Gerolama Orsini

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Gerolama Orsini
Duchess consort of Parma
Tenure	19 August 1545 – 10 September 1547
Born	1504 Rome, Papal States
Died	1569 Palazzo Farnese, Duchy of Parma
Spouse	Pier Luigi Farnese
Issue Detail	Cardinal Alessandro Vittoria, Duchess of Urbino Ottavio, Duke of Parma Orazio, Duke of Castro Cardinal Ranuccio
Father	Lodovico Orsini
Mother	Giulia Conti

Gerolama Orsini (1504–1569) sometimes Girolama Orsini was a member of the House of Orsini and the wife of Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma. She was the Duchess of Parma by marriage.

Biography[]

Born in Rome, she was the daughter of Lodovico Orsini and Giulia Conti. In 1513 an engagement contract between Orsini and Pier Luigi Farnese was drawn up, and in 1519 the wedding celebrated at Valentano. Her husband was the illegitimate son of Pope Paul III and Silvia Ruffino. The couple had five children three of which would have further progeny. Despite a loveless marriage, Gerolama remained a faithful, devoted wife, tolerating with dignity Pier Luigi's excesses, brutality, and extravagances.

When Cardinal Alessandro Farnese became Pope Paul III in 1534 he made his son Pier Luigi captain-general of the Church and in 1537 duke of Castro and finally in 1545 Duke of Parma and Piacenza. He was murdered in 1547, and Gerolama outlived him by 43 years, dying at the Palazzo Farnese Piacenza in 1590. She was buried at the Farnese crypt at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata, Parma.

Issue[]

1. Vittoria Farnese (10 August 1519 – 13 December 1602) married Guidobaldo della Rovere, Duke of Urbino and had issue.
2. Alessandro Farnese (5 October 1520 – 2 March 1589) never married.
3. Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma (9 October 1524 – 18 September 1586) married Margaret of Parma and had issue.
4. Orazio Farnese, Duke of Castro (died 18 July 1558) married Diane de France no issue.
5. Ranuccio Farnese (11 August 1530 – 1565) died unmarried.

References[]