Lucrezia Galletta (1520s – 1580), (also Lucretia Galletta), known as "la Luparella", was a wealthy courtesan and banker in 16th century Rome.[1] [2]
Lucrezia Galletta was born in the city of Bologne, somewhere between the years of 1520-1525. By the 1540s, she had become a celebrated courtesan in Rome.[3] She was able to retire with a fortune in 1559, and thereafter had herself erased from the list of courtesans and engaged in business as a banker. This undertaking may have been aided by the fact that her lover, Francesco Spinelli, was a banker, though later on he fled, stealing money from his employers, and left her in a tight spot.
As a banker, she was quite successful, boasting international clients. Lucrezia Galletta was the only female banker who, alongside several Cardinals and members of the noblefamilies of Rome, co-signed the "grand parti de Lyon" on 18 January 1560, in which the king of France was granted a large credit.
At some point in time, Lucrezia appears to have become fairly well-educated, as the eventual inventory of her estate noted she had a collection of books. In 1566, Lucrezia faced a new challenge, in the form of a new Pope, Pius V. He decreed that all wealthy or well-known courtesans must leave Rome, except for those who either married or joined a convent. Quickly, Lucrezia married one of her banking employees, Niccoló Turini. This marriage was only on paper, and they had no relationship, but it protected her from expulsion while Turini enjoyed a hefty dowry payment.
During her later life, Lucrezia adopted a daughter, a girl named Lucrezia da Tivoli. The young girl eventually became a nun, and lived in the convent of S. Marta - which happened to be right across the street from Lucrezia Galletta's home. Upon Lucrezia Galletta's death in 1580, her fortune went to her adopted daughter, and the monastery.[4] Her will included donations and provisions to assist poor young women in need of dowries.