Felice della Rovere

Felice della Rovere , also known as Madonna Felice, was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Julius II. One of the most powerful women of the Italian Renaissance, she was born in Rome around 1483 to Lucrezia Normanni and Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, later Pope Julius II. Felice was well educated, became accepted into close courtly circles of aristocratic families, and formed friendships with scholars and poets through her education and genuine interest in humanism. Through the influence of her father, including an arranged marriage to Gian Giordano Orsini, she wielded extraordinary wealth and influence both within and beyond the Roman Curia. In particular, she negotiated a peace between Julius II and the Queen of France, and held the position of Orsini Signora for over a decade following the death of her husband in 1517. Felice further increased her power through a castle that she bought with money received from her father, the Castle at Palo, and through her involvement in the grain t

The exact date of Felice della Roveres birth is not known. She is believed to have been born in Rome, most likely in the year 1483. Felices mother, Lucrezia Normanni, was born in Trastevere in Rome. Felices maternal lineage can be traced back to the 11th century, which, at the time of Felices birth, would have made the Normanni one of Romes oldest families. Felices father, Giuliano della Rovere, was born in the coastal village of Liguria. In his youth, Giuliano was a member of the Franciscan order before being made Archbishop of Avignon by his uncle, Pope Sixtus IV. It is likely that Giuliano and Lucrezia had a brief relationship after meeting in Trastevere, where Giuliano was known to visit. Felice grew up alongside two siblings, a halfbrother named Gian Domenico and a halfsister, Francesca, both of whom were born after her mothers marriage to Bernardino de Cupis. Felices stepfather was employed by Cardinal Girolamo Basso della Rovere as a maestro di casa, and oversaw the cardinals se

Source: Wikipedia