Anguillara were a baronial family of

Latium Latium ( , ; ) is the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded and grew to be the capital city of the Roman Empire. Definition Latium was originally a small triangle of fertile, volcanic soil ( Old Latium) on w ...

, especially powerful in Rome and in the current

province of Viterbo Viterbo ( it, provincia di Viterbo) is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Viterbo. Geography Viterbo is the most northerly of the provinces of Lazio. It is bordered to the south by the Metropolitan City of Rome ...

during the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance. The Anguillara were of Norman descent. They most likely took, or gave, their name from the city of

Anguillara Sabazia Anguillara Sabazia is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, Lazio, central Italy, around northwest of Rome. It nestles on a small cape on the coast of Lake Bracciano; its medieval center and its beach make it a popular destinati ...

, on the

Lake Bracciano Lake Bracciano ( it, Lago di Bracciano) is a lake of volcanic origin in the Italian region of Lazio, northwest of Rome. It is the second largest lake in the region (second only to Lake Bolsena) and one of the major lakes of Italy. It has a circu ...

. The name itself could refer to the Italian word ''

anguilla Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The terr ...

'' (eel), or, as claimed by some, to a Roman villa (''villa angularia'') on a corner (Latin: ''angulum'') of the Lake. A first Count Ramone Anguillara is recorded as a probably legendary enemy of the Popes. In 1090 is known a Gherardo, lord of Anguillara, who was allied with the

Prefetti di Vico The Prefetti di Vico were an Italian noble family, of German origin, who established themselves in Rome from the 10th century. They obtained the title of ''praefect urbis'' (prefect of the city) by the Holy Roman Emperor. The rest of the name d ...

against the commune of Rome. His successors were John, who took

Santa Severa Santa Severa is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Santa Marinella, in the province of Rome, Lazio, Italy. It is a small sea resort on the Via Aurelia, c. south of Santa Marinella and north of Rome. It takes its name from the 2nd-century Ch ...

, and Niccolò, who conquered

Tolfa Tolfa is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the Lazio region of central Italy; it lies to the ENE of Civitavecchia by road. It is the main center in the Monti della Tolfa, an extinct volcanic group between Civitavecchia an ...

in 1146. In 1186 Pandolfo I started a long struggle with the Vicos for the control of northern Latium and met the Henry VI at Orvieto, also hosting him in 1191. Pandolfo II sided with Henry's son, Frederick II, during the

siege of Viterbo The siege of Viterbo was fought in 1243 between the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the rebellious city of Viterbo, 50 km north of Rome. History Frederick intervened when the Guelph party in the city expelled his garrison from the c ...

(1243), but was captured by the Papal troops and imprisoned at

Ronciglione Ronciglione (locally ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, Lazio (central Italy), about from Viterbo. The city is located in the Cimini mountains, over two tuff scarps, on the SE slope of the former volcano crater now housing ...

. The Anguillara fief was thus seized by Pietro di Vico, who reigned there until Pandolfo's return in 1246. The chaotic situation caused by the move of the Papal seat to Avignon led the family to move their headquarters in Rome and Capranica, where Orso dell'Anguillara, Senator of Rome, hosted the poet

Petrarch Francesco Petrarca (; 20 July 1304 – 18/19 July 1374), commonly anglicized as Petrarch (), was a scholar and poet of early Renaissance Italy, and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch's rediscovery of Cicero's letters is often credited ...

in 1336. Orso's mother was a member of the powerful

Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following: *Angel ...

, and married a member of the Colonna family, thus establishing the Anguillara as one of the most important Roman families. Orso was succeeded by Pietro,

Dolce Dolce, the Italian word for 'sweet', may refer to: Places *Dolcè, a municipality in Italy *Dolce (Plzeň-South District), a municipality and village in the Czech Republic *Dolce, a village and part of Jesenice (Příbram District) in the Czech ...

and Everso II, who was a famous condottiero and conquered

Vetralla Vetralla is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, in central Italy, south of that city, located on a shoulder of Monte Fogliano. History Vetralla's dominating fortified position in the heart of Etruscan territories has been contin ...

Caprarola Caprarola is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, in the Lazio region of central Italy. The village is situated in a range of volcanic hills known as the Cimini Mounts. The town is home to the large Renaissance mansion or villa which ...

and Santa Pupa. His son

Francesco Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name " Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), sev ...

inherited his fame of tyranny and unloyalty: he was excommunicated and imprisoned i Castel Sant'Angelo, while all the family's possession were acquired by the Apostolic Chamber under

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 ...

. Deifobo, the other Everso's son, managed to regain his lands, which he kept until his death in 1490. In that year Pope Innocent VIII assigned the Anguillara lands to his nephew Franceschetto Cybo. The last notable member of the family is the condottiero

Renzo da Ceri Renzo da Ceri, true name Lorenzo dell'Anguillara (1475 or 1476 – January 1536) was an Italian condottiero. He was a member of the Anguillara family. Born in Ceri, a small village in Lazio (now part of Cerveteri), he was the son of Giovanni d ...

, who fought in the defence of Rome during the Sack of 1527. The family became extinct in the 18th century.

References

Anguillara {{Italy-hist-stub