On This Day
·

Bona Sforza is crowned queen consort of Poland

Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right.

Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right. She was a surviving member of the powerful House of Sforza, which had ruled the Duchy of Milan since 1450.

Smart, energetic and ambitious, Bona became heavily involved in the political and cultural life of the Polish–Lithuanian union. To increase state revenue during the Chicken War, she implemented various economic and agricultural reforms, including the far-reaching Wallach Reform in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In foreign policy, she allied with the Ottoman Empire and sometimes opposed the Habsburgs.

Historical Significance

Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right.

Events Before

  1. Martin Luther sends his Ninety-five Theses to Albert of Brandenburg, Archbishop of Mainz, precipitating the Protestant R

    Martin Luther sends his Ninety-five Theses to Albert of Brandenburg, Archbishop of Mainz, precipitating the Protestant Reformation

  2. Ottoman forces take Cairo, capital of the Mamluk Sultanate

    Ottoman Egypt was an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire after the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517. The Ottomans administered Egypt as a province (eyalet) of their empire.

  3. Ottoman army occupies Cairo

    Ottoman Egypt was an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire after the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517.

  4. Philip of Burgundy is installed as Bishop of Utrecht by Charles, Duke of Burgundy

    Philip of Burgundy is installed as Bishop of Utrecht by Charles, Duke of Burgundy

  5. British admiral Sir Thomas Pert reaches Hudson Bay

    British admiral Sir Thomas Pert reaches Hudson Bay

Events After

  1. Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

    Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

  2. King Carlos I is elected Holy Roman Emperor Charles V

    Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, King of Sicily and Naples from 1516...

  3. Public debate between Martin Luther and theologian Johann Eck at Pleissenburg Castle in Liepzig, during which Luther den

    Public debate between Martin Luther and theologian Johann Eck at Pleissenburg Castle in Liepzig, during which Luther denies the divine right of the Pope

  4. Francisco Pizarro receives a royal charter for the west coast of South America

    Francisco Pizarro receives a royal charter for the west coast of South America

  5. Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sets off on the first successful circumnavigation of t

    Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan sets off on the first successful circumnavigation of the globe (Magellan is killed en route)

More from the 1510s

death

Louis XII dies

Louis XII dies

Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, with 11 ships and 500 men

Spaniard Juan Ponce de León and his expedition first sight Florida

Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador known for leading the first official European expedition to Puerto Rico in 1508 and Florida in 1513.

Venice compels Jews to live in a specific area, establishing the first Jewish ghetto, in the city's the Cannaregio distr

Venice compels Jews to live in a specific area, establishing the first Jewish ghetto, in the city's the Cannaregio district.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 18, 1518?
Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right. She was a surviving member of the powerful House of Sforza, which had ruled the Duchy of Milan since 1450. Smart, energetic and ambitious, Bona became heavily involved in the political and cultural life of the Polish–Lithuanian union.
Why is Bona Sforza is crowned queen consort of Poland significant?
Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and Rossano by her own right.

Explore More

April 18 in HistoryYear 1518