Paolo Giordano I Orsini
Encyclopedia
Paolo Giordano I Orsini was the first duke of Bracciano
from 1560. He was a member of the Rome family of the Orsini.
(illegitimate daughter of Pope Julius II
) and Gian Giordano Orsini and, on his mother’s side, of Count Bosio Sforza and Costanza Farnese
(illegitimate daughter of Pope Paul III
).
In 1558 he married Isabella de' Medici
, daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
In 1571 he took part to the battle of Lepanto
. Two years later he fought in the Spanish expedition against Tunis
with six Tuscan galleys.
Described as a ruthless, violent and rude figure, in 1576 he strangled his wife (accused of a love affair with his cousin Troilo Orsini) in the Villa Cerreto Guidi near Florence
, probably with the complicity of her brother Francesco. The following year he had Troilo killed by arquebusiers. After the uxoricide
he fled to Rome
where he started a relationship with Vittoria Accoramboni
, wife of Francesco Peretti
, the nephew of the future pope Sixtus V. Peretti was assassinated by Paolo Giordano's order in 1581.
Wanted by both the Papal and Florentine
police, he took refuge in northern Italy, first in Venice
and then in Abano
and Salò
with his mistress, whom he married on April 20, 1585.
Paolo Giordano Orsini died in 1585. However, in December of the same year Vittoria was assassinated by Ludovico Orsini of the Monterotondo
line, in revenge of his brother Roberto's death in the course of a feud connected to Paolo Giordano's deeds.
His fiefs were inherited by his son Virginio Orsini, whom he had with Isabella.
Bracciano
Bracciano is a small town in the Italian region of Lazio, 30 km northwest of Rome. The town is famous for its volcanic lake and for a particularly well-preserved medieval castle Castello Orsini-Odescalchi...
from 1560. He was a member of the Rome family of the Orsini.
Biography
The son of Girolamo Orsini and Francesca Sforza, he was grandson, on his father’s side, of Felice della RovereFelice della Rovere
Felice della Rovere , also known as Madonna Felice, was an illegitimate daughter of Pope Julius II and was one of the most powerful women of the Italian Renaissance. Through the influence of her father, including an arranged marriage to Gian Giordano Orsini, she wielded extraordinary wealth and...
(illegitimate daughter of Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
) and Gian Giordano Orsini and, on his mother’s side, of Count Bosio Sforza and Costanza Farnese
Costanza Farnese
Costanza Farnese was a daughter of Alessandro Farnese and Silvia Ruffini, born before her father became Pope Paul III. Her siblings were Pier Luigi, Paul and Ranuccio. Costanza's own children included Guido Ascanio and her grandchildren included Costanza Sforza....
(illegitimate daughter of Pope 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...
).
In 1558 he married Isabella de' Medici
Isabella de' Medici
Isabella Romola de' Medici was the daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Eleonora di Toledo....
, daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
In 1571 he took part to the battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
. Two years later he fought in the Spanish expedition against Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
with six Tuscan galleys.
Described as a ruthless, violent and rude figure, in 1576 he strangled his wife (accused of a love affair with his cousin Troilo Orsini) in the Villa Cerreto Guidi near 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....
, probably with the complicity of her brother Francesco. The following year he had Troilo killed by arquebusiers. After the uxoricide
Uxoricide
Uxoricide is murder of one's wife. It can refer to the act itself or the man who carries it out.- Known or suspected uxoricides:...
he fled 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...
where he started a relationship with Vittoria Accoramboni
Vittoria Accoramboni
Vittoria Accoramboni was an Italian lady famous for her great beauty and accomplishments and for her death, a story that was later the basis for a play and three novels.-Biography:...
, wife of Francesco Peretti
Peretti
Peretti is an Italian or Corsican surname which may refer to :* Alessandro Peretti di Montalto , an Italian Roman Catholic Cardinal Deacon.* Achille Peretti , a French politician.* Chelsea Peretti, an American writer and comedian....
, the nephew of the future pope Sixtus V. Peretti was assassinated by Paolo Giordano's order in 1581.
Wanted by both the Papal and Florentine
Republic of Florence
The Republic of Florence , or the Florentine Republic, was a city-state that was centered on the city of Florence, located in modern Tuscany, Italy. The republic was founded in 1115, when the Florentine people rebelled against the Margraviate of Tuscany upon Margravine Matilda's death. The...
police, he took refuge in northern Italy, first in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and then in Abano
Abano Terme
Abano Terme is a town and comune in the province of Padua, in the Veneto region, Italy, on the eastern slope of the Colli Euganei; it is 10 kilometers southwest by rail from Padua. Abano Terme's population is 19,062 .The town's hot springs and mud baths are the main economic resource...
and Salò
Salò
Salò is a town and commune in the Province of Brescia in the region of Lombardy on the banks of Lake Garda. The city was the capital of Italian Social Republic from 1943 to 1945, with the ISR often being called the "Republic of Salò" .-History:Salò was founded in the Roman period as Pagus...
with his mistress, whom he married on April 20, 1585.
Paolo Giordano Orsini died in 1585. However, in December of the same year Vittoria was assassinated by Ludovico Orsini of the Monterotondo
Monterotondo
-History:According to some historians, Monterotondo is the heir of ancient Sabine town of Eretum, although the modern settlement appeared in the 10th-11th centuries in a different location...
line, in revenge of his brother Roberto's death in the course of a feud connected to Paolo Giordano's deeds.
His fiefs were inherited by his son Virginio Orsini, whom he had with Isabella.