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The 'Orsini family' was one of the most celebrated princely families in
medieval Italy and
renaissance Rome, and which, in former times, had large possessions in
Hungary. Members of the Orsini include popes
Celestine III (
1191-
1198),
Nicholas III (
1277-
1280), and
Benedict XIII (
1724-
1730), numerous
condottieri and other relevant political and religious figures.
Origins
According to their family lore, the Orsini are descended from the
Julio-Claudian family of ancient Rome. This is fanciful, as well as the alleged connection to the German families of
Anhalt,
Baden and
Rosenberg sporting the same name. The Orsini also carried on a political feud with the
Colonna family until by
Papal Bull it was stopped in 1511; in 1571 the Chiefs of both families married the nieces of Pope
Sixtus V.
The Orsini were related to the Boboni family existing in Rome in the
11th century. The first members had in fact always doubled surname of Boboni-Orsini. This first known members is one Bobone, in the early 11th century, father of Pietro, in turn father of
Giacinto dei Boboni (1110-1198), who in 1191 became pope as Celestine III. One of the first great
nepotist popes, he created cardinals two of his nephews and allowed his cousin Giovanni Gaetano (Giangaetano, died
1232) to buy the fiefs of
Vicovaro,
Licenza,
Roccagiovine and
Nettuno, who formed the nucleus of the future territorial power of the family. The Boboni surname went lost with his children, who were called ''de domo filiorum Ursi''. Two of them, Napoleone and Matteo Rosso (1178-1246) increased considerably the prestige of the family. The former was the founder of the first southern line, who disappeared with Camillo Pardo in
1553. He obtained the city of
Manoppello, later a countship, and was
Papal ''gonfaloniere''. Matteo Rosso, called the Great, was the effective lord of
Rome from 1241, when he defeated the
Imperial troops to 1243, holding the title of
Senator. Two of his sons and Napoleone were also Senators. Matteo ousted the traditional rivals, the
Colonna, from Rome and extended the Orsini territories southwards up to
Avellino and northwards to
Pitigliano. During his life the family entered firmly in the
Guelph party. He had some ten sons, which divided the fiefs after his deaths: Gentile (died 1246) originated the Pitigliano line and the second southern line, Rinaldo that of
Monterotondo, Napoleone (died 1267) that of
Bracciano and another Matteo Rosso that of Montegiordano, from the name of the district in Rome housing the family's fortress. The most distinguished of his sons was however
Giovanni Gaetano (died
1280): elected pope as
Nicholas III, he named the nephew Bertoldo (died 1289) as count of
Romagna and had two nephews and a brother created cardinals.
The second southern line
The rise of the Orsini did not stop after Nicholas' death. Bertoldo's son, Gentile II (1250-1318), was two times Senator of Rome,
podestà of
Viterbo and, from
1314, ''Gran Giustiziere'' ("Great Justicer") of the
Kingdom of Naples. He married to Clarice Ruffo, daughter of the counts of
Catanzaro, forming an alliance of the most powerful Calabrian dynasty. His son Romano (1268-1327), called Romanello, was Royal Vicar of Rome in
1326, and inherited the countship of Soana through his marriage with Anastace de
Montfort. Romano's stance was markedly Guelph. After his death, his two sons divided his fiefs, forming the Pitigliano and the second southern line.
Roberto (1295-1345), Gentile II's elder son, married to Sibilla del Balzo, daughter of the Great Senechal of the Kingdom of Naples. Among his sons, Giacomo (died
1379) was created cardinal by
Gregory XI in
1371, while Nicola (
August 27,
1331 -
February 14,
1399) obtained the counties of
Ariano and
Celano. The latter was also Senator of Rome and enlarged the family territories in
Lazio and
Tuscany. His second son,
Raimondello Orsini del Balzo, supported
Charles III' ''coup d'etat'' in Naples against Queen
Joan II. Under king
Ladislas he was among the few Neapolitan feudataries who were able to maintain their territorial power afther the royal war against them. However, at his death in 1406 the southern Orsini fiefs were confiscated. Relationships with the royal family remained cold under
Joan II; however, when Raimondello's son
Giannantonio (1386-1453) sent his troops to help her against the usurpation attempt of James of Bourbon, he received in exchange the
Principality of Taranto.
The links with the court increased further under
Sergianni Caracciolo, Joan's lover and Great Senechal. A younger brother of Giannantonio one of Sergianni's daughters. However, the Orsini changed side when
Alfonso V of Aragon started his conquest of the Kingdom of Naples. Giannantonio was awarded with the duchy of
Bari, the position of Great Connestable and an
appanage of 100,000
''ducati''. Giannantonio remained faithful to Alfonso's heir,
Ferdinand I, but was killed during a revolt of nobles. Having died withouot legitimate sons, much of his were absorbed into the Royal Chamber.
Pitigliano line
This line was initiated by Guido Orsini, second son of Romano, who inherited the county of
Soana. He and his descendants ruled over the fiefs of Soana, Pitigliano and
Nola, but in the early 15th century wars against the
Republic of Siena and the Colonnas caused to lost of several territories. Bertoldo (died 1417) managed to keep only Pitigliano, while his grandson Orso (died
July 5,
1479) was count of Nola and fought as
condottiero under the
Duke of Milan and the
Republic of Venice. Later he passed to the service of Ferdinand I of Naples, but, having not took part to the Barons' conjure, was rewarded with the fiefs of
Ascoli and
Atripalda. He took part to the Aragonese campaign in Tuscany and was killed in the siege of Viterbo.
The most outstanding member of the Pitigliano line was
Niccolò, one of the major condottieri of the time. His son Ludovico (died
January 27,
1534) and his nephew Enrico (died
1528) took part to the
Italian Wars at the service of both
France and
Spain, often changing side with the typical ease of the Italian military leaders of the time. Two of Ludovico's daughter married to relevant figures: Geronima to
Pier Luigi Farnese, illegitimate son of
Pope Paul III, and Marzia to
Gian Giacomo Medici of
Marignano, an important general of the Spanish army.
The line started to decay after the loss of Nola by Ludovico, who was also forced to accept the Senese suzerainty over Pitigliano. Under his son
Giovan Francesco (died
May 8,
1567) the county enter in the orbit of the
Grand Duke of Tuscany. Later, the attempt of Alessandro (died
February 9,
1604) to obtain the title of Monterotondo was thwarted by
Pope Gregory XIII. His son Giannantonio (
March 25,
1569 -
1613) sold definitely Pitigliano to Tuscany, in exchange to the marquisate of
Monte San Savino.
The line became extinct in 1640 with the death of Alessandro.
Monterotondo line
This line was founded by Rinaldo, third son of Matteo Rosso the Great. They were often involved in the baronal struggles of the Late Middle Ages Rome, at least three members of the family being elected as Senators, while others foughts as condottieri. Francesco in 1370 took part to the war of Florence against the
Visconti of Milan. Orso (died
July 24,
1424) died fighting for the king of Naples in the
Battle of Zagonara against the Milanese. His sons Giacomo (died
1482) and Lorenzo (
1452) battled for the Papal States, Naples and Florence. One of Giacomo's daughters,
Clarice (1453–
July 30,
1488) became
Lorenzo de' Medici's wife.
Franciotto Orsini was created cardinal by
Leo X in
1517.
The most important member of the Monterotondo Orsinis was
Giovan Battista Orsini, who became cardinal under
Sixtus IV (
1483). He was probably among the promoters of the failed plot against
Cesare Borgia in 1502, being assassinated as retaliation, together with numerous members of the family.
The line decayed from the late 16th century, when several members were assassinated or lost their lands for various reasons. Its last representants Enrico (died
September 12,
1643) and Francesco (
1592 -
September 21,
1650) sold Monterotondo to the Barberini in
1641.
Bracciano line
Napoleone, another son of Matteo Rosso the Great, received Bracciano,
Nerola and other lands in what is now northern
Lazio. In
1259 he was Senator of Rome. Thanks to the strategic positions of their fiefs, and to their famous
castle built in Bracciano in 1426, they were the most powerful Orsini line in the Lazio. Count Carlo (died after 1485), son of another Napoleone (died
October 3,
1480), was Papal Gonfaloniere. By his marriage with a Francesca Orsini of Monterotondo was born
Gentile Virginio Orsini, one of the most relevant figures of Italian politics in the late 15th century. After Carlo's death, he enlarged the family's tenure with lands inherited by his wife, another Orsini from Salerno, and most of all he was amongst the favourites of Ferdinand I of Naples, who appointed him as Great Connestable of Naples. Together with his cousin, the Cardinal Giovanni Battista, he was among the fiercest opposers of popes
Innocent VIII and
Alexander VI. In
1492 Gentile Virginio bought the county of
Anguillara from
Franceschetto Cybo.
During
Charles VIII of France's descent into Italy, he managed to keep Bracciano by fighting without too much dogging against him.
Ferdinand II had his fiefs confiscated and imprisoned him in
Castel dell'Ovo, where he was poisoned in
1497. The family recovered this setback under the more friendly Medici popes of the early
16th century. His son
Giangiordano was
Prince Assistant to the Papal Throne. His son
Virginio was a famous admiral for the Papal States and France, but in
1539 he had his fiefs confiscated under the charge of treason.
Paolo Giordano was created first Duke of Bracciano in
1560. An accomplished condottiero, he was however also a ruthless figure who had his wife
Isabella de' Medici murdered. For this and other homicides he had to flee to northern Italy. He was succeded by
Virginio, whose heir
Paolo Giordano II married the princess of
Piombino and was created Prince of the
Holy Roman Empire. His brother
Alessandro was cardinal and Papal legate, and another brother, Ferdinando (died
March 4,
1660) acquired the assets of the other line of
San Gemini. In the 17th century the Dukes of Bracciano moved their residence to Rome. This, along with a general economical decadence, damaged the dukedom, and last Duke and Prince, Flavio (
March 4,
1620 -
April 5,
1698) was forced by the huge debts to sell it to the
Odescalchi and others.
Gravina line
The line of Gravina, from the name of the eponymous city in
Apulia, is the only existing line of the Orsini. It descends from
Francesco (died
1456), a son of Count Carlo of Bracciano. Most of his fief were located in northern Lazio, but he entered in the Neapolitan orbit when in
1418 he was called by Sergianni Caracciolo to fight against the Angevine troops, which he defeated. By marriage, he obtained the title of
count of Gravina. He was made Duke of Gravina by King Alfonso, title definitely assigned to his son Giacomo (died
1472), to which had been added the counties of
Conversano,
Campagna and
Copertino. Two of Francesco's son, Marino (died
1471) and Giovanni Battista (died
June 8,
1476), were respectively archbishop of
Taranto and
Grand Master of
Knights of Rhodes.
The fourth duke, Francesco, was strangled by Cesare Borgia in 1503. One of his nephews,
Flavio Orsini, was created cardinal in
1565. The fifth duke, Ferdinando (died
December 6,
1549) had all his fiefs confiscated by the Spaniards, but regained it after a 40,000 scudi payment.
After the heirless death of Duke Michele Antonio (
January 26,
1627), his lands passed to his cousin Pietro Orsini, count of
Muro Lucano (died
1641). The latter's nephew
Pier Francesco, who had renounced to the succession in favour to his brother Domenico to became a
Dominican, was later elected pope with the name of Benedict XIII.
His successor raised Benedict XIII's nephew, Prince
Beroaldo Orsini, to the dignity of
Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne (title held until
1958), after the emperor
Charles VI had already, in
1724, made him a prince of the
Holy Roman Empire. The last cardinal from the family was
Domenico.
The family moved to Rome in the 18th century, where Duke Domenico (
November 23,
1790 -
April 28,
1874), married Maria Luisa
Torlonia in
1823. In 1850 he was Minister of War and General Lieutenant of the Papal Armies, and Senator of Rome as well.
The descendants of the family live in Rome. In the US there are a few people with the last name Orazine, the name was changed when family members emigrated to the United States due to translation difficulties.
Notable buildings
Apart the Bracciano castle, other notable buildings and structures associated with the Orsini include:
★ The
Bomarzo Garden, a Late Renaissance-Mannerist gallery of bizarre sculptures and architecture commissioned in the 16th century by
Vicino Orsini. It includes also a palace, designed by
Baldassarre Peruzzi, begun in
1525 by Gian Corrado Orsini and finished by his son Vicino.
★ The Orsini Palace in Rome, including the
Theatre of Marcellus.
★
Palazzo Orsini Pio Righetti, also in Rome.
★ Orsini Castles in:
★
★
Avezzano
★
★
Nerola
★
★
Sant'Angelo Romano (15th century)
★
★
Soriano nel Cimino (built by Nicholas III in
1278)
★
★
Vasanello (12th century)
Sources
★
Le grandi famiglie di Roma, , Claudio, Rendina, Newton Compton, 2004,
External links
★
Orsini in the Catholic Encyclopedia
★
Article in the Encyclopedia Americana
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