Gian Giordano Orsini, IV Lord of Bracciano (c. 1460–1517) was an Italian nobleman and condottiero. He married Felice della Rovere and was the son-in-law of Pope Julius II.

Gian Giordano Orsini
IV Lord of Bracciano
Arms of Orsini of Bracciano family
Reign8 January 1497–1517
PredecessorGentile Virginio Orsini
SuccessorGirolamo Orsini
Bornc. 1460
Bracciano
Died1517
Vicovaro
Noble familyOrsini
Spouse(s)
Maria Cecilia of Naples
(m. 1486)

(m. 1506)
IssueFirst marriage
Napoleone Orsini
Francesca Orsini
Carlotta Orsini
Second marriage
Giulia Orsini
Giulio Orsini
Francesco Orsini
Girolamo Orsini, V Lord of Bracciano
Clarice Orsini
FatherGentile Virginio Orsini
MotherIsabella Orsini

Biography

edit

Gian Giordano Orsini was born around 1460 in Bracciano. He was the son of Gentile Virginio Orsini, III Lord of Bracciano, and of his wife Isabella Orsini.[1]

In 1482 he was captain of the papal army of Sixtus IV against the Duke of Calabria Alfonso II of Naples. He participated in the Battle of Campomorto alongside the famous Roberto Malatesta.[1]

In 1495 he was captain of King Charles VIII of France against the Kingdom of Naples of King Ferrante and his son Alfonso. He was captured and released only after two years. In this period, some possessions of the Orsini family were assigned to the rival Colonna family.[1]

Once free, he escaped an attack ordered by the Colonnas and took refuge in France, at the court of Louis XII.[1]

In 1511 his father-in-law, Pope Julius II, negotiated a peace with the Colonnas and recalled Gian Giordano to Italy.[1]

He died in Vicovaro in 1517.[2][1]

Issue

edit

Gian Giordano Orsini married twice. In 1486 he married Maria Cecilia of Naples, an illegitimate daughter of King Ferrante of Naples by Eulalia Ravignani. They had one son and two daughters:[3]

  • Napoleone (1500–17 February 1534), condottiero, killed by his half-brother Girolamo.
  • Francesca, who married Giovanni Cardona and later, in 1516, Lorenzo dell’Anguillara.
  • Carlotta, who married Giantommaso Pico della Mirandola on 28 October 1519. They had three sons, Girolamo, Virginio and Giovanni Antonio, and a daughter, Maddalena.

In 1506 he married Felice della Rovere, illegitimate daughter of Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (from 1513 Pope Julius II)

They had three sons and two daughters: [4] [5] [6] [7]

Honours

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f "Orsini, Gian Giordano nell'Enciclopedia Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  2. ^ Damiani, Roberto (2012-11-27). "GIAN GIORDANO ORSINI Duca di Bracciano". Condottieri di ventura (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  3. ^ Pompeo Litta, ''Orsini di Roma'', in ''Famiglie celebri italiane'', Torino, 1846.
  4. ^ Murphy 2005, p. 101.
  5. ^ Murphy 2005, p. 154.
  6. ^ Murphy 2005, p. 144.
  7. ^ Murphy 2005, pp. 100, 102.

Sources

edit