Biography of Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress 1472-1510

Before 1469 [her father] Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan (age 24) and [her mother] Bona of Savoy (age 19) were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Louis Savoy I Count Savoy and [her grandmother] Anne Cyprus Countess Savoy. He the son of [her grandfather] Francesco Sforza I Duke Milan and [her grandmother] Bianca Maria Visconti. They were second cousin once removed. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

In 1472 Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress was born to [her father] Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan (age 27) and [her mother] Bona of Savoy (age 22).

On 26th December 1476 [her father] Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan (age 32) was murdered at the Basilica di Santo Stefano Maggiore, Milan [Map]. Supported by about thirty friends, the three men waited in the church for the duke to arrive for mass. When Galeazzo Sforza arrived, Lampugnani knelt before him; after some words were exchanged, Lampugnani rose suddenly and stabbed Sforza in the groin and breast. Olgiati and Visconti soon joined in, as did a servant of Lampugnani's. Sforza was dead within a matter of seconds. All the assassins quickly escaped in the ensuing mayhem save for Lampugnani, who became entangled in some of the church's cloth and was killed by a guard. His body soon fell into the hands of a mob, which dragged the corpse through the streets, slashing and beating at it; finally, they hung the body upside-down outside Lampugnani's house. The beheaded corpse was cut down the next day and, in an act of symbolism, the "sinning" right hand was removed, burnt and put on display. His son [her brother] Gian (age 7) succeeded 6th Duke Milan.

On 18th August 1477 [her future husband] Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 18) and Mary Valois Duchess Burgundy (age 20) were married at Ghent [Map]. She the daughter of Charles "Bold" Valois Duke Burgundy and Isabella Bourbon. He the son of Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 61) and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress. They were second cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

Around 1489 [her future husband] Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 29) was appointed 239th Knight of the Garter by King Henry VII of England and Ireland (age 31).

In February 1489 [her brother] Gian Galeazzo Sforza 6th Duke Milan (age 19) and [her sister-in-law] Isabella Trastámara Duchess Milan (age 18) were married. She by marriage Duchess Milan. She the daughter of Alfonso II King Naples (age 40) and [her aunt] Ippolita Maria Sforza. He the son of [her father] Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan and [her mother] Bona of Savoy (age 39). They were first cousins.

Probably 1493. Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis (age 38). Portrait of Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress (age 21).

Between 1493 and 1495. Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis (age 38). Portrait of Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress (age 21).

On 19th August 1493 Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor (age 77) died. His son [her future husband] Maximilian (age 34) succeeded I Holy Roman Emperor.

In 1494 Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 34) and Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress (age 22) were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress. She the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza 5th Duke Milan and Bona of Savoy (age 44). He the son of Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress. They were third cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 21st October 1494 [her brother] Gian Galeazzo Sforza 6th Duke Milan (age 25) died. His uncle [her uncle] Ludovico (age 42) succeeded Duke Milan.

On 3rd April 1496 John Trastámara Prince Asturias (age 17) and [her step-daughter] Margaret of Austria Princess Asturias (age 16) were married at Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas [Map]. She by marriage Princess Asturias. She the daughter of [her husband] Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 37) and Mary Valois Duchess Burgundy. He the son of Ferdinand II King Aragon (age 44) and Isabella Queen Castile (age 44). They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 20th October 1496 [her step-son] Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile (age 18) and Joanna "The Mad" Trastámara Queen Castile (age 17) were married. She the daughter of Ferdinand II King Aragon (age 44) and Isabella Queen Castile (age 45). He the son of [her husband] Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 37) and Mary Valois Duchess Burgundy. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

In 1500 Philibert "Handsome Good" Savoy 2nd Duke Savoy (age 19) and [her step-daughter] Margaret of Austria Princess Asturias (age 19) were married. She by marriage Duchess Savoy. She the daughter of [her husband] Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 40) and Mary Valois Duchess Burgundy. He the son of [her uncle] Philip "Landless" Savoy II Duke Savoy and Margaret Bourbon. They were first cousin once removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 1st February 1501 Sigismund Wittelsbach Duke Bavaria (age 62) died. His brother Albert (age 53) succeeded IV Duke Bavaria. [her sister-in-law] Kunigunde Habsburg Duchess Bavaria (age 36) by marriage Duchess Bavaria.

On 17th November 1503 [her mother] Bona of Savoy (age 54) died.

On 26th November 1504 Isabella Queen Castile (age 53) died. Her daughter Joanna (age 25) succeeded Queen Castile. [her step-son] Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile (age 26) by marriage King Castile.

Around 1506 [her step-son] Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile (age 27) was appointed 257th Knight of the Garter by King Henry VII of England and Ireland (age 48).

On 25th September 1506 [her step-son] Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile (age 28) died.

In 1510 Bianca Maria Sforza Holy Roman Empress (age 38) died.

On 12th January 1519 [her former husband] Maximilian Habsburg I Holy Roman Emperor (age 59) died. His grandson Charles (age 18) succeeded V Holy Roman Emperor.