Clarice Orsini was a noblewoman from the Orsini family, one of the most powerful and influential families in Rome. She married Lorenzo de’ Medici, the unofficial ruler of Florence and a patron of the arts and culture, in 1469. Their marriage was arranged by Lorenzo’s mother, Lucrezia Tornabuoni, who wanted to enhance the social status of the Medicis by allying them with an older and more established family. Clarice and Lorenzo had ten children, four of whom died in infancy. Clarice was a devout and modest woman, who often clashed with Lorenzo’s humanist and secular ideals. She also acted as a mediator between her husband and her relatives, as well as a representative of his interests in other cities. She died in 1488, at the age of 35, of tuberculosis. This article will explore the life and death of Clarice Orsini, and how her cause of death affected her husband and family.
Early Life and Marriage
Clarice Orsini was born around 1453 in Monterotondo, a town near Rome that was part of the Orsini domains. Her father was Jacopo Orsini, the lord of Monterotondo and Bracciano, and her mother was Maddalena Orsini, his cousin. Clarice had two brothers, Rinaldo and Latino, and a sister, Giovanna. She grew up in a military and feudal environment, where her family was involved in wars and alliances with other Roman nobles, such as the Colonna and the Borgia. She received a basic education, but not much exposure to the classical and humanist culture that was flourishing in Florence at the time.
In 1469, when Clarice was 16 years old, she was betrothed to Lorenzo de’ Medici, who was 20 years old and the eldest son of Piero de’ Medici, the de facto ruler of Florence. The marriage was arranged by Lorenzo’s mother, Lucrezia Tornabuoni, who traveled to Rome to meet Clarice and evaluate her suitability as a bride for her son. Lucrezia described Clarice as tall and fair but not pretty, with red hair and a shy personality. She also noted that Clarice was very religious and obedient to her parents. The marriage negotiations were completed with a dowry of 6,000 florins in gold, dresses, and jewels from the Orsinis.
The wedding took place by proxy in February 1469 in Rome, where Clarice’s brother Rinaldo acted as Lorenzo’s representative. A lavish tournament was held in Florence to celebrate the marriage. Clarice arrived in Florence on June 4, 1469, accompanied by her father, her brother Latino, and a large entourage of relatives and servants. She was welcomed by Lorenzo and his family at the Porta al Prato, where they exchanged rings. Then they proceeded to the Medici palace in Via Larga, where they consummated their marriage. The next day, they attended a mass at the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, where they received the papal blessing from Pope Paul II’s envoy. The following three days were filled with festivities, banquets, dances, and shows for the newlyweds and their guests.
Family Life and Political Role
Clarice and Lorenzo had a fruitful but not always harmonious marriage. They had ten children between 1470 and 1480: Lucrezia (who married Giacomo Salviati), two male twins who died soon after birth, Piero (who succeeded his father as the ruler of Florence), Maddalena (who married Franceschetto Cybo), Contessina (who married Piero Ridolfi), Beatrice (who died young), Giovanni (who became Pope Leo X), Luisa (who died before age 12), Contessina (who married Piero Ridolfi again after his first wife’s death), Giuliano (who became Duke of Nemours). Clarice loved her children dearly and devoted herself to their education and well-being. She also tried to instill in them her religious values and morals.
Clarice had a difficult relationship with Lorenzo’s humanist friends and associates, such as Marsilio Ficino, Angelo Poliziano, Pico della Mirandola, Luigi Pulci, and others. She disapproved of their pagan and secular views on life and art, as well as their influence on her husband. She also resented their mockery of her Roman accent and manners. She preferred to spend her time in prayer or reading devotional books rather than attending literary salons or artistic events. She often retreated to her private apartments or to one of her villas outside Florence.
Clarice also played an important political role as a mediator between her husband and her relatives in Rome. She helped her brother Rinaldo become the Archbishop of Florence in 1474, despite Lorenzo’s initial opposition. She also intervened in several disputes and conflicts between the Orsinis and other Roman families, such as the Colonna, the Borgia, and the della Rovere. She used her network of contacts and informants to gather information about the political and military situation in Italy and abroad, and to communicate her husband’s interests and instructions to his allies and enemies. She also represented him in several diplomatic missions to other cities, such as Volterra, Colle Val d’Elsa, Passignano sul Trasimeno, and others. She was treated with respect and deference by the local authorities and populations, who recognized her as Lorenzo’s wife and envoy.
Death and Legacy
Clarice Orsini died on July 30, 1488, in Florence, after a long illness. She had contracted tuberculosis, a disease that was common and deadly at the time. She suffered from fever, coughing, weight loss, and weakness. She was attended by her favorite daughter Maddalena, who nursed her until the end. Her husband Lorenzo was not with her when she died, nor did he attend her funeral. He was himself very ill and had gone to Bagno a Filetta near Siena to seek a cure for his gout and kidney stones. He was also deeply involved in the political crisis that followed the death of Pope Sixtus IV and the election of his successor Innocent VIII.
Lorenzo was devastated by Clarice’s death, even though he had not always been faithful or attentive to her during their marriage. He wrote a letter to his friend Francesco Guicciardini, expressing his grief and regret: “I have lost a wife who was more than a wife to me; she was my companion in good and bad fortune; she was my counselor in all my affairs; she was my comfort in all my troubles; she was my refuge in all my dangers; she was my solace in all my sorrows.” He also wrote a poem in her memory, praising her virtues and lamenting her loss.
Clarice Orsini was buried on August 1, 1488, in the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo, next to her father-in-law Piero de’ Medici. Her tombstone bears the inscription: “Clarice Orsini de Medici, wife of Lorenzo de’ Medici the Magnificent, mother of ten children, died on July 30th 1488”. Her portrait by Sandro Botticelli is preserved in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Clarice Orsini is remembered as a loyal and devoted wife, a loving and caring mother, a pious and modest woman, and a skillful and influential diplomat. She played a significant role in the history of Florence and Italy during the Renaissance. She was also the ancestor of many prominent figures in European history, such as Catherine de’ Medici (Queen of France), Marie de’ Medici (Queen of France), Cosimo I de’ Medici (Grand Duke of Tuscany), Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici (Electress Palatine), Henry IV of France (King of France), Louis XIII of France (King of France), Louis XIV of France (King of France), Philip V of Spain (King of Spain), Charles III of Spain (King of Spain), Francis I of Austria (Holy Roman Emperor), Maria Theresa of Austria (Holy Roman Empress), Marie Antoinette (Queen of France), Napoleon Bonaparte (Emperor of France), Victor Emmanuel II of Italy (King of Italy), Umberto II of Italy (King of Italy), among others.
