“They say she had been ridden off because she had little regard for chastity, or because of Ve

“They say she had been ridden off because she had little regard for chastity, or because of Vespasiano’s suspicion of it, least it would be considered a disgrace for his own house since he often quoted Caesar, that the wife of a great man out to be free of mere guilt, but also suspicion of crime.”Alessandro Lisca, Vita Vespasiani Gonzagae Sablonetae ducis &c. auctore Alexandro Lisca iurisconsulto, & equite patritio Veronensi, p. 6 [my translation] Diana was born in Palermo around 1531 as the daughter of Antonio de Cardona y Peralta, Marquis of Giuliana, Earl of Chiusa and Baron of Burgio (belonging to the Sicilian branch of the ancient and noble Catalan house of Folc de Cardona) and Beatrice de Luna e Aragona.Nothing is known in particular about her early life except she had been at some point betrothed to Cesare Gonzaga, son of Ferrante I Gonzaga (who had been Viceroy of Sicily from 1535 to 1546) Earl of Guastalla. As a trusted man of Emperor Carlos V, Don Ferrante had been appointed in 1546 as Governor of the Duchy of Milan and it is in this moment that he led his (supposed to be) future daughter-in-law with him to Milan.But independent and free-spirited Diana wasn’t happy in Milan. It’s unclear what was the cause of it (contemporary sources affirm they don’t know or can’t remember), but at some point Diana got in a huge fight with Don Ferrante and fled from the city.According to some gossipers, the real cause was Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna, Earl of Sabbioneta, member of a cadet branch of the Gonzaga and thus a relative of Ferrante and Cesare. During a visit of the Earl in Milan, Diana had fallen in love with him. Vespasiano was about her same age, and was described as charming and charismatic. He was the only child of Luigi “Rodomonte” Gonzaga (eldest son of  Ludovico Gonzaga of Sabbioneta), and Isabella Colonna. Luigi died in 1532, leaving a one year-old child, who then became his grandfather’s heir. Because of some disagreements between Isabella and her father-in-law, and especially following her remarriage to Filippo di Lannoy Prince of Sulmona, little Vespasiano was entrusted to his paternal aunt, Giulia Gonzaga. Aunt Giulia loved tenderly her nephew and did her best to ensure him a bright future, like sending him to the Habsburg court in Madrid, where he refined his education and strengthened his bonds with the Royal House, especially with the Infante Don Felipe.Once returned to Italy, a 19 years-old Vespasiano could now take full possession of his domains (his grandfather had died in 1540 and, also thanks to Giulia Gonzaga’s appeals, the Emperor had recognized Vespasiano’s inherited titles) and settled in Sabbioneta, which he would later shape into his ideal city. Again aunt Giulia was the one who had previously, before her nephew had left for  Spain, shunned a betrothal between Vespasiano and Vittoria Farnese, granddaughter of Pope Paul III. Giulia didn’t look kindly on the Farnese and to ensure that that union never took place, she demanded an outrageously high dowry from Vittoria’s father to allow the marriage.On the other hand, the Gonzaga matriarch appreciated Diana Cardona and, perhaps, the young Sicilian’s wealth might have been one of the reasons. The two families, Gonzaga and Cardona, were also closely related as Giulia’s aunt, Susanna Gonzaga, had married Pietro II Cardona Ventimiglia (curiously enough, these two had had a daughter called Diana). During her flee from Milano, apparently in the desperate attempt to go back to her family, Diana had stopped (or was stopped) in Piacenza, where Vespasiano was currently staying. Now, if Vespasiano too had fallen in law with the spirited and beautiful Sicilian lady, if he was prompted by his aunt to get a hold on Diana’s wealth  or if he offered himself as a mean to avoid much more scandal by offering Diana a shotgun wedding, we won’t never know. Fact is, the two of them secretly married in Piacenza in 1549 and, because of the secrecy (even her mother would be informed much later), the union wouldn’t be announced until 1550 when the couple triumphantly entered in Sabbioneta. As a trusted military man, Vespasian was often away from home, busy fighting in various parts of the great Habsburg Empire. During his absence, his wife personally ruled and managed the earldom of Sabbioneta. In the many letters sent to Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga and Dowager Duchess Margherita Paleologa, regents of the Duchy of Mantova on behalf of little Duke Francesco III Gonzaga, Diana presented herself “come superiore et padrona” (as superior and mistress) and her sometimes strong tones reveal a matched strong character. The countess of Sabbioneta (who had the full support of her aunt-in-law, Giulia Gonzaga) had truly taken at heart the privileges and rights of newly acquired dominions and didn’t appreciate any meddling of the main branch of Gonzaga of Mantova. Surely the thrill and satisfaction derived from being a mistress of herself, perfectly capable of ruling a (tiny) earldom must not have been enough for Diana. She must have thought something was missing on the personal and intimate level and her husband’s long absence must have made her feel lonely, especially since she was still childless (we only know of a stillborn son in 1550, right after the couple arrived in Sabbioneta). Around 1558-1559 she started a secret relationship with a Giovanni Annibale Ranieri, a dashing secretary. It was rumoured she had even became pregnant by her lover. Unfortunately for her, her husband found out (we don’t know if he received letters or someone told him). It looks like, though, he reacted quite quickly as the mere suspicion (aggravated by the rumours of the pregnancy) horrified him greatly. The betrayed earl ordered one of his trusted men, Antonio Messirotto, to kill Ranieri. The secretary was abducted, taken to a secret room and killed. Then, according to the tradition, Vespasiano led his wife into that same room, gave her a cup of poison and locked her in with her dead lover. Diana resisted for three long days, after which, worn out, she drank the poison. As she was agonizing because of that horrible death, she was taken to her chamber where she finally died. It was November 9th, 1559.Vespasiano laconically sent words of her death to both her and his family, claiming a stroke had ended her life, leaving Diana speechless just right before her death. Vespasiano would remarry two more times, to Anna d'Aragona y Folch de Cardona and to Margherita Gonzaga, daughter of the same Cesare who had been Diana’s first betrothed. Anna d’Aragona was too related to Diana (and to Felipe II), and like her kinswoman, her death would be sudden and tainted with the suspect of murder. Vespasiano and Anna would get married in 1564 in Spain. The following year, Anna would give birth to twin Giulia (who would die shortly after) and Isabella. The following year, the long-awaited male heir, Luigi was born. Married life would be cut short for the new Countess of Sabbioneta as she would die in the fortress of Rivarolo Mantovano on summer 1567. The official cause of death was postpartum complication (coupled with depression), but some evil tongues once again blamed poison and a jealous husband.Unfortunately for Vespasiano Gonzaga, if he could be cleared of all the charges of his first two wives’ deaths, the same cannot be said about his only son’s tragic end. Luigi had grown up pampered and spoiled, which combined with a proud character, made the teen a rebellious young lord. One day, while he’s riding with his friends, he purposefully didn’t acknowledge his father’s greeting. Angered by his son’s irreverence, Vespasiano ordered him to dismount from his horse. Luigi obeyed, but some defiant words from the kid, led Vespasiano to react and kick his son in the stomach. The hit was so strong, Luigi fell and fainted, blood dripping from his mouth. After three days of agony, on January 21st, 1580 Luigi Gonzaga died, leaving a distraught and full of guilt father. He was 13. Without a male heir (the union with Margherita Gonzaga would remain childless), Vespasiano’s titles and possessions would be inherited at his death in 1591 by his daughter Isabella, and with her ended the line of the Gonzaga of Sabbioneta, with the land becoming a possession of the Carafa della Stadera, the family she would marry into. Sources Affò Ireneo, Vita di Vespasiano Gonzaga, duca di Sabbioneta, e Trajetto, marchese di Ostiano, conte di Rodigo, Fondi ec., p. 12-41Almirante Carla, Giulia GonzagaAvanzini Nicola, GONZAGA, Vespasiano, in Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, vol. 57 Bonsignori Raffaella, Vespasiano Gonzaga. Un uomo e la MorteCannarozzo Antonello, Vespasiano Gonzaga, uomo d'arme e umanista. L'ombra della morte di due mogli e del figlio…Cowan James, Hamlet’s Ghost: Vespasiano Gonzaga and His Ideal CityPeyronel Rambaldi Susanna, Una gentildonna irrequieta: Giulia Gonzaga fra reti familiari e relazioni eterodosseVerfasser Racheli Antonio, Delle Memorie Storiche di Sabbioneta, p. 542-543; 572-576Vespasiano I Gonzaga Colonna. Un personaggio -- source link

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