Giovanni Sforza

Born in Montignoso on July 3, 1846, Giovanni Sforza came from a branch of the counts Sforza of Castel San Giovanni. He became known as an Italian historian, letterato, and bibliographer, with a lifelong interest in the history of Tuscany and nearby regions.

Sforza was the founder and first director of the State Archive of Massa, a role that shows how closely his writing was tied to the preservation of historical records. Later, from 1903, he served as superintendent of the Piedmont archives, and he was also listed as a corresponding member of the Accademia dei Lincei.

He wrote extensively on local and religious history, including work on Pontremoli and on Pope Nicholas V. Sforza died in Montignoso on October 1, 1922, leaving behind the reputation of a careful scholar whose archival work supported the study of Italian history.