The House of Ruspoli is historically one of the great aristocratic families of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, but is originally from

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 ...

. Following

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the fall of

Fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...

, the newly established

Italian Republic Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

officially abolished titles and hereditary honours in its 1946 Constitution, with the exception of the

papal nobility The papal nobility are the aristocracy of the Holy See, composed of persons holding titles bestowed by the Pope. From the Middle Ages into the nineteenth century, the papacy held direct temporal power in the Papal States, and many titles of papal ...

of Rome (fourteen families, among which is the Ruspoli family), as those titles had been created by

papal authority The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

History

The origins of the family can be traced back to the Ruspoli of Florence in the 13th century, and more remotely from Marius Scotus in the 8th century and his descendants the Marescotti 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 ...

. In the 16th century, the Ruspoli family moved to Rome, where the last descendant, Vittoria Ruspoli, Marchioness of

Cerveteri Cerveteri () is a town and ''comune'' of northern Lazio in the region of the Metropolitan City of Rome. Known by the ancient Romans as Caere, and previously by the Etruscans as Caisra or Cisra, and as Agylla (or ) by the Greeks, its modern name de ...

, married Sforza Vicino Marescotti, Count of

Vignanello Vignanello is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Latium, located about northwest of Rome and about southeast of Viterbo. Vignanello borders the following municipalities: Corchiano, Fabrica di Roma, Ga ...

, a descendant of the

Farnese family The House of Farnese family (, also , ) was an influential family in Renaissance Italy. The titles of Duke of Parma and Piacenza and Duke of Castro were held by various members of the family. Its most important members included Pope Paul I ...

on both his mother's and father's side. One of Vittoria's sons took the Ruspoli name and coat of arms to guarantee the continuity of the house. In 1708, Vittoria's grandson, Francesco Marescotti Ruspoli, head of the

Ruspoli Regiment The Ruspoli Regiment was an infantry regiment created in 1708 by Francesco Maria Ruspoli, Marquis of Cerveteri, at his own expense. The regiment was in the service of the Holy See. The recruitment took place in Vignanello. The Notification promis ...

, fought to defend the

Papal States The Papal States ( ; it, Stato Pontificio, ), officially the State of the Church ( it, Stato della Chiesa, ; la, Status Ecclesiasticus;), were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope fro ...

. In 1709, he forced the Austrians to retreat, and

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI ( la, Clemens XI; it, Clemente XI; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI w ...

named him the first Prince of Cerveteri. This title would then pass down to the first-born son of each generation. The papal title of Roman Prince was later conferred in 1721, and it is also held by the first-born son of each generation. Since 1808, the head of the family also served as

Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice The Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice ( it, Gran Maestro del Sacro Ospizio) or Quartermaster-General of the Sacred Palaces is a hereditary official of the Pontifical Household. The title and office became hereditary on June 28, 1808, wh ...

, which was an hereditary official of the

Pontifical Household The papal household or pontifical household (usually not capitalized in the media and other nonofficial use, ), called until 1968 the Papal Court (''Aula Pontificia''), consists of dignitaries who assist the pope in carrying out particular ceremoni ...

. He was a Participating Privy Chamberlain and the sole lay member of the Noble Privy Antechamber, as well as a Participating Privy Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape (who were all laymen, traditionally holding hereditary posts). The post was removed in the reforms of the Papal Curia after 1968, leaving just the honorific title.

The Ruspoli origins

There are traces of members of the Ruspoli family from the 13th century on tombstones in the churches of Ognisanti and of Santa Maria Novella in

. Some of its members, in chronological order: * Lorenzo Ruspoli – Florentine noble — lived in the early 13th century. * Neri Ruspoli – chief Ghibellin – in 1266 the

Guelphs The Guelphs and Ghibellines (, , ; it, guelfi e ghibellini ) were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, rivalr ...

burned down his house in Florence. * Ser Bonaccorso Ruspoli —

notary A notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems. A notary, while a legal professional, is disti ...

in Florence and Ghino Ruspoli — lived in 1304 * Roberto Ruspoli — lived mid-14th century * Giovanni Ruspoli – born in 1363 –

Gonfaloniere The Gonfalonier (in Italian: ''Gonfaloniere'') was the holder of a highly prestigious communal office in medieval and Renaissance Italy, notably in Florence and the Papal States. The name derives from ''gonfalone'' (in English, gonfalon), the ter ...

and

prior Prior (or prioress) is an ecclesiastical title for a superior in some religious orders. The word is derived from the Latin for "earlier" or "first". Its earlier generic usage referred to any monastic superior. In abbeys, a prior would be l ...

in 1391 — built the Gentilizia chapel in Ognissanti Church. * Roberto Ruspoli and Zanobi Ruspoli – lived in 1391 * Lorenzo Ruspoli – born in 1384 –

Praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vario ...

Begonia ''Begonia'' is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains more than 2,000 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown ind ...

in 1432 —

of Piccioli in 1460 –

Gonfaloniere of Florence Gonfaloniere of Justice () was a post in the government of medieval and early Renaissance Florence. Like Florence's Priori, it was introduced in 1293 when Giano Della Bella's Ordinances of Justice came into force. He was one of the nine citi ...

* Giovanni Ruspoli – born on April 25, 1420 – Buried in Ognissanti — marries 1) Maddalena Buti 2) Bartolomea Paffi * Lorenzo Ruspoli – born in 1460 – took part in many the travels of Amerigo Vespucci – marries Alessandra da Magguale It is Bartolomeo, son of the above-mentioned Lorenzo, that the family moved away from the imperial

Ghibellines The Guelphs and Ghibellines (, , ; it, guelfi e ghibellini ) were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, rivalr ...

and came closer to the Vatican State in Rome. Bartolomeo Ruspoli was born in Florence in 1496. He formed a business partnerships with the Altoviti family, who were influential wool traders and bankers. In 1529 Bartolomeo travelled to Rome where he married Maria Ardinghelli niece of Cardinal Niccolò Ardinghelli, an influential member of the Farnese fraction and an intimate associate of Alessandro Farnese, future

Pope Paul III Pope Paul III ( la, Paulus III; it, Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death in November 1549. He came to ...

. The Ruspoli were thus integrated into the Roman Curia and the papal court, and Bartolomeo's children, both sons and daughters, were all married into families of the Roman nobility:

Muti Muthi is a traditional medicine practice in Southern Africa as far north as Lake Tanganyika. Name In South African English, the word ''muti'' is derived from the Zulu language, Zulu/Xhosa language, Xhosa/Northern Ndebele language, Northern Nde ...

, Cavalieri and Floridi.Trevor Dean, K. J. P. Lowe, ''Marriage in Italy, 1300-1650'', Cambridge University Press 1998, page 207 In 1531 Bartolomeo Ruspoli was named Petitioner of the apostolic letters by

Pope Clement VII Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...

. In 1535 he was made Prior of Florence. Gradually, and certainly by the 17th century, the Ruspoli had lost their identity as Florentine merchants and bankers, referring to themselves exclusively as Roman nobles.

The Marescotti origins

According to the Marescotti-Ruspoli archive and as often seen on various family trees and reported on the official "Libro d'oro della Nobiltà Italiana" published by the Collegio Araldico, the origins of the Marescotti can be traced back to Marius Scotus born in

Galloway Galloway ( ; sco, Gallowa; la, Gallovidia) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. A native or i ...

in south west

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

in the 8th century. In the year 773 king

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

started a military campaign against the

Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 and ...

in Italy, because they were not respecting an agreement made with

Pepin the Short the Short (french: Pépin le Bref; – 24 September 768), also called the Younger (german: Pippin der Jüngere), was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian to become king. The younger was the son of ...

to give part of their land to the state of the Church. He asked for help from king of

Dál Riata Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaelic kingdom that encompassed the western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel. At its height in the 6th and 7th centuries, it covered what is now ...

(Western Scotland) Eochaid IV. The latter asked his cousin Count William of

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals *Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking *Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...

to recruit and bring to France a brigade of 4,000 men, which he did. But soon thereafter he had to return to Scotland to govern the family clan, leaving his command to his younger brother Marius Douglas, who at the time was described as courageous, tall, strong and with a reddish beard. The army of the

Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...

crossed the Alps and took base in the Benedictine Abbey of Novalesa, in the high valley of

Dora Riparia The Dora Riparia (; pms, Dòira Rivaira; french: Doire Ripaire or ''Doire''; la, Duria minor) is an alpine river, a left-hand tributary of the Po. It is long (of which 5 km in France), with a drainage basin. It originates in the Cottian ...

. Mario Scoto, as he was known in Italy, discovered a small path through forests between the mountains which was absolutely unusable by the army, but perfect for the Scottish highlanders. After walking quietly for three days along the path, Mario Scoto and his men attacked the

by surprise from the back, while king

attacked with the cavalry from the front. It was a major victory for the Franks which marked the decline of the Lombards in Italy. In the spring of the following year,

Pope Adrian I Pope Adrian I ( la, Hadrianus I; died 25 December 795) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1 February 772 to his death. He was the son of Theodore, a Roman nobleman. Adrian and his predecessors had to contend with periodic ...

and the king decided to meet. With a small escort, amongst whom Mario Scoto was present, Charlemagne travelled the ancient

via Cassia The ''Via Cassia'' ("way of Cassius") was an important Roman road striking out of the ''Via Flaminia'' near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii, traversed Etruria. The ''Via Cassia'' passed throug ...

Saint Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...

where he was received and blessed by the pope. Mario Scoto was Catholic as were the majority of Scottsmen at the time and at the service of his king became himself a defender of the Faith. He became an appreciated military advisor and distinguished himself in the Spanish campaign and in the battle against the Saxons at the confluence of the Weser with the Aller in which of the 5,000 Saxons, only the 500 who chose to be baptised were spared their lives. Towards the end of the century Mario Scoto retired from the army, married an Italian noblewoman called Marozia and, for his devotion to the pope, settled in Rome where he was granted the honor to escort the pope. He was therefore present when in April 799

Pope Leo III Pope Leo III (died 12 June 816) was bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 26 December 795 to his death. Protected by Charlemagne from the supporters of his predecessor, Adrian I, Leo subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position b ...

was assaulted and kidnapped near the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina. Mario Scoto was able to find the pope in a monastery on the

Aventine Hill The Aventine Hill (; la, Collis Aventinus; it, Aventino ) is one of the Seven Hills on which ancient Rome was built. It belongs to Ripa, the modern twelfth ''rione'', or ward, of Rome. Location and boundaries The Aventine Hill is the sou ...

and rescued him and returned him to his throne at the Holy See. The scene was later painted in Bologna by

Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli (October 18, 1672 – July 20, 1740) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Biography Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli was born in Bologna. When he was three, his father the painter Giovanni Battista Caccioli died ...

On Christmas Day 800 Mario Scoto was invested Count of Bagnacavallo in

Romagna Romagna ( rgn, Rumâgna) is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna, North Italy. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to t ...

and was granted the privilege to adorn his family crest, which already had the rampant leopard of Scotland, with the three

fleur-de-lis The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a lily (in French, and mean 'flower' and 'lily' respectively) that is used as a decorative design or symbol. The fleur-de-lis has been used in the ...

, characteristic symbol of the French kings. The family still conserves an old portrait of a soldier with the following encryption in Latin: "Marius de Calveis, Scotus, Carl Mag M Dux Familiam Marescotti Fundavit ANN D. DCCC" (Marius of Galloway, Scottish, military commander under Charlemagne, founder of the Marescotti family. AD 800) In the 9th century the Marescotti people (name derived from Mario Scoto) carried the title of counts of Bagnacavallo, a large fiefdom between the Lamone and Savio rivers. Charlemagne had received vast lands in the Bologna area and had later distributed them, as was the custom in those days, to the veterans of his army. Some members of the family in chronological order: Alberto il Malvicino de Calveiso de' Calvi Count of Bagnacavallo. Alberto Count of Bagnacavallo. Ermes, Massimiliano and Oddo Marescotti (Mariscotti) were

Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

s of Orvieto respectively in 1035, 1091 e 1099. Carbone - in 1120 build a tower in Bologna. Marescotto - Consul of Imola nel 1140 Raniero Marescotti - elected cardinal by

Pope Lucius II Pope Lucius II (died 15 February 1145), born Gherardo Caccianemici dal Orso, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1144 to his death in 1145. His pontificate was notable for the unrest in Rome associated wit ...

December 18, 1144. Marescotto - Consul of Bologna e Captain general of Bologna in the war against Imola in 1179. Pietro de' Calvi Marescotti -

Podestà Podestà (, English: Potestate, Podesta) was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of Central and Northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a city ...

of Faenza in 1185. Marescotto Consul of Bologna 1227 Guglielmo - Podestà di Siena nel 1232, his son Corrado was

Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

of Emperor Frederick II in 1249. Alberto Marescotti son of Ugolino was Consul of Bologna, Captain general of the infantry of Bologna, then took Faenza in 1281 and regained Imola in 1290.

From Renaissance to Enlightment

The navy commander Fabrizio Ruspoli son of Bartolomeo Ruspoli and Maria Ardinghelli distinguished himself in the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states (comprising Spain and its Italian territories, several independent Italian states, and the Soverei ...

. The Ottomans lost all but 30 of its ships and as many as 30,000 men, a decisive victory for Christianity and a strategic military one, that marked the start of the decline of the Ottoman's power in the Mediterranean. The Christians attributed the victory to the protection of the Virgin Mary, whom they had invoked by reciting the Rosary, and

Pope Pius V Pope Pius V ( it, Pio V; 17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri (from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri, O.P.), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1566 to his death in May 1572. He is v ...

instituted a feast in its honor as

Our Lady of Victory Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a government utility regulato ...

. Orazio Ruspoli, brother of Fabrizio, became a successful banker and was then named magistrate of the colleges in 1557. Together with his third brother Alessandro he started the Banco Ruspoli in

Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...

and the family became very wealthy. Orazio married Felice Cavalieri and had two children. Lorenzo Ruspoli, their cousin, was in the wool trade and also became a successful banker in

and then Consul. he then married lady Maria di Bernardo Franceschi and had two children; Antonio and Francesco (born on August 20, 1579). The latter became a published satirical poet. Vittoria Ruspoli, daughter of Orazio and Felice Cavalieri, married in 1617 Sforza Vicino Marescotti, Count of Vignanello, Lord of Parrano, Roman noble and Patrizio of Bologna, Magistrate of Conservatori of Bologna in 1632 and Conservatore di Roma in 1654. Vittoria's brother, Bartolomeo Ruspoli after acquiring the fiefdom of the Marquis of Cerveteri and in Rome the Palace on the Ara Coeli, having no children of his own donated everything to the heirs of her sister. Vittoria's husband, Sforza Vicino, descended from the Farnese family from both his mother's and his father's side (see the image on the right). From his father's side he inherited the fiefdom of Vignanello (from the wedding between Sfortia Marescotti and Ortesia Farnese Countess of Vignanello). His grandmother was Giulia Farnese. The entire branch of the Farnese (Dukes of Latera) became extinct and the descendants of the Marescottis (later called Ruspolis by will of Vittoria Ruspoli) kept the fiefdom and the

Castello Ruspoli Castello Ruspoli is a 16th-century castle in the town of Vignanello, Lazio, Italy. It continues to be the property of the Ruspoli family, an old and noble Italian family. It is well known for its Renaissance-era ''Giardino all'italiana''. History ...

up to our days. Meanwhile, Clarice born March 6, 1585, sister of Sforza Vicino Marescotti, became a nun in the convent of San Bernardino in

Viterbo Viterbo (; Viterbese: ; lat-med, Viterbium) is a city and ''comune'' in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It conquered and absorbed the neighboring town of Ferento (see Ferentium) in its early history. ...

with the name of Sister Giacinta. She was canonized Saint by

Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...

in 1807. Her feast is celebrated on January 30.

Galeazzo Marescotti Galeazzo Marescotti (1 October 1627 – 3 July 1726) was an Italian cardinal. Biography He was born in Vignanello, Italy. His father was named Sforza Marescotti and his mother was Vittoria Ruspoli, both born to prominent aristocratic famil ...

, son of Sforza Vicino and Vittoria was elected cardinal by

Pope Clement X Pope Clement X ( la, Clemens X; it, Clemente X; 13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death in July 1676. Elected pope at ag ...

The Marescotti-Ruspoli

Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli, first-born son of Alessandro (of Sforza Vicino Marescotti, 4th Conte di

and Vittoria dei Principi Ruspoli), was born March 2, 1672. In 1695 he married lady Isabella Cesi, daughter of Giuseppe Angelo, fifth Duke of

Acquasparta Acquasparta is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Terni (Umbria, central Italy). It is located on a hill above the Naia Valley and the river of the same name, facing the Monti Martani mountain range. It also sits between two hot springs, th ...

and Giacinta Conti of the Dukes of

Poli __NOTOC__ Poli can refer to: Food * ''Puran Poli'', a poli made up of wheat flour and puran (sweet cooked gram paste) * A Marathi name for ''chapati'', a bread made up of wheat flour Organisations * FC Timişoara Romanian first league football c ...

and

Guadagnolo The Monti Prenestini is a mountain range in the Lazio sub-Apennines, in central Italy to the east of Rome. It is of limestone formation. It is bounded by the Monti Tiburtini to the north, by the Monti Ruffi to the east, and by the valley of th ...

(sister of

Pope Innocent XIII Pope Innocent XIII ( la, Innocentius XIII; it, Innocenzo XIII; 13 May 1655 – 7 March 1724), born as Michelangelo dei Conti, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 May 1721 to his death in March 1724. He is ...

). Francesco Maria appreciated and helped the development of

Academy of Arcadia The Accademia degli Arcadi or Accademia dell'Arcadia, "Academy of Arcadia" or "Academy of the Arcadians", was an Italian literary academy founded in Rome in 1690. The full Italian official name was Pontificia Accademia degli Arcadi. History F ...

of which he was a member under the pseudonym Olinto. He was the first patron to welcome them in one of his villas on Via Merulana. The first volume of the ''Rime degli Arcadi'' was dedicated to Francesco Maria. In 1725 the Arcadia took permanent residence in the Gianicolo villa of Bosco Parrasio. In 1707

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...

arrived in Rome where for two years he was a guest of Francesco Maria Ruspoli, who named him ''

Kapellmeister (, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...

''. During this period he composed ''Salve Regina'' (HWV 241) which he performed in the Ruspoli Castle in

and ''Diana Cacciatrice'' (HWV 79) which he performed in Palazzo Ruspoli in

. In Rome at the Ruspolis and the Ottobonis he performed the

oratorios An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

La Resurrezione ''La resurrezione'' (''The Resurrection''), HWV 47, is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel, set to a libretto by Carlo Sigismondo Capece (1652–1728). Capece was court poet to Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien, Queen Marie Casimire ...

'' (HWV 47) and the ''Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno'' (HWV 46a) both dedicated to Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli. Between 1709 and 1716 he was succeeded as ''

'' by

Antonio Caldara Antonio Caldara (ca 1670 – 28 December 1736) was an Italian Baroque composer. Life Caldara was born in Venice (exact date unknown), the son of a violinist. He became a chorister at St Mark's in Venice, where he learned several instruments, ...

. Cardinal

watched over his beloved nephew and was pleased with the brilliant life, but more so with the great culture, munificence, and devotion to God of Francesco Maria. The cardinal had a precise plan: to persuade the pope to elevate the title of the fiefdom of Cerveteri from marquis to prince.Galeazzo Ruspoli, ''I Ruspoli'', Gremese Editore, 2001 Other Roman noble families such as the

Aldobrandini The House of Aldobrandini is an Italian noble family originally from Florence, where in the Middle Ages they held the most important municipal offices. Now the Aldobrandini are resident in Rome, with close ties to the Vatican. History Their ...

, Boncompagni,

Borghese The House of Borghese is a princely family of Italian noble and papal background, originating as the Borghese or Borghesi in Siena, where they came to prominence in the 13th century and held offices under the ''commune''. During the 16th century, ...

and

Erba-Odescalchi The House of Erba-Odescalchi () and the House of Odescalchi are branches of an Italian nobility, Italian noble family formed by the union of the Erba and Odescalchi families. The Odescalchi family was, since the election of Benedetto Odescalchi ...

were made princes by their respective popes. The Ruspolis did not have a pope and it was necessary to make a munificent gesture and to acquire particular merits with the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

. In 1707 the cardinal persuaded his nephew to arm a

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...

to donate to the Holy See. The modern hull with wide sails was delivered in

Civitavecchia Civitavecchia (; meaning "ancient town") is a city and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located west-north-west of Rome. The harbour is formed by two pier ...

. Handel had composed for the occasion a choral of white voices on a text greeting the pope king. But that was not enough to elevate Cerveteri to a principality. In 1708 Francesco Maria created the

at his own expense. Formed by nearly 1,000 men, the regiment enjoyed some minor victories, until 1709 when in

Ferrara Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and ''comune'' in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream ...

thanks to a superior armament they were able to push the Austrians back to the north of the

Po River The Po ( , ; la, Padus or ; Ligurian language (ancient), Ancient Ligurian: or ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is either or , if the Maira (river), Mair ...

. A great victory for which on February 3, 1709, full of gratitude,

elevated Cerveteri to a

Principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall under ...

. In 1710 Prince Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli acquired the fiefdom of Riano where he enriched the town with privileges and public works. In 1713 he acquired the fiefdom of

San Felice Circeo San Felice Circeo is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Latina, in the Lazio region of central Italy. It was an ancient city called Circeii. It is included in the Circeo National Park. Sites include the Grotta Guattari, one of the oldest Ne ...

which then passed in 1718 to his daughter's husband, Filippo Orsini. Still in 1713 Francesco Maria bought the Palazzo Ruspoli in Rome from the Caetani who had charged

Martino Longhi the Younger Martino Longhi the Younger (March 18, 1602– December 15, 1660) was an Italian architect of the Baroque period active in Rome, in a milieu when the most prominent competition for commissions came from no less than Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Francesc ...

to build the sumptuous loggia on the courtyard and the famous staircase, one of the four wonders of Rome. In 1721

Pope Benedict XIII Pope Benedict XIII ( la, Benedictus XIII; it, Benedetto XIII; 2 February 1649 – 21 February 1730), born Pietro Francesco Orsini and later called Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 May ...

conferred to Francesco Maria the title of ''Principe Romano'', for himself and his descendants, ''ad infinitum'' so the family could conserve the prestige of its ancestors.Gaetano Moroni, ''Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da s. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni'', Tipografia Emiliana, 1846

then came to

in 1725 to solemnly consecrate the new parish church built by the will of Prince Francesco Maria. In 1792

Francesco Ruspoli, 3rd Prince of Cerveteri Francesco, Prince Ruspoli, 3rd Prince of Cerveteri, 3rd Marquis of Riano, 8th Count of Vignanello (February 19, 1752 – March 8, 1829) was the 3rd Prince of Cerveteri, 3rd Marquis of Riano and 8th Count of Vignanello, son of Alessandro Ruspoli ...

was created

Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Prince of the Holy Roman Empire ( la, princeps imperii, german: Reichsfürst, cf. ''Fürst'') was a title attributed to a hereditary ruler, nobleman or prelate recognised as such by the Holy Roman Emperor. Definition Originally, possessors o ...

by the Emperor Francis II. Today Prince

Francesco Ruspoli, 10th Prince of Cerveteri Don Francesco, Principe Ruspoli (born 31 March 1967) is an Italian banker who is the 10th Principe di Cerveteri, 10th Marchese di Riano, 15th Conte di Vignanello and Prince of the Roman Papal State. He is the son of Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prin ...

is the head of the House of Ruspoli and resident in Palazzo Ruspoli in Rome.

Branches

The Ruspoli Princes

Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Cerveteri Don Francesco Maria Marescotti, Principe Ruspoli (March 5, 1672 – July 14, 1731) was the ?th Marchese and 1st Principe di Cerveteri, 1st Marchese di Riano and 6th Conte di Vignanello. He was a son of Alessandro Ruspoli, 5th Conte di Vignanel ...

Alessandro Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro, Principe Ruspoli (December 3, 1708 – June 20, 1779) was the 2nd Principe di Cerveteri, 2nd Marchese di Riano and 7th Conte di Vignanello, son of Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Cerveteri and wife Isabella Cesi dei ...

Alessandro Ruspoli, 4th Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro, Principe Ruspoli (October 5, 1784 – October 31, 1842) was the 4th Prince of Cerveteri, 4th Marquis of Riano, Italy, Riano, 9th Count of Vignanello and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, son of Frances ...

Giovanni Nepomucene Ruspoli, 5th Prince of Cerveteri Giovanni Nepomucene, Principe Ruspoli (June 28, 1807 – November 6, 1876) was the 5th Principe di Cerveteri, 5th Marchese di Riano, 10th Conte di Vignanello, and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire son of Alessandro Ruspoli, 4th Prince of Cerveter ...

Francesco Maria Ruspoli, 6th Prince of Cerveteri Francesco Maria, Principe Ruspoli (November 30, 1839 – January 23, 1907) was the 6th Principe di Cerveteri, 6th Marchese di Riano, 11th Conte di Vignanello and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, son of Giovanni Nepomucene Ruspoli, 5th Princ ...

Alessandro Ruspoli, 7th Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro, Principe Ruspoli (January 14, 1869 – September 28, 1952), Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice, was the 7th Principe di Cerveteri, 7th Marchese di Riano, 12th Conte di Vignanello and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, son ...

Francesco Ruspoli, 8th Prince of Cerveteri Francesco, Principe Ruspoli (23 February 1899 – 27 October 1989) was the 8th Principe di Cerveteri, 8th Marchese di Riano, 13th Conte di Vignanello and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, son of Alessandro Ruspoli, 7th Prince of Cerveteri and ...

* Alessandro (Dado) Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri *

The Duke of Fiano ''(extinct)''

Augusto Ruspoli, 11th Duke of Fiano Augusto Ruspoli-Ottoboni, dei Principi Ruspoli (Rome, September 8, 1880 – Rome, 1912), was an Italian aristocrat and son of Mario Ruspoli and Costanza Boncompagni-Ludovisi-Ottoboni. Mario was the youngest son of Augusto Ruspoli, who was the you ...

The Dukes of Alcudia and Sueca

The Prince Camillo Ruspoli, third son of

and Countess Maria Leopoldina von Khevenhüller-Metsch, was married with Carlota Luisa de Godoy and Borbón, daughter of Manuel de Godoy and Alvarez de Faria, Prince of the Peace, and his first wife, María Teresa de Borbón y Vallabriga, XV countess of Chinchón, who was daughter of Infante Luis Antonio de Borbón and Farnese. *

Adolfo Ruspoli, 2nd Duke of Alcudia Don Adolfo Ruspoli y Godoy (di Bassano), de Khevenhüller-Metsch y Borbón, dei Principi Ruspoli (December 28, 1822 – February 4, 1914) was a Spanish aristocrat, son of the prince Camillo Ruspoli and wife Carlota de Godoy y Borbón, 2nd Duchess ...

Carlos Ruspoli, 3rd Duke of Alcudia and Sueca Don Carlos Luis (Carlo Luigi) Ruspoli y Álvarez de Toledo, de Godoy (di Bassano) y Silva-Bazán, dei Principi Ruspoli (1 March 1858 – 10 November 1936) was a Spanish aristocrat, son of Adolfo Ruspoli y Godoy, 2nd Duke of Alcudia, and wife Dona ...

* Camilo Carlos Ruspoli, 4th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca *

Carlos Ruspoli, 5th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca Don Carlos Oswaldo Ruspoli y Morenés, Caro y Arteaga, dei Principi Ruspoli (5 August 1932 – 25 October 2016) was a Spanish aristocrat, son of Carlos Ruspoli, 4th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca, and wife Dona María de Belén Morenés y Arteaga, Gar ...

* Luis Carlos Ruspoli, 6th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca

The Marquesses of Boadilla del Monte

* Luigi Ruspoli, 3rd Marquis of Boadilla del Monte * Camillo Ruspoli, 4th Marquis of Boadilla del Monte * Paolo Ruspoli, 5th Marquis of Boadilla del Monte * Luis Ruspoli, 7th Marquis of Boadilla del Monte

The Counts of Bañares

* Enrique Jaime Ruspoli, 19th Count of Bañares son of Dona María de Belén Morenés y Arteaga, García-Alesson y Echaguë, 18th Countess of Bañares.

The Princes of Poggio Suasa

These branches originate from Prince Bartolomeo Ruspoli (1800-1872), third son of

and Countess Maria Leopoldina von Khevenhüller-Metsch, and brother of

and

Camillo Ruspoli, Duke of Sueca Camilo Ruspoli y Khevenhüller-Mestch, dei principi Ruspoli, Duke of Sueca and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (20 March 1788 – 30 July 1864) was an Italian aristocrat, son-in-law of Manuel Godoy. He was born in Rome on 20 March 1788, the thi ...

He married Dona Carolina

Ratti Ratti (Sanskrit: ) is a traditional Indian unit of measurement for mass. Based on the nominal weight of a Gunja seed (''Abrus precatorius''), it measured approximately 1.8 or 1.75 grains or 0.11339 g as standardized weight. It is still used by t ...

. His son Emanuele Ruspoli was named first prince of Poggio-Suasa after participating in the Italian unification and being the first Mayor of the Italian Rome. He was the grandfather of Emanuella de Dampierre Ruspoli, Duchess of Segovia and

Duchess of Anjou The Countesses and Duchesses of Anjou were the wives of the ruling counts of Anjou and later the nominal French counts and dukes of County of Anjou, Anjou. Countess of Anjou First creation House of Ingelger Plantagenets Second crea ...

by her marriage to Infante Don Jaime, son of

Alfonso XIII of Spain Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alf ...

. * Emanuele Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Poggio Suasa *

Mario Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Poggio Suasa Mario dei Principi Ruspoli (October 16, 1867 – January 16, 1963) was an Italian people, Italian prince, son of Emanuele Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Poggio Suasa and first wife Princess Cocuța Conachi, Caterina Vogoride-Conachi. He was the 2nd Prince ...

Marcantonio Mario Dimitri Ruspoli, 3rd Prince of Poggio Suasa Marcantonio Mario Dimitri dei Principi Ruspoli (November 28, 1926 – August 1, 2003) was the 3rd Principe di Poggio Suasa and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, son of Costantino Ruspoli (Costantino is an eldest son of Mario Ruspoli, 2nd Princ ...

Costantino Mario Ruspoli, 4th Prince of Poggio Suasa Costantino Mario dei Principi Ruspoli (born 29 June 1971), son of Marcantonio Mario Dimitri Ruspoli, 3rd Prince of Poggio Suasa, and his second wife Gleide Portela Chagas (1935–2002), is the 4th Principe di Poggio Suasa and Prince of the Hol ...

The Princes of Candriano ''(extinct)''

* Camillo Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Candriano

The Dukes of Morignano

* Francesco Alvaro Maria Giorgio Ruspoli, 1st Duke of Morignano * Galeazzo Maria Alvise Emanuele Ruspoli, 2nd Duke of Morignano * Carlo Emanuele Ruspoli, 3rd Duke of Morignano

Family properties

This is a list of some properties associated with the Ruspoli family File:Immagine La storia.jpg, Palazzo Ruspoli, Rome File:Castello Ruspoli Vignanello1.jpg,

File:Palazzo Ruspoli in Nemi.jpg,

Castle of Nemi A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but u ...

File:Palazzo Ruspoli in Cerveteri.jpg, Palace of Cerveteri File:Torella dei Lombardi - Castello Candriano (side view).jpg, Castel of Candriano File:Palacio Infante Don Luis, Boadilla del Monte.jpg, Palace of Boadilla del Monte File:007222 - Chinchón (8663010409).jpg, Castle of Chinchón File:Palazzo ruspoli firenze.jpg, Palazzo Ruspoli in Firenze File:Villa ruspoli da s.marta 01.JPG, Villa Ruspoli in Firenze File:Villa Ruspoli Roma.jpg, Villa Ruspoli in Rome (current Embassy of Spain)

Notable members

Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro "Dado", Principe Ruspoli (9 December 1924 – 11 January 2005) was an occasional actor and a playboy and eccentric aristocrat, the 9th Principe di Cerveteri, 9th Marchese di Riano, 14th Conte di Vignanello and Prince of the Roman Pap ...

Bartolomeo Ruspoli Cardinal Bartolomeo dei Principi Ruspoli (25 October 1697 – 21 May 1741) Titles held Son of Prince Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Cerveteri and wife Isabella Cesi dei Duchi di Acquasparta, maternal niece of Pope Innoc ...

Carlota de Godoy, 2nd Duchess of Sueca Carlota de Godoy y Borbón, 2nd Duchess of Sueca, twice Grandee of Spain (in full, es, Doña Carlota Luisa Manuela de Godoy (di Bassano) y Borbón, segunda duquesa de Sueca, segunda marquesa de Boadilla del Monte, segunda condesa de Evoramonte, ...

* Enrique Jaime Ruspoli, 19th Count of Bañares * Emanuele Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Poggio Suasa * Eugenio Ruspoli *

* Francesco Alvaro Maria Giorgio Ruspoli, 1st Duke of Morignano *

Tao Ruspoli Tao Ruspoli (; born 7 November 1975) is an Italian-American filmmaker, photographer, musician, and co-founder of The Bombay Beach Biennale. Early life Ruspoli was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and raised in Rome, Italy and Los Angeles, California ...

References

{{Reflist Families of post-ancient Rome Families of Florence Italian noble families