Anguillara were a baronial family of

Latium Latium ( , ; ) is the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded and grew to be the capital city of the Roman Empire. Definition Latium was originally a small triangle of fertile, volcanic soil (Old Latium) on whic ...

, especially powerful in Rome and in the current

province of Viterbo The province of Viterbo () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Viterbo. Geography Viterbo is the most northerly of the provinces of Lazio. It is bordered to the south by the Metropolitan Cit ...

during the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance. The Anguillara were of Norman descent. They most likely took, or gave, their name from the city of Anguillara Sabazia, on the Lake Bracciano. The name itself could refer to the Italian word ''

anguilla Anguilla is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Sa ...

'' (eel), or, as claimed by some, to a Roman villa (''villa angularia'') on a corner (Latin: ''angulum'') of the Lake. A first Count Ramone Anguillara is recorded as a probably legendary enemy of the Popes. In 1090 is known a Gherardo, lord of Anguillara, who was allied with the Prefetti di Vico against the commune of Rome. His successors were John, who took Santa Severa, and Niccolò, who conquered

Tolfa Tolfa is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the Lazio region of central Italy; it lies to the ENE of Civitavecchia by road. It is the main center in the Monti della Tolfa, an extinct volcanic group between Civitavecchia a ...

in 1146. In 1186 Pandolfo I started a long struggle with the Vicos for the control of northern Latium and met the Henry VI at

Orvieto Orvieto () is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy, situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff. The city rises dramatically above the almost-vertical faces of tuff cliffs that are compl ...

, also hosting him in 1191. Pandolfo II sided with Henry's son, Frederick II, during the siege of Viterbo (1243), but was captured by the Papal troops and imprisoned at Ronciglione. The Anguillara fief was thus seized by Pietro di Vico, who reigned there until Pandolfo's return in 1246. The chaotic situation caused by the move of the Papal seat to

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

led the family to move their headquarters in Rome and Capranica, where Orso dell'Anguillara, Senator of Rome, hosted the poet

Petrarch Francis Petrarch (; 20 July 1304 – 19 July 1374; ; modern ), born Francesco di Petracco, was a scholar from Arezzo and poet of the early Italian Renaissance, as well as one of the earliest Renaissance humanism, humanists. Petrarch's redis ...

in 1336. Orso's mother was a member of the powerful

Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following: * Aaro ...

, and married a member of the

Colonna family The House of Colonna is an Italian noble family, forming part of the papal nobility. It played a pivotal role in Middle Ages, medieval and Roman Renaissance, Renaissance Rome, supplying one pope (Pope Martin V, Martin V), 23 cardinals and many ot ...

, thus establishing the Anguillara as one of the most important Roman families. Orso was succeeded by Pietro, Dolce and Everso II, who was a famous

condottiero Condottieri (; singular: ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian military leaders active during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The term originally referred specifically to commanders of mercenary companies, derived from the ...

and conquered Vetralla,

Caprarola Caprarola is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, in the Lazio region of central Italy. The village is situated in a range of volcanic hills known as the Cimini Mounts. The town is home to the large Renaissance mansion or villa ...

and Santa Pupa. His son

Francesco Francesco, the Italian language, Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis (given name), Francis", is one of the List of most popular given names, most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name inclu ...

inherited his fame of tyranny and unloyalty: he was excommunicated and imprisoned in

Castel Sant'Angelo Castel Sant'Angelo ( ), also known as Mausoleum of Hadrian (), is a towering rotunda (cylindrical building) in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. ...

, while all the family's possession were acquired by the

Apostolic Chamber The Apostolic Camera (), formerly known as the was an office in the Roman Curia. It was the central board of finance in the papal administrative system and at one time was of great importance in the government of the States of the Church and in ...

under

Pope Paul II Pope Paul II (; ; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death in 1471. When his maternal uncle became Pope Eugene IV, Barbo switched fr ...

. Deifobo, the other Everso's son, managed to regain his lands, which he kept until his death in 1490. In that year

Pope Innocent VIII Pope Innocent VIII (; ; 1432 – 25 July 1492), born Giovanni Battista Cybo (or Cibo), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1484 to his death, in July 1492. Son of the viceroy of Naples, Cybo spent his ea ...

assigned the Anguillara lands to his nephew Franceschetto Cybo. The last notable member of the family is the condottiero

Renzo da Ceri Renzo da Ceri, true name Lorenzo dell'Anguillara (1475 or 1476 – January 1536) was an Italian condottiero. He was a member of the Anguillara family. Born in Ceri, a small village in Lazio (now part of Cerveteri), he was the son of Giovan ...

, who fought in the defence of Rome during the Sack of 1527. The family became extinct in the 18th century.

References

Anguillara {{Italy-hist-stub