Anna Colonna
Anna Colonna | |
---|---|
Princess of Paliano
Filippo I Colonna | |
Mother | Lucrezia Tomacelli |
Anna Colonna (1601–1658) was an
Early life
Colonna was born in 1601; the daughter of
On 14 October 1627, at age 26, she married
In Rome
As the wife of the secular patriarch of the pope's family in Rome, Colonna became one of the most powerful women in the city and in the surrounding Papal States. This is reflected in the personal wealth she and Barberini amassed during Urban's reign; a pontificate known for its unabashed nepotism. Her status was also made clear by the manner in which she was treated by her peers. In 1634, when crowds were assembled for a tournament at the Piazza Navona, her place is described in the following terms:[2][3]
On one side was a third row for the noblest of ladies; and here, occupying the post of
honour, was the box of the Donna Anna Colonna and the Donna Costanza Barberini.
The event was held in honour of the 1634 visit to Rome of Prince Alexander Charles Vasa of Poland and the Piazza was decorated with tapestries of gold and silver. Colonna distributed diamonds and other prizes to winning tournament entrants.[4]
Barberini exile
After the death of Pope Urban VIII, newly elected
In 1646, 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.[8] The Pope agreed and, though he paid some debts out of the Barberini estate, left the Barberini alone.[1]
While in Paris, Colonna had developed a close friendship with
Return to Rome
In 1653, with the assistance of
Having returned to Rome, Colonna also planned to build a convent and chapel in honour of the
Colonna died in 1658 and was buried at the grounds of the convent.
Family
Colonna and Barberini had five children:[10]
- Duchess of Modena.
- Camilla Barberini (1629–1631) who died in infancy
- Cardinal
- Maffeo Barberini (1631–1685) future Prince of Palestrina
- Niccolò Maria Barberini (1635–1699)
References and notes
- ^ a b Testamento Barberini:[permanent dead link] Anna Colonna
- ^ Roba Di Roma, Volume 2 by William Wetmore Story (BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2009)
- Carlo Barberini.
- ^ Walks in Rome, Volume 2 by Augustus J. C. Hare (Cosimo, Inc., 2005)
- ^ The first was dedicated to Francesco Barberini.
- ^ Fountains, statues, and flowers: studies in Italian gardens of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by Elisabeth B. MacDougall (Dumbarton Oaks, 1994)
- ^ S. Miranda: Archived 2015-04-30 at the Wayback Machine Girolamo Colonna
- ^ The History of the Popes, Their Church and State, Volume 3 by Leopold Von Ranke (BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2008)
- ^ Marriage in Italy, 1300-1650 by Trevor Dean & K.J.P. Lowe. Cambridge University Press, 2002.
- ^ "Worldroots - Barberini". Archived from the original on 2009-10-15. Retrieved 2010-06-28.