Giovanni II Bentivoglio
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Giovanni II Bentivoglio (12 February 144315 February 1508) was an Italian nobleman who ruled as
tyrant A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to rep ...
of
Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...
from 1463 until 1506. He had no formal position, but held power as the city's "first citizen." The
Bentivoglio family The Bentivoglio family ( Latin: ''Bentivoius'') was an Italian noble family that became the ''de facto'' rulers of Bologna and responsible for giving the city its political autonomy during the Renaissance, although their rule did not survive a c ...
ruled over Bologna from 1443, and repeatedly attempted to consolidate their hold of the
Signoria A signoria () was the governing authority in many of the Italian city states during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The word signoria comes from ''signore'' , or "lord"; an abstract noun meaning (roughly) "government; governing authority; ...
of the city.


Background

Born in Bologna, Giovanni II was the son of
Annibale I Bentivoglio Annibale I Bentivoglio (August 1415 – July 25, 1445) was a famous member of the Bolognese Bentivoglio family and the absolute ruler of the Italian city of Bologna from 1443 until his death. He was a putative son of Antongaleazzo Bentivoglio, alt ...
, then chief magistrate of the commune, and Donnina Visconti. He was a child when his father was murdered by his rival Battista Canneschi in June 1445. Annibale I was succeeded in Bologna by Sante I, of uncertain paternity and origin, but alleged to be a son of Ercole Bentivoglio, a cousin of Annibale I. Originally an apprentice of the wool
guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...
of
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
, Sante ruled as ''signore'' of Bologna from 1443. When Sante died in 1463, Giovanni II Bentivoglio successfully made himself lord of the commune, although it was nominally a fief of the church under a papal legate. This also cites: * P. Litta, ''Le Famiglie celebri Italiane'', vol. iii. (Milan, 1834) * P. Villari, ''Machiavelli'' (Eng. trans., London, 1892) * M. Creighton, ''History of the Papacy'' (London, 1897) * A. von Reumont, ''Geschichte der Stadt Rom'', vol iii. (Berlin, 1868). On 2 May 1464 he married Sante's widow
Ginevra Sforza Ginevra Sforza (144016 May 1507) was the wife and counselor of Giovanni II Bentivoglio, lord of Bologna. Birth and first marriage Ginevra Sforza was born in Ancona in 1440, the illegitimate daughter of Alessandro Sforza, Lord of Pesaro. She mar ...
. In 1464 he obtained by
Pope Paul II Pope Paul II ( la, Paulus II; it, Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death in July 1471. When his maternal uncle Eugene IV ...
the privilege to be considered perpetual head of the city's Senate. Machiavelli writes that Annibale, "having been murdered by the Canneschi, who had conspired against him, not one of his family survived but Messer Giovanni, who was in childhood: immediately after his assassination the people rose and murdered all the Canneschi. This sprung from the popular goodwill which the house of Bentivoglio enjoyed in those days in Bologna; which was so great that, although none remained there after the death of Annibale who were able to rule the state, the Bolognese, having information that there was one of the Bentivoglio family in Florence, who up to that time had been considered the son of a blacksmith ante sent to Florence for him and gave him the government of their city, and it was ruled by him until Messer Giovanni came in due course to the government." (''
The Prince ''The Prince'' ( it, Il Principe ; la, De Principatibus) is a 16th-century political treatise written by Italian diplomat and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli as an instruction guide for new princes and royals. The general theme of ''The ...
'', Chapter XIX)


Ruler of Bologna

In order to secure the support of the other powerful families of Italy, Giovanni fought personally as
condottiero ''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other Europe ...
. In 1467 he was at the service of Florence, Milan and Naples against
Bartolomeo Colleoni Bartolomeo Colleoni (; 1400 – 2 November 1475) was an Italian condottiero, who became captain-general of the Republic of Venice. Colleoni "gained reputation as the foremost tactician and disciplinarian of the 15th century".''Websters New ...
, and in 1471 again for Milan, but his first military deeds occurred only in 1477 when he besieged
Faenza Faenza (, , ; rgn, Fènza or ; la, Faventia) is an Italian city and comune of 59,063 inhabitants in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated southeast of Bologna. Faenza is home to a historical manufacture of majolica-ware glazed eart ...
for the Sforza. In 1482, during the
War of Ferrara The War of Ferrara (also known as the Salt War, Italian: ''Guerra del Sale'') was fought in 1482–1484 between Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, and the Papal forces mustered by Ercole's personal nemesis, Pope Sixtus IV and his Venetian allies. ...
, he helped
Ercole d'Este Ercole I d'Este KG (English: ''Hercules I''; 26 October 1431 – 25 January 1505) was Duke of Ferrara from 1471 until 1505. He was a member of the House of Este. He was nicknamed ''North Wind'' and ''The Diamond''. Biography Ercole was born in ...
against
Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV ( it, Sisto IV: 21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 to his death in August 1484. His accomplishments as pope include ...
and
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
. He later fought in small struggles for the
Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...
, but his personal interventions were always limited by the Bolognese institutions. In 1488, his daughter Francesca poisoned her own husband,
Galeotto Manfredi Galeotto Manfredi (1440 – May 31, 1488) was an Italian condottiero and lord of Faenza. Born in Faenza, Romagna, he was the son of Astorre II Manfredi. In 1477, after a failed attempt of military conquest, he succeeded as lord of Faenza to his br ...
, ruler of Faenza. The latter's citizens considered the feat as an occult move to conquer the city, and rebelled. When Giovanni reached the city to suppress the revolt, he was captured. He was freed only through the intercession of
Lorenzo de' Medici Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (; 1 January 1449 – 8 April 1492) was an Italian statesman, banker, ''de facto'' ruler of the Florentine Republic and the most powerful and enthusiastic patron of Renaissance culture in Italy. Also known as Lorenzo ...
. In the same year he was made Capitano Generale (Chief of Staff) of the Milanese army, but this was an almost honorific position as Giovanni left the command duties to his sons. In 1488 Giovanni had also to crush a plot against him, led by the Malvezzi family, whose members were almost all hanged or exiled. In 1501, the same fate struck the Marescottis. Bentivoglio had managed to resist the expansionist designs of
Cesare Borgia Cesare Borgia (; ca-valencia, Cèsar Borja ; es, link=no, César Borja ; 13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was an Italian ex- cardinal and '' condottiero'' (mercenary leader) of Aragonese (Spanish) origin, whose fight for power was a major ...
, but on 7 October 1506 Pope
Julius II Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or the ...
issued a bull deposing and
excommunicating Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the Koinonia, communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The ...
Bentivoglio and placing the city under
interdict In Catholic canon law, an interdict () is an ecclesiastical censure, or ban that prohibits persons, certain active Church individuals or groups from participating in certain rites, or that the rites and services of the church are banished from ...
. When the papal troops, along with a contingent sent by
Louis XII of France Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Maria of Cleves, he succeeded his 2nd cousin once removed and brother in law at the tim ...
, marched against Bologna, Bentivoglio and his family fled. Julius II entered the city triumphantly on 10 November. Giovanni moved first to
Busseto Busseto ( Bussetano: ; Parmigiano: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy with a population of about 7,100. Its history has very ancient roots which date back to the 10th century, and for almost five hundre ...
, host of the
Pallavicino The House of Pallavicini, also known as Pallavicino and formerly known as Pelavicino, is an ancient Italian noble family founded by Oberto II ''Pelavicino'' of the Frankish Obertenghi family. The Pallavicini of Genoa The first recorded member of ...
family. An attempt led by his sons Annibale II and
Ermes ERMES (European Radio Messaging System or Enhanced Radio Messaging System) was a pan-European radio paging system. Technical specification In 1990, the European Telecommunications Standard Institute ( ETSI) developed the European Telecommunication ...
to reconquer Bologna in 1507 failed. The Bolognese subsequently rioted against his possessions in the city, destroying the palace. Excommunicated, Giovanni ended his days as prisoner of Louis XII in Milan. He died in 1508 in the
Castello Sforzesco The Castello Sforzesco (Italian for "Sforza's Castle") is a medieval fortification located in Milan, northern Italy. It was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Later reno ...
of that city. Giovanni Bentivoglio is said to have consulted in 1504 the famous astrologer
Luca Gaurico Luca Gaurico (in Latin, Lucas Gauricus) (Giffoni March 12, 1475 – March 6, 1558 in Rome) was an Italian astrologer, astronomer, astrological data collector, and mathematician. He was born to a poor family in the Kingdom of Naples, and studi ...
about his and his sons' destiny. Displeased with Gaurico's negative prophecy, Bentivoglio subjected him to the torture of '' mancuerda'', and exiled him from Bologna.


Overview

Giovanni II Bentivoglio ruled with a stern sway for nearly half a century, maintaining a splendid court and beautifying Bologna, in particular developing its waterways. The misery of the city's poor, however, stood in stark contrast to the splendor of the city and its festivities. Among the projects he commissioned were the frescoes depicting the life of
Saint Cecilia Saint Cecilia ( la, Sancta Caecilia), also spelled Cecelia, was a Roman virgin martyr and is venerated in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox, Anglican Communion, Anglican, and some Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden. She b ...
in the Oratorio di Santa Cecilia through the archway of San Giacomo. These frescoes were painted by artists living in the city at the time:
Francesco Francia __NOTOC__ Francesco Francia, whose real name was Francesco Raibolini (1447 – 5 January 1517) was an Italian painter, goldsmith, and medallist from Bologna, who was also director of the city mint.Levinson:492 He may have trained with Marco Zop ...
,
Lorenzo Costa the Elder Lorenzo Costa (1460 – 5 March 1535) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. Biography He was born at Ferrara, but moved to Bologna by his early twenties, and was probably influenced by the Bolognese School. However, many artists worked in ...
and
Amico Aspertini Amico Aspertini, also called Amerigo Aspertini, was an Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor whose complex, eccentric, and eclectic style anticipates Mannerism. He is considered one of the leading exponents of the Bolognese School of paintin ...


Lorenzo Costa's '' Madonna Enthroned, Thanked by Giovanni II and his Wife Ginevra Sforza and their Children, Bentivoglio Altarpiece'', housed in the Bentivoglio Chapel in the church of
San Giacomo Maggiore The Basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore is an historic Roman Catholic church in Bologna, region of Emilia Romagna, Italy, serving a monastery of Augustinian friars. It was built starting in 1267 and houses, among the rest, the Bentivoglio Chapel, f ...
, was commissioned by Giovanni Bentivoglio as a votive offering of thanks for the family's escape from an attempted massacre by the Malvezzi family

Bentivoglio also ordered the Palazzo Bentivoglio, Bologna, Palazzo Bentivoglio (City Hall) to be built by the architect G. Nadi, starting in 1498. The Bolognese architect Aristotile Fioravanti, who later settled in
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, created the plans for the reconstruction of the Palazzo del Podestà, but the reconstruction was not carried out by Bentivoglio until 1484–1494.


Family and descendants

On 2 May 1464 Giovanni married Ginevra Sforza (1440–1507), the illegitimate daughter of
Alessandro Sforza Alessandro Sforza (21 October 1409 – 3 April 1473) was an Italian condottiero and lord of Pesaro, the first of the Pesaro line of the Sforza family. Biography He was born in Cotignola in 1409, an illegitimate son of the famous condotti ...
, Lord of
Pesaro Pesaro () is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Marche, capital of the Province of Pesaro e Urbino, on the Adriatic Sea. According to the 2011 census, its population was 95,011, making it the second most populous city in the Marche, ...
and the widow of his cousin and predecessor,
Sante Bentivoglio Sante I Bentivoglio (1426–June 24, 1462) was an Italian nobleman who ruled as tyrant or de facto prince of Bologna from 1445 to 1462. Officially the son of a poor blacksmith, he worked as a youth in the wool industry in Florence under another na ...
. There was probably a relationship between them before their marriage. She was, among other things, his counselor. Ginevra gave her husband sixteen children, of whom five died in infancy. The others were: *
Annibale II Bentivoglio Annibale II Bentivoglio (1467
; Rendina, op. cit., gives 1469. ...
(1469–1540) who married Lucrezia, daughter of
Ercole I d'Este Ercole I d'Este KG (English: ''Hercules I''; 26 October 1431 – 25 January 1505) was Duke of Ferrara from 1471 until 1505. He was a member of the House of Este. He was nicknamed ''North Wind'' and ''The Diamond''. Biography Ercole was born i ...
, and who was lord of Bologna from 1511 to 1512; *
Ermes Bentivoglio 230px, Ermes Bentivoglio. Ermes Bentivoglio (1475–1513) was an Italian condottiero, the son of Giovanni II Bentivoglio, lord of Bologna, and Ginevra Sforza, daughter of Alessandro Sforza, lord of Pesaro. Biography Ermes was born in Bologna. ...
(1475–1513) *Alessandro Bentivoglio (1474–1532), who married Ippolita Sforza; *Camilla, a nun at Corpus Christi *Isotta, a nun at Corpus Christi *Francesca, married to
Galeotto Manfredi Galeotto Manfredi (1440 – May 31, 1488) was an Italian condottiero and lord of Faenza. Born in Faenza, Romagna, he was the son of Astorre II Manfredi. In 1477, after a failed attempt of military conquest, he succeeded as lord of Faenza to his br ...
*
Antongaleazzo Bentivoglio Antongaleazzo Bentivoglio (c. 1385–1435) was an Italian condottiero who was executed by the papacy for treason. Life The son of Giovanni I Bentivoglio, after the murder of his father, Antongaleazzo studied law and was a leader of the repub ...
, prelate *Eleonora *Laura, wife of
Giovanni Gonzaga Giovanni Gonzaga (1474 – 23 September 1525) was an Italian nobleman of the House of Gonzaga, born at Mantua. He was the youngest child of Federico I Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua. In 1494 he married Laura Bentivoglio, daughter of Giovanni II ...
*Violante, wife of
Pandolfo IV Malatesta Pandolfo IV Malatesta, nicknamed Pandolfaccio (Bad Pandulph) (July 1475 – June 1534) was an Italian condottiero and lord of Rimini and other cities in Romagna. He was a member of the House of Malatesta and a minor player in the Italian Wars. ...
*Bianca. Giovanni also had another daughter (whether illegitimate or not, it is unknown), Camilla Bentivoglio, whose mother is said to be a 'Lucrezia D'Este'. Whether this 'Lucrezia' was the same as his daughter-in-law, daughter of
Ercole I d'Este Ercole I d'Este KG (English: ''Hercules I''; 26 October 1431 – 25 January 1505) was Duke of Ferrara from 1471 until 1505. He was a member of the House of Este. He was nicknamed ''North Wind'' and ''The Diamond''. Biography Ercole was born i ...
, is a matter of speculation. Camilla went on to marry Pirro Gonzaga, a scion of the
House of Gonzaga ) , type = Noble house , country = , estates = Ducal Palace (Mantua) Ducal Palace (Nevers) , titles = * Prince of Arches * Duke of Montferrat * Duke of Mantua * Duke of Guastalla * Duke of Nevers * Duke ...
(a male line grandson of
Ludovico III Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua Ludovico III Gonzaga of Mantua, also spelled Lodovico (also Ludovico II; 5 June 1412 – 12 June 1478) was the marquis of Mantua, ruler of the Italy, Italian city of Mantua from 1444 to his death in 1478. Biography Ludovico was the son of Gi ...
). It is unknown how many children she had, but 3 of them are known: *Isabel Gonzaga, who married Rodolfo Gonzaga, her cousin and, like her, a great-grandchild of Ludovico III Gonzaga *Carlos Gonzaga *
Lucrezia Gonzaga Lucrezia Gonzaga di Gazzuolo (1522 – 11 February 1576) 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 h ...
, a pupil of
Matteo Bandello Matteo Bandello ( 1480 – 1562) was an Italian writer, soldier, monk, and, later, a Bishop mostly known for his novellas. His collection of 214 novellas made him the most popular short-story writer of his day. Biography Matteo Bandello wa ...
Through Isabel and Carlos, Camilla and her father Giovanni are ancestors of
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri (french: Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume, ; born 16 April 1955) is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He has reigned since 7 October 2000. Henri, the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, is a f ...
and his first cousin, King
Philippe of Belgium french: Philippe Léopold Louis Mariegerman: Philipp Leopold Ludwig Maria , house = Belgium , father = Albert II of Belgium , mother = Paola Ruffo di Calabria , birth_date = , birth_place = Belvédère Castle, Laeken, B ...
.


Sources

* * *


References


External links


Ginevra Sforza


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bentivoglio, Giovanni 2 People from Bologna 1443 births 1508 deaths Giovanni 2 People excommunicated by the Catholic Church 15th-century Italian nobility 16th-century Italian nobility