Return to Rome
In 1653, with the assistance of Olimpia Maidalchini (who was keen to curry favour with Colonna's cardinal brothers-in-law), she arranged the marriage of her 22-year-old son Maffeo Barberini to Maidalchini's 12-year-old granddaughter (Pope Innocent's grand-niece), Olimpia Giustiniani. The marriage resolved many problems at once, reconciling the Barberini and Pamphili families; allowing the remaining Barberini exiles to return to Rome and ensuring the continuation of the Barberini family line.
Having returned to Rome, Colonna also planned to build a convent and chapel in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Regina Coeli. To fund the project she appealed to her eldest son, Cardinal Carlo Barberini, for access to part her dowry, which had been substantial and had included the comune of Palestrina, which provided a substantive basis for the hereditary Barberini principality. However, her son declined her request and she was forced to seek funds from her brother, Girolamo. The project was indeed eventually completed; she was buried in the church (demolished 1881) of that name in Trastevere, Rome.In 1653, Lucrezia's brother was married to Pope Innocent's grand-niece, Olimpia Giustiniani. The marriage resolved many problems at once, reconciling the Barberini and Pamphili families; allowing the remaining Barberini exiles to return to Rome.
Now restored to favor, Colonna also wanted to arrange her daughter Lucrezia's marriage, a matter which she expected to have a say in, but was told by her brother-in-law Cardinal Antonio Barberini that she would have no say in whom her daughter married. Her mother dejected then retired to Regina Coeli, where she would have the company of her sister Vittoria who had been made prioress of the convent.
Soon after this Lucrezia was married to the twice widowed Francesco I d´Este, Duke of Modena.
