Ranuccio Farnese the Elder

Ranuccio Farnese (c. 1390 – 2 July 1450) was an Italian nobleman, feudal lord and condottiero.

Born in Ischia di Castro, he is considered the founder of the fortunes of the Farnese family. In 1416 Ranuccio succeeded his father as commander-in-chief of the Republic of Siena's troops, and defeated the Orsini of Pitigliano. In 1419 Pope Martin V appointed him as Senator of Rome,^[1] and three years later he received the fiefs of Tessennano and Piansano in the Papal States.

Also serving as Captain General of the Church under Eugene IV, Ranuccio obtained new lands in rewards of the creadits accumulated towards the Apostolic Chamber. These included Montalto di Castro, Canino,^[1] and numerous others in the northern Lazio.

His children included:

• Rosa "la Vannozza", mistress of Pope Alexander VI^[1]
• Gabriele, married Lella Orsini^[1]
• Eugenia, married Stephano Colonna Lord of Palestrina^[1]
• Pier Luigi I Farnese, Signore di Montalto, married Giovannella Caetani.^[1] Parents of Alessandro Farnese, later known as Pope Paul III^[2]

• Gamrath, Helge (2007). Farnese: Pomp, Power, and Politics in Renaissance Italy. L'Erma Di Bretschneider.
• Williams, George L. (1998). Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes. McFarland & Company, Inc.
• del Vecchio, Edoardo (1972). I Farnese. Istituto di Studi Romani Editore.