250px, Remains of the Castle of Berceto. Pier Maria Rossi or Pier Maria II de' Rossi (25 March 1413 – 1 September 1482) was an Italian

condottiere ''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 Europ ...

and count of , whose properties included the castle of Rocca dei Rossi. He was known as "the Magnificent".

Biography

He was born at Berceto, the son of Pier Maria I de' Rossi and Maria Giovanna Cavalcabò. Aged 15, he married Antonia, daughter of

Guido Torelli Guido is a given name Latinisation of names, Latinised from the Old High German name Wido. It originated in Medieval Italy. Guido later became a male first name in Austria, Germany, the Low Countries, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, Latin America an ...

. In the service of Filippo Maria Visconti, duke of Milan, he fought five times against the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

. He succeeded as titular head of the Rossi family's fiefs in 1438. When Visconti died, in 1447, Pier Maria sided with

Francesco Sforza Francesco I Sforza (; 23 July 1401 – 8 March 1466) was an Italian condottiero who founded the Sforza dynasty in the duchy of Milan, ruling as its (fourth) duke from 1450 until his death. In the 1420s, he participated in the War of L'A ...

, moving his lands in the regions of Parma and

Piacenza Piacenza (; egl, label= Piacentino, Piaṡëinsa ; ) is a city and in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, and the capital of the eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with over ...

under Milanese suzerainty. In 1448 he defeated the Venetians in a river battle on the Po at Casalmaggiore. In 1471 he was sent by Sforza as ambassador to the court of Pope Sixtus IV in Rome. After the death of Duke Francesco Sforza, Pier Maria Rossi was one of the

triumvirate A triumvirate ( la, triumvirātus) or a triarchy is a political institution ruled or dominated by three individuals, known as triumvirs ( la, triumviri). The arrangement can be formal or informal. Though the three leaders in a triumvirate are ...

who in fact governed the duchy on behalf of the then underage

Gian Galeazzo Sforza Gian Galeazzo Sforza (20 June 1469 – 21 October 1494), also known as Giovan Galeazzo Sforza, was the sixth Duke of Milan. Early life Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only seven years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assa ...

. However, when the latter was ousted by his uncle, Ludovico Sforza, the fortunes of the Rossi family started to crumble. In 1482 an alliance of Milanese troops with those of the rival Sanvitale,

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 ...

and Da Correggio families, led by

Gian Giacomo Trivulzio Gian Giacomo Trivulzio (1440 or 1441 – December 5, 1518) was an Italian aristocrat and '' condottiero'' who held several military commands during the Italian Wars. Biography Trivulzio was born in Milan, where he studied, among others, w ...

, besieged the Rocca dei Rossi at San Secondo. Pier Maria resisted gallantly but, after the Milanese started to storm all his other fortresses, surrendered and retired to the castle of

Torrechiara Torrechiara Castle ( it, Castello di Torrechiara) is a 15th-century castle near Langhirano, in the province of Parma, northern Italy. It sits atop a terraced hill south of the city of Parma, in a strategic position overlooking the Parma Rive ...

, which he had built for his long-time great love, Bianca Pellegrini. He died there in 1482.

Children

Pier Maria and Antonia had nine children: * Giovanni de' Rossi (1431-1502) eldest son, disinherited by his father, * Roberto (? -1541) * Donella (1435 - post 1483) married to Giberto III Sanvitale * Giacomo, (1436 - post 1483) leader * Guido de' Rossi (about 1440 -1490), leader and his successor * Ugolino (1447-1498), religious, canon of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Parma * Bernardo (1432-1468), bishop of Cremona and Novara * Eleonora * Maria Bianca He also had two biological children: * Bertrando (1429 - 1502) count of Berceto * Orlando (with Bianca Pelligrini).

Sources

* 1413 births 1482 deaths Military personnel from the Province of Parma Counts of San Secondo 15th-century condottieri Pier Maria II {{Italy-noble-stub