FRANGIPANI, FAMILY. - A noble and powerful Roman family, which in the 11th and 12th centuries exercised extensive power in the city and in papal elections. The name, in its various medieval corruptions, took on diverse forms: Prajapanis, Prajampane, Fragapane, Frangipanius, etc. The coat of arms, which in its upper field shows two lions breaking a loaf of bread, would be linked to the legend that connected the F. family to the Roman family of the Anicii, one of whose members, Flavius, in the 8th century, during a famine and flood in the city, "frangebat panem" to the people.
Only at the beginning of the 11th century does LEONE de Imperio or de Imperatore "qui vocatur Frangapane" appear as famous; from that time they were lords of Cisterna near Velletri, and extended their domains along the Tyrrhenian coast between Rome and Terracina.
In Rome they occupied the Palatine, where, near the Arch of Titus, they possessed the famous "Turris chartularia." In the two centuries of their predominance in Rome they appear now favorable to the papacy, now to the Empire, in the play of political interests, according to which they followed the opportunities of the moment.
In 1061 a CENCIO F. defends the monk Hildebrand, the future Gregory VII, in the election of Alexander II, and when in 1084 Robert Guiscard is at the gates of Rome to liberate Gregory VII, the same Cencius is at the head of the Gregorian party in the city, thereby making the entry of Guiscard easy. In 1093 Urban II finds hospitality and refuge in the Torre cartularia; in 1108 we know of a PIERLEONE and a LEONE F. who assume, by mandate of Paschal II, the government of Benevento.
But with GIOVANNI the F. are already seen orienting themselves toward the Empire, when in 1117 Henry V descends into Italy. And the opposition to the papacy is clamorously witnessed in the scandal of CENCIO F., who in 1118 carries out the sacrilegious attack against Gelasius II, just elected, in the church of S. Maria in Pallaro (St. Sebastian on the Palatine) near the houses of the F., an attack that in July of the same year is repeated at S. Prassede, where the F. had another fortress. The opposition continues with Callixtus II, who has the towers of the F. demolished, forcing them into submission.
A new rapprochement with the papacy occurs in 1124 with the election of Lamberto of Ostia (Honorius II), the candidate of the F. against the Pierleoni. Their loyalty continues more or less throughout the whole 12th century, thus combining to strengthen their position in the city, whose primacy they disputed with the Annibaldi. In 1147, in fact, under Eugene III, at the dismemberment of the territory of Latium, among the powerful Roman families PIETRO F. makes himself lord of Terracina and Sezze, and in Rome they occupied and fortified the Colosseum. The Septizonium was also in their possession, on account of which the famous JACOPA (v.), belonging to this family, was called de' Settesoli.
In the 13th century, under Gregory IX, they are again found siding with the emperor Frederick II.
Various families established in other regions of Italy claimed to be related to the Frangipani of Rome and assumed their name.
Bibliography7 works
Alberto Ghinato