Seraphina Sforza
Encyclopedia
Seraphina Sforza born Sveva da Montefeltro, was an Italian noblewoman and nun, a Poor Clare after her husband Alessandro Sforza
discarded her.
She was beatified by Pope Benedict XIV
in 1754, and her feast is kept on 9 September by Franciscans.
to Guido Antonio of Montefeltro, Count of Urbino, and Caterina Colonna in the first half of 1434. Her father having died in 1438, and her mother in 1443, she was cared for in Urbino first by her elder brother Oddantonio da Montefeltro
, who had succeeded their father as Count, and then by her half-brother Federico da Montefeltro
, who succeeded Oddantonio after his assassination in 1444. In March 1446, aged around 12, she moved to Rome were she stayed for more than a year, under the protection of her maternal uncle Cardinal Prospero Colonna (cardinal)
.
In 1448 Seraphina married Alessandro Sforza
, Lord of Pesaro
. Ten years afterwards her husband gave himself up to a dissolute life, and ill-treated her. He forced her to enter the convent of Poor Clares at Pesaro.
In 1475 Seraphina was elected abbess of the monastery at Pesaro, where she died in 1478. Her body, exhumed some years after her death, was found incorrupt, and is preserved in Pesaro Cathedral.
Alessandro Sforza
Alessandro Sforza was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family.-Biography:...
discarded her.
She was beatified by Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV , born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758.-Life:...
in 1754, and her feast is kept on 9 September by Franciscans.
Life
She was born in UrbinoUrbino
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482...
to Guido Antonio of Montefeltro, Count of Urbino, and Caterina Colonna in the first half of 1434. Her father having died in 1438, and her mother in 1443, she was cared for in Urbino first by her elder brother Oddantonio da Montefeltro
Oddantonio da Montefeltro
Oddantonio da Montefeltro was the first duke of Urbino in Italy.Oddantonio succeeded his father Guidantonio as count of Urbino. He was the half-brother of Federico da Montefeltro. The testamentary division of the county between Oddantonio and Federico is not known; nor is the relationship between...
, who had succeeded their father as Count, and then by her half-brother Federico da Montefeltro
Federico da Montefeltro
Federico da Montefeltro, also known as Federico III da Montefeltro , was one of the most successful condottieri of the Italian Renaissance, and lord of Urbino from 1444 until his death...
, who succeeded Oddantonio after his assassination in 1444. In March 1446, aged around 12, she moved to Rome were she stayed for more than a year, under the protection of her maternal uncle Cardinal Prospero Colonna (cardinal)
Prospero Colonna (cardinal)
Prospero Colonna was a cardinal-nephew of Pope Martin V , whose election ended the Western Schism. Colonna was excommunicated for a period due to his rebellion against Martin V's successor, Pope Eugene IV, becoming one of the few excommunicated cardinals...
.
In 1448 Seraphina married Alessandro Sforza
Alessandro Sforza
Alessandro Sforza was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family.-Biography:...
, Lord of Pesaro
Pesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
. Ten years afterwards her husband gave himself up to a dissolute life, and ill-treated her. He forced her to enter the convent of Poor Clares at Pesaro.
In 1475 Seraphina was elected abbess of the monastery at Pesaro, where she died in 1478. Her body, exhumed some years after her death, was found incorrupt, and is preserved in Pesaro Cathedral.