Girolamo Riario facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Girolamo Riario
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Count Girolamo Riario.
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| Lord of Imola | |
| In office 1473–1488 |
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| Preceded by | Taddeo Manfredi |
| Succeeded by | Ottaviano Riario |
| Lord of Forlì | |
| In office 1480–1488 |
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| Preceded by | Sinibaldo II Ordelaffi |
| Succeeded by | Ottaviano Riario |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1443 Savona, Republic of Genoa |
| Died | 14 April 1488 (aged 44–45) Forlì, Papal States |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Spouse | Caterina Sforza |
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Girolamo Riario (born 1443 – died April 14, 1488) was an important figure in Italy during the Renaissance. He was the ruler, or Lord, of two cities: Imola starting in 1473, and Forlì from 1480. He also served as the main military leader for the Pope, a role called Captain General of the Church. This was because his uncle was Pope Sixtus IV. Girolamo was involved in a famous plot in 1478 called the Pazzi conspiracy. This plan tried to remove the powerful Medici family who ruled Florence. Ten years later, Girolamo Riario was killed by members of the Orsi family in Forlì.
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Girolamo Riario's Early Life and Rise to Power
Girolamo Riario was born in Savona, a city in Italy. His parents were Paolo Riario and Bianca della Rovere. His uncle became Pope Sixtus IV, which was a big help for Girolamo. In 1473, the Pope gave Girolamo control over the city of Imola. This was part of the marriage agreement for Girolamo to marry Caterina Sforza. Caterina was the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, the Duke of Milan. In 1471, Girolamo also became the Captain General of the Church. This meant he was in charge of the Pope's army.
In 1478, Girolamo was part of a secret plan called the Pazzi conspiracy. The goal was to take power from the powerful Medici family in Florence. The plan was to remove the two most important Medici leaders, Lorenzo and Giuliano de' Medici. If the plan worked, Girolamo Riario hoped to become the new ruler of Florence. However, the plot did not fully succeed. Only Giuliano de' Medici was killed.
Becoming Count of Forlì
In 1480, Pope Sixtus IV made Girolamo Riario the Count of Forlì. The Pope took control of Forlì from the previous ruling family, the Ordelaffi. In Forlì, Girolamo built a strong fort called Rocca di Ravaldino. This fort was very important for protecting the Romagna region. He also worked to rebuild parts of Imola, tearing down old buildings to make the city better.
While his uncle was Pope, Girolamo and his wife often lived in Rome. In 1484, Girolamo had a disagreement with the Colonna family. The Pope wanted to take over land owned by the Colonna family. During this conflict, a member of the Colonna family, Lorenzo Colonna, was arrested and died. This event made many people in Rome dislike Girolamo and his family.
After Pope Sixtus IV died, Girolamo Riario, as the leader of the Pope's army, returned to Rome with his wife Caterina. Caterina took control of the Castel Sant' Angelo, a famous castle. She did this to try and influence the cardinals (church leaders) who were choosing the next Pope. She wanted them to pick someone who would support the Riario family. After some tense days in Rome, Girolamo made a deal with the cardinals. He agreed to pull his troops and his wife out of the castle if they paid him 7,000 ducats (a type of money). Caterina was not happy with this deal at first, but she eventually agreed. Only then could the cardinals begin to choose the new Pope.
The End of His Rule
Girolamo Riario tried to plan more ways to take power from the Medici family, but none of them worked. By 1488, he was the last main person from the Pazzi conspiracy who was still alive. He was killed in a plot led by two brothers from the Orsi family in Forlì. It is believed they had a disagreement about money. On April 14, the Orsi brothers, Checco and Ludovico, entered the government palace. One of them attacked Girolamo with a sword. Even though Girolamo had guards, nine attackers killed him. They then threw his body into a public square, where a crowd gathered to support the attackers. The attackers then looted Girolamo's palace.
Even though killings were not unheard of in Renaissance Italy, they still had serious effects. The Orsi brothers wrote to Lorenzo de' Medici, who probably approved of Girolamo's death. However, the Medici family did not give them any written support. Soon, people and soldiers supported Girolamo's wife, Caterina. The Orsi brothers had to run away, taking what they could. Their remaining belongings and family members were soon attacked by angry crowds.
A local friar (a type of monk) found Girolamo's body in the square. Once Girolamo's wife was safe and in power, she had his body cleaned. It was then displayed for three days in the church of San Francesco.
Family
In 1473, Girolamo became engaged to Caterina Sforza, who was 10 years old at the time. They had five sons: Ottaviano (who officially became the Lord of Imola after his father), Cesare, Giovanni Livio, Galeazzo, and Francesco. They also had one daughter named Bianca. Girolamo also had another son named Scipio from a different woman.
See also
In Spanish: Girolamo Riario para niños
