew, Caterina was ensnared in Italy s political intrigues early in life. After turbulent years in Rome s papal court, she moved to the Romagnol province of Forli. Following her husband s assassination, she ruled Italy s crossroads with iron will, martial strength, political savvy, and an icon s fashion sense. In finally losing 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.
A rich evocation of Renaissance life, The Tigress of Forli reveals Caterina Riario Sforza as a brilliant and fearless ruler, and a tragic but unbowed figure.

A rich, nuanced portrait of a highly controversial beauty and military leader, and her violent, albeit glittering, Italian Renaissance milieu. Publishers Weekly
Well-written and meticulously researched, The Tigress of Forli recreates the world of Renaissance Italy in all its grandeur and violence. At the center stands a remarkable woman, Caterina Riario Sforza. Mother, warrior, and icon, Caterina is unforgettable, and so is the exciting story that Elizabeth Lev tells here. Barry Strauss, author of Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the Genius of Leadership

Elizabeth Lev is a scholar of Renaissance art and culture and a professor of art history in Rome, where she lives with her family. The Tigress of Forli is her first book.

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