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How did Francesco Sforza establish the Sforza dynasty in Milan?

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People walk and shop inside the ornate Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy, with its glass-domed roof, decorative mosaics, and luxury store entrances. — Milan Shoppers in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan.

Francesco Sforza established the Sforza dynasty in Milan through a combination of military prowess, strategic marriage, and political maneuvering. A prominent condottiere, Sforza served various Italian powers before marrying Bianca Maria, the illegitimate daughter of the Milanese duke Filippo Maria Visconti, in 1441.1

Following the duke's death in 1447, Milan briefly declared itself a republic and hired Sforza as its captain general. However, Sforza leveraged his military position to blockade the city, eventually starving it into submission. He made his triumphant entry into Milan as duke on February 26, 1450.12

To solidify his rule against rival states, Sforza formed a crucial alliance with Cosimo de’ Medici of Florence. This alliance facilitated the Peace of Lodi in 1454, which officially recognized his position as the ruler of Milan and established a balance of power across the Italian peninsula.13