Orsini family
Orsini family
Otho
<catset>Category="Italian noble families"</catset>The <b>Orsini family</b> was a powerful noble family in <a href="Middle Ages">medieval</a> and <a href="Renaissance">Renaissance</a> <a href="Rome">Rome</a>, supplying three <a href="Pope">popes</a> and many other leaders, and fighting with their rivals, the <a href="Colonna family">Colonna family</a>, for influence.<p>According to their family lore, the Orsinis claim to be descended from the <a href="Julio-Claudian dynasty">Julio-Claudian</a> family of ancient Rome.<p>The three Orsini popes were <a href="Pope Celestine III">Pope Celestine III</a> (<a href="1191">1191</a>-<a href="1198">1198</a>), <a href="Pope Nicholas III">Pope Nicholas III</a> (<a href="1277">1277</a>-<a href="1280">1280</a>), and <a href="Pope Benedict XIII">Pope Benedict XIII</a> (<a href="1724">1724</a>-<a href="1730">1730</a>).<p>In 1426 the Orsini family constructed the castle "Castello Orsini-Odescalchi" in the town of <a href="Bracciano">Bracciano</a>.