Brandolini family

The Brandolini (or, in Venetian language, Brandolin, earlier de Brandoli) is a noble family of ancient Forlì origins.

According to the legend, the Brandolini family descended from the same lineage as the house of the Lords of Brandenburgh, when in the year 540 A.D., Brando I, an illustrious captain of cavalry, passed into Italy with Bellisario against the goths.

[2] Raffaele was from Naples, was blind like his older brother Aurelio Brandolini and like him also nicknamed Lippo, in other words rheumy.

Brandolini was locked in a feud with his cousins and was handed over to Rome as part of the negotiations that ended the interdict.

For the victories achieved, the Serenissima offered him in 1436 the lordship of Valmareno, with headquarters in the CastelBrando of Cison, to share with his comrade in arms Erasmo Stefano of Narni (better known by his nickname of Gattamelata).

[6] Still, regardless of the falling out, Gattamelata's daughter Polissena Romagnola was married to Tiberto Brandolini (1417-c1462), the son of Brandolino IV and Giovanna dei Signori della Tela.

Among the recent Brandolinis, we should remember Brando (1918-2005), husband of Cristiana Agnelli, sister of the more famous Gianni and Umberto, and his niece Bianca (born 25 June 1987), third cousin of Lapo Elkann, to whom she was romantically linked.

[6] The motto of the Brandolini family, which can be seen on some versions of the coat of arms is “Impavidum ferient (ruinae)”, Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 BC-8 BC), Carmina, III, 3,7.

It is said that "here the Roman poet, master of stylistic elegance and gifted with unusual irony, described a man of character, upright and remaining fearless, attached to his duty and his opinions, even if the whole world is falling apart around him".