Prospero Colonna (1452-1523), sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was a condottiero in the service of the Papal States and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars.

Biography

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A member of the ancient noble family of the Colonna, he was born in Civita Lavinia, near Velletri (Lazio) in 1452. He was a cousin of Fabrizio Colonna.

His first notable action as a military leader was in 1484, when he defended the family castle of Paliano from the assault of the rival Orsini and Riario. After some other battle deeds, Prospero, who had joined Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere's party, was imprisoned in Castel Sant'Angelo (Rome) by Pope Alexander VI. Freed, he was again imprisoned for his allegiance to Charles VIII of France during his descent to Italy. In the end, the King of France was victorious against the Pope, and could enter in Rome unscathed, backed by Prospero and Fabrizio Colonna, in 1495.

During the brief French rule over the Kingdom of Naples, Prospero obtained the duchy of Trasetto and the county of Forlì. However, when Charles returned behind the Alps, he helped king Ferdinand II of Naples to drive away the French viceroy from Naples.

Situation again changed with the new French invasion of Louis XII. While the Neapolitan king Frederick IV fled to the Ischia island, Fabrizio and Prospero Colonna tried to defend the kingdom. Both were beat, and imprisoned in the Castel Nuovo of Naples. They were also excommunicated by Alexander VI, who captured their castles in the Lazio. Ransomed, both the cousins entered at the service of Consalvo de Cordoba of Spain, viceroy of Naples.

Prospero Colonna had an important role in the Spanish victory at Cerignola (1503), which gave Spain the keys of Naples. After Alexander VI's death, he could also conquest back his territories in the Lazio. He commanded the light cavalry at the Battle of Garigliano.

Prospero aggregated to his fiefs Itri, Sperlonga, Ceccano, Sonnino and others. He was again a great fedautarian of southern Italy, and he married Covella di Sanseverino, who gave him a heir, Vespasiano. Also at service of Spain, Colonna gained further victories against France in northern Italy in 1522 (Battle of Bicocca).

His health was declining however, and he died in 1523 at Milan.

1452 births | 1523 deaths | Natives of the Lazio | Condottieri | Military leaders of the Italian Wars | Prospero Colonna