Colonna

Colonna family
Black noble family
Motto: "Mole sua stat" (English: "Be stable in its greatness")
Country	Italy Former countries  Kingdom of Italy  Two Sicilies  Papal States
Estates	Palazzo Colonna (seat) Former estates Orsini-Colonna Castle Palazzo Montecitorio Palazzo Zevallos
Parent house	Counts of Tusculum
Titles	Pope (non-hereditary) Duke-Prince of Paliano Duke of Rignano Duke of Cesarò Prince of Salerno Prince of Sonnino Marquess of Cavo Count of Ceccano Many other titles
Style(s)	"Holiness" (Papacy) "Grace" "Excellency"
Founded	1099; 918 years ago (1099)
Founder	Pietro Colonna
Current head	Marcantonio VIII Colonna
Ethnicity	Italian (Ancient Roman ancestry)
Cadet branches	Colonna-Berberini family Colonna-Stigliano family Colonna-Summonte family Colonna-Rignano family

The Colonna family, also known as Sciarrillo or Sciarra, is an Italian noble family. It was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders. The family is notable for its bitter feud with the Orsini family over influence in Rome, until it was stopped by Papal Bull in 1511. In 1571, the heads of both families married nieces of Pope Sixtus V. Thereafter, historians recorded that "no peace had been concluded between the princes of Christendom, in which they had not been included by name".

According to tradition, the Colonna are a branch of the Counts of Tusculum — by Peter (1099–1151) son of Gregory III, called Peter "de Columna" from his property the Columna Castle in Colonna, Alban Hills. Even far further back, they trace their lineage past the counts of Tusculum via Lombard and Italo-Roman nobles, merchants, and clergy through the Early Middle Ages — ultimately originating from the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

The first cardinal from the family was appointed in 1206 when Giovanni Colonna di Carbognano was made Cardinal Deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano. For many years, cardinal Giovanni di San Paolo (elevated in 1193) was identified as member of the Colonna family and therefore its first representative in the College of Cardinals, but modern scholars have established that this was based on the false information from the beginning of 16th century.