Guidobaldo II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino

Guidobaldo II
Guidobaldo II by Agnolo Bronzino
Duke of Urbino
Reign	1539-1574
Predecessor	Francesco Maria I
Successor	Francesco Maria II
Born	2 April 1514 Urbino, Duchy of Urbino
Died	28 September 1574 (aged 60) Pesaro, Duchy of Urbino
Spouse	Giulia Varano Vittoria Farnese
Issue	Virginia, Duchess of Gravina Francesco Maria II, Duke of Urbino Isabella, Princess of Bisignano Lavinia, Princess of Francavilla
House	Rovere
Father	Francesco Maria I della Rovere
Mother	Eleonora Gonzaga

Guidobaldo II della Rovere (2 April 1514 – 28 September 1574) was an Italian condottiero, who succeeded his father Francesco Maria I della Rovere as Duke of Urbino from 1538 until his death in 1574. He was a member of the House of La Rovere. Guidobaldo was an important patron of the arts in general, and of Titian in particular, commissioning Titian's Venus of Urbino.

Biography

He was the son of Francesco Maria I della Rovere and Eleonora Gonzaga. He married Giulia da Varano, daughter of the lord of Camerino but the couple had no issue. At the assassination of his father, Guidobaldo became duke of Urbino in 1538.

In 1546 he received a condotta as military leader (Governatore) by the Republic of Venice, for which his father had been a valiant commander during the Italian Wars. After the death of Giulia da Varano (1547), he re-married to Vittoria Farnese in 1548-the daughter of Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma and Gerolama Orsini, daughter of Lodovico Orsini and wife and first cousin Giulia Conti. Later he was made Papal governor of Fano, receiving also the title of capitano generale (commander-in-chief) of the Papal States, as well as that of Prefect of Rome.

In 1559 he was hired by the King of Spain, helping Bernardo Sanseverino (who had married one of Guidobaldo's daughters) in the war against the Ottoman Turks.

On 1 January 1573 a revolt rose against Guidobaldo in Urbino, due to the excessive tax burden that he was exerting over his state. He reacted by bloodily suppressing the riot.

After falling ill during a voyage to Ferrara and Pesaro, he died in the latter town in 1574. His son Francesco Maria II succeeded him as Duke of Urbino. His additional children were:

• Isabelle, wife of Niccolò Bernardino Sanseverino, 6° Prince of Bisignano.
• Lavinia, wife of marquis de Vasto.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Guidobaldo II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino

16. Leonardo della Rovere               8. Raffaele della Rovere                       17. Lucchina Monleone               4. Giovanni della Rovere                             9. Teodora Marinola                       2. Francesco Maria I della Rovere, Duke of Urbino                                   20. Guidantonio da Montefeltro, Count of Urbino               10. Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino                       5. Giovanna da Montefeltro                             22. Alessandro Sforza               11. Battista Sforza                       23. Costanza da Varano               1. Guidobaldo II of Urbino                                         24. Ludovico III Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua               12. Federico I Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua                       25. Margaret of Bavaria               6. Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua                             26. John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach               13. Barbara of Brandenburg                       27. Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg               3. Eleonora Gonzaga                                   28. Niccolò III d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara               14. Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara                       29. Ricciarda da Saluzzo               7. Isabella d'Este                             30. Ferdinand I of Naples               15. Eleanor of Naples                       31. Isabella of Clermont

References

• Bicchierai (1854). Lettere d'illustri capitani mai stampate. Florence.
• Litta, P. (1834). Famiglie celebri italiane. Milan.