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[2] Francesco Sforza, born 1401, died 1466. He married Bianca

Maria Visconti, a natural daughter of Filippo Visconti, the Duke

of Milan, on whose death he procured his own elevation to the

duchy. Machiavelli was the accredited agent of the Florentine

Republic to Cesare Borgia (1478-1507) during the transactions

which led up to the assassinations of the Orsini and Vitelli at

Sinigalia, and along with his letters to his chiefs in Florence

he has left an account, written ten years before The Prince, of

the proceedings of the duke in his "Descritione del modo tenuto

dal duca Valentino nello ammazzare Vitellozzo Vitelli," etc., a

translation of which is appended to the present work.