Margherita Colonna
She was born in Palestrina about 1255. Her father, Oddone Colonna, died when she was about two years old. Her mother, who was also named Margherita and who was the sister of Matteo Rosso Orsini and a pious woman, died when Margherita was probably a little over ten years old. Margherita was left in the care of her older brothers.
Stabat Mater (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina)
The text predates Palestrina's composition and dates as far back as the 13th century. The author of the text is unknown. Some possible authors include: St. Bonaventure, Pope Innocent III, and Jacopone da Todi, a Franciscan Friar. The liturgical text is centered on Mary's suffering at the Crucifixion of Christ. It has both a regular meter – frequently trochaic – and an intricate rhyme scheme, both of which are qualities that most academics date back to the 12th century.