House of Visconti-Urbino

Arms of the House of Visconti-Urbino, a fusing of the arms of the House of Visconti with the arms of the House of Urbino, through one of the quarters serving with the banner of Urbino.

### Cadet Branches

House of Visconti di Napoli (transferred to their control after the extinction of the Visconti senior line)

### Founder

Maria I di ViscontiLudovico III di Urbino

### Current Head

Emmanuele III Ludovico, King of Fidenza and Milan

### Ethnicity

LombardUrbinese

Italian

**The House of Visconti-Urbino** is the current ruling house of the King of Fidenza and Milan, and was created in 1605 upon the ascension of Maria I to the throne after the abdication of Emmanuele I Visconti. Maria was already married, with her children legally part of the House of Urbino. Through a settlement and much debate, the House of Visconti-Urbino was created to allow the Visconti dynasty to continue in Fidenza, though acknowledging their patrilineal descent from the House of Urbino, and Maria's husband Ludovico becoming co-monarch with her.

Many consider Visconti-Urbino to be synonymous with the senior House of Visconti, although legally Visconti-Urbino is defined as its own separate house. All descendants of Queen Maria and Ludovico III are legally members of the House of Visconti-Urbino, including the current King Emmanuele III and his siblings. Visconti-Urbino has been known for presiding over some of Fidenza's greatest eras, with some saying that the cunning of the old Dukes of Urbino is strong in them.

## Background

### **Abdication of Emmanuele I**

King Francesco IV died in 1592, and left his throne to his five year old son, King Emmanuele I. The regency period was stable and prosperous for Fidenza, with the cunning management of his mother, Beatrice d'Este, and after some years the assistance of his elder sister, Maria. The two women had immense knowledge and intelligence, unlike Emmanuele I who was considered dull and had little wit. He was considered to be gravely unprepared for any sort of rulership task. When Emmanuele I turned fifteen, the regency had to end. The governing of the realm quickly spiralled out of Emmanuele, until he could take no more of the formalities and the governing. He made it known to Maria that he intended to abdicate in her favour, something she strongly tried to talk him out of. She warned him it would mean the extinction of House Visconti. Emmanuele said that didn't concern him. He said that all that concerned him was that she would rule justly and prosperously. This, she said, she would do.

### **Ascension of Maria I and settlement of Houses**

Emmanuele's abdication was made official in 1605. There, Maria was crowned as Maria I, Queen of Fidenza and Milan, a position she had never craved nor wanted. She fretted for hours on end about what would be the fate of the House of Visconti. Eventually, she called her husband and her council to meet. She presented a solution on the following terms:

1. The House of Urbino alone would not become the ruling House of Fidenza, though the rulers' descent from that house will be acknowledged.
2. A fusing of the Houses of Visconti and the Houses of Urbino would be put into effect, thus rendering both houses extinct with the creation of a new one.
3. The ruling House of the Kingdom of Fidenza and Milan, as well as all its constituent domains, will officially switch from the House of Visconti to the House of Visconti-Urbino, defined by law as an officially separate house.
4. Ludovico, Duke of Urbino and Royal Consort, would become official co-monarch of the Kingdom of Fidenza and Milan, as King Ludovico III. He would receive equal powers to the Queen herself.
5. The Visconti Dynasty would be acknowledged as continuing its rule over Fidenza in a different form. All lords of the realm would continue their loyalty to the dynasty.

The settlement was accepted by Maria, her council and after much persuasion and consideration, finally by her husband Ludovico. Ludovico was, however, cold toward his wife for some time for the position she put him in. When he complained that she had killed off his house in one fell stroke, she snapped back, *"Well, I can say the same thing for you".* The relationship eventually re-warmed, however, and King Ludovico III and Queen Maria I would rule justly together for almost thirty years, until Ludovico's death in 1634. This devastated her, though she continued her work in governing the realm until her own death at age sixty three in 1642. Her son, Francesco V, would ascend to the throne, the first official monarch of the House of Visconti-Urbino.

## Reign

### **Recent History**

The power and prestige of House Visconti seemingly remained with its successor house. It has been said, however, that Visconti-Urbino has produced a greater ratio of more intelligent, wise and cunning rulers. These include Emmanuele II, Francesco VI, Maria I, and to a certain extent Filippo III despite his easy to manipulate nature. They continued development of culture and customs, as well as trade and other economic gains. They continued colonial growth for Fidenza, even increasing colonial growth almost fivefold over their reigns. Currently, the House of Visconti-Urbino has ruled Fidenza for 120 years, though the senior line of Visconti ruled for 247. It has been said that Visconti-Urbino has already been more accomplished than its predecessor house over its reign. The senior line of House Visconti spent much of its reign infighting and in civil war, of which there have been none during the reign of Visconti-Urbino, in just under half of the total reign of House Visconti. In recent years, the venerated reign of Filippo III has been considered one of the most prosperous periods in Fidenzan and Milanese history. Otherwise, the reign of Francesco VI has been known for military glory and achievements in war. The as-of-yet short reign of Emmanuele III has been known for its grandeur and show of culture and power for the Fidenzan monarchy.

### **List of Rulers**

The following Fidenzan monarchs have been of the House of Visconti-Urbino:

* King Francesco V "the Soldier-King" (1642 - 1672) - daughter of Maria I and Ludovico III
* King Emmanuele II "the Magnanimous" (1672 - 1678) - son of Francesco V
* King Filippo III "the Prudent" (1678 - 1714) - son of Francesco V, brother of Emmanuele II
* King Francesco VI "the Beloved" (1714 - 1761) - great-grandson of Filippo III
* King Emmanuele III (1761 - Present) - grandson of Francesco VI