Giovanna d'Aragona
Encyclopedia
Giovanna d'Aragona was a patron of the arts, printers and religious reform in Naples
during the Renaissance
.
and Castellana de Cardona. Her father was a younger son of Ferdinand I of Naples
. After her marriage Vittoria Colonna
became her sister-in-law.
after French troups had overrun Naples. Constanza d'Avalos resided here as well and gathered a literary circle around her. Amongst them was the poet Vittoria Colonna, the wife of Constanza's nephew. In 1521, Giovanna married Vittoria's brother Ascanio. On the marriage they became duke and duchess of Tagliacozzo
. After giving birth to six children, she took them with her to Ischia and left her husband. Despite of this, she became close again to Vittoria and together with Giovanna's sister Maria and Constanza d'Avalos, they supported Juan de Valdés
.
She refused to return to her husband, but did try to intercede for him when he refused to pay salt tax to the pope. In spite of acting as a mediator, the pope's forces attacked Ascanio's lands and he was imprisoned by an envoy of Charles V
.
When Pope Paul IV
held her hostage in 1556, she escaped by wearing servants clothes and fled to Naples with her children and servants. Since she had long been a patron of writers, the pope's treatment of her caused a lot of indignation, especially amongst printers and writers in Venice
.. In 1560, after the death of Paul IV, she returned to Rome
and became a prominent figure in Italy's political and religious life.
The poet Girolamo Ruscelli paid tribute to her in an anthology with work from many contemporary Italian
poets.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
during the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
.
Family
She was the oldest daughter of Duke Ferdinando of MaltenoFerdinando d' Aragona y Guardato, 1st Duke of Montalto
Ferdinando d' Aragona y Guardato, 1st Duke of Montalto , by king Charles I of Spain, was the eldest bastard son of king Ferdinand I of Naples and Diana Guardato, one of his mistresses....
and Castellana de Cardona. Her father was a younger son of Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I , also called Don Ferrante, was the King of Naples from 1458 to 1494. He was the natural son of Alfonso V of Aragon by Giraldona Carlino.-Biography:...
. After her marriage Vittoria Colonna
Vittoria Colonna
Vittoria Colonna , marchioness of Pescara, was an Italian noblewoman and poet.-Biography:The daughter of Fabrizio Colonna, 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...
became her sister-in-law.
Life
Her parents had fled to the island IschiaIschia
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...
after French troups had overrun Naples. Constanza d'Avalos resided here as well and gathered a literary circle around her. Amongst them was the poet Vittoria Colonna, the wife of Constanza's nephew. In 1521, Giovanna married Vittoria's brother Ascanio. On the marriage they became duke and duchess of Tagliacozzo
Tagliacozzo
-History:Near the modern city was fought the Battle of Tagliacozzo between Conradin of Hohenstaufen and Charles I of Anjou.-Main sights:*The Palazzo Ducale , built by Roberto Orsini....
. After giving birth to six children, she took them with her to Ischia and left her husband. Despite of this, she became close again to Vittoria and together with Giovanna's sister Maria and Constanza d'Avalos, they supported 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...
.
She refused to return to her husband, but did try to intercede for him when he refused to pay salt tax to the pope. In spite of acting as a mediator, the pope's forces attacked Ascanio's lands and he was imprisoned by an envoy 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...
.
When Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV, C.R. , né Giovanni Pietro Carafa, was Pope from 23 May 1555 until his death.-Early life:Giovanni Pietro Carafa was born in Capriglia Irpina, near Avellino, into a prominent noble family of Naples...
held her hostage in 1556, she escaped by wearing servants clothes and fled to Naples with her children and servants. Since she had long been a patron of writers, the pope's treatment of her caused a lot of indignation, especially amongst printers and writers 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...
.. In 1560, after the death of Paul IV, she returned 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 became a prominent figure in Italy's political and religious life.
The poet Girolamo Ruscelli paid tribute to her in an anthology with work from many contemporary 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...
poets.