Francesco Maria II della Rovere
Encyclopedia
Francesco Maria II della Rovere (10 February 1549 – 23 April 1631) was the last Duke of Urbino.
, Francesco Maria was the son of Guidobaldo II della Rovere
, Duke of Urbino, Count of Montefeltro
and Vittoria Farnese, Princess of Parma
. He was raised between 1565 and 1568 at the Royal court of Philip II of Spain
, and succeeded his father as Duke of Urbino after his death in 1574. In 1585 he was made a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
by Philip II.
In 1580 he sold his family heritage of the Duchy of Sora
and Arce
for 100,000 scudi to Giacomo Boncompagni
, in order to face the economic difficulties in Urbino that his father has left.
In 1570 Francesco Maria married to Lucrezia d'Este
, a daughter of Ercole II d'Este
. The marriage remained childless. Francesco Maria needed a male heir to prevent the return of the Duchy to the Papal States
. So he married in 1599, after the death of Lucrezia, his 36-years-younger cousin Livia della Rovere
. On May 16, 1605 their long expected and only child Federico Ubaldo was born.
Federico Ubaldo
married Claudia de' Medici
in 1621 and was made Duke by his father. However, Federico died in 1623 from an epileptic attack, leaving only a daughter, Vittoria Della Rovere
, wife of Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
; their child was Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
; none of Cosimo III's children had heirs.
The aging Francesco Maria took up the title of Duke again, but as there was no more hope for a male heir, he gave his Duchy back to Pope Urban VIII
in 1625, which was annexed to the Papal States after Francesco's death at Urbania
in 1631. The last member of the della Rovere family, Vittoria, inherited the Duke's art collection and had it transferred to Florence
to the Uffizi Gallery.
Biography
Born at PesaroPesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
, Francesco Maria was the son of 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 :...
, Duke of Urbino, Count of Montefeltro
Montefeltro
thumb|Coat of Arms of the Montefeltro family.Montefeltro is the name of an historical Italian family who ruled Urbino and Rimini.The family's reign began in 1267 when Buonconte I da Montefeltro was elected podestà of Urbino...
and Vittoria Farnese, Princess of Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
. He was raised between 1565 and 1568 at the Royal court of Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
, and succeeded his father as Duke of Urbino after his death in 1574. In 1585 he was made a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
by Philip II.
In 1580 he sold his family heritage of the Duchy of Sora
Duchy of Sora
The Duchy of Sora was a semi-independent state in Italy, created in 1443 by King Alfonso I of Naples and dissolved in 1796. It occupied the south-eastern part of what is today Lazio, bordering what is now Abruzzo...
and Arce
Arce
Arce is a comune in the province of Frosinone, in the region of Lazio, Italy. it is an agricultural center located on a hill overlooking the Via Casilina, in the middle valley of the Liri.-History:...
for 100,000 scudi to Giacomo Boncompagni
Giacomo Boncompagni
Giacomo Boncompagni was an Italian feudal lord of the 16th century, the illegitimate son of Pope Gregory XIII . He was also Duke of Sora, Aquino, Arce and Arpino, and Marquess of Vignola.A member of the Boncompagni family, he was a patron of arts and culture...
, in order to face the economic difficulties in Urbino that his father has left.
In 1570 Francesco Maria married to Lucrezia d'Este
Lucrezia d'Este
*Lucrezia d'Este, born ca 1477. daughter of Ercole I d'Este. Married Annibale II Bentivoglio .*Lucrezia d'Este , daughter of Ercole II d'Este....
, a daughter of Ercole II d'Este
Ercole II d'Este
Ercole II d'Este was Duke of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio from 1534 to 1559. He was a member of the house of Este and the eldest son of Alfonso I d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia....
. The marriage remained childless. Francesco Maria needed a male heir to prevent the return of the Duchy to 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...
. So he married in 1599, after the death of Lucrezia, his 36-years-younger cousin Livia della Rovere
Livia della Rovere
thumb|300 px|The view over [[San Lorenzo in Campo]] from [[Castelleone di Suasa]] where Livia della Rovere was raised and spent the latter part of her life in reclusion....
. On May 16, 1605 their long expected and only child Federico Ubaldo was born.
Federico Ubaldo
Federico Ubaldo della Rovere, Duke of Urbino
Federico Ubaldo della Rovere was Duke of Urbino and the father of Vittoria della Rovere.-Biography:The eldest son and heir of Francesco Maria II, Duke of Urbino. His parents were cousins....
married Claudia de' Medici
Claudia de' Medici
Claudia de' Medici was a daughter of Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Christina of Lorraine...
in 1621 and was made Duke by his father. However, Federico died in 1623 from an epileptic attack, leaving only a daughter, Vittoria Della Rovere
Vittoria della Rovere
Vittoria della Rovere was Grand Duchess of Tuscany as the wife of Grand Duke Ferdinando II. She gave her husband four children, two of which would survive infancy; the future Cosimo III, Tuscany's longest reigning monarch and Francesco Maria, a prince of the Church...
, wife of Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinando II de' Medici was grand duke of Tuscany from 1621 to 1670. He was the eldest child of Cosimo II de' Medici and Maria Maddalena of Austria. His 49 year rule was punctuated by the terminations of the remaining operations of the Medici Bank, and the beginning of Tuscany's long economic...
; their child was Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Cosimo III de' Medici was the penultimate Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany. He reigned from 1670 to 1723, and was the elder son of Grand Duke Ferdinando II. Cosimo's 53-year long reign, the longest in Tuscan history, was marked by a series of ultra-reactionary laws which regulated prostitution and...
; none of Cosimo III's children had heirs.
The aging Francesco Maria took up the title of Duke again, but as there was no more hope for a male heir, he gave his Duchy back to Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
in 1625, which was annexed to the Papal States after Francesco's death at Urbania
Urbania
For the 2000 film, see Urbania Urbania is a comune in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino in the Italian region of Marche, located about 80 km west of Ancona and about 40 km southwest of Pesaro, next to the river Metauro....
in 1631. The last member of the della Rovere family, Vittoria, inherited the Duke's art collection and had it transferred to 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....
to the Uffizi Gallery.
Marriages
- Lucrezia d'EsteLucrezia d'Este*Lucrezia d'Este, born ca 1477. daughter of Ercole I d'Este. Married Annibale II Bentivoglio .*Lucrezia d'Este , daughter of Ercole II d'Este....
on 19 January 1570 , daughter of Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara and Renée of FranceRenée of FranceRenée de France was the younger daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany. Her elder sister was Queen Claude of France. She was the Duchess of Ferrara due to her marriage to Ercole II d'Este, grandson of Pope Alexander VI...
. - Livia della RovereLivia della Roverethumb|300 px|The view over [[San Lorenzo in Campo]] from [[Castelleone di Suasa]] where Livia della Rovere was raised and spent the latter part of her life in reclusion....
on 29 April 1599, daughter of Ippolito della Rovere and Vitelli dei Signori.
Issue
- Federico Ubaldo della Rovere (16 May 1605 – 28 June 1623) son of Livia della Rovere, was Duke of Urbino and the father of Vittoria della RovereVittoria della RovereVittoria della Rovere was Grand Duchess of Tuscany as the wife of Grand Duke Ferdinando II. She gave her husband four children, two of which would survive infancy; the future Cosimo III, Tuscany's longest reigning monarch and Francesco Maria, a prince of the Church...
.