Imperia Cognati

As the Papal courtiers were clerics who were banned from marrying, the women they consorted with could not be marriageable, but at the same time, they must be educated and know their etiquette to be able to converse and participate in formal court life.

Imperia was born the daughter of Diana di Pietro Cognati[1] (other sources: Cugnati,[2][3] Corgnati[4]), a Roman prostitute.

[1] It has thus been speculated that Paris de Grassis, the later master of ceremonies of Pope Julius II, could have been her father when he was young.

He financed Imperia to maintain what was called a royal standard of living, and she kept both a palace in Rome and a country villa outside the city.

Several reasons for her committing suicide are rumored: She had been genuinely in love with Angelo del Bufalo, her longtime client with whom her contact had ended.

Another states she felt replaced by Chigi's younger mistress,[4] yet others allude to an affair of honor involving Pope Julius II demanding her death.

[3] Author Pietro Aretino, her contemporary, claimed however that Imperia died rich, venerated and dignified in her own house.

Lucrezia grew up in Siena[2] or in the convent of St. Mary in Campo Marzio,[1][3] leading a sheltered and virtuous life before marrying Arcangelo Colonna and having two sons.