Alfonsina Orsini

Alfonsina Orsini
Alfonsina Orsini by Sandro Botticelli.
Spouse(s)	Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici
Noble family	Orsini family
Father	Roberto Orsini, Conte Tagliacozzo
Mother	Catherine San Severino
Born	1472
Died	7 February 1520(1520-02-07)

Alfonsina Orsini (1472 – 7 February 1520) was a Regent of Florence. She was the spouse of Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici from 1488 and the mother of Lorenzo II de' Medici. She was the daughter of Roberto Orsini, Conte Tagliacozzo and Catherine San Severino.

Biography

She is credited with a great influence over the affairs of state. She governed The Republic of Florence during the absence of her son in the period of 1515–1519. She was involved in the plans regarding the war between Florence and France, as well as in the plans of making a treaty. She also had oversight of Pope Leo's entry into Florence in November 1515.

Alfonsina Orsini's maid, Simonetta da Collevecchio, was to-be the mother of Alessandro de' Medici.

References

• http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower1500.htm

Literature

• Natalie Tomas: Alfonsina Orsini de'Medici and the ‘problem’ of a female ruler in early sixteenth-century Florence (2008)