In 1500, Cesare Borgia captures the fortress of Forli.
Caterina Sforza, a most formidable woman, is captured while still wielding her weapons.,
At one time, she held Castel St. Angelo in Rome, and used her artillery to keep the College of Cardinals from electing a new Pope. She was seven months pregnant at the time.
Later she faced a conspiracy to seize her lands:
The fortress of Ravaldino, a central part of the defensive system of the city,[22] refused to surrender to the Orsis. Caterina offered to attempt to persuade the castellan, Tommaso Feo, to submit. The Orsis believed Caterina because she left her children as hostages, but once inside she let loose a barrage of vulgar threats and promises of vengeance against her former captors. According to one rumour, when they threatened to kill her children, Caterina, standing in the walls of the fortress exposed her genitals and said: "Fatelo, se volete: impiccateli pure davanti a me ... qui ho quanto basta per farne altri!" ('Do it, if you want to: hang them even in front of me ... here I have what's needed to make others!').[23] This story, however, is most likely an untrue embellishment. The historical record tells that Caterina, in fact, claimed to be pregnant. Although her statement that she was pregnant is, by most historians, considered to have been a ruse, it rendered worthless any power the conspirators had in holding her children, Girolamo's legitimate heirs.
Think of her as a determined noble lord, defending her holdings. Something like eleanor of Aquitaine in the Lion in Winter.
"These things must be done delicately-- or you hurt the spell." - The Wicked Witch of the West.
"We've got the torpedo damage temporarily shored up, the fires out and soon will have the ship back on an even keel. But I would suggest, sir, that if you have to take any more torpedoes, you take 'em on the starboard side." Pops Healy, DCA USS Lexington.