Italy
Milan Under the Sforza
1447 Filippo Maria died; end of Visconti rule; declaration of the Republic of St Ambrose. This was a restoration of the commune of Milan, but in fact the commune hadn't existed for over a century by that time and it was really a restoration of rule by the magnates. They did manage to hold out for three years against numerous enemies, and even to win at the Battle of Caravaggio in 1448.
1450 Francesco Sforza became duke of Milan. He had been a condotierre in the employ first of the Visconti and then of the Ambrosian Republic. He turned coat, however, defeated the Republican forces, and by virtue of his marriage to
1480 to 1500 Ludovico Sforza, il Moro ruled Milan.