Anna Colonna

Anna Colonna (1601–1658) was an Italian noblewoman of the Colonna, as daughter of the Prince of Paliano, and Barberini families. She was also the Princess of Palestrina and Duchess of Monterotondo.

Early life

Colonna was born in 1601 at Orsogna; the daughter of Filippo Colonna, Prince of Paliano, and Lucrezia Tomacelli, of Galatro Her paternal grandparents were Carlo Colonna and Anna Borromeo and her maternal grandparents were Girolamo Tomacelli and Lucrezia Ruffo. Both the Tomacelli and Ruffo families were influential in Naples.

One of the members of Colonna's mother's entourage was the poet Francesca Turina Bufalini, the grandmother of Cardinal Mazarin. Bufalini would compose several poems in honor of both Anna and her mother The convent had been founded by Anna's maternal grandmother Ippolita Ruffo At the castle, a coat of arms was erected which merged the heraldic bees of the Barberini with the single column of the Colonna.

Colonna and her husband had great affectation for each other which also extended to their children, whose well-being Colonna informed her husband about in great detail in their correspondence. Colonna showed great care for her children, even sleeping by their beds in a makeshift cot when they were ill.

The event was held in honour of the 1634 visit to Rome of Prince Alexander Charles Vasa of Poland and the Piazza was decorated with tapestries of gold and silver. Colonna distributed diamonds and other prizes to winning tournament entrants.

Botanist Giovanni Baptista Ferrari spent a significant amount of time working in the gardens established by Colonna's brother-in-law, Cardinal Francesco Barberini. The second edition of his botany reference book, De Florum Cultura, was dedicated to Colonna in 1638. Colonna was also a patron of botanical artist, Giovanna Garzoni.

Religious patronage Colonna would remain very religious throughout her life and donated regularly to religious charities. In 1638, Colonna requested the relics of the Oratorian founder Philip Neri and commissioned the sculptor Alessandro Algardi to design gold and silver reliquaries to house them. Mazarin had also served as infantry captain under Colonna's father, Filippo Colonna.

Colonna who had remained in Rome in order to protect the possessions of the family made a passionate appeal (in person) to the Pope, urging him not to strip the Barberini of their assets. The Pope agreed and, though he paid some debts out of the Barberini estate, left the Barberini alone. which provided a substantive basis for the hereditary Barberini principality. However, her son declined her request and she was forced to seek funds from her brother, Girolamo. The project was indeed eventually completed; she was buried in the church (demolished 1881) of that name in Trastevere, Rome.In 1653, Lucrezia's brother was married to Pope Innocent's grand-niece, Olimpia Giustiniani. The marriage resolved many problems at once, reconciling the Barberini and Pamphili families; allowing the remaining Barberini exiles to return to Rome.

Now restored to favor, Colonna also wanted to arrange her daughter Lucrezia's marriage, a matter which she expected to have a say in, but was told by her brother-in-law Cardinal Antonio Barberini that she would have no say in whom her daughter married. Her mother dejected then retired to Regina Coeli, where she would have the company of her sister Vittoria who had been made prioress of the convent.

Soon after this Lucrezia was married to the twice widowed Francesco I d´Este, Duke of Modena.

Death Colonna died in 1658 and was buried at the grounds of the convent.

Family

Colonna and Barberini had five children:

Lucrezia Barberini (1628–1699) who married Francesco I d'Este and became Duchess of Modena. Camilla Barberini (1629–1631) who died in infancy Carlo Barberini (1630–1704) who became a Cardinal Maffeo Barberini (1631–1685) future Prince of Palestrina Niccolò Maria Barberini (1635–1699) became a Carmelite monk

References and notes

Anna