Virginio Orsini (11 September 1572 – 9 September 1615) was the second Duke of

Bracciano Bracciano is a small town in the Italian region of Lazio, northwest of Rome. The town is famous for its volcanic lake (Lake Bracciano, Lago di Bracciano or "Sabatino", the eighth largest lake in Italy) and for a particularly well-preserved medie ...

, member of the

Orsini family The House of Orsini is an Nobility of Italy, Italian noble family that was one of the most influential princely families in Middle Ages, medieval Italy and Renaissance Rome. Members of the Orsini family include five popes: Pope Stephen II, Step ...

and knight of the order of the Golden Fleece. He was the son of

Paolo Giordano I Orsini Paolo Giordano Orsini (1541 – 13 November 1585) was an Italian nobleman, and the first duke of Bracciano from 1560. He was a member of the Roman family of the Orsini. Biography The son of Girolamo Orsini and Francesca Sforza, he was grandson, ...

and

Isabella de' Medici Isabella Romola de' Medici (31 August 1542 – 16 July 1576) was the daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Eleonora di Toledo. She received a humanist education alongside her brother, Francesco de' Medici, who succeed ...

, and inherited his father's titles and fiefs after his death in 1585. In 1589 he married

Flavia Peretti Flavia Damasceni Peretti, Duchess of Bracciano (1574 – 14 September 1606) was an Italian noblewoman, niece of Pope Sixtus V and duchess consort of Bracciano as wife of Virginio Orsini. She is also known as the patroness of several poets, writers ...

, a niece of

Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V (; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death, in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order, where h ...

, by whom he had 12 children. His son

Paolo Giordano Paolo Giordano (born 1982) is an Italian writer who won the Premio Strega literary award with his debut novel, first novel ''The Solitude of Prime Numbers (novel), The Solitude of Prime Numbers''. Biography Paolo Giordano was born on 19 Dec ...

became a prince of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

through his marriage with Isabella Appiani, princess of Piombino. Virginio Orsini was a supporter of the

Earl of Essex Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new cre ...

and visited the English court for the Christmas revels in December 1600. He was entertained by Shakespeare's ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...

'' and the play opens with the character of Duke Orsino saying the famous line "If music be the food of love, play on."

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen B ...

danced a

galliard The ''galliard'' (; ; ) was a form of Renaissance dance and Renaissance music, music popular all over Europe in the 16th century. It is mentioned in dance manuals from England, Portugal, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Dance form The ''gal ...

for him to show the "vigour of her old age". He died in Rome in 1615.

Issue

By his wife, Flavia Damasceni Peretti, he had twelve children, eight sons and four daughters: * Paolo Giordano II (1591 – 24 May 1656). Duke after his father. He married Isabella Appiani, Ruler Princess of

Piombino Piombino is an Italian town and ''comune'' of about 35,000 inhabitants in the province of Livorno (Tuscany). It lies on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of Elba Island and at the northern side of Maremma. Ov ...

, and became a Prince of

. * Alessandro (1592 – 22 August 1626). Cardinal. * Isabella (1597–1623). She married

Cesare II Gonzaga Cesare II Gonzaga (Mantua, 1592 – 26 February 1632) was Duke of Guastalla. He was the son of Ferrante II Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla and Duke of Amalfi and of Vittoria Doria. He succeeded his father in 1630, but died 2 years later. From 1630 to ...

, Duke of

Guastalla Guastalla ( Guastallese: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Geography Guastalla is situated in the Po Valley, and lies on the banks of the Po River. Guastalla is located at around from the citi ...

. * Maria Felicia (12 November 1600 – 5 June 1666). She married Henri II, Duke of Montmorency. * Camilla (29 July 1603 – ?). She married Marcantonio II

Borghese The House of Borghese ( , ) is a 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, t ...

, Prince of

Sulmona Sulmona (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of L'Aquila, in the Italy, Italian region of Abruzzo. It is located in the Valle Peligna, a plain once occupied by a lake that disappeared in prehistoric times. In the ancient era, it was ...

. After he died, she became a nun. * Ferdinando (? – 4 March 1660). Duke after his brother. * Cosimo. Military. * Virginio. Discalced Carmelite. * Francesco. Jesuit. * Carlo. Died young. * Raimondo. Died young. * Stillborn daughter (14 September 1606). Her mother died in childbirth.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orsini, Virginio 1572 births 1615 deaths Virginio Virginio Knights of the Golden Fleece People from the Papal States