Geraldini Family

This was one of the most important families of Amelia during the 15th and 16th centuries.  More information on the family and its most prominent members can be found at : www.geraldini.com.

Angelo Geraldini (1422 - 86)

Angelo Geraldini was the architect of his family’s fortunes.  He studied law at Perugia and then became the rector of the University of Perugia and its first non-Perugian Professor of Law (1444-6).  It was during his tenure as rector that the component parts of the university took on the titles of “Sapienza Vecchia” and "Sapienza Nuova".  He probably commissioned the altarpiece (1446-7) known as the Madonna del Pergolato from Giovanni Boccati for the chapel of the latter, but subsequently rejected it.  It is now exhibit 62, Room 9 of the Galleria Nazionale, Perugia.

Pope Nicholas V (1447-55) gave him the revenues the monastery of Sant’ Erasmo di Cesi in commendam, and Giovanni Fiorentino painted frescoes there in his honour.

He entered the service of Pope Callistus III in 1455, and he was made Bishop of Sessa - Aurunca (in Campania) in 1464.

In 1476, he entertained Pope Sixtus IV (who had left Rome to escape the plague) at his palace in Amelia.  This was the occasion on which the Pope met Piermatteo d' Amelia and commissioned him to decorate the vault of the Sistine Chapel.

In  1482, Pope Innocent VIII sent Angelo Geraldini as papal nuncio to King Juan II of Aragon.  Angelo impressed the king, who appointed him as his counsellor and sent him back to Rome to obtain a papal dispensation for the marriage of his son Ferdinand and Isabella of Castille.

His monument is in the Geraldini Chapel of  San Francesco.

Battista Geraldini (ca. 1434 – 86)

Battista was Angelo's younger brother.   As a young boy, he lived with Angelo at Perugia (1446), and Angelo's influence at the Roman Curia and at the court of Milan shaped his subsequent career.  After terms as Podestà at Montefalco and Orvieto he held the same post at Milan (1464-8), before moving on to govern Corsica on behalf of Galeazzo Maria Sforza.  Unfortunately, his term of office there coincided with a rebellion.  However, his career subsequently revived and he acted as Podestà of Florence (1474) and Sienna (1480) and subsequently as Capitano del Popolo of Perugia.  Battista Geraldini built Palazzo Geraldini (see the walk) in the 1470s.

Giovanni Geraldini (1438 - 88)

Giovanni Gealdini was Angelo's younger brother.  He became confessor to King Ferrante I of Naples, and it was on the king's recommendation that he was made Bishop of Catanzaro, Calabria in 1467.  He founded the family chapel in San Francesco and was originally buried there, but his monument was later moved to the Duomo.

Antonio Geraldini (1450 – 89)

Antonio was Angelo's nephew.  Like his uncle, he became a noted diplomat and humanist.  He acted as papal nuncio at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, and it was in this capacity in 1486 that he supported Christopher Columbus' planned voyage to the New World.  Unfortunately, he died before he could witness the successful voyage across the Atlantic.

Agapito Geraldini (1450 – 1515)

Agapito began his career in Rome in 1482.  Pope Alexander VI appointed him as his secretary and as papal legate to Perugia and Umbria. 

Agapito's association with the Pope’s son, Cesare Borgia began in 1498 when he organised the cortège that accompanied Cesare to France for his marriage to Princess Charlotte of Albret.  Agapito then negotiated with the King of France for financial support for Cesare’s campaign in the Romagna in 1500.

Agapito was a witness to the murder of Cesare’s allies in 1503, and became Cesare's vicar in Perugia after the expulsion of  the Baglioni soon after.  With Cesare’s subsequent downfall, Agapito retired to private life. 

Alessandro Geraldini (1455 - 1525)

Alessandro was Antonio’s younger brother.  He accompanied  Antonio to Spain, where he became the tutor to the royal children.  When Antonio died, he took over the support of Christopher Columbus and was influential in ensuring that the project went ahead.
 
Alessandro became chaplain to Catherine of Aragon, and accompanied her to England in 1501 for her marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales.  He was with her at Ludlow when Prince Arthur died a year later.  Since he was of the view (unwelcome to Catherine’s parents) that the marriage had been consummated, he was recalled to Spain. 

In 1516, Alessandro asked Pope Leo X to send him to the episcopal see of Santo Domingo, where he became the first Christian bishop in the New World.  He was already 64 when he undertook the 200-day voyage to Santo Dominigo, and he stayed there until his death nine years later.  His portrait in in the Pinacoteca.

Return to  San Francesco 
Return to the Duomo