PICCOLOWINI, one of the oldest and most distinguished families.of Italy, was origin ally settled at Rome, but afterwards removed to Siena, and subsequently obtained pos session of the duchy of Amalfi. It has produced numerous celebrated litterateurs and warriors, one pope (Phis II.), and several cardinals. One of the most distinguished in the history of this family was Ottavio Piccolomini, the first duke of Amalfi, born in 1599, and fifth in direct descent from pope Pius II. He early entered the Spanish military service, and after taking part in the 31ilanese campaigns, was sent as capt. with a Florentine cavalry regiment to aid Ferdinand 1I. against time Bohemians. As a cavalry leader lie distinguished himself; and from the regiment of cuirassiers under his command issued the death-dealing bullet to Gustavus Adolphus. In 1634 he was laced under the orders of Wallenstein, who took a great fancy to him, and confided to him his secret designs against the emperor; Piccolomini, howevei, communicated these designs to the emperor, and received, as a reward for his fidelity, a part of Wallenstein's estates. During the remainder of this year he was actively engaged against the Swedes, and greatly distinguished himself in the first battle of Nordlingen. In the following season he was sent with 20,000 troops to aid the Spaniards in the Netherlands, where the French mad Dutch were carrying all before them. Piecolomini speedily drove out the French, but his success against the Dutch was not so marked. He was withdrawn by the
emperor in 1640 to stay the Swedes, who, under Baner, were threatening the hereditary possessions of Austria; and his success against these invaders in Bohemia and the Palat inate, though damped by the defeat inflicted on him in Silesia by Torstensohn: induced the king of Spain to entreat the emperor to send him again to the Netherlands to take the command of the Spanish troops. But his success was not nearly so decisive as before, the prestige of the Spanish infantry having been completely destroyed by the great Conde at Rocroi (May 19, 1643). Piccolomini, however, was again successful against both the French and Dutch till 1648, when he was anew summoned to Germany to eneoun ter the victorious Swedes; but after a brief campaign the peace of Westphalia (1648) put an end to his career. He was created a field-marshal by the emperor, and was sent as plenipotentiary to the congress of Nuremberg (1649), and soon after was raised to the high dignity of a prince of the empire. The king of Spain conferred upon him the order of the golden fleece, and bestowed upon him in fief the duchy of Amalfi, which had previously belonged to his family. Piccolomini died at Vienna, Aug. 11, 1656, leaving no children; his son Max, who figures in Schiller's Wallenstein, is only a poetical fiction. His fame as a warrior and general is somewhat tarnished by his cruel treatment of a number of Hessian and Luncburger prisoners in 1640.