Mario Sforza was one of the most noted condottierie3 in Italy. He had a high reputation in the military service. He was noted for his valor. He was shrewed and practical in the things of the war. He was also appreciated for the counsel he gave to other military leaders.
| Year, month | State or Mercenary Company | Adversary | Contract | Area of Activity | Actions Undertaken and Other Salient Facts |
| 1544 | |||||
| June | Holy Roman Empire | France | Piemonte | Participated in the Battle of Serravalla Scrivia in which Piero Strozzi was defeated. | |
| 1545 | Tuscany | Then in Pitigliano as second for Gianino Taddeo when he fought a duel with Ascanio della Cornia. | |||
| 1547 | |||||
| Sept. | Church | Emilia | In the service of Pope Paul III. With the news of the death in Piacenza of Pier Luigi Farnese, entered in the defense of Parma with 1000 infantry for aiding to impede that city from falling into the hands of the Imperials | ||
| 1549 | |||||
| Autumn | Emilia | Enters Parma with Ottavio Farnese, and the coadjutator in his attempt to get ahold of the city, of which, he goverened for the Ponificate of Cammillo Orsini.. | |||
| 1551 | |||||
| June | Tuscany | Took part in the conspiracy in driving the Imperials from Siena. | |||
| 1552 | |||||
| Jan. | France | Florence & Holy Roman Empire | Tuscany | Fights in the war of Siena the Imperials and the troops of the Grand Duke of Florence, Cosimo de Medici. Comes with his -?- with 400 soldiers, he joins Enea Piccolimin and attacks Siena by the Porta Romana where there is a skirmish with 50 Spanish of the guard. With Niccolo Orsini besieges Diego de Mendoza in the Citadel: the adversaries almost suddenly surrender. | |
| Mar. | 300 infantry | Tuscany | Departs from Siena to rejoin his company in Montalno. Attacked at Serrate, at the foot of Altero, escapes the enemy cavalry, alone by night, hiding in the forests and finally catches up with his goal. In Montalcino he is distinguished for his defense in which he opposes the enemy and is given the assignment to watch the walls from the tower of Santa Croce to those of Noci. | ||
| May | Tuscany | Enters Siena at the head of 400 men. | |||
| June | Tuscany | He is rewarded by the French with a command of a Column and the Order of St. Michael. The Imperials withdraw from Montalcino: Giordano Orsino follows the enemy. | |||
| Aug. | 300 infantry | Tuscany | Dismissed at the end of July, and taken up again after a few days. Always in command of 300 infantry. He is granted citizenship of Siena. | ||
| 1553 | |||||
| Jan. | Tuscany | Is found at Casole d’Elsa | |||
| Feb. | Tuscany | Introduces 500 infantry and 150 Cavalry to Siena, collects part in his lands and part in Montalto di Castro. Enters the maremma and raids numerous cattle and horses in the countryside of Buriano, Scarlino and Suverto, which are conducted to the security of Santo Fiora. Occupies Buriano and puts it to flame. | |||
| Mar. | Tuscany | Now in Casole de’Elsa, plunders the volterrano. With the Savignac, repulses 4 infantry and 2 cavalry companies arriving from Colle di Val d’Elsa and San Gimignano. | |||
| Apr. | Tuscany | Arrives in Siena to meet his brother. Returns to Casole d’Elsa. | |||
| 1554 | |||||
| May | Tuscany | Reconquers Marmoraia and captures the Captain Giuliano da Colle. | |||
| Jun. | Tuscany | Enters in the defense of Siena. Follows the Strozzi in their exit from the city in order to encounter reinforcements coming from France. | |||
| July | Tuscany | Goes to Civitella Marittima with 200 horse; surprised at the church of Presciano with his brother Carlo, prior of Lombardy by Alessandro Palogi, and captured due to his horse being killed: it is suspected he was captured in a good place from his adversaries with the militia of his Sforza brother. | |||
| Aug. | Tuscany | Conducted to Florence, is released after the promise of not serving for the French for the duration of the war. | |||
| …….. | Florence | France | 300 infantry | Tuscany | Passes into the service of Cosimo de Medici. He is given command of 300 Spanish Archibusier, with which he is transferred to Santo Fiora; and there assaulted by Ottaviano Farnese, who leads 4000 Italian infantry and 400 horse. There is fierce skirmishing, before the enemy must withdraw due to inclement weather. |
| 1556 | Lazio | His brother the cardinal is incarcerated by Pope Paul III with Castel San Angelo: and his possessions in Montalto di Castro and in Pitigliano are threatened by the same Pontificate; the Sforza represented by the Duke of Alba who obtains that the Imperials restore to the Church States the galleys which they had previously siezed. | |||
| 1557 | |||||
| ……... | Holy Roman Empire | Church France | Campania | With the guard of Capua. | |
| Apr. May | Abruzzi | Present with Carlo Loffredi in the defense of Civitella del Tronto, which came under attack by the French and the Duke of Guise. After 22 days the enemy retires, leaving their lodgings behind in flames. The Sforza attempts to attack the rearguard, but is repulsed with some losses(25 men). | |||
| August | Lazio | Is with Ascanio della Cornia at the siege of Segni, in order to support the actions of Marcantonio Colonna. | |||
| 1569 | |||||
| ....... | Liguria | In mission to Genoa on behalf of the Grand Duke Cosimo de’ Medici. Renders homage to the ArchDuke Charles of Austria and invites him to Florence. Accompanies them to Spain. | |||
| …….. | Florence | Ugonotti | Piemonte and France | Sent to France in aid of King Charles IX against the Huguenots, is in command of 1000 infantry and 2 company of horse: he finds the Duke Emmanuael Filiberto of Savoy and is directed to Leon where the Monarch is. | |
| July | France | Goes to Orleans with the Duke of Angio, renders homage to the Queen Caterina de Medici. In the campaign he is distinguished in the siege of Poiters, beside Filippo Strozzi, in the assualt of Rochel’ Abeille and participates in the battle of Moncontour. | |||
| 1571 | |||||
| August | Holy Roman Empire | Ottoman Empire | Sicily | Is found in Messina with Giovanni d’Austria in order to confront the Turks. Takes part in Council of War: which finds that the moment is not proper to fight the Turk. | |
| 1578 | Florence | Tuscany | Is armed as Knight of the Order of Santo Stefano. Becomes one of the favorites of Grand Duke Francesco de Medici. | ||
| 1579 | |||||
| July | General of the Army | Veneto | To Venice, in order to introduce to the Most Serene the intention of the Grand Duke to wed Bianca Cappello widow, of Pietro Bonaventuri. The Senate adopts the venetian, as it did a century before with the queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro; the Sforza is met in the college of the Pregardi with the Doge Niccolo da Ponte. | ||
| 1581 | Tuscany | Comes to a dispute with Vittorio Cappello, brother of the Grand Duchess, abandons court and is relieved of his military assignments | |||
| 1590 | |||||
| July | Church | Lazio | Maintains order in Rome with the Colonna at the death of Pope Sixtus V. | ||
| 1611 | |||||
| Nov. | Lazio | Dies in Rome in the middle of November. |
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