Vittoria Colonna
Encyclopedia
Vittoria Colonna marchioness
of Pescara
, was an Italian
noblewoman and poet
.
, grand constable of the kingdom of Naples, and of Agnese da Montefeltro
, Vittoria Colonna was born at Marinoa fief of the Colonna family in the Alban Hills
near Rome
.
Betrothed when four years old at the insistence of Ferdinand
, king of Naples to Fernando Francesco d'Ávalos, son of the marquis of Pescara, she received the highest education and gave early proof of a love of letters. Her hand was sought by many suitors, including the dukes of Savoy and Braganza
, but at nineteen, by her own ardent desire, she was married to d'Ávalos on the island of Ischia
. There she became part of the literary circle of Constanza d'Avalos, her husband's aunt.
There the couple resided until 1511, when her husband offered his sword to the League against the French. He was taken captive at the battle of Ravenna
(1512) and conveyed to France. During the months of detention and the long years of campaigning which followed, Vittoria and Ferrante corresponded in the most passionate terms both in prose and verse. They saw each other but seldom, for Ferrante was one of the most active and brilliant captains of Charles V
; but Vittoria's influence was sufficient to keep him from joining the projected league against the emperor after the battle of Pavia
(1525), and to make him refuse the crown of Naples offered to him as the price of his treason.
In the month of November of the same year he died of his wounds at Milan
. Vittoria, who was hastening to tend him, received the news of his death at Viterbo
; she halted and turned off to Rome
, and after a brief stay departed for Ischia, where she remained for several years. She refused several suitors and dedicated herself to writing poetry. In 1529 she returned to Rome, and spent the next few years between that city, Orvieto
, Ischia and other places.
In 1535, her sister-in-law Giovanna d'Aragona
separated from Vittoria's brother Ascanio and came to Ischia. Vittoria tried to reconcile them, but even though Giovanna refused, they became close. They both supported Juan de Valdés and tried to intercede for Ascanio when he refused to pay salt tax to the pope.
In 1537 we find her at Ferrara
, where she made many friends and helped to establish a Capuchin
monastery at the instance of the reforming monk Bernardino Ochino
, who afterwards became a Protestant.
At the age of 46, in 1536, she was back in Rome, where, besides winning the esteem of Cardinals Reginald Pole and Contarini
, she became the object of a passionate friendship on the part of 61-year-old Michelangelo
. The great artist addressed some of his finest sonnets to her, made drawings for her, and spent long hours in her company. Her removal to Orvieto
and Viterbo in 1541, on the occasion of her brother Ascanio Colonna's revolt against Paul III
, produced no change in their relations, and they continued to visit and correspond as before. She returned to Rome in 1544, staying as usual at the convent of San Silvestro, and died there on 25 February 1547.
Pietro Bembo
, Luigi Alamanni
and Baldassare Castiglione
were among her literary friends. She was also on intimate terms with many of the Italian Protestants, such as Pietro Carnesecchi
, Juan de Valdés
and Ochino, but she died before the church crisis in Italy became acute, and, although she was an advocate of religious reform, there is no reason to believe that she herself became a Protestant.
Marchioness
Marchioness could refer to:*A noblewoman with the rank of Marquess, or the wife of a Marquess.*The Marchioness, a pleasure boat that was sunk on the River Thames in 1989....
of Pescara
Pescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
, was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
noblewoman and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Biography
The daughter of Fabrizio ColonnaFabrizio Colonna
Fabrizio Colonna was an Italian condottiero, a member of the powerful Colonna family. He was the son of Edoardo Colonna and Filippa Conti....
, grand constable of the kingdom of Naples, and of Agnese da Montefeltro
Agnese da Montefeltro
Agnese da Montefeltro was the daughter of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino and of his second wife, Battista Sforza...
, Vittoria Colonna was born at Marinoa fief of the Colonna family in the Alban Hills
Alban Hills
The Alban Hills are the site of a quiescent volcanic complex in Italy, located southeast of Rome and about north of Anzio.The dominant peak is Monte Cavo. There are two small calderas which contain lakes, Lago Albano and Lake Nemi...
near 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...
.
Betrothed when four years old at the insistence of Ferdinand
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic male given name composed of the words for "prepared"/"protection"/"safety"/"peace" and "journey"/"boldness"/"recklessness"...
, king of Naples to Fernando Francesco d'Ávalos, son of the marquis of Pescara, she received the highest education and gave early proof of a love of letters. Her hand was sought by many suitors, including the dukes of Savoy and Braganza
Duke of Braganza
The title Duke of Braganza in the House of Braganza is one of the most important titles in the peerage of Portugal. Since the House of Braganza acceded to the throne of Portugal in 1640, the male heir of the Portuguese Crown was known as the Duke of Braganza and Prince of Brazil until 1822, or...
, but at nineteen, by her own ardent desire, she was married to d'Ávalos on the island of Ischia
Ischia
Ischia is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, about 30 km from the city of Naples. It is the largest of the Phlegrean Islands. Roughly trapezoidal in shape, it measures around 10 km east to west and 7 km north to south and has...
. There she became part of the literary circle of Constanza d'Avalos, her husband's aunt.
There the couple resided until 1511, when her husband offered his sword to the League against the French. He was taken captive at the battle of Ravenna
Battle of Ravenna (1512)
The Battle of Ravenna, fought on 11 April 1512, by forces of the Holy League and France, was a major battle of the War of the League of Cambrai in the Italian Wars...
(1512) and conveyed to France. During the months of detention and the long years of campaigning which followed, Vittoria and Ferrante corresponded in the most passionate terms both in prose and verse. They saw each other but seldom, for Ferrante was one of the most active and brilliant captains of Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
; but Vittoria's influence was sufficient to keep him from joining the projected league against the emperor after the battle of Pavia
Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve...
(1525), and to make him refuse the crown of Naples offered to him as the price of his treason.
In the month of November of the same year he died of his wounds at 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 ,...
. Vittoria, who was hastening to tend him, received the news of his death at Viterbo
Viterbo
See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
; she halted and turned off to 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...
, and after a brief stay departed for Ischia, where she remained for several years. She refused several suitors and dedicated herself to writing poetry. In 1529 she returned to Rome, and spent the next few years between that city, Orvieto
Orvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
, Ischia and other places.
In 1535, her sister-in-law Giovanna d'Aragona
Giovanna d'Aragona
Giovanna d'Aragona was a patron of the arts, printers and religious reform in Naples during the Renaissance.-Family:She was the oldest daughter of Duke Ferdinando of Malteno and Castellana de Cardona. Her father was a younger son of Ferdinand I of Naples...
separated from Vittoria's brother Ascanio and came to Ischia. Vittoria tried to reconcile them, but even though Giovanna refused, they became close. They both supported Juan de Valdés and tried to intercede for Ascanio when he refused to pay salt tax to the pope.
In 1537 we find her at Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, where she made many friends and helped to establish a Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
monastery at the instance of the reforming monk Bernardino Ochino
Bernardino Ochino
Bernardino Ochino was an Italian Reformer.-Biography:Bernardino Ochino was born in Siena son of the barber Domenico Ochino, and at the age of 7 or 8 around 1504 was entrusted to the Minorite order of Franciscan Friars, then from 1510 he studied medicine at Perugia.-1534, transfer to the...
, who afterwards became a Protestant.
Contarini
Contarini is an illustrious Venetian family, which furnished eight Doges to the Republic of Venice, as well as an array of eminent figures of the Church, statecraft, generalship, art, and letters.- Notable members :* Domenico I Contarini Contarini is an illustrious Venetian family, which furnished...
, she became the object of a passionate friendship on the part of 61-year-old Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
. The great artist addressed some of his finest sonnets to her, made drawings for her, and spent long hours in her company. Her removal to Orvieto
Orvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
and Viterbo in 1541, on the occasion of her brother Ascanio Colonna's revolt against Paul III
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation...
, produced no change in their relations, and they continued to visit and correspond as before. She returned to Rome in 1544, staying as usual at the convent of San Silvestro, and died there on 25 February 1547.
Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo was an Italian scholar, poet, literary theorist, and cardinal. He was an influential figure in the development of the Italian language, specifically Tuscan, as a literary medium, and his writings assisted in the 16th-century revival of interest in the works of Petrarch...
, Luigi Alamanni
Luigi Alamanni
Luigi Alamanni was an Italian poet and statesman. He was regarded as a prolific and versatile poet. He was credited with introducing the epigram into Italian poetry.-Biography:...
and Baldassare Castiglione
Baldassare Castiglione
Baldassare Castiglione, count of was an Italian courtier, diplomat, soldier and a prominent Renaissance author.-Biography:Castiglione was born into an illustrious Lombard family at Casatico, near Mantua, where his family had constructed an impressive palazzo...
were among her literary friends. She was also on intimate terms with many of the Italian Protestants, such as Pietro Carnesecchi
Pietro Carnesecchi
Pietro Carnesecchi was an Italian humanist.-Biography:Born in Florence, he was the son of a da Andrea Carnesecchi, a merchant who under the patronage of the Medici, and especially of Giulio de' Medici as Pope Clement VII, rapidly rose to high office at the papal court.He came into touch with the...
, Juan de Valdés
Juan de Valdés
Juan de Valdés was a Spanish religious writer.He was the younger of twin sons of Fernando de Valdés, hereditary regidor of Cuenca in Castile, where Valdés was born. He has been confused with his twin brother Alfonso...
and Ochino, but she died before the church crisis in Italy became acute, and, although she was an advocate of religious reform, there is no reason to believe that she herself became a Protestant.