Background
She was the second legitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, by his second wife, Bona of Savoy.
She was the second legitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, by his second wife, Bona of Savoy.
Anna"s paternal grandparents were Francesco I Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti, for whom she was named. Her maternal grandparents were Louis, Duke of Savoy and Anne de Lusignan of Cyprus. Anna"s older illegitimate half-sister was Caterina Sforza from her father"s relationship with Lucrezia Landriani.
When Anna was only five months old, her father was assassinated inside the Church of Santo Stefano in Milan on 26 December 1476, which was the Feast Day of Saint Stephen.
He was stabbed to death by three high-ranking officials of the Milanese court. In 1477, Anna was formally betrothed to the heir of Ercole I d"Este, Duke of Ferrara.
Her wedding with Prince Alfonso d"Este took place fourteen years later, on 12 January 1491, amidst banquets, receptions, and theatrical representations. However, the marriage was unhappy: bold and without femininity, Anna, all her time dressed like a man, refused to consummate her union, preferred the company of women and spent every night with a small black slave.
She was buried in the monastery of San Vito, of which Anna was a benefactor.
Her husband was unable to take part of her funeral because at that time his face was disfigured at consequence of syphilis. Her death marked the end of the bond between the Sforza and Este families. Alfonso remarried, to Lucrezia Borgia, in 1502.