Ascanio Maria Sforza Visconti (march 3, 1455- may 28, 1505) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church, generally known as a skilled diplomat.

Biography

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Early years

Ascanio Sforza was born in Cremona, Lombardy. His parents were Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, and Bianca Maria Visconti. He was also the brother of two Milanese dukes, Galeazzo Maria Sforza and Ludovico Sforza. His teacher was Filelfo who introduced him to government and literature.

While still an adolescent, Ascanio was promised the red hat by Guillaume Cardinal d'Estouteville, who wanted to gain Galeazzo Maria Sforza’s support for his candidacy for the papal throne in 1471. The tiara was finally given to Francesco della Rovere (Sixtus IV) and Ascanio’s promotion to the cardinal was delayed. Hoping to passify the Holy See in Milan, Sixtus IV planned to make him a cardinal in 1477 but the Sacred College refused to accept him into its ranks. Nevertheless, Ascanio rose to Bishop of Parma in the September of 1479.

Cardinal

In 1484 Ascanio represented Ludovico Sforza at the Congress of Cremona, the participants of which demanded his accession to the Sacred College. Eventually, he was proclaimed Cardinal-Deacon of Santi Vito e Modesto in the spring of 1484 and entered Rome a few days after Sixtus’s death. The formal nomination ceremony had not taken place and some cardinals voiced objections to his participation in the forthcoming conclave. Due to Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia’s intervention however, Ascanio was received with full cardinalitial rights and contributed to the election of Giovanni Cybo as Innocent VIII.

During the latter’s pontificate, Ascanio served as his brother’s agent in the Vatican. His main purpose was to reconcile Ferdinand I of Naples with the Sforzas. In March 1486, Ascanio had a dispute with Cardinal Jean Balue, ambassador of France to Rome, because the latter suggested that the Pope should summon Rene d'Anjou to retrieve his rights over the Neapolitan throne. Their quarrel became so violent that Innocent, generally hesitant in interfere with his inferiors, ordered them to stop. In his effort to ally Naples with Milan, Ascanio received Ferdinand of Capua, Ferrante’s grandson, in his palace in Trastevere in May 1492. The banquet organised in honour of the Neapolitan prince was so extravagant and magnificent that if I were to give an account, no one would believe me, says Stefano Infessura.

Vice chancellor

In the Conclave of August 1492 , after having failed to obtain the tiara for himself, Ascanio promised his vote to Rodrigo Borgia, Vice-Chancellor of the Roman Curia in exchange for Rodrigo’s prestigious association. The latter was elected to the papal throne partly due to Sforza’s persuasive manner, becoming Alexander VI and appointed Ascanio his Vice Chancellor, making him the virtual prime minister of the Holy See. In order to strengthen the relationship between his family and the papal house, Ascanio arranged the marriage of Giovanni Sforza, his cousin and governor of Pesaro, to Lucrezia Borgia, the Pope’s illegitimate daughter in 1493.

French invasion

The friendship between Ascanio and Alexander VI came to a deadlock when the French invaded Italy in September of 1494. Aware of Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere’s machinations against him, Alexander decided to resist the French. Ludovico Sforza having secretly allied himself with King Charles VIII of France, Ascanio betrayed the Pope together with several cardinals and clamoured for his deposition under della Rovere. After the papal triumph over the King, Milan abandoned the French and Ascanio was received once again in the Vatican. He never managed however to regain his former influence over the Pope. When Giovanni Borgia, the Pope’s son, was stabbed in 1497, Ascanio did not attend the following consistory and was accused of the murder. He was immediately absolved however by the Pope.

When the French invaded again Italy with the support of the Holy See, Ascanio watched Ludovico Sforza’s downfall and imprisonment (1500) unable to act. In the Conclave of 1503, he made futile efforts to succeed Alexander VI, fighting against Cardinal della Rovere and Georges d'Amboise, the formal nominee of France. When Pius III (Francesco Piccolomini) died the same month of his coronation, the undaunted Milanese repeated his endeavour but was again defeated by Giuliano della Rovere (Julius II). Vanquished by disappointments, the fifty years old Ascanio passed away in Rome, on the May 25, 1505. Julius II commissioned the erection of the Cardinal’s tomb in the Cappella Maggiore of Santa Maria del Popolo.

Ascanio Sforza was too much absorbed by public affairs to be a patron of the arts. He was the one however to introduce Josquin des Prez, the most famous musician of the Renaissance, to the papal court in 1486. Strenuous and hard-skinned as a politician, Ascanio preferred gambling rather than studying. He was undoubtedly Machiavellian, but also clear-sighted and intelligent, with haughty spirit and unfinished courage. His political morals were typical his era and caused by his love for Milan, even though he had identified it with his family.

Sforza | 1455 births | 1505 deaths | Natives of Cremona | Italian cardinals

Ascagnio Sforza