The House of Savelli (de Sabellis in documents) were a rich and influential Roman aristocratic family who rose to prominence in the 13th century, the youngest is still alive today (1626–2022).

History

Campitelli - Aracoeli stemma Savelli ingresso laterale 1010839

The family, who held the lordship of Palombara Sabina, took their name from the '' rocca'' (castle) of Sabellum, near Albano, which had belonged to the counts of Tusculum before it passed to the Savelli. Early modern genealogies of the Savelli, such as the unpublished manuscript "eulogistic treatise" compiled by Onofrio Panvinio, drew connections to Pope Benedict II, a possible but undocumentable connection, and even to the cognomen Sabellius of Antiquity. They provided at least two popes: Cencio Savelli,

Pope Honorius III Pope Honorius III (c. 1150 – 18 March 1227), born Cencio Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of import ...

(1216–1227) and Giacomo Savelli, Honorius IV (1285–1287). His father, Luca Savelli, was a Roman senator and sacked the Lateran in 1234. Luca's decision to side with Emperor Frederick II against Honorius III's successor, Gregory, brought various material benefits to the family, including some fiefs in the Sabina region. Honorius' brother, Pandolfo Savelli, was the ''

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

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 histor ...

in 1275. Later members include the condottieri

Silvio Silvio () is an Italian male name, the male equivalent of Silvia. Sílvio is a variant of the name in Portuguese. It is derived from the Latin "Silvius", meaning "spirit of the wood," and may refer to: People * Silvio Berlusconi (born 1936), Itali ...

and Antonello Savelli. Savelli Cardinals include

Giovanni Battista Savelli Giovanni Battista Savelli (1422 - 18 September 1498, Castel Gandolfo) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal. He was born into the aristocratic Savelli family, which had produced two popes: Honorius III (1216–1227) and Honorius IV (1285–1287) a ...

(1471 ''in pectore'', 1480); Giacomo Savelli (1539); Silvio Savelli (1596); Giulio Savelli (1615);

Fabrizio Savelli Fabrizio Savelli (1607 – 26 February 1659) was an Italian military leader, commander of papal troops and, later, a Catholic Cardinal. Early life Savelli was born in 1607 of the House of Savelli which included Pope Honorius IV (1285 - 1287) ...

(1647); Paolo Savelli (1664); and Domenico Savelli (1853). The last member of the family left in Rome was Giulio Savelli, who died in 1712. A collateral line, the Giannuzzi Savelli ('Giannuzzi' adopted later on) represent descendants of Antonio Savelli of Rignano who moved to the Kingdom of Naples in 1421 to fight as a condottiero. The title has been held in that family since Ercole Giannuzzi Savelli dei baroni di Pietramala inherited it in 1769 from his mother Ippolita Rota, last of her house. The republican patriot Luigi Giannuzzi Savelli dei principi di Cerenzia was shot 3 April 1799 by orders of

Cardinal Ruffo Fabrizio Dionigi Ruffo (16 September 1744 – 13 December 1827) was an Italian cardinal and politician, who led the popular anti-republican ''Sanfedismo'' movement (whose members were known as the ''Sanfedisti''). Biography Ruffo was born at S ...

, and the feudal lands of Prince Tommaso Giannuzzi Savelli of Cerenzia were confiscated: Cerenzia, Casino (Castelsilano) Montespinello (Spinello) Belvedere Malapezza, and Zinga. By the 17th century, the Savelli had fallen on lean times. Castel Gandolfo had been relinquished under terms of

Pope Clement VIII Pope Clement VIII ( la, Clemens VIII; it, Clemente VIII; 24 February 1536 – 3 March 1605), born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1592 to his death in March 1605. Born ...

's "bull of the barons" to the Papal treasury in return for a mere 150,000 scudi in 1596, and in 1650 Albano, with its princely title, was turned over to the Savalli family.

Popes

In brackets the year of the beginning and end of his pontificate: * Pope Benedict II (684-685) *

Pope Gregory II Pope Gregory II ( la, Gregorius II; 669 – 11 February 731) was the bishop of Rome from 19 May 715 to his death.

(715-731) * Pope Eugene II (824-827) *

(1216–1227) *

Pope Honorius IV Pope Honorius IV (c. 1210 – 3 April 1287), born Giacomo Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 April 1285 to his death in 1287. During his pontificate he largely continued to pursue the pro-French politi ...

(1285–1287)

Cardinals

In parenthesis the year of nomination as a cardinal: *

Licinio Savelli Licinio or Licínio is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include: ; Surname * Bernardino Licinio (1489–1565), Italian High Renaissance painter of Venice and Lombardy *Giovanni Antonio Licinio the younger (1515–76), I ...

(o Sabelli) (–first part of 1088)

San Giorgio in Velabro (diaconia) San Giorgio in Velabro is a churches of Rome, church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to St. George. The church is located next to the Arch of Janus in the rione of ripa (rione of Rome), Ripa in the ancient Roman Velabrum. According to the Founding of ...

Bertrando Savelli {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Bertrando , image = , caption = , sire = Skywalker , dam = Gentle Hands , damsire = Buffalo Lark , sex = Stallion , foaled = 1989 , country = United States , colour = Dark Bay , breeder = Ed Nahem , ...

(1216) *

(1480) * Silvio Savelli (1596) * Giulio Savelli (1615) *

(1647) *

Paolo Savelli Paolo Savelli (died 3 October 1405) was an Italian ''condottiero'' who served under Alberico da Barbiano in the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples, before entering the service of the Duchy of Milan in its wars with Florence. He finally served t ...

(1664) * Domenico Savelli (1853)

Military leaders and military men

Frari (Venice) right transept - Monument to Paolo Savelli

* Jacopo Savelli (...–1355) di parte guelfa * Luca Savelli (...–1390) di parte guelfa *

(1350–1405) * Evangelista Savelli (...–1462) * Antonello Savelli (1450–1498) * Giovanni Savelli (...–1498) * Cristorforo Savelli (...–1500) * Ludovico Savelli (...–1500) * Onorio Savelli (...–1500) * Troiano Savelli (...–1510) * Mariano Savelli (...–1515) * Paolo Savelli (...–1515) * Battista Savelli (...–1513) * Silvio Savelli (...–1515) * Luca Savelli (...–1515) * Antonio Savelli (...–1522) * Jacopo Savelli (...–1525) * Giovan Battista Savelli (1505–1551) * Davide Savelli (...–1522)

Senatori di Roma

* Luca Savelli (1266) e (1290), grandson of Cencio ossia

* Pandolfo Savelli (1287), brother of Giacomo ossia

Notes

References

* {{BBKL, s/s1/savelli, band=8, autor= Norbert M. Borengässer, artikel=Savelli, röm. Adelsfamilie (de Sabellis), spalten=1446-1447 * Litta, P. ''Le famiglie celebri italiane'', Vol. X: "I Savelli di Roma" (Turin: Liverani) 1872. People from Albano Laziale