Giovanni Simonetta (1420-1490), brother of the well-known statesman Cicco Simonetta, was born in Caccuri, where he carried out his first studies and then moved to Milan with his uncle Angelo and his brother Francesco, called Cicco, at the Sforza court. In 1460 he became a feudal lord of Rocca di Neto and Roccella by concession of Ferdinando I of Aragona. He acquired prestige at the Milanese court, becoming first ducal chancellor and then secretary of Duke Francesco Sforza in 1456. After the death of Francesco Sforza, he completed the drafting of his most important historiographical work, called "Sforziade": Rerum Gestarum Francisci Sfortiae Mediolanensium Ducis, in 31 books, which show the events in the Duchy of Milan in the years between 1442 and 1466.