Marcantonio Colonna facts for kids
Marcantonio II Colonna (born 1535 – died August 1, 1584) was an important noble from Rome. He was known as the Duke of Tagliacozzo and Duke and Prince of Paliano. He served as a governor of Sicily for the Spanish king and was a top military leader for the Pope. Marcantonio Colonna is most famous for leading the Pope's fleet in the big Battle of Lepanto.
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Who Was Marcantonio Colonna?
Marcantonio Colonna was born in 1535 in a place called Civita Lavinia. He was part of the powerful Colonna family from the Lazio region in Italy. This family was one of the strongest noble groups in the Papal States (lands ruled by the Pope) and the Kingdom of Sicily, which was controlled by Spain. His parents were Ascanio Colonna and Giovanna d'Aragona.
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Marcantonio had some trouble with his father and lost his family lands for a while. But in 1562, he managed to get them back. This was mostly thanks to the help of Pope Pius IV. However, he had to give up some places like Nemi and Ardea, because his father, Ascanio, had not left much money.
In 1553–1554, Marcantonio Colonna became a commander of the Spanish cavalry (soldiers on horseback) during a war against Siena.
Hero at the Battle of Lepanto
Marcantonio Colonna played a huge role in the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. He commanded the Pope's main ship, called the Capitana. This ship was part of the central group of ships. During the battle, he helped save the main ship of the commander, Don John of Austria, which was called the Real.
When the Real was almost captured by Ottoman soldiers, Colonna brought his ship alongside it. He then led a counter-attack. With his help, the Ottoman soldiers were pushed off the Real. Colonna's forces then boarded and took over the Ottoman commander Ali Pasha's flagship. All the crew on Ali Pasha's ship were killed, including the commander himself. The flag of the Holy League (the Christian alliance) was raised on the captured ship. This made the nearby Turkish ships lose hope and broke their fighting spirit.
When Colonna returned to Rome, Pope Gregory XIII confirmed him as the top military leader for the Church.
Later Life and Leadership
In 1577, King Philip II of Spain made Marcantonio Colonna the Viceroy of Sicily. This meant he was the chief governor of Sicily. He was also the Lord of Marino, a small village near Rome. The people of Marino honored him with a big yearly festival, which is still celebrated today. It is called the "Sagra dell'uva" (Grape Festival).
Colonna often stayed in Avezzano. There, he had a fountain built and added a new floor to the castle. He also created an open-sided porch (called a loggia) near the Fucine Lake. Later in his life, he moved to L'Aquila, where he lived in a house now known as the Palazzo Porcinari.
His Family
On April 29, 1552, in Rome, Marcantonio Colonna married Felicia Orsini. She was the daughter of Girolamo Orsini and the granddaughter of Gian Giordano Orsini and Felice della Rovere. Felice della Rovere was the natural daughter of Pope Julius II. Felicia's mother was Francesca Sforza, whose mother was Costanza Farnese, the natural daughter of Pope Paul III.
Marcantonio and Felicia had seven children: four sons and three daughters:
- Costanza Colonna (born 1555) was an important supporter of the famous painter Michelangelo.
- Fabrizio Colonna (born 1557 – died November 1, 1580) was a captain in the Spanish army. He married Anna Borromeo.
- Vittoria Colonna (born 1558 – died 1633) married a Spanish nobleman.
- Ascanio Colonna (born 1560 – died 1608) became a Cardinal and a governor in Aragon.
- Prospero Colonna was a soldier in the Spanish army.
- Federico Colonna died when he was a baby.
- Giovanna Colonna married Antonio Carafa in 1566.
See also
In Spanish: Marco Antonio Colonna para niños
