Francesco Sforza#

Summary#

Francesco Sforza is Machiavelli’s prime example of a man who rose from private citizen to Duke of Milan through his own ability and martial prowess rather than fortune. Unlike those who gain power through luck or the arms of others, Sforza acquired his position “with a thousand anxieties” but kept it with little trouble, demonstrating the stability that comes from self-reliance. Machiavelli also notes the darker side of his rise: as a mercenary captain, Sforza betrayed his Milanese employers after defeating the Venetians, then allied with Venice to seize Milan for himself.

Mentioned In#

• I. How Many Kinds of Principalities There Are, and by What Means They Are Acquired ↖ The Prince
• VII. Concerning New Principalities Which Are Acquired Either by the Arms of Others or by Good Fortune ↖ The Prince
• XII. How Many Kinds of Soldiery There Are, and Concerning Mercenaries ↖ The Prince
• XIV. That Which Concerns a Prince on the Subject of the Art of War ↖ The Prince