Guidobaldo II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino

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 his own portrait, and buying Titian's Venus 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 da 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

Early life

He was the son of Francesco Maria I della Rovere and Eleonora Gonzaga. In 1535, he married Giulia da Varano (b. 1523), daughter of the duke of Camerino and Caterina Cybo, but the couple had no issue. At the assassination of his father, Guidobaldo became duke of Urbino in 1538.

Career

Portrait of The Duke of Urbino wearing an Armor by Filippo Negroli, ca. 1580–85, Metropolitan Museum of Art

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 1547 death of Giulia da Varano, in 1548 he married Vittoria Farnese - 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 Isabelle, 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.

Personal life

His additional children included:

• Francesco Maria II, who succeeded him as Duke of Urbino.
• Isabelle, wife of Niccolò Bernardino Sanseverino, 6° Prince of Bisignano.
• Lavinia, married Alfonso Félix de Ávalos Aquino y Gonzaga, Marquis del Vasto.

After falling ill during a voyage to Ferrara and Pesaro, he died in the latter town in 1574.

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.
• Feliciangeli, B. (1891). Notizie e documenti su la vita di Caterina Cibo-Varano, duchessa di Camerino. Camerino.