Sina di Andreas Valori

Signora Sina di Andreas Valori

Woman at Arms to the late Dona Lasairiona inghean Uilliam na Seoltadh

Student to HL Isabel de la Roche

Deputy reporter to Lord Warwick Drakkar, Lions Gate Master of Blades

Received her AoA at the Lions Gate Baronial Banquet November 10 AS42 (2007) from the hand of Princess Caoimhinn ingen Domnaille

Sina di Andreas Valori Born 1545 in Rome, Italy to a well-known & respected family. Her father, Andreas Zorzi was a spice merchant, who also did banking to help fund his business. Growing up in a small family, her time was spent learning with her brother. Upon the death of her mother Genna when she was 12, she continued to study with her brother, and helped her father with his business affairs, thus furthering the education she had received as a child.

At age 18, Sina was married to Luca Valori, a spice merchant also of Rome, whose work was connected to her father's. Of the noble class, they had a total of 12 servants, 6 of them personal servants to the Signore & Signora. Luca was also assisted by 2 apprentices, both relatives of himself & the Signora.

At the birth of their first child, a son, Dominico, her father presented her with a villa in the countryside, that had belonged to her mother. Her husband knew she loved beauty, and took care that the house was decorated richly. Instead of tapestries, the walls were painted to look as though tapestries were hung. This gift included 6 servants to care for the home when the family stayed in town. A vineyard made sure that the family had enough wine on the table, as the water was unfit for consumption. The town house was also kept on a grand scale, with 3 stories having double arched windows covered with embroidered cloth.The courtyard had trees, fountains and beautifully carved statues. All the rooms were paved with coloured tiles, and were spacious enough to allow for entertaining. The chest she had brought with her upon her marriage, was her favourite, having been her grandmother's.

It was in his travels that rogue mercenaries attacked and severely injured Luca, 2 of his servants and Sina's uncle who was travelling with them. They managed to kill their adversaries and make it home, where Sina tended to their injuries, having learned to care for the sick and wounded in her volunteering at the local hospital. Luca, Sina's uncle, and one of the servants died, leaving Sina responsible for the spice merchanting. Despite tradition dictating that she should marry and allow her new husband to take charge of the business, Sina discovered that with the apprentices' help and knowledge, running the business was something she enjoyed. Now widowed, her Aunt Selina also came to live with her and to assist in running the household and for companionship. By now, at age 6, their son was in school, learning the needed skills for taking over his father's business.

Pope Pius V was the pope of Rome at this point in Sina's life. Trained as a Dominican monk, and he was known for his piety and his care for the poor & sick rather than patronage. He also was active in working towards restoring discipline & morality, and stemming the appeal of Protestantism. in Rome. Outlawing concubines & prostitues and encouraging the Inquisition. In 1570 he ordered use of the Roman Missal (Traditional Latin Mass), making it mandatory except for the areas whose exisisting missals predated 1370.

Rome was also known as the "Holy City" and was the papal capital for centuries. The city's cultural & artistic activity benefitted from the patronage of the Papal court for years, primarily during the Renaissance & Baroque periods. Despite Italy being primarily city states, the Pope controlled the Papal States, though it was mostly in name only. With important families being the ones who really were in control.

The well known composer & organist Giovanni de Macque (Jean de Macque) moved to Rome around this time, where he met Marenzio who heavily influenced his "Primo libro de madrigali" book of madrigals published in 1576.

Italians at this time were quite genteel, especially compared to standards in England at the time. For example, the use of the fork was quite common by this time, and cleanliness was considered very important. Dress was also highly important, with sumputary laws limiting the extent of the extravagance of the clothing. Among the restrictions specific to Rome was the prohibition of low necklines. For women, it was recommended that she should develop a certain physical demeanour in her clothes, with the ability to see herself being seen and to be able to adjust her public comportment appropriately.