Marcantonio Colonna

For other uses, see Marcantonio Colonna (disambiguation).

Marcantonio Colonna.

The Victors of Lepanto (from left: John of Austria, Marcantonio Colonna, Sebastiano Venier).

Marcantonio II Colonna (sometimes spelled Marc'Antonio; 1535 – August 1, 1584), Duke and Prince of Paliano, was an Italian general and admiral.

Biography

Colonna, born at Civita Lavinia, was a member of the famous noble family of the Lazio, then one of the most powerful fief holder of the Papal States and the Kingdom of Sicily (under the rule of Spain).

In 1553-1554, during the war against Siena, he was created commander of the Spanish cavalry.

At the Battle of Lepanto (October 7, 1571), his admiral ship was protagonist of the decisive victory of the Christian League against the Ottoman fleet. On his return to Rome, Pope Gregory XIII confirmed him Captain General of the Church.

Marcantonio Colonna was also seignor of Marino, then a village some kilometers south of Rome: the population honoured him with a great feast which is held yearly still today, under the name of "Sagra dell'uva".

In 1577 King Philip II named him Viceroy of Sicily.

Famous descendants

Queen Paola of Belgium is a descendant of Admiral Colonna on 13th generation. Her great-great-grandfather Fulco Giordano Ruffo di Calabria married Maria Felice Alliata, whose paternal grand-mother is Felice Colonna, a descendant of the admiral and the Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna-Maria Mancini couple.

External links

• Biography (italian)

Preceded by Carlo d'Aragona Tagliavia

Viceroy of Sicily 1577–1584

Succeeded by Juan Alfonso Bisbal

Persondata
Name	Colonna, Marcantonio
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1535
Place of birth
Date of death	August 1, 1584
Place of death