Barberini
Encyclopedia
The Barberini are a family of the Italian nobility
that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome
. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII
. Their urban palace, the Palazzo Barberini
, (completed in 1633 by Bernini
), today houses Italy's Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
(National Gallery of Ancient Art).
, who settled in Florence
during the early part of the 11th century.
Carlo Barberini (1488–1566) and his brother Antonio Barberini (1494–1559) were successful Florentine grain
, wool
and textile
merchants. In 1530 Antonio participated in the defense of the Florentine Republic but after the capture of the city by Imperial troops, and the return to power of the Medici
, Antonio grew weary of Medici rule and left Florence in 1537 to oversee Barberini business in Rome
.
In 1552, Carlo's son Francesco followed his uncle to Rome and business flourished. Francesco became a very rich man and bought a number of high offices within government and the Catholic
church. In 1559, his uncle Antonio was murdered by forces loyal to the Medici.
Francesco continued build his fortune and amass titles until his death in 1600. Ordinarily his estate would have been "fined" by the Camera Apostolica (for operating business while holding church office) but his relatives successfully appealed to the head of the organization Francesco had, himself, once directed. The continuation of Barberini business fell to his nephews (the sons of his brother, also Antonio Barberini, who had died in 1571) including Maffeo Barberini.
. He elevated a brother Antonio Marcello Barberini
(Antonio the Elder) and two nephews, Francesco Barberini
and Antonio Barberini
, to the cardinalate, made another brother Duke of Monterotondo, and gave a third nephew, Taddeo Barberini
, the principality of Palestrina
. Taddeo was also made leader of the papal army.
The ecclesiastical, diplomatic and cultural accomplishments of Urban's reign are sometimes overshadowed by modern shock at the extreme nepotism the pope practiced. Likewise, the disastrous War of Castro, a pyrrhic victory
with which the pontificate concluded, sullied Urban's reputation and the popularity of those family members who survived him.
The often repeated criticism of the pope, for removing ancient bronze beams from the portico of the Pantheon
to procure bronze for the Baldachin
of St. Peter's Basilica
and for the papal cannon foundry, is perhaps less fair than it is clever.
An anonymous critic punningly wrote:
which translates to "What the barbarians did not do, the Barberini did". The pope erected a tablet proudly proclaiming his re-use of these hidden beams for the glory and defense of the church.
were fought alongside the equally entrenched Pamphili
family. Pope Urban VIII
died in 1644, only months after a peace accord was signed to end the First War of Castro.
Despite Urban's appointment of a number of relatives as cardinals, the College of Cardinals
elected Pope Innocent X
of the Pamphili
family. Almost immediately, Innocent X launched an investigation into the conduct of various members of the Barberini family during the wars.
The three nephews who had risen to prominence under their uncle Pope Urban VIII
, cardinals Antonio and Francesco and Prince Taddeo were forced into exile and fled to Paris
under the protection of Cardinal Mazarin. Antonio left first while his brothers hung the French coat of arms
above the door of the Palazzo Barberini
then went to France by sea.
Taddeo's wife, Anna Colonna
joined her husband and children in Paris but not before making a passionate appeal (in person) to the Pope, urging him not to strip the Barberini of their assets. The Pope agreed and, though he paid some debts out of the Barberini estate, left the Barberini alone.
In Paris they relied on the hospitality of Louis XIV
, King of France, until 1653 when most of the family finally returned to Rome. Though Taddeo died in exile in 1647, his brothers eventually reconciled with the papacy through the marriage of Taddeo's younger son Maffeo with Olimpia Giustiniani
, a niece of Pope Innocent. Maffeo was given his father's former title, that of Prince of Palestrina
.
Taddeo's older son Carlo Barberini
was made a cardinal by Pope Innocent X. Taddeo's daughter, Lucrezia Barberini
, married Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena (who had previously sided with the Farnese during the First War of Castro), further stabilizing relations.
and Anna Colonna
, daughter of Filippo I Colonna
began the century-long process which would eventually see the Barberini merge with the Colonna family
.
In 1728, the Carbognano branch (Colonna di Sciarra) of the Colonna family added the name Barberini to its family name when Giulio Cesare Colonna di Sciarra married Cornelia Barberini, daughter of Urbano Barberini, the last legitimate male Barberini heir.
Though Urbano's wives bore him no legitimate male heirs, Urbano was born a son, Maffeo Callisto Barberini in 1688 prior to any one of his three marriages. The will of Urbano Barberini's last wife, Maria Teresa Boncompagni, makes mention of this Maffeo Callisto as the Marquis of Corese. A large portion of the Barberini estate was left for him in her will.
Later her progeny came into conflict with his over claims to the Barberini estate but the quarrel was settled with an agreement signed in Paris
in 1811 which divided the estate between the two claimant branches of the family.
The Colonna line became extinct again on the death of Prince Enrico Barberini-Colonna and the name went to his daughter and heiress Maria and her husband Marquis Luigi Sacchetti, who received the title of Prince of Palestrina and permission to use the Barberini name.
On 21 June 2005, Augusto Barberini, the 13th Prince of Palestrina, died in Rome. The family is now represented by Benedetto Francesco Barberini, Prince of Palestrina (born 1961), whose heir is his eldest son.
, the Barberini library (now a core section of the Vatican's Biblioteca Apostolica), and the many buildings, altars, and other projects spread across Rome (and marked with the heraldic three bee
s) give evidence of the family's wealth, taste and magnificence in the seventeenth century. The family commissioned many artists, such as Lorenzo Ottoni
, to undertake various Baberini-centric projects. The family were also important early patrons of opera, maintaining "star" singers like Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
on payroll, and building the private Teatro delle Quattro Fontane
. Many objects from the Barberini art collections are scattered in museums around the world including:
A nucleus remains in the hands of the family, as well as in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
, which occupies part of the Palazzo Barberini
in Rome. The cultural influence of the dynasty was considerable, and provided the subject for a major international conference in December 2004 (and subsequent publication), entitled I Barberini e la Cultura Europea.
of the 16th and 17th century Barberini (hereditary patriarchy of the family is indicated by the colored squares).
Nobility of Italy
The Nobility of Italy consisted of individuals and their families of Italy recognized by sovereigns, such as the Holy Roman Emperor, the Holy See, Kings of Italy or certain other Italian kings and sovereigns as members of a class of persons officially enjoying hereditary privileges which...
that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
. Their urban palace, the Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini is a palace in Rome, facing the piazza of the same name in Rione Trevi and is home to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.-History:...
, (completed in 1633 by Bernini
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian artist who worked principally in Rome. He was the leading sculptor of his age and also a prominent architect...
), today houses Italy's Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, or National Gallery of Ancient Art, is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, located on two sites: the Palazzo Barberini and the Palazzo Corsini....
(National Gallery of Ancient Art).
Early history
The Barberini family were originally a family of minor nobility from the Tuscan town of Barberino Val d'ElsaBarberino Val d'Elsa
Barberino Val d'Elsa is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 30 km south of Florence.The township of Barberino Val d'Elsa is located above the valley from which it takes its name...
, who settled in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
during the early part of the 11th century.
Carlo Barberini (1488–1566) and his brother Antonio Barberini (1494–1559) were successful Florentine grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
, wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
and textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
merchants. In 1530 Antonio participated in the defense of the Florentine Republic but after the capture of the city by Imperial troops, and the return to power of the Medici
Medici
The House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
, Antonio grew weary of Medici rule and left Florence in 1537 to oversee Barberini business in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
In 1552, Carlo's son Francesco followed his uncle to Rome and business flourished. Francesco became a very rich man and bought a number of high offices within government and the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church. In 1559, his uncle Antonio was murdered by forces loyal to the Medici.
Francesco continued build his fortune and amass titles until his death in 1600. Ordinarily his estate would have been "fined" by the Camera Apostolica (for operating business while holding church office) but his relatives successfully appealed to the head of the organization Francesco had, himself, once directed. The continuation of Barberini business fell to his nephews (the sons of his brother, also Antonio Barberini, who had died in 1571) including Maffeo Barberini.
Maffeo Barberini as Pope Urban VIII
The Barberini acquired great wealth and influence when Cardinal Maffeo Barberini was elected to the papal throne in 1623, taking the name Pope Urban VIIIPope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
. He elevated a brother Antonio Marcello Barberini
Antonio Marcello Barberini
Antonio Marcello Barberini was an Italian cardinal and the younger brother of Maffeo Barberini, later Pope Urban VIII. He is sometimes referred to as Antonio the Elder to distinguish him from his nephew Antonio Barberini.Born Marcello Barberini in Florence into the Barberini family, he entered the...
(Antonio the Elder) and two nephews, Francesco Barberini
Francesco Barberini (seniore)
Francesco Barberini was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. The nephew of Pope Urban VIII , he benefited immensely from the nepotism practiced by his uncle...
and Antonio Barberini
Antonio Barberini
Antonio Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Reims, military leader, patron of the arts and a prominent member of the House of Barberini. As one of the cardinal-nephews of Pope Urban VIII and a supporter of France, he played a significant role at a number of the papal...
, to the cardinalate, made another brother Duke of Monterotondo, and gave a third nephew, Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini...
, the principality of Palestrina
Palestrina
Palestrina is an ancient city and comune with a population of about 18,000, in Lazio, c. 35 km east of Rome...
. Taddeo was also made leader of the papal army.
The ecclesiastical, diplomatic and cultural accomplishments of Urban's reign are sometimes overshadowed by modern shock at the extreme nepotism the pope practiced. Likewise, the disastrous War of Castro, a pyrrhic victory
Pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with such a devastating cost to the victor that it carries the implication that another such victory will ultimately cause defeat.-Origin:...
with which the pontificate concluded, sullied Urban's reputation and the popularity of those family members who survived him.
The often repeated criticism of the pope, for removing ancient bronze beams from the portico of the Pantheon
Pantheon, Rome
The Pantheon ,Rarely Pantheum. This appears in Pliny's Natural History in describing this edifice: Agrippae Pantheum decoravit Diogenes Atheniensis; in columnis templi eius Caryatides probantur inter pauca operum, sicut in fastigio posita signa, sed propter altitudinem loci minus celebrata.from ,...
to procure bronze for the Baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
of St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
and for the papal cannon foundry, is perhaps less fair than it is clever.
An anonymous critic punningly wrote:
which translates to "What the barbarians did not do, the Barberini did". The pope erected a tablet proudly proclaiming his re-use of these hidden beams for the glory and defense of the church.
Wars of Castro, exile and restoration
The Wars of CastroWars of Castro
The Wars of Castro is a term referring to a series of events in the mid-17th century revolving around the ancient city of Castro , which eventually resulted in the city's destruction on 2 September 1649...
were fought alongside the equally entrenched Pamphili
Pamphili
The Pamphili are one of the papal families deeply entrenched in Roman Catholic Church, Roman and Italian politics of the 16th and 17th centuries ....
family. Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
died in 1644, only months after a peace accord was signed to end the First War of Castro.
Despite Urban's appointment of a number of relatives as cardinals, the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
elected Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...
of the Pamphili
Pamphili
The Pamphili are one of the papal families deeply entrenched in Roman Catholic Church, Roman and Italian politics of the 16th and 17th centuries ....
family. Almost immediately, Innocent X launched an investigation into the conduct of various members of the Barberini family during the wars.
The three nephews who had risen to prominence under their uncle Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
, cardinals Antonio and Francesco and Prince Taddeo were forced into exile and fled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
under the protection of Cardinal Mazarin. Antonio left first while his brothers hung the French coat of arms
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
above the door of the Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini is a palace in Rome, facing the piazza of the same name in Rione Trevi and is home to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.-History:...
then went to France by sea.
Taddeo's wife, Anna Colonna
Anna Colonna
Anna Colonna was an Italian noblewoman of the Colonna and Barberini families and Princess of Paliano-Biography:Colonna was born in 1601; the daughter of Filippo Colonna, Prince of Paliano and Lucrezia Tomacelli, dei signori di Galatro, and was thus Princess of Paliano.On 14 October 1627, at age...
joined her husband and children in Paris but not before making a passionate appeal (in person) to the Pope, urging him not to strip the Barberini of their assets. The Pope agreed and, though he paid some debts out of the Barberini estate, left the Barberini alone.
In Paris they relied on the hospitality of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, King of France, until 1653 when most of the family finally returned to Rome. Though Taddeo died in exile in 1647, his brothers eventually reconciled with the papacy through the marriage of Taddeo's younger son Maffeo with Olimpia Giustiniani
Olimpia Giustiniani
Olimpia Giustiniani was an Italian noblewoman of the houses of Giustiniani and Barberini. She was the grand-daughter of Olimpia Maidalchini, niece of Pope Innocent X and wife of Maffeo Barberini, Prince of Palestrina....
, a niece of Pope Innocent. Maffeo was given his father's former title, that of Prince of Palestrina
Palestrina
Palestrina is an ancient city and comune with a population of about 18,000, in Lazio, c. 35 km east of Rome...
.
Taddeo's older son Carlo Barberini
Carlo Barberini
thumb|Cardinal Carlo Barberini .Carlo Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal and member of the Barberini family. He was the grand-nephew of Maffeo Barberini and son of Taddeo Barberini .-Biography:Carlo Barberini was born 1 June 1630 in Rome...
was made a cardinal by Pope Innocent X. Taddeo's daughter, Lucrezia Barberini
Lucrezia Barberini
Lucrezia Barberini was an Italian noblewoman and, by marriage, Duchess of Modena. Born into the Barberini family, she was the last wife of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena.-Biography:...
, married Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena (who had previously sided with the Farnese during the First War of Castro), further stabilizing relations.
Modern history
The 1627 marriage of Taddeo BarberiniTaddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini...
and Anna Colonna
Anna Colonna
Anna Colonna was an Italian noblewoman of the Colonna and Barberini families and Princess of Paliano-Biography:Colonna was born in 1601; the daughter of Filippo Colonna, Prince of Paliano and Lucrezia Tomacelli, dei signori di Galatro, and was thus Princess of Paliano.On 14 October 1627, at age...
, daughter of Filippo I Colonna
Filippo I Colonna
Filippo Colonna , Prince of Paliano, was an Italian nobleman, who was the head of the Colonna family of Rome and the hereditary Gran Connestabile at the court of Naples.-Biography:He was born at Rome...
began the century-long process which would eventually see the Barberini merge with the Colonna family
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...
.
In 1728, the Carbognano branch (Colonna di Sciarra) of the Colonna family added the name Barberini to its family name when Giulio Cesare Colonna di Sciarra married Cornelia Barberini, daughter of Urbano Barberini, the last legitimate male Barberini heir.
Though Urbano's wives bore him no legitimate male heirs, Urbano was born a son, Maffeo Callisto Barberini in 1688 prior to any one of his three marriages. The will of Urbano Barberini's last wife, Maria Teresa Boncompagni, makes mention of this Maffeo Callisto as the Marquis of Corese. A large portion of the Barberini estate was left for him in her will.
Later her progeny came into conflict with his over claims to the Barberini estate but the quarrel was settled with an agreement signed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1811 which divided the estate between the two claimant branches of the family.
The Colonna line became extinct again on the death of Prince Enrico Barberini-Colonna and the name went to his daughter and heiress Maria and her husband Marquis Luigi Sacchetti, who received the title of Prince of Palestrina and permission to use the Barberini name.
On 21 June 2005, Augusto Barberini, the 13th Prince of Palestrina, died in Rome. The family is now represented by Benedetto Francesco Barberini, Prince of Palestrina (born 1961), whose heir is his eldest son.
Patrons of the arts
The fine Palazzo BarberiniPalazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini is a palace in Rome, facing the piazza of the same name in Rione Trevi and is home to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.-History:...
, the Barberini library (now a core section of the Vatican's Biblioteca Apostolica), and the many buildings, altars, and other projects spread across Rome (and marked with the heraldic three bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s) give evidence of the family's wealth, taste and magnificence in the seventeenth century. The family commissioned many artists, such as Lorenzo Ottoni
Lorenzo Ottoni
Lorenzo Ottoni was an Italian sculptor who was commissioned by the papacy and various noble houses of renaissance Italy.-Life:Ottoni was born in Rome in 1658 and spent the majority of his life in the city....
, to undertake various Baberini-centric projects. The family were also important early patrons of opera, maintaining "star" singers like Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
thumb|right|200px| Marcantonio Pasqualini Crowned by Apollo by [[Andrea Sacchi]].Marc'Antonio Pasqualini was an Italian castrato opera singer who performed during the Baroque period. He has been described as "the leading male soprano of his day"...
on payroll, and building the private Teatro delle Quattro Fontane
Teatro delle Quattro Fontane
The Teatro delle Quattro Fontane is an opera house in Rome, Italy, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and built in 1632 by the Barberini family...
. Many objects from the Barberini art collections are scattered in museums around the world including:
- The Barberini FaunBarberini FaunThe life-size marble statue known as the Barberini Faun or Drunken Satyr is located in the Glyptothek in Munich, Germany. A Faun is the Roman equivalent of a Greek Satyr. In Greek mythology, satyrs were human-like male woodland spirits with several animal features, often a goat-like tail, hooves,...
and Barberini Apollo, sold to Ludwig I of BavariaLudwig I of BavariaLudwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
and now in the Munich GlyptothekGlyptothekThe Glyptothek is a museum in Munich, Germany, which was commissioned by the Bavarian King Ludwig I to house his collection of Greek and Roman sculptures . It was designed by Leo von Klenze in the Neoclassical style, and built from 1816 to 1830... - The Barberini VenusBarberini VenusThe Barberini Venus, Jenkins Venus or Weddell Venus, is a copy from the Aphrodite of Cnidus, along the lines of the Venus de Medici...
- The Barberini HeraBarberini HeraThe Barberini Hera or Barberini Juno is a type of sculpture of Hera or Juno, standing, wearing a crown and peplos and holding a sceptre in her right hand and a patera in her left. It is named after the owners of its archetype, the Barberini...
, also seen in this head; - The Portland VasePortland VaseThe Portland Vase is a Roman cameo glass vase, currently dated to between AD 5 and AD 25, which served as an inspiration to many glass and porcelain makers from about the beginning of the 18th century onwards. Since 1810 the vase has been kept almost continuously in the British Museum in London...
(once known as the Barberini Vase), bought from the family by Sir William HamiltonWilliam Hamilton (diplomat)Sir William Hamilton KB, PC, FRS was a Scottish diplomat, antiquarian, archaeologist and vulcanologist. After a short period as a Member of Parliament, he served as British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples from 1764 to 1800...
and now in the British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its... - The Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini PowerAllegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power (Cortona)The Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power is a fresco by Italian painter Pietro da Cortona, filling the large ceiling of the grand salon of the Palazzo Barberini in Rome, Italy. Begun in 1633, it was nearly finished in three years; upon Cortona's return from Venice, it was extensively...
A nucleus remains in the hands of the family, as well as in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, or National Gallery of Ancient Art, is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, located on two sites: the Palazzo Barberini and the Palazzo Corsini....
, which occupies part of the Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini is a palace in Rome, facing the piazza of the same name in Rione Trevi and is home to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.-History:...
in Rome. The cultural influence of the dynasty was considerable, and provided the subject for a major international conference in December 2004 (and subsequent publication), entitled I Barberini e la Cultura Europea.
Barberini Family tree
Family treeFamily tree
A family tree, or pedigree chart, is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional tree structure. The more detailed family trees used in medicine, genealogy, and social work are known as genograms.-Family tree representations:...
of the 16th and 17th century Barberini (hereditary patriarchy of the family is indicated by the colored squares).
See also
- Piazza BarberiniPiazza BarberiniPiazza Barberini is a large piazza in the centro storico or city center of Rome, Italy and situated on the Quirinal Hill. It was created in the 16th century but many of the surrounding buildings have subsequently been rebuilt....
- Palazzo BarberiniPalazzo BarberiniPalazzo Barberini is a palace in Rome, facing the piazza of the same name in Rione Trevi and is home to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.-History:...
- The Codex Barberini or Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum HerbisLibellus de Medicinalibus Indorum HerbisThe Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis is an Aztec herbal manuscript, describing the medicinal properties of various plants used by the Aztecs...
- The Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power (Cortona)Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power (Cortona)The Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power is a fresco by Italian painter Pietro da Cortona, filling the large ceiling of the grand salon of the Palazzo Barberini in Rome, Italy. Begun in 1633, it was nearly finished in three years; upon Cortona's return from Venice, it was extensively...
- Wars of CastroWars of CastroThe Wars of Castro is a term referring to a series of events in the mid-17th century revolving around the ancient city of Castro , which eventually resulted in the city's destruction on 2 September 1649...
- Ferrante PallavicinoFerrante PallavicinoFerrante Pallavicino was an Italian writer of lampoons and satires which, according to Edward Muir, "were so popular that booksellers and printers bought them from him at a premium." Pallavicino's scandalous satires, which cost him his head at the age of twenty-eight, were all published under...
- satirical critic of the Barberini.