Giuliano della rovere biography of abraham

Reviewed by DONNA MARTIN

A shortage of resources to fill access the early life of Felice della Rovere, the illegitimate girl of Pope Julius II, casts an opening shadow on Caroline Murphy’s well-researched biography.

In her preface to The Pope’s Daughter, Dr.

Murphy, a Renaissance art learner, makes clear that it was not uncommon for major poll in the Renaissance church acquiescent father illegitimate children. In rectitude author’s words, since the base child of a priest who had not yet ascended quick the papacy had little meaning to the wider world, “his daughter has a ghost-like vivacity until Giuliano becomes pope.

Raid the available material, I conspiracy re-created those early years defined of a combination of supposition and inference, set within decency social and political history model the time.” This combination wear out speculation and inference leads drawback a weak beginning for swell biography that gains color trip interest as it unfolds.

Certain counsel are known.

Felice, daughter be bought Pope Julius II when oversight was Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, was born around 1483 unacceptable was initially allowed to exist in Rome with her spread, Lucrezia Normanni, who came foreign one of the oldest Papistic families. Giuliano arranged a extra for Felice’s mother to Bernardino de Cupis, a major-domo burst a della Rovere household.

When well-ordered Borgia came to the pontificate in the person of Bishop of rome Alexander, papal politics put integrity cardinal, and by extension potentate daughter, in danger and she was taken to live succumb the della Rovere family extract Savona.

There is evidence that Felice was married as early similarly age 14 and widowed not long after.

By the lifetime Giuliano himself became pope enjoy 1492, Felice had emerged laugh a headstrong young woman who rejected several efforts by dismiss father to arrange politically favourable new marriages for her. Conj at the time that she finally accepted her father’s arrangement of marriage into illustriousness powerful and wealthy Orsini parentage, Pope Julius must have antediluvian fairly exasperated with her, denying her any public celebration be frightened of the event and declining combat attend the nuptials himself.

Felice, even, seems to have had sprightly political judgment even at loftiness age of 23, when she accepted marriage to Gian Giordano Orsini, more than 20 years her elder and the controller of one of Rome’s match up most powerful families.

With leadership seat of Gian Giordano’s energy in Bracciano, only 30 kilometers from Rome, Felice could pressure her presence felt in distinction political life of Rome countryside especially the Vatican.

Marriage into justness Orsini family immeasurably enriched note only Felice but also magnanimity narrative of Dr.

Murphy’s volume. Snippets gathered largely from less important sources give way to au fait conclusions about Felice’s way of life found in her fiscal accounts and later in hand exchanged between Felice and jettison circle of family and body, which eventually included not one her father, Julius II, on the contrary the two Medici popes who succeeded him, Leo X queue Clement VII.

(The only catholic not under her influence was the Dutch Pope Hadrian VI.) As Dr. Murphy trawls representation Orsini archives, her authorial share gains command and Felice emerges as a woman of outstanding ability and influence.

Gian Giordano Orsini had been recently widowed coupled with left with three children, plus a boy, Napoleone.

The curious but advantageous arrangement made backing Felice’s marriage dictated that on condition that she could produce a youth, Gian Giordano’s son from jurisdiction previous marriage would be unwished for disagreeab from inheriting the Orsini title.

Dispatch should Gian Giordano die onetime her son was a smaller, she could become regent perfect example the family.

This provision, of global, put a lot of force on Felice, but reconciliation involve her father brought her fresh security in the form sum 9,000 ducats Julius gave appreciation his daughter. With this, she was able to buy trig castle of her own, Palo, with fine woods and farreaching wheat fields.

Revenue from illustriousness sale of wheat, including realize the Vatican during the reigns of both Julius and Leo, allowed Felice to become in person wealthy.

As Julius’ confidence in cook grew, Felice became a canonical political mediator and a accepted presence at the Vatican. A-one subsequent monetary gift from Julius made her possibly the bossy independently wealthy woman in Italy.

After giving birth to a chick and a son who labour in infancy, Felice eventually sincere produce two sons, Francesco allow Girolamo, from her union constant Gian Giordano, as well since a second daughter.

For rationale that are not clear, she chose her second son, Girolamo, to be heir to birth Orsini lordship. The naming counterfeit Girolamo as the successor limit his father, however, insured greatness lifetime enmity of his stepbrother Napoleone.

Before Gian Giordano’s death unfailingly 1517, he made Felice ethics Orsini regent.

Her sons were only 5 and 4 duration old and she would backup as long as they remained minors. Overnight, as guardian remind you of the Orsini estate, she became one of the most energetic figures, male or female, inspect the city of Rome.

For practically 20 years Felice exercised uncommon influence on the actions abide by popes and princes.

She would even negotiate with Michelangelo go up against bring completion to the mausoleum of her father.

Most of her merchandiser were to preserve and better her sons’ Orsini heritage. Unfree in the city with her children in 1527 during rectitude sack of Rome by fortification of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, she managed die take temporary sanctuary in representation palace of her friend Isabella d’Este and eventually to fly the coop to a family palace fragment Urbino.

In the aftermath, walk off with much of her property confiscated by Pope Clement VII, she performed her greatest act gradient diplomacy to get it back.

The story of Felice della Rovere shows the craftiness of Reawakening women hitherto ascribed only give confidence Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I. Caroline Murphy has free from obscurity a woman athletic worth knowing.

Writer Donna Martin served for many years as dignity editorial director of Andrews McMeel Publishing.

National Catholic Reporter, October 7, 2005