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Damiane Vitruvia

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The Magnficant Duchess
Damiane Vitruvia
IC DE DSA DCSI SFN EOV
Damiane vitruvia1.jpg
Lady of the Chamber
In office
9 December 1952 – 23 July 1968
MonarchDiana I Anicia
Preceded byNone
Succeeded byHonoria Julia
Lady-in-Waiting
In office
2 February 1946 – 9 December 1980
MonarchDiana I Anicia
Personal details
Born
Damiane Vitruvia Christina Theodosia Zoe

(1937-10-23) 23 October 1937 (age 86)
Adrianople, Latium
Spouse(s)
Duke Josephus Verrucosus
(m. 1958; died 2022)
Children6 (inc. Zoe Verrucosa)
Residence(s)Villa d'Iulia Concordia, Entella
Occupation

Duchess Damiane Vitruvia, IC DE DSA DCSI SFN EOV (Damiane Vitruvia Christina Theodosia; b. 23 October 1937) is a Latin noblewoman, businesswoman and wife of Duke Josephus Verrucosus, the former Consul of Latium. From 1945 until 1966 she was a member of Imperial court as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Diana Augusta. She also served as CEO of Verrucosus Holdings from 1983 until 1995, becoming the first woman to serve as an executive of a major Latin-based corporation. She is the maternal grandmother of Constantine XX Claudius.

Early life and education

Vitruvia was born on 23 October 1937 at Adrianople-Claudius Hospital, in Adrianople, to Zoe Pompeia and Duke Damianus Vitruvius. She was the second youngest of six children. She was primarily raised in Adrianople during her earliest years during her father's time as Chancellor of the Duchy of Adrianople. She made her first visit to imperial court in Ascanium at the age of 4 in 1941. At the instance of her mother, Vitruvia was enrolled at Pescia Academy in Adrianople from 1941 until 1945 and the outbreak of the Social War.

During the Social War, Vitruvia became a junior lady-in-waiting to Empress Diana as they were a similar age. Vitruvia spent most of her time in Castellum with Diana and Imperial court, though was forced to flee from the city on occasion. She was widely regarded as a trouble maker at court, regularly being reprimanded by older courtiers and, according to a courtier, on one occasion, by Jason Claudius, Duke of Adrianople after her "dancing through the Aemelii suite caused coffee to spill and burn the Duke's hand". From 1945 until 1952, Vitruvia's education was handled by the same private tutors utilized by Empress Diana. Vitruvia is said to have been Diana's closet confidant during this period; they remain close friends to this day.

Vitruvia took an active role in Empress Diana's wedding, serving as a bridesmaid, and later coronation, where she and other ladies-in-waiting accompanied Diana along the procession through Ascanium.

Marriage and children

In 1957, Vitruvia was betrothed to Josephus Verrucosus, a decorated veteran of the Social War. They met few times before the betrothal, though according to a courtier she and Verrucosus were spotted in conversation and sharing a dance at a fall 1954 ball to commemorate the annual Transvectio Equitum festival, despite an age gap. Aside from Empress Diana, who at the time was engaged to Leo Claudius, Vitruvia was considered one of the most eligible young women at the event, and gained the attention of many nobles searching for bride for themselves or their sons. According to a biographer, at the time she believed Verrucosus "would be forgettable as any other man if he were not so brutish and low born".

Vitruvia and Verrucosus were married on 16 January 1958 at Basilica of the Blessed Virgin in Adrianople, in a ceremony that was highly attended for a non-imperial wedding. She and Verrucosus would live in Colonia Augusta, outside of Castellum as Verrucosus continued to operate his fledgling business, Verrucosa Tenura.

When she was four months pregnant with her eldest son, John, she and her husband purchased Villa d'Iulia Concordia, in Utica, which had previously been the ancestral estate of the Sulpicii family. She converted to Reformed Communion after the birth of her second child. Together, they have seven children: John, Florentine, Marius, Adula, Flora, and Zoe.

Work and politics

Spouse of the Consul

In 1963, Duke Josephus Verrucosus was appointed Praeses Senatus following the resignation of Jason Claudius, Duke Adrianople. During the first two years of her husband's Consulship, Damiane sparingly made public appearances, though was often spotted at the Palace of Augustus. She was noted for her privacy during this period, and was the first spouse of a high ranking senator to hire her own press secretary, strictly controlling her and her children's accessibility to the press. Damiane was widely cited as being key to the political relationship between her husband and Empress Diana I Anicia due to her close friendship with the Empress. "[Damiane] was one of the few individuals that Diana wholeheartedly trusted," according to staffers at the Consuls office and courtiers.

Vitruvia was considered a fashion trendsetter during her husband's consulship. She was occasionally propped up as a fashion icon rivaling Empress Diana Augusta, though she often downplayed this publicly and privately. During the latter end of her husband's first consulship, she served as a fashion consultant to Allectii fashion company.

Business career

Vitruvia has been involved in various business and entrepreneurial ventures since her marriage to Felix Verrucosus, Lord of Istropolis. Initially, she served as a brand ambassador for Allectii, and later serving on its board of directors in 1971. She also served on the board of Verrucosus Holdings from 1973 until 1984, and again from 1995 until 2015. In 1983, CEO of Verrucosus Holdings Victor Popillius retired and Damiane was elected as his successor, and became the first female executive of a major Latin-based corporation.

As CEO of Verrucosus Holdings, Vitruvia continued Popilius's strategy of growing Verrucosus Holdings's entrance into the media market, and completed the finalization of the purchase of Delpha. She has been credited with expanding Verrucosus into the largest non-public network television, and cable television company in Latium. At the latter end of her tenure as CEO, Verrucosus Holdings was the largest mass media and telecommunications corporation in Latium. Vitruvia retired in 2001 as the longest-sitting CEO of Verrucosus Holdings, and was succeeded by her eldest son John Verrucosus.

Accolades

Vitruvia served on the board of the Imperial Utica Orchestra, Utica Internationalis football and ice hockey clubs, and the National Endowment for Women. She received awards for woman of the year from the National Women's Council on six occasions (1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995). She was awarded honorary degrees and doctorates from Castellum College, Castellum, University of Haenna, and the University of Utica. In 1993, she donated $12 million to the University of Utica for a new library, which bears her name.

Titles, styles, honors and arms

  • 23 October 1934 – 8 September 1970: Lady Damiane Vitruvia
  • 8 September 1970 – present: The Magnificant The Duchess Verrucosa

Honors

  •  Latium: Knight of the Order of the Ram Red ribbon bar - general use.svg
  •  Latium: Companion of the Order of National Achievement PRU Roter Adlerorden BAR.svg
  •  Latium: Dame Grand Cross (formerly Commander) of the Most Excellent Order of the Empire Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg
  •  Latium: Dame of the Sacred Order of the Golden Eagle AquilaRomana0.png
  •  Latium: Dame of the Ancient Equestrian Order St.AlexanderOrder-ribbon.svg

Foreign honors

  •  Sydalon: Lady of the Honorable Order of St Philip Kongens fortjenstmedalje.svg

Ancestry

See also

Court offices
Preceded by
None 		Mistress of Robes
to Empress Diana
1952–1963 		Succeeded by
The Duchess of Ravenna
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