duchy · Italy

Duchy of Urbino

1213 CE – 1631 CE (approx.) · capital Urbino

The Montefeltro and della Rovere state in the Marche, whose ducal palace and court made Urbino a model of Renaissance civility.

Origins

The Montefeltro family, lords of a mountainous area on the borders of Romagna and the Marche, received Urbino as counts in the early 13th century; the register dates the county from 1213. They ruled as papal vicars and condottieri.

Rule and society

Federico da Montefeltro, a famous mercenary captain, was made duke in 1474 and built the Ducal Palace and a celebrated library. His son Guidobaldo's court inspired Baldassare Castiglione's Book of the Courtier, and Raphael was born in the city in 1483. In 1508 the duchy passed to Francesco Maria I della Rovere, nephew of Pope Julius II, and from 1523 Pesaro became the main residence. The duchy was also known for maiolica.

Decline and legacy

Francesco Maria II della Rovere died without a male heir in 1631, and the duchy, already promised by agreement, devolved to the Papal States, which ruled it until 1860.

Lineage

Lordship of Pesaro 1285 CE – 1512 CEDuchy of UrbinoPapal States 754 CE – 1870 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Duchy of Urbino. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-urbino
MLA
“Duchy of Urbino.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-urbino. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Duchy of Urbino.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-urbino.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Duchy of Urbino’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/duchy-of-urbino (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻