PICCOLOMINI,. pik'kc5-1(‘n'i-n& The name of an old Italian family, whose ancestors settled at Rome, afterwards removed to Siena, and finally obtained the Duchy of Amalfi. Its most eminent member was _ENEAS SYLVIUS Ptcc'oLOmixt, who became Pope in 1458. (See Plus 11.) The fam ily also gave several cardinals to the Church, and another pope, Pius III. (q.v.).—OrrAvio PiccoLomixt (1599-1656), first Duke of Amalfi, and fifth in direct descent from Pope Pius II., was a distinguished general in the Thirty Years' War on the Catholic side. He first entered the Spanish military service, and then as captain in a Florentine cavalry regiment aided Emperor Ferdinand II. against the Bohemians. lle won distinction as a cavalry leader, served under Wallenstein, and at Liitzen (1632) commanded the regiment of cuirassiers that met the last charge of Gustavus Adolphus. Wallenstein con fided to him his secret designs against the Em peror; Piccolomini, however. communicated these designs to the Emperor, and after WallensteiMs assassination (1634) received as a reward for his fidelity a part of his estates. Ile took part in the battle of Ni;rdlingen (1634), and in the following year was sent with a large force to aid the Spaniards in the Netherlands, where the French and Dutch were carrying all before them.
Piccolomini speedily drove out the French. but his success against the Dutch was not so marked. In 1640 he was summoned to stay the Swedes, under Bauer, who were threatening the hereditary possessions of Austria. lie succeeded in check ing invaders in Bohemia and the Palatinate. but was badly beaten, along with the Archduke Leopold. in 1642 at Leipzig by Torstensom lie was now sent to the Netherlands to take com mand of the Spanish troops, and though the prestige of the Spanish infantry was destroyed by the Duke d'Enghien (the future Cond0 at Iiocroi (May 19, 1643). Piccolomini was again successful against both the French and Dutch till 1648, when he was anew smumoned to Germany to encounter the victorious Swedes. The Peace of Westphalia put an end to the Thirty Years' War soon after. Piccolomini had now attained the rank of field-marshal. In 1650 he \vas raised to the dirmity of a prince of the Empire. The King of 'Spain conferred upon him the of the King Fleece, ani bestowed upon hint the Duchy of Amalfi. which had previously to his family. With a fictitious son. \lax. Pie colomini figures prominently in SyhiIhg's 11 al Icnstein.