Oliverotto Euffreducci facts for kids
Oliverotto Euffreducci (born in 1475 in Fermo, Italy – died December 31, 1502, in Senigallia, Italy) was a famous Italian condottiero. A condottiero was like a military leader or a captain who led groups of soldiers for hire. Oliverotto became the ruler of his hometown, Fermo, during the time of Pope Alexander VI. His story is even mentioned in a famous book called Il Principe (The Prince) by Niccolò Machiavelli.
Contents
Biography
Oliverotto's Early Life and Rise to Power
Oliverotto Euffreducci was born in Fermo, a town in Italy. When he was young, his father passed away, and his uncle, Giovanni Fogliani, raised him. To help Oliverotto become a strong leader, his uncle sent him to train as a soldier under a well-known condottiero named Paolo Vitelli.
Oliverotto fought alongside Vitelli in many battles. In 1495, they fought in Pisa and then in Naples for the French army. Later, in 1499, they were fighting for the city of Florence against Pisa. However, both Oliverotto and Paolo Vitelli were accused of betraying Florence. Paolo Vitelli was quickly killed, but Oliverotto was saved because the leaders of Fermo stepped in to help him.
After this, Oliverotto joined forces with Vitellozzo Vitelli, who was Paolo's brother. Together, they began to work for Cesare Borgia, a powerful duke.
How Oliverotto Took Control of Fermo
As Oliverotto grew more ambitious, he decided he wanted to rule Fermo himself. He wrote to his uncle, Giovanni Fogliani, saying he wanted to visit him. His uncle didn't suspect anything was wrong and welcomed Oliverotto into his home, along with many important citizens of Fermo.
Oliverotto then planned a big dinner party, inviting his uncle and other important people from Fermo. During the dinner, Oliverotto started talking about serious topics, like the power of Pope Alexander and Cesare Borgia. He then suggested they move to a more private room to continue their discussion. Once they were in the room, soldiers suddenly appeared from hiding places. These soldiers attacked and killed Giovanni Fogliani and the other important citizens.
After this terrible event, Oliverotto quickly took control of the government building. He scared everyone there and made himself the absolute ruler of Fermo. He became a very strong leader, and his neighboring states respected and feared him.
Oliverotto's Downfall and What He Left Behind
In May 1502, Oliverotto captured the city of Camerino for Cesare Borgia. However, Oliverotto and other condottieri started to worry that Duke Borgia was becoming too powerful. So, on October 9, they met secretly at a place called La Magione to discuss what to do.
Even though Oliverotto disagreed with some of the plans, he still captured the city of Senigallia for Cesare Borgia. But this didn't change Borgia's secret plan. On December 31, 1502, Cesare Borgia had Oliverotto captured and killed, along with Vitellozzo Vitelli.
Oliverotto's son, Ludovico, became the ruler of Fermo after him. Ludovico ruled until he was killed in a battle in 1520. After that, Fermo became directly controlled by the Holy See (the Pope's government).
Oliverotto's story, like that of Agathocles of Syracuse, is told in Machiavelli's book, The Prince. In the book, he is shown as a leader who gained power through clever and sometimes violent methods.
See also
In Spanish: Oliverotto da Fermo para niños
Images for kids
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Oliverotto Euffreducci
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The coat of arms of the Euffreducci family.
