Belmonte Calabro
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Belmonte: Principe di Belmonte or Prince Belmonte is the name and senior title of an Italian dynasty, tracing its roots back to the 11th Century. The family were granted the Belmonte titles from the late 16th Century, and were feudal lords of southern Italy (Puglia and Calabria), as well as holding senior positions and lands in northern Spain
Belmonte or Belmonte Calabro, Italy
The town from which the princely title of Belmonte is taken is perched on a hilltop on the coast of Calabria in Southern Italy. The town is often known today as Belmonte Calabro.
Belmonte was founded in about 1270, under the reign of Charles I of Sicily (also Charles of Anjou, and King of Naples 1282-1285), with the construction of a castle by Drogone di Beaumont, the marshal responsible for new fortification in Calabria. The castle at Belmonte was intended to provide resistance against partisans fighting for the Duke of Swabia. The castle was constructed in the territory of Amantea to maintain control over the citizen body, which was supportive of Conrad V, last of the Hohenstaufen dynasty.
During the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282), Belmonte was conquered by Sicilian-Aragonese troops. Belmonte was elevated to the status of county, and assigned to Peter Salvacossa. In 1360 the county was awarded by Queen Giovanna to a family of Amantea, which maintained it until 1443. In that year the Aragonese transformed Belmonte into a barony and assigned it to the Tarsia family, who maintained it until 1578.
Between the feudatari of this family it goes remembered the petrarchista poet Galeazzo di Tarsia, that it wrote its to canzoniere in the castle of Belmonte.
Under the lordship of the Tarsia Belmonte, during the invasions of Carl VIII di Valois and Luigi XII, endured besieges French from 1495 to 1503 and in 1528 it was besieged from the Lautrec. To the succedettero Tarsia the Ravaschieri of the accounts Fieschi di Lavagna, rich bankers of genovese origin, that they constructed churches, works of fortifications and palaces and that they obtained in the 1619 title it of principles from the king of Spain Filippo III. The principato one of Belmonte stingrandì in the 1630 with the purchase from part of prince Giovan Ravaschieri Batiste of the city of Amatea and its country house of S. Peter. In 1647, during the revolt of Masaniello, prince Daniel Ravaschieri noticed to Naples in aid of the Vicerè with two hundred vasslli belmontesi from he armed. But many of these vassalli schierarono from the part of the rioters. In 1685, extinguished the Ravaschieri family, the feudo of Belmonte it passed to the Pinelli and from these in 1722 to the Pignatelli principles, than it they stopped finoall' abolition of the feudalità' Under prince Antonio Pignatelli the famous one "zecchino of Belmonte" was coined, gold currency of affectation with effige and the coat of arms of the Prince, true numismatic rarity. In the 1806-1807 Belmonte it supported, together to Amantea and to Fiumefreddo, a memorando I besiege from part of the French troops commant from general Peyri and was the last castle to surrender. Under the Belmonte French divenne capoluogo of the XCantone of the Department of the Crati, that it comprised the territory that goes from Amantea to Piemontese Guard and the inside the city centers of Aiello, Altilia, Mangone and Rogliano. With the proclamation of the Reign of Italy, Belmonte assumed the attribute of Calabro, in order to distinguish itself from the other Common Italians omonimi. The coat of arms of Belmonte represents a palm in means to two towers and is sormontato from one principesca crown. The two towers are those of Verri and Barbarise, than contornano the palm, symbolizing the country.
Historically...
The Title of Belmonte
The Belmonte Princes and Princesses
The Belmonte Princes and Princesses are heads of a line descended from the ancient Fieschi, Genovese Counts of Lavagna. Through their dynastic marriages the Belmonte princes are also the direct descendants of the Ravaschieri, Pinelli, Pignatelli and Granito nobles.
Among their forebears the Belmonte princes claim a saint (Joseph Pignatelli SJ), three popes (Pope Innocent IV, Hadrian V and Innocent XXII), and several cardinals including Cardinal Domenico Pignatelli di Belmonte, Archbishop of Palermo and Monreale and President of the Kingdom of Sicily (1730 - 1806), and Cardinal Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte, Prefect of the Congregation for Ceremonies and Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals (1851 - 1948).
The current seat of the Belmonte princes is the Palazzo Belmonte, originally used by the family to entertain members of the Habsburg imperial family and the Bourbon kings of Spain to boar hunting. Other historic seats of the family include the Palazzo Pignatelli in Rome and the Villa Pignatelli in Naples, as well as the Castles of Belmonte, Galatone and Copertino in southern Italy.
The family's senior title of 'Principe di Belmonte' (Prince Belmonte) was created on March 5th 1619 by HRH King Felipe III of Spain and granted to the heirs general of the original grantee (ie the senior direct male heir or, in the absence of a male heir, the senior direct female heir of the original grantee).
In recognition of their increasing power, the Belmonte princes were later granted the additional rank, style and precedence of 'Serene Highness' as hereditary princes of the Holy Roman Empire by His Imperial Highness Charles VI (Vienna, September 9th, 1726). In addition to the family's right to show the papal keys and ombrellino above their arms as a papal family (Pignatelli),
the Belmonte hereditary princes also have the right to place behind their arms: 'or, a double-headed eagle sable displayed armed crowned and maintaining an orb and sceptre or', as the descendants of His Serene Highness Prince Antonio Pignatelli, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire.
The current Prince and Head of the House, His Excellency Don Angelo, is the 13th successor to the Belmonte princely titles.
The Belmonte titles have passed thrice through heiresses in the absence of male heirs, following the terms of the original grant. Each of these three heraldic heiresses was the last of her direct line: Ravaschieri (1685), Pinelli (1779), and Pignatelli (1911). The dates shown in brackets indicate the year of each line's combination with a new house. The Belmonte princes and princesses have the right to the name, arms, rights and interests which were inherited via these heraldic heiresses (ie heiresses who, in the absence of brothers, transfer their father's rights in arms and titles to their husbands 'in pretence' and their joint children). In consequence, the family's full achievement of arms (and name) would recognize each of these heraldic heiresses, together with their additions to the rank of the family.
In practice, however, the family has usually simplified this heraldic achievement and shortened the normal usage of its full name. In addition to their Belmonte princely title, family members are also Grandees of Spain (First Class) and hold the junior or courtesy titles of the Dukedom of Acerenza (created 1593), the Marquessate of Galatone (created 1562), the County or Earldom of Copertino (created 1557) the Barony of Badolato, the Marquessate of Castellabate (created 1745), and various other titles.
Titles in the possession of, but junior to, the Head of the House (styled Principe or Principessa di Belmonte), have been used historically in the manner of courtesy titles for the first direct male heir to the succession (and eldest female heir on reaching her majority in the absence of direct male heirs). According to this practice, the heir to the current Prince Belmonte is accorded the courtesy title of the Duke or Duchess of Acerenza, with the next in line to succession known as the Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone, and the next in line, in turn, known as the Count or Countess of Copertino. The family also formerly held the Marquessate of San Vincenzo (Spain), to which they are rightful (but non-claiming) heirs. The heir apparent to the current 13th Principe di Belmonte is his elder daughter, Francesca di Paola Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte. In addition, the Head of the House may from time to time grant to a member of the family the use for life of a junior courtesy title of the family which would not normally be used in the direct succession to the princely title.
The full Belmonte family name, reflecting each of the key alliances through which the Belmonte title has descended is: Granito Pignatelli Pinelli Ravaschieri Fieschi, Principi di Belmonte.
The Princely Succession, 1619 creation
(Consorts of each holder of the Princely title given in italics)
- Don ? Ravaschieri Fieschi (dei Conti Fieschi di Lavagna), 1st Prince of Belmonte (feudal control of Belmonte was purchased for 28,220 ducats)
Donna Maria
- Don Giovan Battista Ravaschieri Fieschi, 2nd Prince of Belmonte
Donna
- Don Daniele Ravaschieri Fieschi, 3rd Prince of Belmonte (died 1685)
Donna
- Don ? Ravaschieri Pinelli, 4th Prince of Belmonte
Donna
- Don Oronzo Pinelli, 5th Prince of Belmonte (died 1722)
Donna Violante di Sangro, of the Prince of Viggiano
- Donna Anna Francesca Pinelli Pignatelli, 6th Princess of Belmonte (14th August 1702 - 8th January 1779)
His Serene Highness (HSH) Prince Don Antonio Pignatelli, Marquess of San Vincenzo, 26th May 1721
- HSH Prince Don Antonio Pignatelli, 7th Prince of Belmonte (27th March 1722 - 2nd January/June 1794)
1st Donna Francesca Revertera, of the Duke of Salandra and the Countess von Thuerheim , 24th February 1754 (died 1756)
2nd Donna Chiara Spinelli, of the Duke of Laurino and the Princess of Montacuto, 28th August 1762
- HSH Don Antonio Pignatelli, 8th Prince of Belmonte (7th July 1763 - 17th August 1828)
Donna Giovanna Pignatelli Aragona Cortés, of the Prince of Noia, 12th May 1783
- HSH Don Gennaro Pignatelli, 9th Prince of Belmonte (28th February 1777 - 28th July 1829)
Donna Carmela de Chiaro, 11th December 1823
- Donna Francesca di Paola (Paolina) Pignatelli, 10th Princess of Belmonte (3rd April 1824 - 30th August 1911)
Don Angelo Granito 4th Marquess of Castellabate, 29th June 1861
- Don Gioacchino Granito Pignatelli, 11th Prince of Belmonte (by patent 3rd April 1887) (2nd November 1849 - 6th April 1934)
Donna Maria Caterina d’Ayala Valva, 13th November 1869
- Don Gioacchino Granito Pignatelli, 12th Prince of Belmonte (19th March 1913 - 22nd May 1982)
Donna Francesca Visco, 25th July 1951
- Don Angelo Granito Pignatelli, 13th Prince of Belmonte (9th February 1939 - )
Donna Sarah Elizabeth Mayhew, 28th May 1969
Future Princes of Belmonte
- Donna Francesca di Paola Granito Pignatelli, heir apparent to the 13th Prince, (27th February 1974 - )
Granito
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The Granito family obtained the feudality of Castellabate, near Salerno, in 1700. The title of Marquis of Castellabate was conferred on the family on 29th November 1745. The feudality, which included the portolania of Omignano and jurisdiction over the lands of Rocca di Cilento, Montecorice, S. Maria a Mare, Rutino and San Lorenzo was inherited from Paris Granito to his son Angelo on 20th July 1767 and thence to Louis, his son. As there was no heir in that line, the succession passed to the second son of Gioacchino, Angelo, born on 29th October 1782. He married Paolina Pignatelli, Princess of Belmonte,
Cardinal Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte was Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals as well as Grand Prior of Rome of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.
Pignatelli
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The Pignatellis are an ancient Italian dynasty descended from Lucius Pignatelli, Consul of Naples in 1102. The full pedigree of the family is set out in detail online at Pignatelli. Among the forebears of the Belmonte princes are His Holiness Pope Innocent XII (Antonio Pignatelli), St Joseph Pignatelli [1] SJ and HSH Prince Antonio Pignatelli 6th Prince Belmonte (maritali nomini).
Aymerich
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Pinelli
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Ravaschieri
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Fieschi
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The Fieschi were ancient Counts of Lavagna, taking their name from a little river that flows into the Gulf of Genoa between Sestri Levante and Chiavari. Ottobuono de’ Fieschi of Genoa, who was sent to England while a Cardinal as Papal legate in 1268, was elected Pope as Adrian V on 12th July 1276, and died on August 18th. A niece was Alagia wife of Moroello III Malaspina, who is mentioned in Dante's Inferno, Purgatorio, Canto XIX:70-114, among the avaricious.