Felice della Rovere: The Pope's Daughter Quiz

Answer: Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II, her father, commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. Pope Sixtus IV was her uncle, Francisco della Rovere. The infamous Borgia Pope Alexander VI had children, as did his predecessor Innocent VIII. This was a magnificent and often corrupt period of church history. These papal children were conceived when their fathers were cardinals.

Answer: false

Her mother was Lucrezia Normanni, from a prominent and ancient Roman family. There is no indication that she and Felice's father were ever in a relationship after her birth and she married either shortly before or after the birth. The stepfather was Bernardino de Cupis who soon became a manager of one of the della Rovere family households. Felice and her mother were kept within the della Rovere family orbit.

As Felice and her step-siblings had good relationships. It was evidently a happy family.

Answer: Raphael

The painting hangs in the Vatican apartments and shows a lovely young woman turned toward the Pope as he is saying Mass. There are other masterpieces of that era that are thought to be Felicia.

Answer: Orsini

It was a marriage arranged by her father, the pope. The Orsini family was one of the most prominent families in Italy for many generations. She was previously married and widowed as a young teenager. Georgio Orsini was 20 years older than Felice and she was only 20 when they married.

The marriage was consummated within 15 minutes of the wedding ceremony with the guests keeping time, apparently. This was a practice to insure that an annulment could not be claimed. All kinds of mental images come to mind as to how you time 15 minutes in the 1500s. Gives a whole new meaning to the term, "You may kiss the bride."

Answer: wheat

She was a business woman in her own right and her wealth came primarily from wheat. The wheat was grown on the Orsini estate after her husband's death. She was one of the most powerful women in Renaissance Italy. She also invested in her own castle with dowry money from Pope Julius. The castle was on a important port. She was considerably ahead of her times as a business woman.

Answer: Queen Anne of Brittany

The diplomatic ties were established between the Vatican and France when Felicia's father was Pope. Felicia became a very powerful influence in Vatican circles.

Answer: Roman Catholic

She traveled with an entourage which included priests, with vestments and all the chalices etc for mass. Those close to her describe her as a chaste woman. She ordered expensive bee's wax candles weekly for her prayers.

Answer: castle of a friend

She hid in plain sight, as it were. She wore plain clothing over a fortune in jewels and escaped to a castle of a friend who was not affected by the sack. The sack took place in 1527 and was one of several. Many were killed and tortured but she and her family escaped unharmed.

Answer: Napoleone Orsini

Her enemy proved to be her stepson Napoleone Orsini. The conflict was over the Orsini estate which Felicia inherited.

Answer: True

Through her charm, strength of character and intelligence, she was able to save her family's fortune. She has been called "Machiavellian." The Pope sent a fleet of ships to meet her on her trip from her family home. It was never a secret that she was his daughter.