Da Varano
Encyclopedia
The Da Varano was an Italian noble family who had an important role in the medieval and Renaissance history of central Italy, as rulers of Camerino
and other lands in the Marche
and Umbria
.
leader, who inaugurated the traditional appartenance of the family to that party. His descendant Gentile was also a Guelph leader in Camerino when the town was destroyed by Manfred of Sicily
. In the aftermath of the Ghibelline defeat at the Battle of Benevento
(1266), Gentile had the town rebuilt and he became its lord. He was made "Count of the Roman Campagna" by Pope Martin IV
(1282), a title which was inherited by his son Rodolfo after Gentile's death two years later. Rodolfo was also capitano del popolo
in Lucca
.
Rodolfo's brother, Berardo, was commander of the papal army for Boniface VIII against the troops sent to Rome by King Philip IV of France
. In 1316 Rodolfo died and Berardo became lord of Camerino; three years later he was made "Marquis of Ancona
" by pope John XXI, for which he reconquered the territories of the Papal States
in the Marche (Urbino
, Fano
, Osimo
and Recanati
). In 1322 he died and was succeeded by his son Gentile, who added Tolentino
, Gualdo Tadino
and San Ginesio
to the family's lands.
At Gentile's death in 1355 Camerino and the da Varano territories went to his grandson Rodolfo
, who supported cardinal Gil de Albornoz's campaign of reconquest of the Papal States against the local barons. Created gonfaloniere
of the Roman Church by Pope Innocent IV
, he won several battles against the league of the Ordelaffi and Visconti
families. He was later commander of the Florentine
army and fought against Bernabò Visconti
.
Rodolfo died heirless in 1384. His brother Giovanni, also heirless, ruled briefly in Camerino until 1385, being succeeded by the last brother, Gentile III, who continued to traditional pro-Papal policy of the da Varano, obtaining the title of Senator of Rome in 1362. In 1393 his son Rodolfo III, a skilled condottiero, succeeded him, gaining the town of Civitanova and supporting king Ladislaus of Naples during his reign.
His death begin the decline of the family, which was weakened by the struggle of power between his members. This ended only in 1444 when Rodolfo IV conquered Camerino; he was however forced to give back Tolentino. His son Giulio Cesare was a capable military leader, but could do little against the assault of Cesare Borgia
(the son of Pope Alexander VI) who in 1502 captured and killed him, together with his sons Vincenzo, Annibale and Pirro. The last surviving son, Giovanni Maria, could return in Camerino after the fall of the Borgia. In 1515 he was created Duke of Camerino. He died without heirs in 1529, and the family's lands were annexed to the Duchy of Urbino. {The daughter of the Lord of Camerino Giulia da Varano was married to the Duke of Urbino Guidobaldo II della Rovere
}.
One Ercole, a son of Rodolfo IV, attempted in vain to reconquer Camerino. His son Mattia was more successful, but was also ousted after a short rule. Piergentile da Varano was the last member of the family to attempt re reconquest of Camerino in 1549, but again without success.
Camerino
Camerino is a small town of 7.135 inhabitants in the Marches , in the province of Macerata, Italy. It is located in the Apennines bordering Umbria, between the valleys of the rivers Potenza and Chienti, about 40 miles from Ancona....
and other lands in the Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
and Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
.
Overview
The family is first mentioned in the 13th century with one Prontaguerra ("Ready-at-War") da Varano, a powerful GuelphGuelphs 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...
leader, who inaugurated the traditional appartenance of the family to that party. His descendant Gentile was also a Guelph leader in Camerino when the town was destroyed by Manfred of Sicily
Manfred of Sicily
Manfred was the King of Sicily from 1258 to 1266. He was a natural son of the emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen but his mother, Bianca Lancia , is reported by Matthew of Paris to have been married to the emperor while on her deathbed.-Background:Manfred was born in Venosa...
. In the aftermath of the Ghibelline defeat at the Battle of Benevento
Battle of Benevento
The Battle of Benevento was fought near Benevento, in present-day Southern Italy, on February 26, 1266, between the troops of Charles of Anjou and Manfred of Sicily. Manfred's defeat and death resulted in the capture of the Kingdom of Sicily by Charles....
(1266), Gentile had the town rebuilt and he became its lord. He was made "Count of the Roman Campagna" by Pope Martin IV
Pope Martin IV
Pope Martin IV, born Simon de Brion held the papacy from February 21, 1281 until his death....
(1282), a title which was inherited by his son Rodolfo after Gentile's death two years later. Rodolfo was also capitano del popolo
Capitano del popolo
The capitano del popolo was an administrative title used in Italy during the Middle Ages.It was created in the early 13th century when the populares, the increasing wealthy classes of merchants, professionals, craftsmen and, in maritime cities, ship-owners, who were of non-noble origin, were able...
in Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
.
Rodolfo's brother, Berardo, was commander of the papal army for Boniface VIII against the troops sent to Rome by King Philip IV of France
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
. In 1316 Rodolfo died and Berardo became lord of Camerino; three years later he was made "Marquis of Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
" by pope John XXI, for which he reconquered the territories of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
in the Marche (Urbino
Urbino
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482...
, Fano
Fano
Fano is a town and comune of the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region of Italy. It is a beach resort 12 km southeast of Pesaro, located where the Via Flaminia reaches the Adriatic Sea...
, Osimo
Osimo
Osimo is a town and comune of the Marche, Italy, in the province of Ancona, 15 km south of that town by rail. It is situated on a hill near the Adriatic Sea.Silk-spinning and the raising of cocoons are carried on.-History:...
and Recanati
Recanati
Recanati is a town and comune in the Province of Macerata, Marche region of Italy. Recanati was founded around 1150 AD from three pre-existing castles. In 1290 it proclaimed itself an independent republic and, in the 15th century, was famous for its international fair...
). In 1322 he died and was succeeded by his son Gentile, who added Tolentino
Tolentino
Tolentino is a town and comune of about 20,000 inhabitants, in the province of Macerata in the Marche region of central Italy.It is located in the middle of the valley of the Chienti.-History:...
, Gualdo Tadino
Gualdo Tadino
Gualdo Tadino, an ancient town of Italy, in the province of Perugia in northeastern Umbria, on the lower flanks of Mt. Penna, a mountain of the Apennines. It is 47 km NE of Perugia and 30 km SE of Gubbio....
and San Ginesio
San Ginesio
San Ginesio is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 60 km southwest of Ancona and about 25 km southwest of Macerata...
to the family's lands.
At Gentile's death in 1355 Camerino and the da Varano territories went to his grandson Rodolfo
Rodolfo II da Varano
Ridolfo II da Varano, signore di Camerino , was a condottiero operating in Italy from the 1360s. His forebears had long held the rocca of Varano on the borderland of the Papal States, controlling a major strategic pass between Umbria and the Marche, a link between Rome and the Adriatic coast...
, who supported cardinal Gil de Albornoz's campaign of reconquest of the Papal States against the local barons. Created gonfaloniere
Gonfalone of the Church
The Banner of the Holy Roman Church was the battle standard of the Papal States during the Renaissance and a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church...
of the Roman Church by Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
, he won several battles against the league of the Ordelaffi and Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
families. He was later commander of the 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...
army and fought against Bernabò Visconti
Bernabo Visconti
Bernabò Visconti was an Italian soldier and statesman, who was Lord of Milan.-Life:He was born in Milan, the son of Stefano Visconti and Valentina Doria. From 1346 to 1349 he lived in exile, until he was called back by his uncle Giovanni Visconti...
.
Rodolfo died heirless in 1384. His brother Giovanni, also heirless, ruled briefly in Camerino until 1385, being succeeded by the last brother, Gentile III, who continued to traditional pro-Papal policy of the da Varano, obtaining the title of Senator of Rome in 1362. In 1393 his son Rodolfo III, a skilled condottiero, succeeded him, gaining the town of Civitanova and supporting king Ladislaus of Naples during his reign.
His death begin the decline of the family, which was weakened by the struggle of power between his members. This ended only in 1444 when Rodolfo IV conquered Camerino; he was however forced to give back Tolentino. His son Giulio Cesare was a capable military leader, but could do little against the assault of Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
(the son of Pope Alexander VI) who in 1502 captured and killed him, together with his sons Vincenzo, Annibale and Pirro. The last surviving son, Giovanni Maria, could return in Camerino after the fall of the Borgia. In 1515 he was created Duke of Camerino. He died without heirs in 1529, and the family's lands were annexed to the Duchy of Urbino. {The daughter of the Lord of Camerino Giulia da Varano was married to the Duke of Urbino Guidobaldo II della Rovere
Guidobaldo II della Rovere
Guidobaldo II della Rovere was an Italian condottiero, who was Duke of Urbino from 1538 until his death.- Biography :...
}.
One Ercole, a son of Rodolfo IV, attempted in vain to reconquer Camerino. His son Mattia was more successful, but was also ousted after a short rule. Piergentile da Varano was the last member of the family to attempt re reconquest of Camerino in 1549, but again without success.