Montefeltro
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Montefeltro is the name of an historical Italian family who ruled Urbino.
History
In 1213 Bonconte di Montefeltro was elected podestà of Urbino. The Urbinese rebelled in 1228, formed an alliance with the commune of Rimini, and by 1234 were masters of the city. He and his descendants were leaders of the Ghibellines of the Marches and the Romagna. Montefeltrano succeeded (1214-55), and Guido (1255-86 and 1293-6). Boniface VIII absolved him from censures and employed him against Palestrina and the Colonna.
Federico I (1296-1322) increased his domains by taking from the Holy See; Fano, Osimo, Recanati, Gubbio, Spoleto, and Assisi. His exorbitant taxes led to his murder, and the city recognized the papal supremacy. But in 1323 his son Nolfo (1323-59) was proclaimed lord of Urbino. In 1355, on the coming of Cardinal Albornoz, the papal sovereignty was again recognized, but not without loss of territory. Federico II was entirely despoiled. His son, Antonio (1377-1403), profited by the rebellion of the Marches and Umbria against the Holy See (1375) to restore his authority in Urbino.
Guido Antonio (1403-43) was appointed by Martin V (1419) ruler of the Duchy of Spoleto, and carried on war against Braccio di Montone with varying fortune. Oddo Antonio, after a few months' government, was assassinated for his crimes. The Urbinese then offered the lordship to Federico III (1444-82), the illegitimate son of Guido Antonio, a pupil of Vittorino da Feltre's school and a lover of art. Under him Urbino became the resort of the brightest minds of the Renaissance. He was implicated in the wars against Sigismondo Malatesta, the pope, Rene of Anjou, and Florence. Sixtus IV conferred on him the title of Duke of Urbino (1474).
Guidubaldo I (1492-1508) escaped by flight the plots of Caesar Borgia. He adopted Francesco Maria della Rovere (1508-38), his sister's child, and thus the signoria of Sinigaglia was united to Urbino. He aided Julius II in reconquering the Romagna. Leo X deprived him of his territory, which was given to Lorenzo de' Medici, and later to Giovanni Maria Varano (1516-21).
On Leo's death Federico III reascended the throne. The internal government was almost entirely in the hands of duchess Eleonora Gonzaga. Guidubaldo II (1538-74), by his marriage with Giullia di Varano, obtained the Ducy of Camerino, which he had to cede in 1539 to Paul III for 60,000 scudi. In 1572 the Urbinese rebelled against taxation, but were suppressed. Francesco Maria II (1574-1631) endeavored to reduce the taxes imposed by his father. In 1606 and 1626 he withdrew from the government to study natural sciences, and appointed a commission of eight to rule. On the assassination of his only son, Federico Ubaldo, in 1624, he placed his domains under the Holy See.
External Links
Diocese of Montefeltro (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10528a.htm)