The Unraveling of Julia

Caterina Sforza, a real-life historical figure, plays an important role in The Unraveling of Julia. She was born in 1462, the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza and his mistress Lucrezia Landriani. Caterina received a robust education, which was unusual for women by the standards of the time. In 1473, she was married to Girolamo Riario, who became the ruler of the city of Imola at the time of their marriage, and later, in 1480, became the Count of Forli. Caterina and Riario had six children together, five sons and a daughter. Riario became known for plotting against the Medici, the ruling family of Florence, and was eventually assassinated in 1488 by some supporters of the Medici.

Upon Riario’s death, Caterina became the regent of Forli, ruling on behalf of her eldest son, who was still a minor. She married Giacomo Feo in the same year as her first husband’s assassination, and had a son with him. The marriage proved controversial and Giacomo was rumored to be abusive. Giacomo was assassinated in 1495, in a conspiracy said to have been supported by some of Caterina’s own children. In 1497 she married her third husband, Giovanni de' Medici il Popolano, a nobleman and ambassador of Florence. The couple had a son together, but Giovanni died the year after their marriage.   

Caterina was a strong female figure in the Italian Renaissance, referred to as “the Virago,” or warrior woman. For instance, she took charge in Forli after her husband failed to respond to a revolt and, after her third husband’s death, became embroiled in a war against Venice. She won wide admiration for her spirited defense of her domains, before later becoming the prisoner of Cesare Borgia. After her defeat and loss of her lands, she lived in Florence. She died in 1509, at the age of 46.

In Scottoline’s novel, Julia visits Forli and stands where Caterina would stand during battles. Julia also visits other places Caterina lived, such as Imola and Florence. Like her father, Caterina is rumored to have borne illegitimate children, with Scottoline presenting Caterina as Julia’s ancestor. Caterina’s rival, Machiavelli, claimed that when Caterina’s children were held hostage, she pulled up her skirts and said she could make more children with the parts she showed to her enemies. Scottoline repeats this tale in The Unraveling of Julia and notes, as many historians have noted, that the tale is probably fiction (similar anecdotes were repeated about other rulers during sieges). Caterina also wrote a book of alchemy called Experimenti. Alchemical texts usually include astrological correspondences and charts, so Scottoline focuses on how Caterina loved astrology as Julia does, to create further similarities between the two women.