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Marcantonio II Colonna (sometimes spelledMarc'Antonio; 1535[1] – August 1, 1584),Duke of Tagliacozzo andDuke and Prince of Paliano, was an Italian aristocrat who served asViceroy of Sicily in the service of theSpanish Crown, general of theSpanish forces, andCaptain General of the Church. He is best remembered for his part as the admiral of thePapal fleet in theBattle of Lepanto.[2] He was "one of the most illustrious land and sea captains of the 16th century."[3]
Marcantonio Colonna, born in 1535 atCivita Lavinia,[4] was a member of the nobleColonna family of theLazio, then one of the most powerful feudal dynasties of thePapal States and theKingdom of Sicily, which was under Spanish rule. His parents were Ascanio Colonna, Duke of Tagliacozzo, andGiovanna d'Aragona.
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Due to acts of rebellion, he was disinherited by his father; but in 1562 Colonna was able to regain the family fiefs for himself, largely thanks to the support ofPope Pius IV. However, he had to forfeit several possessions, such asNemi,Ardea, andCivita Lavinia, due his father, Ascanio, having left little money.
In 1553–1554, during the war againstSiena, Colonna was made commander of the Spanish cavalry. Colonna often stayed atAvezzano, where in 1565 he expandedthe castle by adding a new floor. He also had a fountain built as well as creating aloggia by theFucine Lake. The castle was later converted into a fortified palace with a moat and drawbridge.[5]
In 1571,Don John of Austria appointed him captain-general of the allied fleet against the Moors.[4]At theBattle of Lepanto (7 October 1571), he commanded the papalCapitana (flagship) as part of theCentre division, where he rescued theReal, flagship of commander Don John of Austria. When theReal was almost taken by the Ottoman janissaries, Colonna came alongside, with the bow of his galley and mounted a counter-attack. With the help of Colonna, the Turks were pushed off theReal and the Ottoman flagship ofAli Pasha was boarded and swept. The entire crew of Ali Pasha's flagship was killed, including the commander himself. The banner of the Holy League was hoisted on the captured ship, breaking the morale of the Turkish galleys nearby.[6]
On Colonna's return to Rome,Pope Gregory XIII confirmed him asCaptain General of the Church.[4]
In 1577King Philip II named Colonna asViceroy of Sicily. He was also Lord ofMarino, then a village a few miles south of Rome, where the inhabitants honoured him with a great annual feast which still takes place today, under the name of "Sagra dell'uva".
Later in his life he moved toL'Aquila, where he lived in the house now called the Palazzo Porcinari.
In November 2022, the Italian Navy launched the Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship,Marcantonio Colonna.[3]
On 29 April 1552, at Rome, he married Felicia Orsini, daughter ofGirolamo Orsini, Lord of Bracciano, and granddaughter ofGian Giordano Orsini and his second wifeFelice della Rovere, natural daughter ofPope Julius II. Her mother was Francesca Sforza of Santa Fiora, daughter of Bosio II Sforza, XI Count of Santa Fiora, and his wifeCostanza Farnese, Natural daughter ofPope Paul III.
They had seven children, four sons and three daughters:
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| Preceded by | Viceroy of Sicily 1577–1584 | Succeeded by |
