The Appiani (also Appiano or d'Appiano) were an Italian noble family, originally from Al Piano or Appiano, a now disappeared

toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...

identified with the modern La Pieve in the ''comune'' of Ponsacco. They held the principality of Piombino from the early 15th century until 1628.

History

The family originated in the region of Appiano val d'Era, in the present day province of Pisa. The first known member is one Guarnito d'Appiano, a

notary A notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems. A notary, while a legal professional, is disti ...

who lived between 1200 and 1255; his son Jacopo (flourished at Pisa c. 1230-1290) was also a notary, as well as his grandson Benvenuto, who became chief of the Pisane Corporation of Notaries. His grand-grandson Vanni, also a notary, became an Anziano ("Elder", meaning consul) of Pisa and then Chancellor of the Senate of

Lucca Lucca ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its province has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as one ...

in 1347, before he was beheaded at Pisa in May 1355. His son Jacopo (c. 1322 - 1398) became Chancellor of the

Republic of Pisa The Republic of Pisa ( it, Repubblica di Pisa) was an independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa, which existed from the 11th to the 15th century. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated ...

and head of the political party of the Raspanti, associated with the Della Gherardesca family. In 1392, after assassinating Pietro Gambacorti and his sons, he became effective lord of Pisa. He was succeeded by his son Gherardo (c. 1370-1405) in 1398, who, one year later, ceded the seigniory of Pisa to Gian Galeazzo Visconti,

lord of Milan The following is a list of rulers of Milan from the 13th century to 1814, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia by the Congress of Vienna. Before elevation to duchy Until 1259, Milan was a free commune that ele ...

; when the latter died, Pisa was sold to

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...

by Gabriele Maria Visconti, while the Appiani retained the lordship of Piombino, Suvereto, Buriano,

Scarlino Scarlino is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about northwest of Grosseto. Scarlino borders the following municipalities: Castiglione della Pescaia, Fol ...

Vignale Vignale is the luxury car sub-brand of Ford Motor Company used in automobiles sold in Europe.Populonia Populonia or Populonia Alta ( Etruscan: ''Pupluna'', ''Pufluna'' or ''Fufluna'', all pronounced ''Fufluna''; Latin: ''Populonium'', ''Populonia'', or ''Populonii'') today is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Piombino (Tuscany, central Italy). As ...

Elba Elba ( it, isola d'Elba, ; la, Ilva) is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano Nationa ...

Pianosa Pianosa () is an island in the Tuscan Archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. It is about in area, with a coastal perimeter of . Geography In Roman times the island was named ''Planasia'' (plain) because of its flatness – its highest poin ...

and

Montecristo Montecristo, also Monte Cristo (, ) and formerly Oglasa ( grc, Ὠγλάσσα, Ōglássa), is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and part of the Tuscan Archipelago. Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Portoferraio in the province ...

. Gherardo was succeeded by his son Iacopo II in 1404; at his death (1441), his mother and regent Paola Colonna clashed against

Emanuele Appiani Emanuele Appiani (c. 1380 – 15 February 1457) was Prince of Piombino during the Appiani dynasty in the Renaissance.Mauro Carrara, Signori e principi di Piombino, Bandecchi & Vivaldi, Pontedera 1996. He was born in Pisa, the son of Iacopo I A ...

for Piombino. Paola Colonna died in 1445, and the rule went to

Caterina Caterina is a feminine given name which is an Italian and Catalan form of the name ''Katherine''. Notable people with the name include: In music: * Caterina Assandra, Italian composer and Benedictine nun * Caterina Bueno, Italian singer and fo ...

, Iacopo II's sister, although the effective rule was held by her husband Rinaldo Orsini. Rinaldo died of plague in 1450 and Caterina in 1451, after which Emanuele was elected lord of Piombino by the population. In 1509 Iacopo IV was accorded the title of Prince of Piombino by emperor Maximilian of Habsburg. His son Iacopo V married two sisters of the two

Medici The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Mu ...

popes Leo X and

Clement VII Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...

and, after they had both died, a descendant of

Lorenzo de' Medici Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (; 1 January 1449 – 8 April 1492) was an Italian statesman, banker, ''de facto'' ruler of the Florentine Republic and the most powerful and enthusiastic patron of Renaissance culture in Italy. Also known as Lorenzo ...

. However, his son Iacopo VI was ousted from Piombino in 1548 by emperor

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infa ...

, who assigned his lands to Cosimo I, Duke of Tuscany. Iacopo was restored in 1559, though three years later a popular revolt forced him to fight in the Tuscan navy, leaving his son Alessandro as governor. Alessandro was able to obtain the imperial legitimation, but was killed by the populace in 1589 after four years of reign. Iacopo VII succeeded him, obtaining from emperor Rudolf II the title of prince. After Iacopo died heirless in 1603, Piombino went to a cousin, but the principality was actually held by Isabella Appiani until 1628, when she was ousted; finally, in 1634 emperor Ferdinand II assigned Piombino to

Niccolò Ludovisi Niccolò I Ludovisi (1610 – 25 December 1664) was Prince of Piombino from 1634 until his death, along his military and diplomatic career he was known and recorded in historical documents as Commander ''Niccolò da Candia'', for his engagement ...

, who married a daughter of Isabella.

History

References

See also