Gabriella Marguerite Simonetti Rucellai
Born in Florence as the only child to a member of the noted Ruccellai family, she was married by proxy to Michelangelo Simonetti of Venice; a former Florentine who had a flourishing shipping business. When her parents died, Gabriella made a financial ‘deal’ with her uncle who was head of the family, to maintain a portion of Father’s business, home etc., in exchange for not having to marry again. When Michelangelo died suddenly while Gabriella was traveling to Venice to meet him, Gabriella again made financial deals to maintain control of the business in Venice; she maintains a male ‘director’ who appears to be the head of the business per Venetian traditions, but she makes the final decisions. As a widow Gabriella spends her time learning new things, sometimes coming close to scandal yet never crossing that line. She is very educated, often hosts philosophers, humanists, artists and learned men and women at gatherings in both Venice and Florence and therefore as a woman, is thought to be eccentric, difficult or downright outrageous. Gabriella has even broken with convention and taken lessons from artists and tried her hand at painting, pushing the boundaries of subject matter considered appropriate for her gender.
Lady Gabriella likes to create wonderful garb, paint; is interested in embroidery and archery, and has also been known to enjoy champagne. She was recognized for garb making in A.S. XLI with a Jambe de Lion,with a Goute de Sange in A.S. XLVIII, and is apprenticed to Dame Ellen, for whom she supplies coffee or faces her wrath. She is a member of the household Clan Carn.
Per bend sinister gules and sable, a horse rampant argent between three decrescents Or.