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Bona SforzaPrincess of Milan, Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania in 1518-1556
Date of Birth: 02.02.1494
Country:  Poland |
Content:
- Biography of Bona Sforza
- Marriage and Family
- Political Influence and Wealth
- Struggles and Controversies
- Later Years and Death
Biography of Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza, the Milanese Princess, Polish Queen, and Grand Duchess of Lithuania, reigned from 1518 to 1556. She was born in Naples and was the daughter of Duke Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Aragon. After the death of Sigismund I's first wife, Barbara Zápolya, Charles V proposed a marriage between Sigismund and Bona. They were married in 1518 and had several children together.
Marriage and Family
From their marriage, Bona and Sigismund had five children. Their eldest daughter, Isabella Jagiellonka, married John Zápolya, the King of Hungary and Prince of Transylvania. Their son, Sigismund Augustus, became the Grand Duke of Lithuania, the King of Poland, and the head of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Their daughter Sophia married Henry V, the Younger Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Anna Jagiellonka married Stephen Báthory, the King of Poland. Catherine Jagiellonka became the first wife of John III Vasa, the King of Sweden and the Duke of Finland.
Political Influence and Wealth
Bona was known for her beauty and great energy. Even during her husband's lifetime, she effectively ruled the country, but her pride and foreign style of governance alienated the Polish nobility. She paid special attention to managing her extensive estates and accumulating wealth. She owned several castles, including Kremenets in present-day Ukraine, Bar in present-day Ukraine, and Rahačoŭ in present-day Belarus, within the territory of the Union of Lublin, before the formation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Struggles and Controversies
After the death of Sigismund I in 1548, Bona's son Sigismund Augustus fought against his ambitious and ambitious mother. Bona Sforza had plans to unite almost all of Europe under her rule through dynastic marriages of her children. However, these plans were disrupted by Sigismund Augustus's secret marriage to Barbara Radziwiłł after the death of his first wife, Elizabeth of Austria. In 1550, shortly after her coronation, the young queen suddenly died, and Bona Sforza was suspected of poisoning.
Later Years and Death
Due to disagreements with her son, Bona sought to leave Poland, but Sigismund Augustus forbade her from going to Italy, fearing that she would lose her immense wealth and extensive lands in Poland and Lithuania by dying in another country. Only after Bona renounced her property did the king allow her to leave. In 1556, Bona left Poland, taking with her a substantial amount of money. She lent 420,000 golden ducats to King Philip II of Spain.
Bona died in her principality of Bari in Italy, likely poisoned by her own doctor, possibly under the orders of the House of Habsburg. She was buried in the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari. Sigismund Augustus was able to recover a significant portion of the Habsburgs' debt in Krakow, mainly in the form of silver thalers and half-thalers. These high-quality silver coins, brought from the New World by Spanish galleons, were countermarked with the Polish king's emblem and the date "1564." After several decades, these coins were withdrawn from circulation and repurchased from the population.
