Livia della Rovere
Encyclopedia
Livia della Rovere was an Italian noblewoman of the House of della Rovere and a Duchess of Urbino.
Giulio Feltrio della Rovere and Vitelli dei Signori dell'Amatrice Isabella. Ippolito was later legitimised and named Marchese di San Lorenzo
. She was aunt to her brother's son, Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere
, Duke of Bomarzo
.
(Duke of Urbino) was married to Donna Lucrezia d'Este
, the daughter of Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Their marriage was loveless and childless and when d'Este died without the pair having a male heir, Francesco resigned himself to the dissolution of his Duchy. Rather than accept that fate, the 50 year-old Francesco went looking for another bride.
In 1599, Ippolito della Rovere agreed that his 14 year-old-daughter, Livia, should marry her second cousin, Francesco Maria II, the son of her grandfather's brother, Guidobaldo II della Rovere
. They were married on on 29 April 1599. The marriage was an unhappy one. Francesco came into conflict with Livia's father and he left their villa.
in 1620 and they had one child, Vittoria della Rovere
. When Federico Ubaldo died suddenly on 29 June 1623, after an epileptic
attack, the Duchy was again without a male heir.
Francesco again took up the title of Duke or Urbino but realised his situation was hopeless. He forfeited his Duchy to Pope Urban VIII
in 1625. Francesco died in 1631. As the only heir, male or female, Vittoria della Rovere inherited what was left in property, art and funds of the Duchy.
Livia's nephew Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere continued the Della Rovere family line but as Duke of Bomarzo
.
, leaving Castelleone di Suasa
only for significant events. She died 6 July 1641.
Early life
Livia was the daughter of Ippolito della Rovere, the illegitimate son of CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Giulio Feltrio della Rovere and Vitelli dei Signori dell'Amatrice Isabella. Ippolito was later legitimised and named Marchese di San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo in Campo
San Lorenzo in Campo is a comune in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino in the Italian region Marche, located about 45 km west of Ancona and about 35 km south of Pesaro....
. She was aunt to her brother's son, Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere
Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere
Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere was an Italian nobleman and Duke of Bomarzo.-Biography:Lante was the son of Marcantonio Lante and his wife Lucrezia della Rovere. He was nephew to his father's brother, Cardinal Marcello Lante della Rovere...
, Duke of Bomarzo
Bomarzo
Bomarzo is a town and comune of the province of Viterbo , in the lower valley of the Tiber. It is located 14.5 km ENE of Viterbo and 68 km NNW of Rome.-History:...
.
Marriage
Livia's second cousin, Francesco Maria II della RovereFrancesco Maria II della Rovere
Francesco Maria II della Rovere was the last Duke of Urbino.- Biography :Born at Pesaro, Francesco Maria was the son of Guidobaldo II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino, Count of Montefeltro and Vittoria Farnese, Princess of Parma...
(Duke of Urbino) was married to Donna 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....
, the daughter of Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Their marriage was loveless and childless and when d'Este died without the pair having a male heir, Francesco resigned himself to the dissolution of his Duchy. Rather than accept that fate, the 50 year-old Francesco went looking for another bride.
In 1599, Ippolito della Rovere agreed that his 14 year-old-daughter, Livia, should marry her second cousin, Francesco Maria II, the son of her grandfather's brother, 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 :...
. They were married on on 29 April 1599. The marriage was an unhappy one. Francesco came into conflict with Livia's father and he left their villa.
Federico Ubaldo
On 16 May 1605 their son, Federico Ubaldo della Rovere, was born. The birth of a long-awaited male heir repaired relations for a short while but the aging Duke showed little interest in his son and Livia was "confined" to the family palazzo. Federico Ubaldo was married to Claudia de' MediciClaudia de' Medici
Claudia de' Medici was a daughter of Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Christina of Lorraine...
in 1620 and they had one child, 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...
. When Federico Ubaldo died suddenly on 29 June 1623, after an epileptic
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
attack, the Duchy was again without a male heir.
Francesco again took up the title of Duke or Urbino but realised his situation was hopeless. He forfeited his Duchy 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. Francesco died in 1631. As the only heir, male or female, Vittoria della Rovere inherited what was left in property, art and funds of the Duchy.
Livia's nephew Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere continued the Della Rovere family line but as Duke of Bomarzo
Bomarzo
Bomarzo is a town and comune of the province of Viterbo , in the lower valley of the Tiber. It is located 14.5 km ENE of Viterbo and 68 km NNW of Rome.-History:...
.
Later life
Livia lived a further ten years after her husband's death. She lived primarily as a recluseRecluse
A recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society, often close to nature. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester." There are many potential reasons for becoming a recluse: a personal philosophy that rejects consumer society; a...
, leaving Castelleone di Suasa
Castelleone di Suasa
Castelleone di Suasa is a town and comune within the Province of Ancona, in the Marche region of Italy.It is well known for the archaeological park of Suasa, an ancient Roman town....
only for significant events. She died 6 July 1641.