House of Borromeo
Encyclopedia
The aristocratic
Borromeo family, said to date from before the twelfth century, were counts of Arona from the mid-fifteenth century and played important roles in the politics of the Duchy of Milan
and in the Catholic Reformation. The best-known members of the family were the cardinal
s and Archbishop
s of Milan Carlo (1538–1584), who was canonized by Pope Paul V in 1610, and Federico
(1564–1631), who founded the Ambrosian Library. The figure of the Borromean rings
, which forms part of the family’s coat of arms
, is well-known in the diverse fields of topology
, psychoanalysis
and theology
.
The first member of the family to come to prominence was Filippo who, backed by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV
and Gian Galeazzo Visconti
(later to become Duke of Milan
), led the Ghibellines of San Miniato
in their 1367 revolt against the Florentine
Guelph
s. In 1370 he was taken prisoner by the Florentines and decapitated. He left five children who had taken refuge in Milan at the time of the revolt.
The gratitude of a duke for the family's services overwhelmed them with rewards and honors, among which was the county of Peschiera in 1461. Milanese Duke Filippo Maria Visconti
made Vitaliano Borromeo Count of Arona in 1446.
The family has owned the Borromean Islands
since the 12th century. The islands have many beautiful gardens, with at least one island is known to have a grand palace.
Giberto II Borromeo, the Count of Arona, was married three times. He had two sons with his wife Margherita di Medici, sister of Gian Giacomo Medici.
His eldest son was Federico Borromeo, (not to be confused with a younger, distant cousin of the same name, Federico Borromeo
, who was a cardinal and archbishop of Milan). His second son was Carlo Borromeo, who became a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, archbishop of Milan, and a canonized saint.
, the son of Alain Elkann
and Margherita Agnelli de Pahlen
. John Elkann
was subsequently chosen as heir to the Agnelli business dynasty, which has formerly represented 4.4% of Italy's GDP.
in the Lago Maggiore
.
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
Borromeo family, said to date from before the twelfth century, were counts of Arona from the mid-fifteenth century and played important roles in the politics of the Duchy of Milan
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
and in the Catholic Reformation. The best-known members of the family were the cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s and Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s of Milan Carlo (1538–1584), who was canonized by Pope Paul V in 1610, and Federico
Federico Borromeo
Federico Borromeo was an Italian ecclesiastic, cardinal and archbishop of Milan.-Biography:Federico Borromeo was born in Milan as the second son of Giulio Cesare Borromeo, Count of Arona, and Margherita Trivulzio...
(1564–1631), who founded the Ambrosian Library. The figure of the Borromean rings
Borromean rings
In mathematics, the Borromean rings consist of three topological circles which are linked and form a Brunnian link, i.e., removing any ring results in two unlinked rings.- Mathematical properties :...
, which forms part of the family’s coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, is well-known in the diverse fields of topology
Topology
Topology is a major area of mathematics concerned with properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects, such as deformations that involve stretching, but no tearing or gluing...
, psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
.
Brief history
In 1300 this was one of a number of families to carry the name "de 'Buonromei'" or 'Borromei'.The first member of the family to come to prominence was Filippo who, backed by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
and Gian Galeazzo Visconti
Gian Galeazzo Visconti
Gian Galeazzo Visconti , son of Galeazzo II Visconti and Bianca of Savoy, was the first Duke of Milan and ruled the late-medieval city just before the dawn of the Renaissance...
(later to become Duke of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
), led the Ghibellines of San Miniato
San Miniato
San Miniato is a town and comune in the province of Pisa, in the region of Tuscany, Italy.San Miniato sits at an historically strategic location atop three small hills where it dominates the lower Arno valley between the valleys of Egola and Elsa...
in their 1367 revolt against the Florentine
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....
Guelph
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
s. In 1370 he was taken prisoner by the Florentines and decapitated. He left five children who had taken refuge in Milan at the time of the revolt.
The gratitude of a duke for the family's services overwhelmed them with rewards and honors, among which was the county of Peschiera in 1461. Milanese Duke Filippo Maria Visconti
Filippo Maria Visconti
Filippo Maria Visconti was ruler of Milan from 1412 to 1447.-Biography:Filippo Maria Visconti, who had become nominal ruler of Pavia in 1402, succeeded his assassinated brother Gian Maria Visconti as Duke of Milan in 1412. They were the sons of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Gian Maria's predecessor, by...
made Vitaliano Borromeo Count of Arona in 1446.
The family has owned the Borromean Islands
Borromean Islands
The Borromean Islands are a group of three small islands and two islets in the Italian part of Lago Maggiore, located in the western arm of the lake, between Verbania to the north and Stresa to the south...
since the 12th century. The islands have many beautiful gardens, with at least one island is known to have a grand palace.
Family members
Listed here are a few of the family members belonging to the Borromeo family.Giberto II Borromeo, the Count of Arona, was married three times. He had two sons with his wife Margherita di Medici, sister of Gian Giacomo Medici.
His eldest son was Federico Borromeo, (not to be confused with a younger, distant cousin of the same name, Federico Borromeo
Federico Borromeo
Federico Borromeo was an Italian ecclesiastic, cardinal and archbishop of Milan.-Biography:Federico Borromeo was born in Milan as the second son of Giulio Cesare Borromeo, Count of Arona, and Margherita Trivulzio...
, who was a cardinal and archbishop of Milan). His second son was Carlo Borromeo, who became a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, archbishop of Milan, and a canonized saint.
Current members
In 2004, one heiress of the family, Princess Lavinia Borromeo, married John ElkannJohn Elkann
John Philip Jacob Elkann is an Italian industrialist. He was the chosen heir of Gianni Agnelli, his grandfather, and controls the family's automaker Fiat...
, the son of Alain Elkann
Alain Elkann
Alain Elkann is an Italian novelist, intellectual, and journalist. Currently, Elkann is the conductor of cultural programs on Italian television. A recurring theme in his books is the history of the Jews in Italy, their centrality to Italian history, and the relation between the Jewish faith and...
and Margherita Agnelli de Pahlen
Agnelli
Agnelli is a surname, and can refer to:*Members of the Agnelli family of Italy, including:**Giovanni Agnelli , Italian manufacturer and founder of Fiat***Edoardo Agnelli , Italian industrialist, son of Giovanni...
. John Elkann
John Elkann
John Philip Jacob Elkann is an Italian industrialist. He was the chosen heir of Gianni Agnelli, his grandfather, and controls the family's automaker Fiat...
was subsequently chosen as heir to the Agnelli business dynasty, which has formerly represented 4.4% of Italy's GDP.
Other Items
The family still owns the majority of the Borromean IslandsBorromean Islands
The Borromean Islands are a group of three small islands and two islets in the Italian part of Lago Maggiore, located in the western arm of the lake, between Verbania to the north and Stresa to the south...
in the Lago Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild...
.