Giulia Gonzaga

Giulia Gonzaga (1513 – 16 April 1566) was an Italian countess, ruler and letter writer of the Renaissance. She was the countess regnant of Rodigo as the heir of her late spouse between 1528 and 1541. Biography Giulia was born in Gazzuolo (near Mantua) in 1512 the daughter of Ludovico Gonzaga, lord of Sabbioneta and Bozzolo, and Countess Francesca Fieschi. In 1526 (at age 14) she was married to count Vespasiano Colonna (1480–1528), count of Fondi and duke of Traetto (present-day Minturno). After her husband died in 1528 three years after their marriage, he left her his domain, the County of Rodigo and stated the she was to be ruling count of this county until her death or until she remarried. Giulia organized her palace as a center of culture, attracting the attention of many of her contemporaries as much for these activities as for her famous beauty, though she refused to marry again. She had a liaison with Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici of Florence, who died in Itri (southern Lazio) after a meeting with her.