Isabella de Luna (died 1564) was an Italian (originally Spanish) courtesan of Renaissance-era Rome. She was known as amusing company,[1] having a kind heart but also a foul tongue.[2] She was an accomplished musician.[3] Amongst her patrons were members of the nobility and cardinals.
Isabella de Luna | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Died | 1564 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Courtesan |
Biography
editIsabella was originally from Granada in Spain.[4] She followed a soldier in the Imperial army of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, where she prostituted herself as a camp follower[5] and was present at the Conquest of Tunis in 1535.[4][6] Around 1536[7] she eventually settled in Rome,[4] where she acquired a house in 1544[8] and became known as the most famous high class courtesan, or cortigiana onesta, of her generation.[9]
As with all courtesans of her class, she had a main client, in her case Roberto Strozzi.[8] Other clients included Cardinal Carafa, the Marquis de Montebello,[10] Cardinal Farnese[11] and author Matteo Bandello.[12] According to Pierre Brantome, she was herself a client of one of her colleagues, Pandora, reputed to be one of the most beautiful in Rome,[13] whom she paid for sexual services.[14] A famous incident took place at a party, where Rocco Biancalana lost a bet to her after he had promised to make her blush, but in which she instead won the bet.
Transgressions
editIn 1555 de Luna was accused of holding a child captive in her house. Before being arrested she fled. She was captured in Rimini whilst on her way to Venice and returned to Rome's Castel Sant'Angelo to await trial.[15] Two years later, in 1557 she was a witness at the trial of Roman nobleman Pompeo Giustini.[15]
During an official crackdown on morality, de Luna and Pandora were arrested and the Pope threatened to burn them at the stake.[10] On another occasion she faced imprisonment for debt but managed to pay the merchant she owed the money before she was incarcerated.[16] However, as she had pretended to use the summons for toilet-paper and appeared before the judge drunk, she was sentenced to a public lashing of 50 strokes on her bare buttocks.[17][18]
Legacy
editIsabella de Luna was portrayed in two contemporary novels by Matteo Bandello.[19] One of which was Lives of Gallant Ladies.[20]
References
edit- ^ Burckhardt 1878, p. 206.
- ^ Burckhardt 1878, p. 166.
- ^ Keefer 1976, p. 41.
- ^ a b c Shemek 1998, p. 159.
- ^ Zafra 2014, pp. 487–504.
- ^ Constantine 2011, p. 148.
- ^ Masson1975, p. 133.
- ^ a b Shemek 1998, p. 161.
- ^ Shemek 1998, pp. 159, 161.
- ^ a b Dickinson1960, p. 148.
- ^ Eyewitness Travel Family Guide Rome 2015, p. 75.
- ^ Masson1975, p. 132.
- ^ Jacobus X 1904, p. 44.
- ^ Shemek 1998, pp. 160–161.
- ^ a b Shemek 1998, p. 240.
- ^ Constantine 2011, pp. 149–151.
- ^ Constantine 2011, pp. 151–152.
- ^ Robin, Larsen & Levin 2007, p. 104.
- ^ Shemek 1998, pp. 166–168.
- ^ Faderman 2013, p. 213.
Bibliography
edit- Burckhardt, Jacob (1878). The Civilisation of the Period of the Renaissance in Italy. C. K. Paul & Company.
- Constantine, Helen (2011). Rome Tales: Stories. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199572465.
- Dickinson, Gladys (1960). Du Bellay in Rome. E. J. Brill.
- Eyewitness Travel Family Guide Rome. Dorling Kindersley Limited. 2015. p. 75. ISBN 9780241199565.
Isabella de Luna rome.
- Faderman, Lillian (2013). Scotch Verdict: The Real-Life Story That Inspired "The Children's Hour". Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231533249.
- Keefer, Lubov Breit (1976). Music Angels: A Thousand Years of Patronage. Keefer.
- Masson, Georgina (1975). Courtesans of the Italian Renaissance. Secker & Warburg. ISBN 9780436273520.
- Robin, Diana Maury; Larsen, Anne R.; Levin, Carole (2007). Encyclopedia of Women in the Renaissance: Italy, France, and England. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781851097722.
- Shemek, Deanna (1998). Ladies Errant: Wayward Women and Social Order in Early Modern Italy. Duke University Press. ISBN 9780822321675.
- X, Jacobus (1904). Crossways of Sex: A Study in Eroto-pathology. British Bibliophiles' Society, privately issued for the subscribers.
- Zafra, Enriqueta (21 October 2014). "El caso de las "mujeres sueltas": Isabella de Luna, prostituta en el ejército imperial y cortesana española en Roma, y la Monja Alférez, Catalina de Erauso". Hispanic Review (in Spanish). 82 (4): 487–504. doi:10.1353/hir.2014.0038. ISSN 1553-0639. S2CID 162321031.