Bidspirit auction | [HISTORY] - SIMONETA Johannes (d.1491)

[HISTORY] - SIMONETA Johannes (d.1491) - [Milanese Humanism At Its Height – The Definitive Life Of Francesco Sforza – Political Propaganda And Dynastic Legitimacy – 1486] - “Commentarii rerum gestarum Francisci Sfortiae”. Milan, Antonius Zarotus, 1486. Chancery folio, 188 leaves. (Variable staining, last few leaves with small marginal rust hole, a few small wormholes). ISTC is00533000 19th-century vellum. Frequent early marginal annotations -- evidence of bookplate removed from upper pastedown. This biography of the eminent Francesco Sforza — an astute and ambitious military leader who proclaimed himself Duke of Milan in 1450 following the extinction of the Visconti line — carried significant political implications. Giovanni Simoneta, a close member of the Sforza inner circle during Francesco’s rule, composed this work not merely to celebrate his patron and the Sforza dynasty, but also to reinforce their legitimacy as rightful rulers of Milan. The broader aim of the text was to support the Sforzas’ pursuit of imperial investiture, a political objective initiated by Francesco and actively continued by his son, Lodovico il Moro. Lodovico himself played a key role in promoting the publication of Simoneta’s history, and ultimately achieved this ambition through the marriage of his niece, Bianca Maria Sforza, to Emperor Maximilian I. Such was Lodovico’s regard for the biography of his father that he chose to spare Simoneta’s life, even while condemning his brother Cecco to death on charges of treason in 1480—accusations widely believed to have been fabricated. •⁠> This lot is located in and ships from the UK. No export license is required for values under £65,000; above this threshold, a UK export license will be needed. Import duties and taxes in the destination country are the buyer's responsibility.