House of Sacchetti

The House of Sacchetti is an Italian noble family originating in Tuscany whose earliest documented member Merlo lived during the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The name of the family is derived from one or more members known as Sacchetto. According to Ugolino di Vieri (1438–1516),"nobile Sacchetti genus est, moenia primus romanus sangius".

Eugenio Gamurrini in his Istoria genealogica delle famiglie nobili toscane et umbre (1668–1685) placed the family's origin within the "gens Cornelia", one of the most distinguished families of the Roman Republic, whose first known Consul was Servius Cornelius Cossus Maluginensis, in 485 BC. According to Gamurrini the Sacchetti descend from the Cornelii Merulae branch. The family was certainly well established in Florence during the 12th century. Dante Alighieri mentions the family in The Divine Comedy, Paradise Canto XVI in which Dante's Great-grandfather lists the ancient families of Florence, "Grand'era gia` la colonna del Vaio (Pigli), Sacchetti, Giuochi, Fifanti e Barucci e Galli e quei ch'arrossan per lo staio"(a reference to the Tosinghi family that were a branch of the Visdomini) (Great was already the column of minever, Sacchetti, Giuochi, Fifanti, and Barucci and Galli, and they who blush for the bushel.) Dante also recounted meeting his father’s first cousin, Geri del Bello in The Inferno, Canto XXIX:1-36. Dante placed his cousin in the ninth chasm, among the sowers of discord for the family's dispute with the Sacchetti, most likely Brodaio Sacchetti, consul in 1203. At the time of Dante's vision the feud had not been settled. The families were finally reconciled in 1342.

Trancept of Santa Croce, Florence. Tomasso was married to Tancia Strozzi, daughter of Palla Strozzi who was exiled by the Medici. Tomasso appears to have been the only son-in-law of Palla Strozzi not to have suffered under the Medici.

According to Ugolino di Vieri the Sacchetti originated in Fiesole and were among the families forced to transfer and take up residence in Florence after Fiesole was finally conquered by Florence in 1125. One of the earliest surviving records is in the year 1137; Sacchetto and his brother Bernardino di Bonizo di Merlo contract a tower association with members of the Uberti family.(Strozziane Uguccioni, 1137 agosto 11). It was the descendants of Sacchetto that would eventually use this as a patronymic and become known as the Sacchetti. Brodaio di Sacchetto was elected to the Council of the Florentine Republic in 1197 and Consul in 1202. While Cingisallo and Albizzo di Rovinoso are listed among the Anziani for the year 1200. When Florentine society was divided between the political factions of the Guelf and the Ghibellines most members of the family sided with the Guelf party. In 1260 the Teghiaio and Giambeto Sacchetti fought in the Battle of Montaperti against the Ghibellines of Siena while Gaglia di Upizzino Sacchetti was one of the men charged with defending the Carroccio, a wheeled altar which was the rallying point for a medieval army. The Sienese defeated the Florentines and the Sacchetti were exiled but later returned with the eventual defeat of the Sienese and the final expulsion of the Florentine Ghibellines. Despite the families support for Guelf party the Sacchetti were barred from holding public office with the promulgation of the Ordinances of Justice in 1293 and 1295. The ordinances were intended to exclude Ghibelline sympathizers and nobles with a reputation for their bellicose nature and a predilection for violence to impose their will. Eventually the family returned to the council and the highest offices of the Republic. The family has two main branches, one that remained in Florence up to the time of the hegemony of the Medici and relocated to Rome in the sixteenth century and the Neapolitan branch that went into the service of the Normans in southern Italy shortly after their forced transfer from Fiesole.

...
Wikipedia