House of Orsini

The House of Orsini was a prominent family in the Italian city of Rome, during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, noted for their centuries-long feud against the Colonna family and their numerous fiefs and titles.

Claiming descent from Gaius Julius Caesar himself, they were originally known as Bobone, an example being Cardinal Giacinto Bobone, who reigned as Pope Celestine III (1191 - 1198).

During the Italian Wars, condottiero Niccolò di Pitigliano was a member of the eponimous cadet branch of the family.

On the dawn of the 16th century, three more Orsini condottieri fought bravely against the Borgia: Fabio, Carlo, and Gentile Virginio, with Fabio lending an old storehouse on Tiber Island to the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze for his war against their common enemy. However, the Borgia family had the upper hand for a time, until they were disgraced and Fabio Orsini personally had Cesare Borgia arrested on several charges.

In 2012, the family was included in a mnemonic set in Abstergo Industries' Project Legacy.