Pirro Gonzaga
Encyclopedia
Pirro Gonzaga was an Italian nobleman and condottiero.
He was the second child of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga
and Antonia Del Balzo. In 1499, at his father's death, he shared the heritage of Sabbioneta
, Dosolo
, Pomponesco
, Gazzuolo
and Rodigo with his brother Ludovico. In 1521 he sold the area of Sabbioneta to Ludovico.
In the late 1522 he participated in the conquest of Perugia
. Taken as prisoner and accused of treason, in 1523 he lost his fiefs, which were assigned by emperor Charles V
to his nephew Luigi Gonzaga.
In 1524, during the Italian Wars
, he was defeated at the siege of Pavia
. He later abandoned the imperial allegiance and sided for the French
, until he was defeated by Fernando Francesco d'Avalos at the battle of Sant'Angelo Lodigiano
. He surrendered, being imprisoned in the tower of Pizzighettone
. Ransomed by his mother Antonia, he subsequently retired to Gazzuolo, where he died in 1529.
His daughter Lucrezia
was a literate.
He was the second child of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga
Gianfrancesco Gonzaga (1446-1496)
Gianfrancesco Gonzaga was the third son of Ludovico II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua and Barbara of Brandenburg. He was the first count of Sabbioneta from 1479 until his death, originating the Gonzaga-Sabbioneta line.-Biography:...
and Antonia Del Balzo. In 1499, at his father's death, he shared the heritage of Sabbioneta
Sabbioneta
Sabbioneta is a town and comune in the province of Mantua, Lombardy region, northern Italy. It is situated about 30 km north of Parma, not far from the northern bank of the Po River...
, Dosolo
Dosolo
Dosolo is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 130 km southeast of Milan and about 25 km southwest of Mantua...
, Pomponesco
Pomponesco
Pomponesco is a comune in the Italian Province of Mantua. As of 2007 the estimated population of Pomponesco was 1,770.The experimental musical artist Maurizio Bianchi was born there in 1955....
, Gazzuolo
Gazzuolo
Gazzuolo is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 120 km southeast of Milan and about 20 km southwest of Mantua....
and Rodigo with his brother Ludovico. In 1521 he sold the area of Sabbioneta to Ludovico.
In the late 1522 he participated in the conquest of Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
. Taken as prisoner and accused of treason, in 1523 he lost his fiefs, which were assigned by emperor 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...
to his nephew Luigi Gonzaga.
In 1524, during the Italian Wars
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
, he was defeated at the siege of Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
. He later abandoned the imperial allegiance and sided for the French
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
, until he was defeated by Fernando Francesco d'Avalos at the battle of Sant'Angelo Lodigiano
Sant'Angelo Lodigiano
Sant'Angelo Lodigiano is a comune in the Province of Lodi in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 km southeast of Milan and about 12 km southwest of Lodi.Saint Francesca Cabrini was born in this city in 1850....
. He surrendered, being imprisoned in the tower of Pizzighettone
Pizzighettone
Pizzighettone is a comune of the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy. The main population centre is located on the river Adda and is divided into two parts: Pizzighettone on the east bank and Gera on the west....
. Ransomed by his mother Antonia, he subsequently retired to Gazzuolo, where he died in 1529.
His daughter Lucrezia
Lucrezia Gonzaga
Lucrezia Gonzaga di Gazzuolo was an Italian noblewoman known for her literary talents, and her association with Matteo Bandello. Bandello taught her mathematics, astronomy, rhetoric and logic, and wrote poetry in her honour...
was a literate.