Renaissance Women
Under construction - tell me who else you need me to put here!
Caterina Sforza
Caterina was, by all accounts, a feisty women but beware of the biased interpretations of her life that relate better to computer and role-playing games (which can be awesome!) than the historical reality. Series like "The Borgias" also take a lot of liberties with the historical evidence to create a better storyline, and even some historians treat sources in a biased way to portray a specific interpretation of the events. I've tried to find articles based on reliable sources below - most of them are very academic texts, because the 'easy' ones seem to link more to the film or game characters than the historical personage.
Some interesting people to "interview" for your video might be:
Biographical details
The wikipaedia page on Caterina is actually well-referenced, but do click on and read all the footnotes to give a more accurate picture of what you're reading (ie what points are mostly gossip or exaggeration, and which are supported by strong evidence). It is a good starting point for your research.
The best biography of Caterina Sforza is Tigress of Forli - the City of Sydney library has a copy, and you can read about the types of sources the author used (and a fairly graphic account of her first husband's assassination) in the google preview. If you don't get to read the book before your assignment is due, there is some useful information summarised in the Good Reads reviews and in this New York Times review.
The 1890s biography, which is available online, gives some insight into the way she has been viewed at different times in history.
Education and Scientific Endeavour
Like many Italian noblewomen of her time, Caterina Sforza was incredibly well educated in all the renaissance subjects: Languages (ancient Greek, Latin, Italian, French etc), rhetoric (persuasive speaking), Philosophy, Theology (religion), Mathematics, Natural Sciences/alchemy, politics and diplomacy. In addition, Caterina's stepmother came from a military background, so she was also taught to use weapons and basic military strategy, which was very unusual for women.
One of the surviving documents is a copy of Experiments of Caterina of Furli, a handwritten book of over 400 recipes for her family's use - cosmetics (esp. skincare, hair bleach, keeping small breasts small and other means for looking young), medicinal remedies, poisons and their antidotes,
Like the most influential scientists of her time, she used proper scientific method to test formulae/recipes. The recipes were collected from various sources and tested in a home-laboratory where she worked with the scientist, Lodovico albertini and possibly also her third husband, Giovanni di Medici..
Some of the recipes are available in the article "Caterina Sforza and Experimenti", which also includes short biography and a histoiological analysis of the text. You can read more about Caterina's scientific life in Meredith Ray's Daughters of Alchemy. Have a look at the google-books except and let me know if you need me to buy it.
Achievements
The introduction to Caterina Sforza and the Art of Appearances details some of Caterina's achievements in different spheres (political, religious, artistic patronage). It gives you some ideas for events to include in your video (eg processions,
"Caterina Sforza: The shifting representation of a woman ruler in early modern Italy" discusses the meanings behind the way Caterina has been portrayed in art at different periods of her life (and legacy).
including the meaning of the symbols associated with Caterina in artworks.
Legacy
"Skirting the Issue: Michiavelli's Caterina Sforza" explores Caterina's relationship with this important political figure and the way that he represented her in his writings.
Some interesting people to "interview" for your video might be:
- Caterina or her children (especially Ottoviano in whose name she ruled)
- Her first husband, who ceded much of his power to Caterina
- A citizen of Forli, who could discuss her leadership, including tax breaks, devending the towns against famine and invasion.
- Michiavelli, a key diplomat of the time who visited Caterina expecting an easy mission and was humiliated by her
- The scientist who worked with Caterina in the lab
- Someone from the Orsi family after they were imprisoned and tortured for assassinating Caterina's first husband (but before they were killed)
- An artist depicting Caterian at a particular point in her life (include idscussion of the symbols associated with her)
- Caterina's accountant (who had to keep track of her spending on civil projects, clothing, furnishings, donations etc)
- Giovanni di Medici il Poplano, her third husband, who married a much older woman (for love? for politics?)
- Cesare Borgia who battled and finally imprisoned Caterina
- Her youngest son, Ludovico/Giovanni who lived with her after her return from prison and became a propserous founder of the Medici dynasty in Florence
- A nun from the convent of Le Murata, where Caterina went regularly, sent and received gifts, had many friends and was later buried.
Biographical details
The wikipaedia page on Caterina is actually well-referenced, but do click on and read all the footnotes to give a more accurate picture of what you're reading (ie what points are mostly gossip or exaggeration, and which are supported by strong evidence). It is a good starting point for your research.
The best biography of Caterina Sforza is Tigress of Forli - the City of Sydney library has a copy, and you can read about the types of sources the author used (and a fairly graphic account of her first husband's assassination) in the google preview. If you don't get to read the book before your assignment is due, there is some useful information summarised in the Good Reads reviews and in this New York Times review.
The 1890s biography, which is available online, gives some insight into the way she has been viewed at different times in history.
Education and Scientific Endeavour
Like many Italian noblewomen of her time, Caterina Sforza was incredibly well educated in all the renaissance subjects: Languages (ancient Greek, Latin, Italian, French etc), rhetoric (persuasive speaking), Philosophy, Theology (religion), Mathematics, Natural Sciences/alchemy, politics and diplomacy. In addition, Caterina's stepmother came from a military background, so she was also taught to use weapons and basic military strategy, which was very unusual for women.
One of the surviving documents is a copy of Experiments of Caterina of Furli, a handwritten book of over 400 recipes for her family's use - cosmetics (esp. skincare, hair bleach, keeping small breasts small and other means for looking young), medicinal remedies, poisons and their antidotes,
Like the most influential scientists of her time, she used proper scientific method to test formulae/recipes. The recipes were collected from various sources and tested in a home-laboratory where she worked with the scientist, Lodovico albertini and possibly also her third husband, Giovanni di Medici..
Some of the recipes are available in the article "Caterina Sforza and Experimenti", which also includes short biography and a histoiological analysis of the text. You can read more about Caterina's scientific life in Meredith Ray's Daughters of Alchemy. Have a look at the google-books except and let me know if you need me to buy it.
Achievements
The introduction to Caterina Sforza and the Art of Appearances details some of Caterina's achievements in different spheres (political, religious, artistic patronage). It gives you some ideas for events to include in your video (eg processions,
"Caterina Sforza: The shifting representation of a woman ruler in early modern Italy" discusses the meanings behind the way Caterina has been portrayed in art at different periods of her life (and legacy).
including the meaning of the symbols associated with Caterina in artworks.
Legacy
"Skirting the Issue: Michiavelli's Caterina Sforza" explores Caterina's relationship with this important political figure and the way that he represented her in his writings.