Verrucosa family
| Verrucosa | |
|---|---|
| Patrician then Gentes Minores | |
 | |
| Country |  Latium
|
| Founded | 1889 |
| Founder | Pelagius Verrucosus |
| Current head | Duke Josephus Verrucosus |
| Connected families | Latin Imperial Family Claudia dynasty House of Gentry House of Hohenhaupt Vitruvia family |
| Motto | Aut viam inveniam aut faciam (Latin: I will either find a way or make one) |
| Estate(s) | Villa d'Iulia Concordia Villa Verrucosae Hormisdian |
The Verrucosa family is a Latin noble family of among the Gentes Minores. The family first gained notoriety during the Social War, entering the orbit of Jacobus Claudius, Duke of Adrianople, and was ennobled in 1950. Since then, the family has held numerous great offices, including Senate membership, the Consulship, Praeses Senatus, and Count of the East. Members of the family were integral in the creation of Delpha Media, which has since become the largest non-government run media corporation in Latium, and among the largest in the world.
Name and origin
The etymology Verrucosus comes from the Latin word for "warty", "rough", or "rugged". Under traditional Latin naming conventions, Verrucosus has served as a cognomen that was derived from personal characteristics, in this case a wart, rough features, or even a rough personality or appearance. Historically, such cognomen would have been given to distinguish a family member from another with similar praenomen. However, in the case of the Verrucosus family, it is not known how the Verrucosus cognomen first became associated with the family.
Just as with many Latin families of non-noble origin, the predominant use of the nomen fell out of favor to a cognomen or cognomen associated with different branches of the family. This is one theory by family biographers to explain the lack of notable familial nomen. However, government records have indicated that the paternal great-grandfather of house founder Josephus Verrucosus, Constantine Arruntius was a member of gens Sanquinia, potentially indicating Turscian ancestry. Given the complete lack of traditional nomen, family biographers have theorized that Pelagius Verrucous was likely an illegitimate child. Joseph Verrucosus commented on these theories during a a 1998 interview following his second appointment as praeses senatus, calling them "entertaining" and "humorous".
History
The first recorded member of the family to utilize the Verrucosa name was Pelagius Verrucosus, who was born in 1859. By 1925, Pelagius's son, Felix, served in the Latin Army, and was stationed in Claudiopolis, located on the Scipian side of the Diocese of the East. Over the course of his enlisted military service, Felix achieved the rank of Evocatus Tesserarius, before eventually settling in Atina, southern Latium near Suessa.
The family first achieved notoriety during the Social War, when Felix's son, and current head of the family, Josephus Verrucosus was awarded the Armilla Medal following the Battle of Olympia. This achievement and notoriety that ensued resulted in Joseph soon becoming one of many protegees of Jacobus Claudius, Duke of Adrianople, alongside Peter of Keld and Valentinian Poppaeus – both future praesides senatus. Joseph again fought in the War of Gelonian Independence before retiring from the legion and, alongside his brother Valens Verrucosus, established the company that would later become Verrucosus Holdings with the support of the Claudia dynasty and Vitruvia family.
The two brothers achieved great success in business and politics alike, and quickly accumulated great wealth. Joseph would serve as praeses senatus on two occasions, from 1963 to 1966, and again from 1981 to 1991, while also serving as Count of the East from 1971 to 1977. Due to the family's service in the Social War, the Gelonian War, and favorable ties to the Claudia dynasty, the family was elevated to the rank of Gentes Minores, in 1967. Perhaps the most prominent member of the family is Zoe Verrucosa, due to her marriage to Emperor Jacobus VI Claudius, which infamously ended in an annulment. Zoe was Latin Empress consort from 1993 to 1999, and in 2016 was given the title of Empress Mother.
Notable members
Members
- Felix Verrucosus (1902–1980)
Josephus Verrucosus (b. 1928)
- John Verrucosus (b. 1959)
- Philippa, Countess of Edinus (b. 1985)
- Laurentius Verrucosus (b. 1986)
- Damianus Verrucosus (b. 1988)
- Delphina Verrucosa (b. 1990)
- Florentine Verrucosus (b. 1960)
- Valentia Verrucosa (b. 1986)
- Ambrosius Verrucosus (b. 1988)
- Veronica Verrucosa (b. 1990)
- Vanessa Verrucosa (b. 1992)
- Aurelius Verrucosus (b. 1995)
- Victoria Verrucosa (b. 1998)
- Josephina Verrucosa (b. 1962)
- Marius Verrucosus (b. 1964)
- Damiane Verrucosa (b. 1988)
- Andrea Verrucosa (b. 1990)
- Maria Verrucosa (b. 1991)
- Eusebius Verrucosus (b. 1994)
- Amantia Verrucosa (b. 1996)
- Sophia Verrucosa (b. 1998)
- Diana Verrucosa (b. 2002)
- Silvius Verrucosa (b. 2005)
- Marius Verrucosus (b. 2009)
- Adula, Duchess of Silingia-Marlburg (b. 1966)
- Adriana, Duchess of Aurunca (b. 1968)
- Zoe, Crown Princess of Keld (b. 1975)
- John Verrucosus (b. 1959)
- Valens Verrucosus (1932–1999)
- Aurelia Verrucosa (b. 1964)
- Anna Verrucosa (b. 1966)
- Sophia Verrucosa (1936–2012)
