Powerful Queen poisoned : The Bona Sforza Story
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Bona Sforza of Aragon was queen consort of Poland, grand duchess consort of Lithuania from 1518 and duchess sovereign of Bari, from 1524.
She was born on 2 February 1494, in Vigevano, Milan and was a member of the House of Sforza, which had ruled the Duchy of Milan since 1447
Her parents were the Duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo and Isabella of Aragon, daughter of King Alfonso II of Naples from the House of Trastámara
After Polish King Sigismund I the Old was widowed in October 1515, Isabella sent Bona's old teacher, Crisostomo Colonna, and diplomat Sigismund von Herberstein to Vilnius to convince Sigismund to select Bona as his future wife
The wedding and coronation took place on 18 April 1518
Bona and Sigismund I the Old had six children:
o Isabella (18 January 1519 – 15 September 1559), was a Queen of Hungary, wife of John Zápolya,
o Sigismund II Augustus (1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572), was a King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania,
o Sophia (13 July 1522 – 28 May 1575), was a Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg, wife of Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg,
o Anna (18 October 1523 – 9 September 1596), elected Queen of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, wife of Stefan Batory,
o Catherine (1 November 1526 – 16 September 1583), was a Queen of Sweden and Grand Duchess of Finland, wife of John III of Sweden,
o Wojciech Olbracht, born and died 20 September 1527.
Bona became heavily involved in the political life of Poland–Lithuania
To increase state revenue, she implemented various economic and agricultural reforms.
On the 1 April 1548, Sigismund I the Old died, leaving Bona a widow.
Their son Sigismund II Augustus succeeded him.
After the death of the King, Bona moved to Masovia and stayed there for eight years, then she moved back to her native Bari.
Bona Sforza died in the early morning of 19 November 1557, at the age of 63.
Several of her servants mysteriously died as well- it is suspected they were poisoned by trusted household members.
It is believed that the queen was poisoned by her trusted officer, Gian Lorenzo Pappacoda. Pappacoda was acting on behalf of King Philip II of Spain, who wanted to avoid repaying his sizable debts to the Bona.
She was buried in St. Nicholas' Basilica in Bari
