Sforza, Ludovico << SFAWRT suh, loo doh VEE koh >> (1452-1508), an Italian prince, was the ruler of Milan and the surrounding region of Lombardy from 1479 to 1499. He seized power illegally, but the arts flourished under his rule.
Ludovico was born on Aug. 3, 1452, in Milan. His brother, the Duke of Milan, was assassinated in 1476. The duke’s 7-year-old son, Gian Galeazzo, inherited the title. In 1479, Ludovico shoved aside Gian and Gian’s mother to seize power. Gian remained duke, but Ludovico assumed control of the government. In 1494, Gian died, and Ludovico became duke. As ruler, he employed many artists and architects, including Leonardo da Vinci.
In 1494, Ludovico invited King Charles VIII of France to come to Italy to fight some of Ludovico’s enemies. Charles came, but for his own reasons. His arrival began a series of foreign invasions. In 1499, a French invasion forced Ludovico to flee Milan. He returned in 1500 but was soon captured by the French. He died on May 17, 1508, in a French prison.
See also Leonardo da Vinci (Years in Milan).
