Giovanni della Rovere
Encyclopedia
Giovanni della Rovere was an Italian condottiero and member of the Della Rovere
family. He was a nephew of Pope Sixtus IV
, and the brother of Giuliano della Rovere (1443–1513), elected to the papal throne as Pope Julius II
in 1503.
. In 1474, thanks to his uncle, Pope Sixtus IV
, he became lord of Senigallia
and Mondavio
. He was also Prefect of Rome and Duke of Sora and Arce
.
He married Giovanna da Montefeltro, daughter of Federico III da Montefeltro, and some of their descendants adopted the surname Montefeltro della Rovere. Their children included Francesco Maria I della Rovere
, the first Duke of Urbino, who married Eleonora Gonzaga.
After Charles VIII of France
had abandoned the Kingdom of Naples
and the Aragonese
had been restored there, a conjure was set up against the latter at Isola di Sora, in Giovanni's territories. However, the plot was thwarted, although after it the Duchy of Sora followed a more anti-Spanish and pro-Papal policy, and Giovanni led some pro-French expeditions in Campania
and Abruzzo
from 1494 to 1501. In 1495 he conquered Ceprano
, Montecassino and the Terra Sancti Benedicti
. In 1496 he defended the duchy against Prospero Colonna
and Frederick IV of Naples
, losing some territories, although most of them were later returned him by Pope Alexander VI.
He died at Rome in 1501.
Della Rovere
Della Rovere is a noble family of Italy. Coming from modest beginnings in Savona, Liguria, the family rose to prominence through nepotism and ambitious marriages arranged by two Della Rovere popes, Francesco della Rovere, who ruled as Pope Sixtus IV and his nephew Giuliano...
family. He was a nephew of Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...
, and the brother of Giuliano della Rovere (1443–1513), elected to the papal throne as 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...
in 1503.
Biography
Giovanni della Rovere was born at SavonaSavona
Savona is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea....
. In 1474, thanks to his uncle, Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...
, he became lord of Senigallia
Senigallia
Senigallia is a comune and port town on Italy's Adriatic coast, 25 km by rail north of Ancona, in the Marche region, province of Ancona....
and Mondavio
Mondavio
Mondavio is a comune in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino in the Italian region Marche, located about 45 km west of Ancona and about 30 km south of Pesaro.-Main sights:...
. He was also Prefect of Rome and Duke of Sora 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:...
.
He married Giovanna da Montefeltro, daughter of Federico III da Montefeltro, and some of their descendants adopted the surname Montefeltro della Rovere. Their children included Francesco Maria I della Rovere
Francesco Maria I della Rovere
Francesco Maria I della Rovere was an Italian condottiero, who was Duke of Urbino from 1508 until 1538.- Biography :...
, the first Duke of Urbino, who married Eleonora Gonzaga.
After Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
had abandoned the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
and the Aragonese
House of Aragon
The House of Aragon is the name given several royal houses that ruled the County, the Kingdom or the Crown of Aragon.Some historiansGuillermo Fatás y Guillermo Redondo, Alberto Montaner Frutos, Faustino Menéndez Pidal de Navascués...
had been restored there, a conjure was set up against the latter at Isola di Sora, in Giovanni's territories. However, the plot was thwarted, although after it the Duchy of Sora followed a more anti-Spanish and pro-Papal policy, and Giovanni led some pro-French expeditions in Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
and Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
from 1494 to 1501. In 1495 he conquered Ceprano
Ceprano
Ceprano is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, in Ciociaria traditional area, part of the Lazio region of central Italy.It is located south of Rome, and c. 127 km north of Naples.-History:...
, Montecassino and the Terra Sancti Benedicti
Terra Sancti Benedicti
The Terra Sancti Benedicti was the secular territory, or seignory, of the powerful Abbey of Montecassino, the chief monastery of the Mezzogiorno and one of the first Western monasteries: founded by Benedict of Nursia himself, hence the name of its possessions.The secular holdings had their origin...
. In 1496 he defended the duchy against Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna , sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was an Italian condottiero in the service of the Papal States and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars.-Biography:...
and Frederick IV of Naples
Frederick IV of Naples
Frederick IV , sometimes known as Frederick I or Federico d'Aragona, was the last King of Naples of the House of Trastámara, ruling from 1496 to 1501...
, losing some territories, although most of them were later returned him by Pope Alexander VI.
He died at Rome in 1501.
See also
- Duchy of SoraDuchy of SoraThe 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...