SAVELLI FAMILY. — The family is historically linked with Aimerico, who was the father of CENCIO, papal chamberlain and cardinal of S. Lucia in Silice in 1192, later Pope Honorius III (q.v.); at the same time another CENCIO S. was cardinal priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina from 1191, was consecrated bishop of Porto by Honorius III in 1217, and died the following year. A Tommaso, cardinal of S. Sabina (1216–43), and a Bertrando, legate in France (d. 1223), were erroneously assigned to this family (cf. Eubel, I, p. 2 ff.).
In 1368 the S. succeeded the Pierleoni in possession of the Theatre of Marcellus (Monte Savello); they had their residence near S. Sabina on the Aventine, which they fortified, and houses in Parione (vicolo S.). Outside the city they held dominion over Albano, Castel Gandolfo, Ariccia and surrounding places, at Rignano, Cesano (Civita Castellana), Scrofano, Turrita (Nepi), Castelleone and Monteverde (Sabina), Palombara.
They had their burials at the Aracoeli and at S. Alessio on the Aventine.
LUCA S., grandson of Honorius III, senator of Rome, led the popular uprising of 1234, for which he was excommunicated and removed from office by Gregory IX. He died in 1266 and was buried at the Aracoeli. His children by Vanna Aldobrandesca were GIACOMO, cardinal deacon of Urbano IV on 17 Dec. 1261 and later Pope Honorius IV (q.v.), PANDOLFO, podestà of Viterbo in 1275 and senator of Rome, who stood alongside Honorius in maintaining tranquility and order; GIOVANNI, who was custos of the conclave at Viterbo in 1270 and was created marshal of the Church and custos of the conclave by Gregory X; he also served Charles of Anjou and received the county of Venafro from him.
In the struggles of Boniface VIII the S. sided with the Colonna; but in the 14th century they stood with the Church and participated in the government of Rome: GIACOMO was senator and vicar of King Robert of Anjou; so too was his son GIOVANNI, who also appears as marshal of the Church. PAOLO was a man of arms and died at Venice in 1405.
The family returned to the Sacred College with GIOVANNI BATTISTA, who, despite the opposition of the Orsini, was created cardinal deacon by Sixtus IV on 15 May 1480, was legate of Perugia on 16 June 1480, and sent to Genoa (2 Dec. 1480–30 June 1481) on account of the city’s discord and the preparation of the fleet against the Turk. Imprisoned in Castel S. Angelo on 21 June 1482 and held as a hostage in the disputes between the Pope and the Colonna, together with Cardinal Prospero Colonna, he was not released until 15 Nov. 1483. Under Innocent VIII he was legate in Ancona (1484) and at Spoleto (31 Aug. 1492). In the conclave of Alexander VI he sided with the Borgia and held in commendam the see of Majorca (31 Aug. 1492–27 Mar. 1493) and the legation of Bologna. He died at Castel Gandolfo on 18 Sept. 1498 and was buried at the Aracoeli; his brother MARIANO had commanded the papal troops under Sixtus IV.
GIOVANNI BATTISTA of Palombara fought for Clement VII against the Colonna and was viceroy of Abruzzo for Charles V; under Paul III he fought against Perugia, was head of the cavalry against Ascanio Colonna, and with the papal troops in Germany in 1546; he died at Florence in 1551. It was Paul III who made hereditary in the S. the office of marshal and custos of the conclave.