Paolo Giordano I Orsini (1541 – November 13, 1585) was the first duke of Bracciano from 1560. He was a member of the Rome family of the Orsini.
The son of Girolamo Orsini and Francesca Sforza, he was grandson, on his father’s side, of Felice della Rovere (illegitimate daughter of Pope Julius II) and Gian Giordano Orsini and, on his mother’s side, of Count Bosio Sforza and Costanza Farnese (illegitimate daughter of Pope Paul III).
In 1558 he married Isabella de' Medici, daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
In 1571 he took part to the battle of Lepanto. Two years later he fought in the Spanish expedition against Tunis with six Tuscan galleys.
Described as a ruthless, violent and rude figure, in 1576 he strangled his wife (accused of a love affair with his cousin Troilo Orsini) in the Villa Cerreto Guidi near Florence, probably with the complicity of her brother Francesco. The following year he had Troilo killed by arquebusiers. After the uxoricide he fled to Rome where he started a relationship with Vittoria Accoramboni, wife of Francesco Peretti, the nephew of the future pope Sixtus V. Peretti was assassinated by Paolo Giordano's order in 1581.
Wanted by both the Papal and Florentine police, he took refuge in northern Italy, first in Venice and then in Abano and Salò with his mistress, whom he married on April 20, 1585.
Paolo Giordano Orsini died in 1585. However, in December of the same year Vittoria was assassinated by Ludovico Orsini of the Monterotondo line, in revenge of his brother Roberto's death in the course of a feud connected to Paolo Giordano's deeds.
His fiefs were inherited by his son Virginio Orsini, whom he had with Isabella.
| Preceded by New creation |
Duke of Bracciano 1560–1585 |
Succeeded by Virginio Orsini |