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Sforza consolidation of rule in Milan (1450s)

Type Event Region Europe Time 1450–1460

After becoming Duke of Milan in 1450, Francesco Sforza fully consolidated his rule in the 1450s through the Peace of Lodi, dynastic marriages, and mi…

Timeline

  1. 1450Milan · LombardyAfter defeating the remnants of the Visconti faction, the condottiere Francesco Sforza was recognized as Duke of Milan by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III in March 1450, ending decades of civil war and founding the Sforza dynasty.
  2. 1454–1455Lodi · LombardyAs a key party, Sforza took part in signing the Peace of Lodi, which established a balance-of-power system on the Italian peninsula among Milan, Venice, Florence, the Papal States, and the Kingdom of Naples; the Sforza regime gained international recognition and could focus on domestic construction.
  3. 1455–1460Milan · LombardySforza carried out large-scale rebuilding of the Sforza Castle in Milan, promoted land irrigation and agricultural reform, and consolidated diplomatic alliances through marriages with the houses of Savoy and Naples, turning military conquests into stable hereditary ducal rule.

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