Bona Sforza d'Aragona (
February 13, 1495 -
November 7, 1558) was a member of the
House of Sforza who in 1518 became the second wife of
Sigismund I of Poland.
When her mother Isabella of Naples died in 1524, Bona succeeded to the titles Duchess of Bari and Princess of Rossano. She also became the holder of the Brienne claim to the title of King of Jerusalem.
Bona was born in Vigevano, daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Naples. She was also the niece of Bianca Maria Sforza, who in 1493 had married Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. She was named after her grandmother, Bona of Savoy.
Bona, niece of the empress, was a patron of Renaissance culture, which thanks to her, began to further flourish in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. She is also considered to have influenced the Polish and Lithuanian cuisines, having introduced many new dishes to the Commonwealth.
