Family

Of Sienese origin the Chigi had already around 1100, with the title of Counts of Ardenghesca, numerous fortresses and castles. Ranuzio and Anselmo were lords of the castle of Macereto: from the first they originated the line Chigi, then became Chigi Zondadari. In the 17th century, the family (from which the branches of the Chigi di Città, Camollia and Viterbo had already been separated), continued through Mariano, Gismondo, Mario and Flavio divided into two branches: Augusto di Flavio gave rise to the Chigi Albani of Rome; through Cardinal Flavio di Mario (brother of Fabio Chigi At the century Pope Alexander VII) of Flavio originated the branch Chigi Zondadari.
In fact, of the numerous children of Mario no one had offspring or survived, except for Flavio, cardinal and prefect of the Segnatura, to whom we owe the construction of the palace of S. Quirico d'Orcia and the Villa di Cetinale. He obtained from Cosimo III the title of Marquis of S. Quirico d'Orcia and the right to transmit it to one of his relatives chosen by him: he was called to the succession Bonaventura, eldest son of his sister, Agnese Chigi, who had married Ansano Zondadari. Remember that the Zondadari family of Siena probably had mercantile origin and its members were in the Council of the Municipality since ancient times.