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The House of Corsini is the name of an old and influential Italian princely family, originally from Florence, whose members were elected to many important political and ecclesiastical positions, including that of a Pope. [1]
The Corsinis originated from the areas of Poggibonsi and from the “Pesa” valley, which are between Siena and Florence. They arrived in Florence towards the end of the 12th century. During the 14th century, they gained prominence as politicians, traders, and churchmen in what was the Republic of Florence. They gave to Florence twelve Priors and forty-seven Gonfalonieres of Justice, the highest appointments in Florence.
Matteo (1322–1402) built a considerable fortune at the Court of England, trading wools, silk and fish. He was a close friend to the poet, Petrarch. A banking crisis, which had been caused by the insolvency of Edward III following his wars in France, forced Matteo to relinquish his position in England. He then returned to Tuscany where he invested in land. In 1371, Matteo and the Corsinis were granted the title of Count Palatine by the Charles IV, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Matteo's cousin, Giovanni, became Seneschal of Armenia and Governor of Rodi. Another cousin, Filippo (1334–1421), was a law expert, an active diplomat, and was five times Gonfaloniere of Justice, in Florence.
Two Corsinis were bishops of Fiesole. They were Andrea (1349) [2] and Neri (1374). Two others, Piero (1363) and Amerigo (1411), were bishops of Florence.
Of particular note is Andrea, who was Bishop of Fiesole from 1349 until his death in 1373. [2] He was made a Saint in 1629 (Sant Andrea Corsini, or Saint Andrew Corsini) because of his life of penitence, meditation and dedication to helping the poor. [3] His brother, Neri, was also a Bishop of Fiesole and reached the status of blessed by the church.
Piero (or “Pietro”) Corsini was appointed Bishop of Florence in September 1363 by Pope Urban V. His Florentine episcopate ended in June 1370 when Urban V elevated him to Cardinal and made him Cardinal-Priest of San Lorenzo in Damaso. He was named Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina in 1374 and died in August 1405. [4] He participated in the conclave of 1370, which elected Pope Gregory XI and in the conclave of April 1378, which elected Pope Urban VI. He was present, but did not vote, in the conclave of September 1378 which elected Antipope Clement VII; Clement's election began the Western Schism. He joined the obedience of Antipope Clement VII, and participated in the conclave of 1394, which elected Antipope Benedict XIII. [5] He died in Avignon in August 1405 at the age of 70; at that time, he was Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina (since 1374).
Amerigo (1411) was the first archbishop of Florence.
At the end of the 15th century, the political influence of the Corsini family decreased, mainly because of the seizure of power carried out by the Medici family. Though some of the Corsinis opposed the Medici, the family as a whole continued to flourish in business and politics under Medici rule, acquiring titles, lands, and offices.
Filippo (1538–1601) and Bartolomeo (1545–1613) consistently increased the wealth of the family thanks to their large and well-organised web of commercial desks around Europe. They developed a large banking and brokerage business. They were also responsible for the construction of Palazzo Corsini on the Lungarno; the palace was built in what is now referred to as ‘Florentine Baroque’ style. The two Florentine Palazzos – one on the Lungarno and the other in Via del Prato – mark the intensifying relationship between the family and the art world in the course of the 17th century. The chapel in the Chiesa del Carmine, dedicated to Sant’Andrea Corsini, was built during the first half of the century. The Galleria Gentilizia, where many works of art were preserved, was developed in the Palazzo which dominates the Arno river. Their cousin, Cardinal Ottavio, hosted a musical drama in 1620 at his palace. Some professors argue that this is the first time a lyrical opera was staged.
During those years, the Corsinis were granted the feuds of Sismano, Casigliano and Civitella. In 1620, Paolo V (Pope Paul V) granted them the title of Marquis of Sismano, which was extended by Urbano VIII (Pope Urban VIII) to Casigliano and Civitella (1629), later Lajatico and Orciatico (1644) and finally Giovagallo and Tresana (1652).
The 18th and 19th centuries marked the height of the Corsini family.
Lorenzo was made Pope with the name of Clemente XII (Clement XII, 1730–1740). He founded the Museum Capitolini, and commissioned (among other things) the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi fountain), the façade of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome and the majestic Corsini chapel dedicated to Saint Andrew Corsini on its left side. He also commissioned the façade of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Palazzo della Consulta, and the ports in Anzio, Ravenna (porto Corsini) and Ancona. He was the first pope to ban Freemasonry.
In 1736, Cardinal Neri Maria (Neri Maria Corsini), nephew of Pope Clement XII, commissioned the structure of the “Palazzo Corsini alla Lungara” in Rome. During the Napoleonic occupation of Rome, the palace hosted Joseph Bonaparte.
Bartolomeo (1683–1752) was commander in chief of the Roman Chivalry, and President of the Cabinet of King Charles III in Naples, Vice-King of Sicily. He was also the first Prince of Sismano and Duke of Casigliano, and was Sovereign Marquis of Tresana.
Neri (1771–1845) was a smart politician and was Secretary of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany both under Napoleon and under the Restoration. He was appointed as the sole negotiator of the Habsburg-Lorena (at the time Grand Duke of Tuscany) at the historical Congress of Vienna.
Tommaso (1767–1856) was several times ambassador and senator of the Grand Duchy.
Andrea (1804–1868) was Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Grand Duchy.
Tommaso (1835–1919) was MP of the Kingdom of Italy from 1865 to 1882, life senator and finally Mayor of Florence. He founded the “Fondiaria Assicurazioni”, and was chairman of the Savings Bank of Florence and chairman of the Southern Italy Railways. With an act of generosity and far-sightedness, he gave the Palazzo della Lungara in Rome to the Italian State and donated his entire Roman collection of paintings, prints and books. The Accademia dei Lincei, which he founded, is still located on these premises.
Tommaso (VIII Prince of Sismano, 1903–1980) nephew of Tommaso, took part in Italy's political life as a Constituent Assembly deputy for the constitution of the Italian Republic. As an expert in agriculture and farm animal breeding, he contributed to the modernization of these two sectors in Tuscany and Umbria. His wife, Donna Elena, managed to save the Galleria Corsini and many other treasures from bombings and from the passing of the front line during World War II.
Giovanni (1911–1988), Marquis of Lajatico and Count Palatine, escaped during WWII from an English prison in Ethiopia together with 4 comrades, eventually reaching freedom in Mozambique, after 3500 miles of escape. [6]
The family still exists today, with three main branches in London, Florence, Rome, Milan, Belgium, the United States, the Philippines and Brazil.
One branch of the Corsini family living in Italy, is involved in wine and olive oil production. [7] The estate is managed today by Duccio Corsini. Villa Le Corti, the old family residence, can be toured today by visitors where they will have the opportunity to learn about the history and traditions of the Corsini family. [8]
The 9th, and present, Prince of Sismano is Prince Filippo (born 1937), who was married to Nobile Giorgiana Avogadro di Collobiano (3 August 1939 in Varese – 1 August 2020). [9] Princess Giorgiana Corsini was a key figure in Florentine cultural and artistic life, founder of the exhibition ‘Crafts and Palace’ in the historic Palazzo Corsini in Florence. She died of a suspected heart attack while swimming near the family's estate in Argentario in August 2020, aged 80. [10]
The present prince's heir is his son, Prince Duccio, Duke of Casigliano (born 1964). The duke's son and eventual heir to the princely title was Prince Filippo Corsini. Aged 21, he was killed in London on 31 October 2016 in a cycling accident. [11] The current heir to the Princely title is Prince Duccio's distant cousin, Don Lorenzo Corsini (born 1946).
Pope Clement IX, born Giulio Rospigliosi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 20 June 1667 to his death in December 1669.
Pope Clement XII, born Lorenzo Corsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1730 to his death in February 1740.
Pope Leo XI, born Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1 April 1605 to his death, on 27 April 1605. His pontificate is one of the briefest in history, having lasted under a month. He was from the prominent House of Medici originating from Florence. Medici's mother opposed his entering the priesthood and sought to prevent it by having him given secular honours, but after her death he eventually was ordained a priest in 1567. In his career he served as Florence's ambassador to the pope, Bishop of Pistoia, Archbishop of Florence, Papal legate to France, and as the cardinal Prefect for the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars. He was elected to the papacy in the March 1605 papal conclave and served as pope for 27 days.
Ferdinando Fuga was an Italian architect who was born in Florence, and is known for his work in Rome and Naples. Much of his early work was in Rome, notably, the Palazzo della Consulta (1732–7) at the Quirinal, the Palazzo Corsini (1736–54), the façade of the Santa Maria Maggiore (1741–3), and the Church of Sant'Apollinare (1742–8). He later moved to Naples and notably designed the Albergo de'Poveri (1751–81), the façade of the Church of the Gerolamini, and that of the Palazzo Giordano.
Giuseppe Agostino Orsi was a cardinal, theologian, and ecclesiastical historian.
Andrea Corsini was an Italian Catholic prelate and professed member from the Carmelites who served as the Bishop of Fiesole from 1349 until his death.
The Diocese of Fiesole is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Tuscany, central Italy, whose episcopal see is the city of Fiesole. Fiesole was directly subject to the pope until 1420, when the archdiocese of Florence was created and Fiesole was made one of its suffragan bishops. It is still a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archbishopric of Florence.
The Palazzo Corsini is a prominent late-baroque palace in Rome, erected for the Corsini family between 1730 and 1740 as an elaboration of the prior building on the site, a 15th-century villa of the Riario family, based on designs of Ferdinando Fuga. It is located in the Trastevere section of the city, and stands beside the Villa Farnesina.
The 1758 papal conclave, convoked after the death of Pope Benedict XIV, elected Cardinal Carlo Rezzonico of Venice, who took the name Clement XIII.
Innocenzo Cibo was an Italian cardinal and archbishop.
This timeline lists important events relevant to the life of the Italian diplomat, writer and political philosopher Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (1469–1527).
Neri Maria Corsini was an Italian nobleman and Catholic priest and cardinal.
Neri Corsini, Nerio Corsini or Neri Corsini the Elder was an Italian cardinal from the noble Corsini family.
Corsini is an Italian surname.
The 1730 papal conclave elected Pope Clement XII as the successor to Pope Benedict XIII.
Bandino Panciatici was a Roman Catholic cardinal from 1690 to 1718.
Giovanni Antonio Guadagni, OCD, religious name Giovanni Antonio di San Bernardo – was an Italian Discalced Carmelite and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. His rise in the ranks became rapid after his maternal uncle became Pope Clement XII. He was soon after made a cardinal and served in various positions within the Roman Curia.
Bindo Altoviti of the Altoviti family was an Italian banker and one of the most influential papal bankers of his generation. A patron of the arts, he cultivated close friendships with artists such as Benvenuto Cellini, Raphael, Michelangelo and Giorgio Vasari.
Tommaso Rinuccini was an Italian noble, diplomat and friend of Galileo Galilei.
The Altoviti are a prominent noble family of Florence, Italy. Since the medieval period they were one of the most distinguished banking and political families appointed to the highest offices of the Republic of Florence, friends and patrons of Galileo Galilei, Vasari, Raphael, and Michelangelo. They had a close personal relationship with the papacy. Through a predominant endogamous marriage policy they established alliances with dynasties of principal and papal nobility as the Medici, Cybo, Rospigliosi, Sacchetti, Corsini, and Aldobrandini.
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