Ginevra Sforza
Ginevra Sforza | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1441 unknown, probably near Pesaro |
| Died | 17 May 1507 (aged 66–67) Busseto, Parma |
| Other names | Genevra Sforza de' Bentivoglio |
| Known for | Illegitimate daughter of Alessandro Sforza, lord of Pesaro; "fecundissima" wife of Giovanni II Bentivoglio; and "first lady" of Renaissance-era Bologna for over 50 years |
| Spouses | |
Ginevra Sforza (c. 1441 – 17 May 1507) was an Italian aristocrat. She was the wife of Sante Bentivoglio and then of Giovanni II Bentivoglio, both de facto signori (or unofficial leaders, or 'lords') of Bologna. She had 18 children and served the Bentivoglio family by fulfilling the gendered role demanded of her by society.
For the past 500 years in Bolognese historiography, Ginevra had been known as a terrible woman who destroyed her family and the city of Bologna. Subsequent academic research conducted about her life based on 15th century materials that had been dispersed among dozens of Italian archives and libraries presented a re-evaluation of Ginevra's life and reputation.