Colonna family

Colonna
Black noble family
Country	Papal States  Kingdom of Naples  Kingdom of Sicily  Kingdom of Italy
Current region	Italy  Vatican City
Etymology	"Column", from city of Colonna
Place of origin	Tusculum, Alban Hills
Founded	1078; 947 years ago (1078)[1]
Founder	Pietro Colonna [2]
Current head	Don Prospero Colonna Prince of Avella (Paliano line)
Titles	List Pope (non-hereditary) Prince assistant to the Papal throne (1514–2018) Prince of Paliano (1556–present) Prince of Stigliano (1796–present) Prince of Sonnino (1503–1796) Prince of Carbognano (1630–present) Prince of Salerno (1419–1432) Prince of Gallicano (13th century–1870) Prince of Palestrina (12th century–1630) Roman Patrician (1101–1870)
Members	Prospero Colonna (b.1956) Marcantonio Colonna (b.1948) Giovanni Andrea Colonna (b.1975) Filippo Colonna (b.1995)
Motto	"Semper Immota" ("Always steadfast" or "Always unshaken")
Estate(s)	Palazzo Colonna (seat) Colonna Palace of Paliano [3]
Website	www.galleriacolonna.it/i-colonna/

The House of Colonna, is an Italian noble family, forming part of the papal nobility. It played a pivotal role in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one pope (Martin V), 23 cardinals and many other church and political leaders. Other notable family members are Vittoria Colonna, close friend of Michelangelo, Marcantonio II Colonna (Marcantonio Colonna), leader of the papal fleet in the Battle of Lepanto (1571) and Costanza Colonna, patron and protector of Caravaggio.^[4] The family was notable for its bitter feud with the Orsini family over their influence in Rome, which was eventually settled by the issuing of the papal bull Pax Romana by Pope Julius II in 1511. In 1571, the heads of both families married nieces of Pope Sixtus V. Thereafter, historians recorded that "no peace had been concluded between the princes of Christendom, in which they had not been included by name".^[5] Today, the family is led by Don Prospero Colonna (b.1956).^[6]