The House of Ruspoli is historically one of the great aristocratic families of

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, but is originally from

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

. Following

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and the fall of

Fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

, the newly established

Italian Republic Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

officially abolished titles and hereditary honours in its 1946 Constitution. However, the Vatican State continued to acknowledge the

papal nobility The papal nobility are the aristocracy of the Holy See, composed of persons holding titles bestowed by the Pope. From the Middle Ages into the nineteenth century, the papacy held direct temporal power in the Papal States, and many titles of papal ...

of Rome (fourteen families, among which is the Ruspoli family), as those titles had been created by

papal authority The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...

History

The origins of the family can be traced back to the Ruspoli of Florence in the 13th century, and more remotely from Marius Scotus in the 8th century and his descendants the Marescotti of

Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...

. In the 16th century, the Ruspoli family moved to Rome, where the last descendant, Vittoria Ruspoli, Marchioness of

Cerveteri Cerveteri () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Italian region of Lazio. Known by the ancient Romans as Caere, and previously by the Etruscans as Caisra or Cisra, and as Agylla (or ) by the Greeks, ...

, married Sforza Vicino Marescotti, Count of

Vignanello Vignanello is a (municipality) in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region of Latium, located about northwest of Rome and about southeast of Viterbo. Vignanello borders the following municipalities: Corchiano, Fabrica di Roma, Gallese, Sor ...

, a descendant of the

Farnese family The House of Farnese (, also , ) was an influential family in Renaissance Italy. The titles of Duke of Parma and Piacenza, Duke of Latera and Duke of Castro were held by various members of the family. Its most important members included Po ...

on both his mother's and father's side. One of Vittoria's sons took the Ruspoli name and coat of arms to guarantee the continuity of the house. In 1708, Vittoria's grandson, Francesco Marescotti Ruspoli, head of the Ruspoli Regiment, fought to defend the

Papal States The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...

. In 1709, he forced the Austrians to retreat, and

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...

named him the first Prince of Cerveteri. This title would then pass down to the first-born son of each generation. The papal title of Roman Prince was later conferred in 1721, and it is also held by the first-born son of each generation. Since 1808, the head of the family also served as Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice, which was an hereditary official of the Pontifical Household. He was a Participating Privy Chamberlain and the sole lay member of the Noble Privy Antechamber, as well as a Participating Privy Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape (who were all laymen, traditionally holding hereditary posts). The post was removed in the reforms of the

Papal Curia The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes us ...

after 1968, leaving just the honorific title.

The Ruspoli origins

There are traces of members of the Ruspoli family from the 13th century on tombstones in the churches of Ognisanti and of Santa Maria Novella in

. Some of its members, in chronological order: * Lorenzo Ruspoli – Florentine noble — lived in the early 13th century. * Neri Ruspoli – chief Ghibellin – in 1266 the

Guelphs The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were Political faction, factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th ...

burned down his house in Florence. * Ser Bonaccorso Ruspoli —

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 distin ...

in Florence and Ghino Ruspoli — lived in 1304 * Roberto Ruspoli — lived mid-14th century * Giovanni Ruspoli – born in 1363 –

Gonfaloniere The Gonfalonier (Italian: ''Gonfaloniere'') was the holder of a highly prestigious communal office in medieval and Renaissance Italy, notably in Florence and the Papal States. The name derives from '' gonfalone'' (English: "gonfalon"), the term ...

and

prior The term prior may refer to: * Prior (ecclesiastical), the head of a priory (monastery) * Prior convictions, the life history and previous convictions of a suspect or defendant in a criminal case * Prior probability, in Bayesian statistics * Prio ...

in 1391 — built the Gentilizia chapel in Ognissanti Church. * Roberto Ruspoli and Zanobi Ruspoli – lived in 1391 * Lorenzo Ruspoli – born in 1384 –

Praetor ''Praetor'' ( , ), also ''pretor'', was the title granted by the government of ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected ''magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to disch ...

Begonia ''Begonia'' is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains more than 2,000 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown ...

in 1432 —

Piccioli Piccioli is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Fernandino Maria Piccioli (1821–1900), Italian entomologist * Gianfranco Piccioli (1944–2022), Italian film director, producer and screenwriter * Luigi Piccioli (1812– ...

in 1460 – Gonfaloniere of Florence * Giovanni Ruspoli – born on April 25, 1420 – Buried in Ognissanti — marries 1) Maddalena Buti 2) Bartolomea Paffi * Lorenzo Ruspoli – born in 1460 – took part in many the travels of

Amerigo Vespucci Amerigo Vespucci ( , ; 9 March 1454 – 22 February 1512) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Florence for whom "Naming of the Americas, America" is named. Vespucci participated in at least two voyages of the A ...

– marries Alessandra da Magguale It is Bartolomeo, son of the above-mentioned Lorenzo, that the family moved away from the imperial

Ghibellines The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centurie ...

and came closer to the Vatican State in Rome. Bartolomeo Ruspoli was born in Florence in 1496. He formed a business partnerships with the Altoviti family, who were influential wool traders and bankers. In 1529 Bartolomeo travelled to Rome where he married Maria Ardinghelli niece of Cardinal Niccolò Ardinghelli, an influential member of the Farnese fraction and an intimate associate of Alessandro Farnese, future

Pope Paul III Pope Paul III (; ; born Alessandro Farnese; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death, in November 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era follo ...

. The Ruspoli were thus integrated into the

Roman Curia The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes use ...

and the papal court, and Bartolomeo's children, both sons and daughters, were all married into families of the Roman nobility:

Muti is a traditional medicine practice in Southern Africa as far north as Lake Tanganyika. Name In South African English, the word is derived from the Zulu/Xhosa/ Northern Ndebele , meaning 'tree', whose root is . In Southern Africa, and othe ...

, Cavalieri and

Floridi Luciano Floridi (; born 16 November 1964) is an Italian and British philosopher. He is the director of the Digital Ethics Center at Yale University. He is also a Professor of Sociology of Culture and Communication at the University of Bologna, ...

.Trevor Dean, K. J. P. Lowe, ''Marriage in Italy, 1300-1650'', Cambridge University Press 1998, page 207 In 1531 Bartolomeo Ruspoli was named Petitioner of the apostolic letters by

Pope Clement VII Pope Clement VII (; ; born Giulio di Giuliano 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 most unfortunate o ...

. In 1535 he was made Prior of Florence. Gradually, and certainly by the 17th century, the Ruspoli had lost their identity as Florentine merchants and bankers, referring to themselves exclusively as Roman nobles.

The Marescotti origins

According to the Marescotti-Ruspoli archive and as often seen on various family trees and reported on the official "Libro d'oro della Nobiltà Italiana" published by the Collegio Araldico, the origins of the Marescotti can be traced back to Marius Scotus born in

Galloway Galloway ( ; ; ) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the counties of Scotland, historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council areas of Scotland, council area of Dumfries and Gallow ...

in south west

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

in the 8th century. In the year 773 king

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

started a military campaign against the

Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...

in Italy, because they were not respecting an agreement made with

Pepin the Short the Short (; ; ; – 24 September 768), was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian dynasty, Carolingian to become king. Pepin was the son of the Frankish prince Charles Martel and his wife Rotrude of H ...

to give part of their land to the state of the Church. He asked for help from king of

Dál Riata Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaels, Gaelic Monarchy, kingdom that encompassed the Inner Hebrides, western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North ...

(Western Scotland) Eochaid IV. The latter asked his cousin Count William of

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...

to recruit and bring to France a brigade of 4,000 men, which he did. But soon thereafter he had to return to Scotland to govern the family clan, leaving his command to his younger brother Marius Douglas, who at the time was described as courageous, tall, strong and with a reddish beard. The army of the

Franks file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...

crossed the Alps and took base in the Benedictine Abbey of Novalesa, in the high valley of

Dora Riparia The Dora Riparia (; ; or ''Doire''; ) is an alpine river, a left-bank tributary of the Po. It is long (of which 5 km is in France), with a drainage basin. It originates in the Cottian Alps, close to the Col de Montgenèvre in France, wh ...

. Mario Scoto, as he was known in Italy, discovered a small path through forests between the mountains which was absolutely unusable by the army, but perfect for the Scottish highlanders. After walking quietly for three days along the path, Mario Scoto and his men attacked the

by surprise from the back, while king

attacked with the cavalry from the front. It was a major victory for the Franks which marked the decline of the Lombards in Italy. In the spring of the following year,

Pope Adrian I Pope Adrian I (; 700 – 25 December 795) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1 February 772 until his death on 25 December 795. Descended from a family of the military aristocracy of Rome known as ''domini de via Lata'', h ...

and the king decided to meet. With a small escort, amongst whom Mario Scoto was present, Charlemagne travelled the ancient

via Cassia The Via Cassia () was an important Roman road striking out of the Via Flaminia near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii, traversed Etruria. The ''Via Cassia'' passed through Baccanae, Sutrium ...

Saint Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian Renaissance architecture, Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the cit ...

where he was received and blessed by the pope. Mario Scoto was Catholic as were the majority of Scottsmen at the time and at the service of his king became himself a defender of the Faith. He became an appreciated military advisor and distinguished himself in the Spanish campaign and in the battle against the Saxons at the confluence of the Weser with the Aller in which of the 5,000 Saxons, only the 500 who chose to be baptised were spared their lives. Towards the end of the century Mario Scoto retired from the army, married an Italian noblewoman called Marozia and, for his devotion to the pope, settled in Rome where he was granted the honor to escort the pope. He was therefore present when in April 799

Pope Leo III Pope Leo III (; died 12 June 816) was bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 26 December 795 to his death on 12 June 816. Protected by Charlemagne from the supporters of his predecessor, Adrian I, Leo subsequently strengthened Charlem ...

was assaulted and kidnapped near the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina. Mario Scoto was able to find the pope in a monastery on the

Aventine Hill The Aventine Hill (; ; ) is one of the Seven Hills on which ancient Rome was built. It belongs to Ripa, the modern twelfth ''rione'', or ward, of Rome. Location and boundaries The Aventine Hill is the southernmost of Rome's seven hills. I ...

and rescued him and returned him to his throne at the Holy See. The scene was later painted in Bologna by

Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli (October 18, 1672 – July 20, 1740) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Biography Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli was born in Bologna. When he was three, his father the painter Giovanni Battista Caccioli died, an ...

On Christmas Day 800 Mario Scoto was invested Count of Bagnacavallo in

Romagna Romagna () is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy. Etymology The name ''Romagna'' originates from the Latin name ''Romania'', which originally ...

and was granted the privilege to adorn his family crest, which already had the rampant leopard of Scotland, with the three

fleur-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...

, characteristic symbol of the French kings. The family still conserves an old portrait of a soldier with the following encryption in Latin: "Marius de Calveis, Scotus, Carl Mag M Dux Familiam Marescotti Fundavit ANN D. DCCC" (Marius of Galloway, Scottish, military commander under Charlemagne, founder of the Marescotti family. AD 800) In the 9th century the Marescotti people (name derived from Mario Scoto) carried the title of counts of Bagnacavallo, a large fiefdom between the Lamone and Savio rivers. Charlemagne had received vast lands in the Bologna area and had later distributed them, as was the custom in those days, to the veterans of his army. Some members of the family in chronological order: Alberto il Malvicino de Calveiso de' Calvi Count of Bagnacavallo. Alberto Count of Bagnacavallo. Ermes, Massimiliano and Oddo Marescotti (Mariscotti) were

Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

s of Orvieto respectively in 1035, 1091 e 1099. Carbone - in 1120 build a tower in Bologna. Marescotto - Consul of Imola nel 1140 Raniero Marescotti - elected cardinal by

Pope Lucius II Pope Lucius II (died 15 February 1145), born Gherardo Caccianemici dal Orso, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1144 to his death in 1145. His pontificate was notable for the unrest in Rome associated with ...

December 18, 1144. Marescotto - Consul of Bologna e Captain general of Bologna in the war against Imola in 1179. Pietro de' Calvi Marescotti -

Podestà (), also potestate or podesta in English, 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 c ...

of Faenza in 1185. Marescotto Consul of Bologna 1227 Guglielmo - Podestà di Siena nel 1232, his son Corrado was

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

of Emperor Frederick II in 1249. Alberto Marescotti son of Ugolino was Consul of Bologna, Captain general of the infantry of Bologna, then took Faenza in 1281 and regained Imola in 1290.

From Renaissance to Enlightment

The navy commander Fabrizio Ruspoli son of Bartolomeo Ruspoli and Maria Ardinghelli distinguished himself in the

Battle of Lepanto The Battle of Lepanto was a naval warfare, naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League (1571), Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of t ...

. The Ottomans lost all but 30 of its ships and as many as 30,000 men, a decisive victory for Christianity and a strategic military one, that marked the start of the decline of the Ottoman's power in the Mediterranean. The Christians attributed the victory to the protection of the Virgin Mary, whom they had invoked by reciting the Rosary, and

Pope Pius V Pope Pius V, OP (; 17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri (and from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 January 1566 to his death, in May 1572. He was an ...

instituted a feast in its honor as

Our Lady of Victory Our Lady of the Rosary (), also known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, is a Marian title. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as Feast of Our Lady of Victory and Feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated on 7 October in the General ...

. Orazio Ruspoli, brother of Fabrizio, became a successful banker and was then named magistrate of the colleges in 1557. Together with his third brother Alessandro he started the Banco Ruspoli in

Siena Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...

and the family became very wealthy. Orazio married Felice Cavalieri and had two children. Lorenzo Ruspoli, their cousin, was in the wool trade and also became a successful banker in

and then Consul. he then married lady Maria di Bernardo Franceschi and had two children; Antonio and Francesco (born on August 20, 1579). The latter became a published satirical poet. Vittoria Ruspoli, daughter of Orazio and Felice Cavalieri, married in 1617 Sforza Vicino Marescotti, Count of Vignanello, Lord of Parrano, Roman noble and Patrizio of Bologna, Magistrate of Conservatori of Bologna in 1632 and Conservatore di Roma in 1654. Vittoria's brother, Bartolomeo Ruspoli after acquiring the fiefdom of the Marquis of Cerveteri and in Rome the Palace on the Ara Coeli, having no children of his own donated everything to the heirs of her sister. Vittoria's husband, Sforza Vicino, descended from the Farnese family from both his mother's and his father's side (see the image on the right). From his father's side he inherited the fiefdom of Vignanello (from the wedding between Sfortia Marescotti and Ortesia Farnese Countess of Vignanello). His grandmother was Giulia Farnese. The entire branch of the Farnese (Dukes of Latera) became extinct and the descendants of the Marescottis (later called Ruspolis by will of Vittoria Ruspoli) kept the fiefdom and the

Castello Ruspoli Castello Ruspoli is a 16th-century castle in the town of Vignanello, Lazio, Italy. It continues to be the property of the Ruspoli family, an old and noble Italian family. It is well known for its Renaissance-era ''Giardino all'italiana''. Histor ...

up to our days. Meanwhile, Clarice born March 6, 1585, sister of Sforza Vicino Marescotti, became a nun in the convent of San Bernardino in

Viterbo Viterbo (; Central Italian, Viterbese: ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Lazio region of Italy, the Capital city, capital of the province of Viterbo. It conquered and absorbed the neighboring town of Ferento (see Ferentium) in ...

with the name of Sister Giacinta. She was canonized Saint by

Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...

in 1807. Her feast is celebrated on January 30.

Galeazzo Marescotti Galeazzo Marescotti (1 October 1627 – 3 July 1726) was an Italian cardinal. Biography He was born in Vignanello, Italy. His father was named Sforza Marescotti and his mother was Vittoria Ruspoli, both born to prominent aristocratic fami ...

, son of Sforza Vicino and Vittoria was elected cardinal by

Pope Clement X Pope Clement X (; ; 13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death on 22 July 1676. Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, born in Rome in ...

The Marescotti-Ruspoli

Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli, first-born son of Alessandro (of Sforza Vicino Marescotti, 4th Conte di

and Vittoria dei Principi Ruspoli), was born March 2, 1672. In 1695 he married lady Isabella Cesi, daughter of Giuseppe Angelo, fifth Duke of

Acquasparta Acquasparta is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Terni (Umbria, central Italy). It is located on a hill above the Naia Valley and the river of the same name, facing the Monti Martani mountain range. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ...

and Giacinta Conti of the Dukes of

Poli DNA polymerase iota is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''POLI'' gene. It is found in higher eukaryotes, and is believed to have arisen from a gene duplication from Pol η. Pol ι, is a Y family polymerase that is involved in transl ...

and

Guadagnolo The Monti Prenestini is a mountain range in the Lazio sub-Apennines, in central Italy to the east of Rome. It is of limestone formation. It is bounded by the Monti Tiburtini to the north, by the Monti Ruffi to the east, and by the valley of th ...

(sister of

Pope Innocent XIII Pope Innocent XIII (; ; 13 May 1655 – 7 March 1724), born as Michelangelo dei Conti, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 May 1721 to his death in March 1724. He remains the most recent pope to take the ...

). Francesco Maria appreciated and helped the development of

Academy of Arcadia The Accademia degli Arcadi or Accademia dell'Arcadia, "Academy of Arcadia" or "Academy of the Arcadians", is an Italian literary academy founded in Rome in 1690. The full Italian official name was Pontificia Accademia degli Arcadi. History Found ...

of which he was a member under the pseudonym Olinto. He was the first patron to welcome them in one of his villas on Via Merulana. The first volume of the ''Rime degli Arcadi'' was dedicated to Francesco Maria. In 1725 the Arcadia took permanent residence in the Gianicolo villa of Bosco Parrasio. In 1707

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

arrived in Rome where for two years he was a guest of Francesco Maria Ruspoli, who named him ''

Kapellmeister ( , , ), from German (chapel) and (master), literally "master of the chapel choir", designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term has evolved considerably in i ...

''. During this period he composed ''Salve Regina'' (HWV 241) which he performed in the Ruspoli Castle in

and ''Diana Cacciatrice'' (HWV 79) which he performed in Palazzo Ruspoli in

. In Rome at the Ruspolis and the Ottobonis he performed the

oratorios An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishabl ...

La Resurrezione ''La resurrezione'' (''The Resurrection''), HWV 47, is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel, set to a libretto by Carlo Sigismondo Capece (1652–1728). Capece was court poet to Queen Marie Casimire of Poland, who was living in exile in Rome ...

'' (HWV 47) and the ''Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno'' (HWV 46a) both dedicated to Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli. Between 1709 and 1716 he was succeeded as ''

'' by

Antonio Caldara Antonio Caldara ( – 28 December 1736) was an Italian Baroque composer. Life Caldara was born in Venice (exact date unknown), the son of a violinist. He became a chorister at St Mark's in Venice, where he learned several instruments, probab ...

. Cardinal

watched over his beloved nephew and was pleased with the brilliant life, but more so with the great culture, munificence, and devotion to God of Francesco Maria. The cardinal had a precise plan: to persuade the pope to elevate the title of the fiefdom of Cerveteri from marquis to prince.Galeazzo Ruspoli, ''I Ruspoli'', Gremese Editore, 2001 Other Roman noble families such as the

Aldobrandini The House of Aldobrandini is an Italian noble family originally from Florence, where in the Middle Ages they held the most important municipal offices. Now the Aldobrandini are resident in Rome, with close ties to the Vatican. History Their ...

, Boncompagni,

Borghese The House of Borghese ( , ) is a family of Italian noble and papal background, originating as the Borghese or Borghesi in Siena, where they came to prominence in the 13th century and held offices under the '' commune''. During the 16th century, t ...

and

Erba-Odescalchi The House of Erba-Odescalchi () and the House of Odescalchi are branches of an Italian noble family formed by the union of the Erba and Odescalchi families. The Odescalchi family was, since the election of Benedetto Odescalchi as Pope Innocent ...

were made princes by their respective popes. The Ruspolis did not have a pope and it was necessary to make a munificent gesture and to acquire particular merits with the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

. In 1707 the cardinal persuaded his nephew to arm a

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...

to donate to the Holy See. The modern hull with wide sails was delivered in

Civitavecchia Civitavecchia (, meaning "ancient town") is a city and major Port, sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea west-northwest of Rome. Its legal status is a ''comune'' (municipality) of Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Rome, Lazio. The harbour is formed by ...

. Handel had composed for the occasion a choral of white voices on a text greeting the pope king. But that was not enough to elevate Cerveteri to a principality. In 1708 Francesco Maria created the Ruspoli Regiment at his own expense. Formed by nearly 1,000 men, the regiment enjoyed some minor victories, until 1709 when in

Ferrara Ferrara (; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, capital of the province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main ...

thanks to a superior armament they were able to push the Austrians back to the north of the

Po River The Po ( , ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy, starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is , or if the Maira (river), Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. The headwaters of the Po are forme ...

. A great victory for which on February 3, 1709, full of gratitude,

elevated Cerveteri to a

Principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchy, monarchical state or feudalism, feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "prin ...

. In 1710 Prince Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli acquired the fiefdom of Riano where he enriched the town with privileges and public works. In 1713 he acquired the fiefdom of

San Felice Circeo San Felice Circeo is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Latina, in the Lazio region of central Italy. It was an ancient city called Circeii. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). It is included i ...

which then passed in 1718 to his daughter's husband, Filippo Orsini. Still in 1713 Francesco Maria bought the

Palazzo Ruspoli The Palazzo Ruspoli is a Renaissance-style, 16th century aristocratic palace located on Via del Corso 418, where Corso intersects with Largo Carlo Goldoni and the Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina, in the Rione IV of Campo Marzio in central Rome, It ...

in Rome from the Caetani who had charged

Martino Longhi the Younger Martino Longhi the Younger (March 18, 1602– December 15, 1660) was an Italian architect of the Baroque period active in Rome, in a milieu when the most prominent competition for commissions came from no less than Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Francesc ...

to build the sumptuous loggia on the courtyard and the famous staircase, one of the four wonders of Rome. In 1721

Pope Benedict XIII Pope Benedict XIII (; ; 2 February 1649 – 21 February 1730), born Pietro Francesco (or Pierfrancesco) Orsini and later called Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 May 1724 to his death in ...

conferred to Francesco Maria the title of ''Principe Romano'', for himself and his descendants, ''ad infinitum'' so the family could conserve the prestige of its ancestors.Gaetano Moroni, ''Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da s. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni'', Tipografia Emiliana, 1846

then came to

in 1725 to solemnly consecrate the new parish church built by the will of Prince Francesco Maria. In 1792

Francesco Ruspoli, 3rd Prince of Cerveteri Francesco, Prince Ruspoli, 3rd Prince of Cerveteri, 3rd Marquis of Riano, 8th Count of Vignanello (February 19, 1752 – March 8, 1829) was the 3rd Prince of Cerveteri, 3rd Marquis of Riano and 8th Count of Vignanello. He was the son of Ales ...

was created

Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (, , cf. ''Fürst'') was a title attributed to a hereditary ruler, nobleman or prelate recognised by the Holy Roman Emperor. Definition Originally, possessors of the princely title bore it as immediate vassal ...

by the Emperor

Francis II Francis II may refer to: * Francis II, Duke of Brittany (1433–1488) * Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua (1466–1519), ruler of the Italian city of Mantua * Francis II of France (1544–1560), king of France * Francis II, Duke of Lorraine ...

. Today Prince Francesco Ruspoli, 10th Prince of Cerveteri is the head of the House of Ruspoli and resident in Palazzo Ruspoli in Rome.

Branches

The Ruspoli Princes

Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Cerveteri Don Francesco Maria Marescotti, Principe Ruspoli (March 5, 1672 – July 14, 1731) was the 6th Count of Vignanello and Parrano and 1st Prince of Cerveteri. He was a son of Alessandro Ruspoli, 5th Count of Vignanello and his first wife Anna Mar ...

Alessandro Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro, Principe Ruspoli (December 3, 1708 – June 20, 1779) was the 2nd Principe di Cerveteri, 2nd Marchese di Riano and 7th Conte di Vignanello. He was the son of Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Cerveteri and his wife Is ...

Alessandro Ruspoli, 4th Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro, Principe Ruspoli (October 5, 1784 – October 31, 1842) was the 4th Prince of Cerveteri, 4th Marquis of Riano, Italy, Riano, 9th Count of Vignanello and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. He was the so ...

* Giovanni Nepomucene Ruspoli, 5th Prince of Cerveteri *

Francesco Maria Ruspoli, 6th Prince of Cerveteri Francesco Maria, Principe Ruspoli (November 30, 1839 – January 23, 1907) was the 6th Principe di Cerveteri, 6th Marchese di Riano, Italy, Riano, 11th Conte di Vignanello and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire ...

Alessandro Ruspoli, 7th Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro, Principe Ruspoli (January 14, 1869 – September 28, 1952), Grand Master of the Sacred Apostolic Hospice, was the 7th Principe di Cerveteri, 7th Marchese di Riano, Italy, Riano, 12th Conte di Vignanello and Princes of the Holy Ro ...

* Francesco Ruspoli, 8th Prince of Cerveteri * Alessandro (Dado) Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri * Francesco Ruspoli, 10th Prince of Cerveteri

The Duke of Fiano ''(extinct)''

* Augusto Ruspoli, 11th Duke of Fiano

The Dukes of Alcudia and Sueca

The Prince Camillo Ruspoli, third son of

and Countess Maria Leopoldina von Khevenhüller-Metsch, was married with Carlota Luisa de Godoy and Borbón, daughter of Manuel de Godoy and Alvarez de Faria, Prince of the Peace, and his first wife, María Teresa de Borbón y Vallabriga, XV countess of Chinchón, who was daughter of Infante Luis Antonio de Borbón and Farnese. * Adolfo Ruspoli, 2nd Duke of Alcudia * Carlos Ruspoli, 3rd Duke of Alcudia and Sueca *

Camilo Ruspoli, 4th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca Don Camilo Carlos Adolfo Ruspoli y Caro, Álvarez de Toledo y Caro, dei Principi Ruspoli (5 June 1904 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish people, Spanish aristocrat, son of Carlos Ruspoli, 3rd Duke of Alcudia and Sueca, and first wife Doña María ...

Carlos Ruspoli, 5th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca Don Carlos Oswaldo Ruspoli y Morenés, Caro y Arteaga, dei Principi Ruspoli (5 August 1932 – 25 October 2016) was a Spanish people, Spanish aristocrat, son of Camilo Ruspoli, 4th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca, Carlos Ruspoli, 4th Duke of Alcudia and ...

* Luis Carlos Ruspoli, 6th Duke of Alcudia and Sueca

The Marquesses of Boadilla del Monte

* Luigi Ruspoli, 3rd Marquis of Boadilla del Monte *

Camillo Ruspoli, 4th Marquis of Boadilla del Monte Don Camillo Carlo Luigi dei Principi Ruspoli (16 January 1865 in Florence – 7 November 1944 in Florence) was an Italian and Spanish aristocrat, son of Luigi Ruspoli y Godoy, 3rd Marquis of Boadilla del Monte and second wife '' Donna'' Emilia, ...

Paolo Ruspoli, 5th Marquis of Boadilla del Monte Don Paolo Maria Giulio Camillo Emilio Adriano dei Principi Ruspoli ( Montughi, Florence, 8 September 1899 – 1969) was an Italian and Spanish aristocrat, son of Camillo Ruspoli, 4th Marquis of Boadilla del Monte and his wife Emilia dei Conti Or ...

* Luis Ruspoli, 7th Marquis of Boadilla del Monte

The Counts of Bañares

* Enrique Jaime Ruspoli, 19th Count of Bañares son of Dona María de Belén Morenés y Arteaga, García-Alesson y Echaguë, 18th Countess of Bañares.

The Princes of Poggio Suasa

These branches originate from Prince Bartolomeo Ruspoli (1800-1872), third son of

and Countess Maria Leopoldina von Khevenhüller-Metsch, and brother of

and

Camillo Ruspoli, Duke of Sueca Camilo Ruspoli y Khevenhüller-Mestch, dei principi Ruspoli, Duke of Sueca and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (20 March 1788 – 30 July 1864) was an Italian aristocrat, son-in-law of Manuel Godoy. Biography He was born in Rome on 20 March ...

He married Dona Carolina

Ratti Ratti may refer to: * Ratti (unit), traditional Indian unit of mass measurement * Ratti Gali Lake, an alpine glacial lake located in Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan * Ratti (surname), Italian surname * Ratti family, Italian family {{disambigu ...

. His son Emanuele Ruspoli was named first prince of Poggio-Suasa after participating in the Italian unification and being the first Mayor of the Italian Rome. He was the grandfather of Emanuela de Dampierre y Ruspoli, Duchess of Segovia and Duchess of Anjou by her marriage to

Infante Jaime, Duke of Segovia Infante Jaime of Spain, Duke of Segovia ( Spanish: '' Don'' ''Jaime Leopoldo Isabelino Enrique Alejandro Alberto Alfonso Víctor Acacio Pedro Pablo María de Borbón y Battenberg''; French: ''Jacques Léopold Isabellin Henri Alexandre Albért ...

, son of Alfonso XIII, King of Spain. *

Emanuele Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Poggio Suasa Emanuele Francesco Maria dei Principi Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Poggio Suasa (December 30, 1837 – November 29, 1899) was an Italian people, Italian and a Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire who twice served as the ...

Mario Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Poggio Suasa Mario dei Principi Ruspoli (October 16, 1867 – January 16, 1963) was an Italian prince, son of Emanuele Ruspoli, 1st Prince of Poggio Suasa and first wife Princess Caterina Vogoride-Conachi. He was the 2nd Prince of Poggio Suasa and Prince of ...

* Marcantonio Mario Dimitri Ruspoli, 3rd Prince of Poggio Suasa * Costantino Mario Ruspoli, 4th Prince of Poggio Suasa and 3th Prince of Candriano

The Princes of Candriano

* Camillo Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Candriano

The Dukes of Morignano

Francesco Alvaro Maria Giorgio Ruspoli, 1st Duke of Morignano ''Don (honorific), Don'' Francesco Alvaro Maria Giorgio dei Principi Ruspoli (April 19, 1891 – March 2, 1970) was an Italian nobility, nobleman, the 1st Duca di Ascoli Piceno#Frazioni, Morignano, Nobile di Viterbo e di Orvieto, Patrizio Roma ...

Galeazzo Maria Alvise Emanuele Ruspoli, 2nd Duke of Morignano ''Don (honorific), Don'' Galeazzo Maria Alvise Emanuele dei Principi Ruspoli (March 27, 1922 – February 21, 2003) was the 2nd Duca di Ascoli Piceno#Frazioni, Morignano, Nobile di Viterbo e di Orvieto, Patrizio Romano and Princes of the Holy ...

* Carlo Emanuele Ruspoli, 3rd Duke of Morignano

Family properties

This is a list of some properties associated with the Ruspoli family File:Immagine La storia.jpg,

Palazzo Ruspoli, Rome The Palazzo Ruspoli is a Renaissance-style, 16th century aristocratic palace located on Via del Corso 418, where Corso intersects with Largo Carlo Goldoni and the Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina, in the Rione IV of Campo Marzio in central Rome, It ...

File:Castello Ruspoli Vignanello1.jpg,

File:Palazzo Ruspoli in Nemi.jpg, Castle of Nemi File:Palazzo Ruspoli in Cerveteri.jpg, Palace of Cerveteri File:Torella dei Lombardi - Castello Candriano (side view).jpg, Castel of Candriano File:Palacio Infante Don Luis, Boadilla del Monte.jpg, Palace of Boadilla del Monte File:007222 - Chinchón (8663010409).jpg,

Castle of Chinchón A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble. This is ...

File:Palazzo ruspoli firenze.jpg, Palazzo Ruspoli in Firenze File:Villa ruspoli da s.marta 01.JPG, Villa Ruspoli in Firenze File:Villa Ruspoli Roma.jpg, Villa Ruspoli in Rome (current Embassy of Spain)

Notable members

Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri Alessandro "Dado" Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri (; 9 December 1924 – 11 January 2005) was an occasional actor and a playboy and eccentric aristocrat, the 9th Prince of Cerveteri, 9th Marquess of Riano, 14th Count of Vignanello and Prince ...

* Bartolomeo Ruspoli * Carlota de Godoy, 2nd Duchess of Sueca * Enrique Jaime Ruspoli, 19th Count of Bañares *

Eugenio Ruspoli Prince Eugenio Ruspoli ( Țigănești, 6 January 1866 – near Burgi, Somalia, 4 December 1893) was an Italian explorer and naturalist. He was the author of the book ''Nel Paese della Mirra'', published in 1892. Biography Ruspoli belonged to th ...

* Eugenia Ruspoli *

Esmeralda Ruspoli '' Donna'' Esmeralda Giovanna Amelia Palma Maria dei Principi Ruspoli-Poggio Suasa (24 June 1928 – 1 September 1988) was an Italian actress and noblewoman. A granddaughter of Mario Ruspoli, 2nd Prince of Poggio Suasa, she was a member of the bl ...

Tao Ruspoli Tao dei Principi Ruspoli ( ; born 7 November 1975) is an Italian and American filmmaker, photographer, musician, and co-founder of The Bombay Beach Biennale. He is the son of Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri and part of the Papal nob ...

Mélusine Ruspoli '' Donna'' Mathilda Mélusine dei Principi Ruspoli (born 25 July 1994), also known as Princess Melusine Ruspoli, is a French-born Italian socialite, model, and fashion influencer. She is the daughter of Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri ...

References

{{Reflist Families of post-ancient Rome Families of Florence Italian noble families