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Non-Sovereign Princely and Ducal Houses – BIII

The Non-Sovereign Princely and Ducal Houses of Europe – Volume III – BIII

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Non-Sovereign Princely and Ducal Houses
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The Non-Sovereign Princely and Ducal Houses of Europe Volume III – BIII

THE PRINCELY HOUSE OF BELMONTE
House of Belmonte

The members of this family are surnamed as indicated. The immediate family of the Prince and Princess traditionally uses the toponym “di Belmonte”. Children of the Prince and Princess enjoy the noble predicate of Don or Donna before their Christian names. As Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, the Prince and Princess of Belmonte were historically accorded the title of His or Her Serene Highness. As Grandees of Spain, the Princes and Princesses and their children are correctly styled “His or Her Excellency”, or “Most Excellent Lord or Lady”. The courtesy title of the Prince or Princess’s heir apparent, male or female, is Duke or Duchess of Acerenza, that of their heir apparent is Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone, and of their heir apparent Count or Countess of Copertino. The eldest son or daughter of a titled noble or Grandee of the Spanish Kingdom (senior to a Count) may use the title of Viscount (Visconde) or Viscountess (Viscondessa) with the place name of their parent’s principle title until their succession; so for example the Duchess of Acerenza is also, until succession, “Viscondessa de Belmonte”.

The History of The Princely House of Belmonte

Prince or Princess Belmonte (Principe o Principessa di Belmonte) is a noble title created in 1619 by the Spanish crown for the Barons of Badolato and Belmonte. In addition to the princely title, the Princes were made Grandees of Spain, First Class in 1712, and in 1726 were granted the rank of ‘Reichsfürsten’, Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, with the title Serene Highness (Durchlaucht). The Princes hold a number of subsidiary titles, including Duke of Acerenza (1593), Marquess of Galatone (1562) and Count of Copertino (1562).

The seat of the princes is Palazzo Belmonte, on the Bay of Salerno and south of Amalfi (in Italy), although the name of the senior title is taken from the fortress town of Belmonte, historically important for the defence of the Italian Coast from Saracen invasion. Belmonte has been known since the Risorgimento as Belmonte Calabro. The princes are descendants of the Genovese papal family of Fieschi, who were ennobled as Counts Palatine in the year 1010 by Henry the Holy, King of Italy and later Holy Roman Emperor. The Emperor created the title of ‘Count of Lavagna’ and appointed the Fieschi as Imperial Vice Regents of all Tuscany and of the coast of Genoa.

SE Don Angelo Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte is the current and 13th prince. The princely title has descended to its present holder through the following heiresses: Ravaschieri Fieschi, Squarciafico Pinelli, and Pignatelli y Aymerich. The last of these three heiresses married the Marquess of Castellabate, bringing her extensive lands and titles to the Granito family, patricians (patrizii) of Salerno (Seggio di Campo) since 1380.

The Ancestry of The House of Belmonte

HE The Prince of Belmonte is descended from the Fieschi, Counts Palatine of Lavagna. The Fieschi were a celebrated family of Liguria in north-west Italy, and one of the principal four families of Genoa, with the Grimaldi, Spinola and Doria. In the 13th Century, the Fieschi were allied to the House of Grimaldi, modern day Princes of Monaco, in the struggle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines.

The ancestors of the Belmonte Princes include Sinibaldo, Pope Innocent IV son of Ugone Fieschi, and Ottobuono, Pope Adrian V son of Thedisius Fieschi, as well as several cardinals, a King of Sicily, the Viceroy of Naples to René of Anjou (René I of Naples) (Jacopo Fieschi), three saints including Saint Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510), and both generals and admirals of Genoa and other states. Through their later marriage to a line of the Pignatelli, the Princes of Belmonte share blood with a third pope, Pope Innocent XII, and the Jesuit Saint Joseph Pignatelli (1737-1811), of Saragossa.

Count Ugone of Lavagna was alleged to have been the first to bear the name ‘Fiesco’ or Fieschi, attributed to his control of the fiscal affairs of the Holy Roman Emperor. His descendant, Rubaldo / Robaldo di Fiesco or ‘Fieschi’, was confirmed as Count of Lavagna in the 11th Century. In the mid 12th Century (c1158) Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor ‘Barbarossa’ confirmed feudal rights in Lavagna to the Fieschi: the beneficiaries included Rubaldo and his nephews Gulielmo, Tebaldo, Enrico, Ruffino, Aldedado, Gherardo; Ottone and his brother Ugone; and Alberto and his brother Beltramino. The rank of Count Palatine was confirmed once again at Lucca on 27 May 1369 by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor of the House of Luxembour. Later confirmations of the Fieschi status as direct vassals to the Holy Roman Emperor were given by the House of Habsburg in 1521, 1529, 1568, and 1620.

Descending from Beltramino Fieschi, Count of Lavagna, the Ravaschiero Fieschi rose to prominence as royal bankers: Giovanni Battista was appointed Master of the Mint of Naples and Aquila (Maestro di Zecca di Napoli e l’Aquila) in 1552 under His Imperial Majesty Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1516-1554), and his seal of ‘IBR’ frequently appears on the coinage of that time. Giovanni Battista was one of 7 children, of whom the eldest brother Giovan Francesco, was Prior of Bari of the Order of Malta (+1555). Germano followed his father as ‘Maestro di Zecca’, under King Philip II of Spain, and was the father of Giovan Battista, 1st Baron of Badolato, and therefore grandfather of Don Orazio, the first Prince Belmonte.

The Titles of The Princely House

* Prince of Belmonte, (Don Orazio Giovan Battista Ravaschieri Fieschi, descended from the Counts of Lavagna, was elevated in the Barony of Belmonte by Philip III of Spain, 5 March 1619 .

* Prince (Reichsfürst) of the Holy Roman Empire, (granted to Prince (HRE) Don Antonio Pignatelli y Aymerich, 2nd Marquess of San Vicente, husband of the 6th Princess of Belmonte (in her own right), by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, 9 September 1726)[8], with primogeniture succession (‘Fürstenstand in der Primogenitur’). Note: the style HSH Prince (or Princess) of Belmonte and of the Holy Roman Empire ceased to be used by the Princes and Princesses of Belmonte upon the death of Her Serene Highness Princess (Reichsfürstin) Donna Francesca di Paola (Paolina) Granito Pignatelli in 1911.

* Grandee of Spain (1st Class), on the Acerenza fief (see ‘Duke of Acerenza’ below), with entitlement to the style ‘His/Her Excellency’ (‘Sua Eccellenza’) or ‘Most Excellent’ (‘Eccellentissime’). Formally addressed as “cousin” (“primo”) by the King of Spain (granted to Don Oronzo Pinelli, 5th Prince of Belmonte and 4th Duke of Acerenza, by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor 15 July 1718).

* Prince of Muro Leccese (granted to Don Antonio Maria Pignatelli, 8th Prince of Belmonte and of the Holy Roman Empire, by Ferdinand IV of Naples, 3 October 1797) * Duke of Acerenza (granted to Don Galeazzo Pinelli, by Philip II of Spain, King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily and of England (as consort to Mary I of England), 12 April 1593[9])) (See Duke or Duchess of Acerenza) * Duke of Corigliano d’Otranto (granted to Don Antonio Maria Pignatelli, 8th Prince of Belmonte and of the Holy Roman Empire, by Ferdinand IV of Naples, 3 October 1797)

* Marquess of Argençola (Argensola) (granted to Don Gerónimo Rocaberti-Pau-Bellera, whose mother was Agnes, Signora di Argençola, by Felipe V of Spain, 12 June 1702). Title inherited by descent to the Belmonte Princes through Doña Giustiniana (Anna) de Aymerich (qv), daughter of Bernardo de Aymerich Lord of Aiguafreda and Rajadell and Maria de Argensola.

* Marquess of Castellabate (granted to Don Parise Granito, by Charles III of Spain as Charles VII of Naples, the latter throne abdicated in 1759 in favour of his third son Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, 29 November 1745). Title inherited by descent to the Princes of Belmonte through Don Angelo Granito, 4th Marquess of Castellabate (qv).

* Marquess of Galatone (feudal control from 5 October 1557, title granted to Don Stefano Squarciafico, Patrician of Genoa, by Philip II of Spain on 29 June 1562) [10] (See Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone). Title inherited by descent to the Belmonte Princes through Donna Anna Maria Ravaschieri Caracciolo, sister of Don Gaetano, 4th Prince of Belmonte (qv).

* Marquess of San Vicente (granted 1694[11] to Don Domenico Pignatelli y Vaez, by Charles II of Spain; elevated to a Grandeeship in 1771 [12] for HSH Prince (Reichsfürst) Don Antonio Pignatelli, 7th Prince of Belmonte and 2nd Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, by Charles III of Spain). Title inherited by descent to the Belmonte Princes through Don Antonio Pignatelli y Aymerich, 2nd Marquess of San Vicente (qv).

* Count of Copertino (feudal control from 5 October 1557, title granted to Don Stefano Squarciafico, Patrician of Genoa, by Philip II of Spain on 29 June 1562) (See Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone). Title inherited by descent to the Belmonte Princes through Donna Anna Maria Ravaschieri Caracciolo, sister of Don Gaetano, 4th Prince of Belmonte (qv).

* Count of Lavagna The title of Count Palatine of Lavagna (‘Conte di Lavagna’) was borne by all males of the Fieschi family from 1010 in Liguria. Included among those confirmed in the dignity was Beltramino Fieschi, founder of the line of the Ravaschieri Fieschi, later Princes of Belmonte. The dignity was confirmed again in 1158 by Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor of the House of Hohenstaufen and later by the Emperors of the House of Luxemburg and the House of Habsburg. The Lavagna title itself has never been used by the Belmonte Princes, although the Ravaschieri Fieschi antecedents of the Princes, such as Don Orazio Giovan Battista Ravaschieri Fieschi, 1st Prince of Belmonte, are frequently styled as heirs of that line in historical records, as ‘dei Conti di Lavagna’ (‘of the Counts of Lavagna’)- for instance on their tombs in Belmonte Calabro.

* Baron of Aiguafreda (Ayguafreda)

* Baron of Badolato (granted to Don Giovan Battista Ravaschieri, +21 April 1604) * Baron of Belmonte * Baron of Rocca Cilento (granted to Don Parise Granito, by Charles III of Spain as Charles VII of Naples, the latter throne abdicated in 1759 in favour of his third son Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, 29 November 1745). Title inherited by descent to the Princes of Belmonte through Don Angelo Granito, 4th Marquess of Castellabate (qv).

* Baron of Tresino (granted to Don Parise Granito, by Charles III of Spain as Charles VII of Naples, the latter throne abdicated in 1759 in favour of his third son Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, 29 November 1745). Title inherited by descent to the Princes of Belmonte through Don Angelo Granito, 4th Marquess of Castellabate (qv).

* Baron of Veglie (feudal control from 5 October 1557, title granted to Don Stefano Squarciafico, Patrician of Genoa, by Philip II of Spain on 29 June 1562) (See Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone). Title inherited by descent to the Belmonte Princes through Donna Anna Maria Ravaschieri Caracciolo, sister of Don Gaetano, 4th Prince of Belmonte (qv).

Note: the Princely title of Belmonte and most of the subsidiary titles of the Princes of Belmonte were granted in the peerage of the Kings of Spain, as rulers of the Kingdom of Naples which was subject to their viceroys. These titles have subsequently been recognised, firstly within the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and secondly within the Kingdom of Italy. Titles granted by the Kings of Spain, having dominion over Naples and other territories, are eligible for recognition by the Spanish throne and subject to the terms of their original grant.

The Arms of The Princely House

Grand Arms: the separate arms described below both trace the descent of the Belmonte princely title, and include arms brought to the family with an additional title (marked *) through marriage alliances. These quarterings combine to form the ‘Grand Arms’ of the Prince or Princess of the day.

* Ravaschieri (Naples)- bendy gules and argent, the 2nd bend gules charged with an ermine proper; coronet of a Prince (Belmonte). Augmentation of Honour as Grand Seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples.

* Fieschi (Genoa)- bendy argent and azure, coronet of an Earl or Count (Lavagna). Crest- an eagle issuant sable. Augmentation of Honour of the papal ombrellino and keys in saltire for (Pope Innocent IV and Pope Adrian V), the arms all borne on the breast of a single-headed eagle displayed sable crowned and nimbed or (as Counts Palatine of the Holy Roman Empire, first recognised by the Hohenstaufen Emperors).

* Pinelli (Naples)- gules, six pinecones or arranged 3, 2, 1; coronet of a Duke (Acerenza*).

* Squarciafico (Genoa)- gules, a cross or potencée, repotencée; coronet of a Marquess (Galatone*).

* Pignatelli (Naples)- or, three pignates sable arranged 2, 1. Crest- two ostrich plumes, gules and or. Mantle- gules, fringed or, doubled ermine. Coronet of a Prince. The arms encircled by chains of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Order of Santiago and the Order of San Gennaro. (14 August 1702 – 8 January 1779) . (HSH Prince Antonio Pignatelli and Belmonte, Marquess of San Vicente*, Knight of the Golden Fleece). Augmentation of Honour of the papal ombrellino and keys in saltire (Pope Innocent XII), and as General of the Imperial Cavalry, the arms all borne on the breast of a double-headed eagle displayed sable crowned and nimbed or (Prince of the Holy Roman Empire*).

* Aymerich (Barcelona)- argent, four pales azure (Aymerich), in chief per saltire in the first and fourth or, four pales gules (Aragon), in the second and third argent an eagle sable, crowned or, beaked and limbed gules (Sicily). (Note: these arms, granted by Queen Joanna of Castile and Aragon, are often shown with a bordure argent on which is written the motto: “IAM NON MEA SED VESTRA VESTRIS MERITIS COMPARATA”).

* Rocaberti (Catalonia)- gules, three pales or each charged with three chess rooks azure; coronet of a Marquess (Argençola*).

* Granito (Salerno)- party per fess azure and or, in the first a lion proper nascent from the second, armed gules; in the second six points azure arising from the bottom of the shield, coronet of a Marquess (Castellabate*). Motto: “RUMPAR NON FLECTAR”.

Simple Arms: instead of their ‘Grand Arms’, the Princes have sometimes preferred to use simpler arms. So, the arms of the most recent Belmonte heiress (the 10th Princess) and her alliance in marriage are currently used (thus, impaling Granito with Pignatelli for ‘Granito Pignatelli’).

The Line of Succession of the Princes and Princesses of Belmonte The Principate of Belmonte was granted to the Ravaschieri Fieschi family (also written Ravaschiero or Ravaschiera), Barons of Badolato and Barons of Belmonte, and hereditary Counts of Lavagna, whose private chapel is in the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, Naples.

In 1685 the Belmonte title descended in marriage to the Pinelli, who already held the older subsidiary title of Duke or Duchess of Acerenza (along with the title of Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone, and that of Count or Countess of Copertino through an earlier marriage of the Pinelli with the Squarciafico family); in 1779, on the death of the Princess, the princely title was inherited through marriage to the Marquess of San Vicente, by the Pignatelli y Aymerich, of the Princes of Noia; in 1911, the last Princess of Belmonte in the Pignatelli y Aymerich line died and her son inherited the title (this succession was also confirmed by patent in 1887).
[edit] Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi (1619-1685)

* Don Orazio Giovan Battista (of the Counts Palatine of Lavagna), grandson of Don Germano Ravaschieri Fieschi and Donna Antonia Scorza, and son of Don Giovan Battista Ravaschieri Fieschi 1st Baron of Badolato and his wife Donna Maria, heiress of Girifalco from her uncle Don Pietro Francesco Ravaschieri Fieschi and herself the daughter of Don Torino Ravaschieri Fieschi, Treasurer (‘Tessoriere’) of Calabria, and his wife Donna Vittoria Spinola. Baron of Belmonte, Baron of Badolato and Baron of Tortora (in right of Pietro Francesco Ravaschiero + 2 May 1613), created 1st Prince of Belmonte at Madrid on 5 March 1619 by Philip III of Spain; Grand Seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples (‘Gran Siniscalco del Regno di Sicilia’). Patrician of Genoa. Married 29 May 1621, Donna Anna MariaCarracciolo Pisquizi, of the Lords (later Dukes) of Sicignano, Princess of Belmonte, (28 January 1604 – Belmonte 1637). (Note: Don Oronzo’s cousin, Don Etoro (Hettore) Ravaschiero, Prince of Satriano and Duke of Cardinale, was made a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Ordine del Tosone) in 1634 by Philip IV of Spain). (+12 October 1645).

* Don Daniele Domenico, 2nd Prince of Belmonte, 3rd Baron of Badolato, Baron of Belmonte. Married 1stly Donna Eleonora, daughter of Don Francesco Exarquez, Marquess of Lauria, and widow of Don Annibale Sersale, Prince of Castelfranco, Princess of Belmonte; 2ndly the daughter of Don Giovan Francesco Grimaldi, Prince of Gerace, Princess of Belmonte. (1622 – 5 February 1685).

* Donna Anna Maria, 3rd Princess of Belmonte ‘suo iure’, 4th Baroness of Badolato, Baroness of Belmonte. (Note: Donna Anna Maria succeeded her brother despite being the youngest of four children. Don Ramiro and his son Don Gennaro Francesco died in 1684 and 1662 (at 9 months old) respectively, while Donna Maria Teresina was in holy orders as an Abbess.) Married Don Cosimo Squarciafico Pinelli, 2nd Duke of Acerenza, 5th Marquess of Galatone, 2nd Count of Copertino. (+12 August 1685) Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi Squarciafico Pinelli (1685-1779)

* Don Galeazzo (also Gaetano), 4th Prince of Belmonte, 3rd Duke of Acerenza, 6th Marquess of Galatone, 3rd Count of Copertino, 5th Baron of Badolato, Seigneur (Signore) of Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc. Married 30 June 1613 Donna Giustiniana Pignatelli, daughter of Don Fabrizio Pignatelli, 1st Prince of Noia and Marquess of Cerchiara and Donna Violante de Sangro, daughter of Don Giovanni Francesco 1st Prince of Sansevero and of Donna Andreana Carafa (2 October 1595 – 15 September 1624). Died 1711 without issue, and was succeeded by his brother Don Oronzo.

* HE Don Oronzo, 5th Prince of Belmonte, 4th Duke of Acerenza, 7th Marquess of Galatone, 4th Count of Copertino, 6th Baron of Badolato, Seigneur (Signore) of Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc., High Counsellor of State to His Imperial & Royal Highness Emperor Charles VI; elevated by the Emperor on 15 July 1718 to the rank of Grandee of Spain, 1st Class (See Grandees of Spain) in the feudal title and rank of the Dukedom of Acerenza, with succession ‘per i suoi figli maschi e femmine in perpetuo’, thus being granted the style for himself, his heirs, heiresses and their consorts of ‘Most Excellent Lord/Lady’ or ‘His/Her Excellency (HE)’ (See Grandee). Married 5 May 1701 Donna Violante di Sangro, of the Prince of Viggiano, Princess of Belmonte. (18 January 1661 – 25 March 1722).

* HSH Princess Donna Anna Francesca, 6th Princess of Belmonte ‘suo iure’ and 1st Princess of the Holy Roman Empire ‘maritali nomine’, daughter and heiress of the 5th Prince, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 5th Duchess of Acerenza, 8th Marchioness of Galatone, 5th Countess of Copertino, 7th Baroness of Badolato, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc. Married 26 May 1721, Prince (HRE) Don (Giuseppe) Antonio Pignatelli y Aymerich (4 August 1685 – 26 January 1771), for which occasion the writer Metastasio produced the musical serenade ‘Epithalamium’. (Note: Don Antonio’s sister, Doña Marianna, Countess of Althann (Alcudia, Spain 26 July 1689 – Vienna, Austria 1 March, 1755), was lady in waiting to the Empress Elizabeth, consort of Emperor Charles VI and mother of Empress Maria Theresa. Her portrait hangs today at the Althann Castle of Vranov nad Dyjí in Southern Moravia.) Don Antonio was 2nd Marquess of San Vicente (son of the 1st Marquess Don Domenico Pignatelli y Vagher and of Doña Maria Aymerich y Rocaberti d’Argençola; through her 3rd Marquess of Argençola); General of the Imperial Cavalry, created a Reichsfürst of the Holy Roman Empire as Fürst von Pignatelli und Belmonte with the style of Durchlaucht (Serene Highness or HSH), styled ‘His Serene Highness the Prince of Belmonte, and of the Holy Roman Empire’. General Commander of the Austrian Army at the Battle of Bitonto, during the War of Polish Succession. Knight of the Golden Fleece (Ritter des Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) 1735. Knight of the Order of Santiago (Orden de Santiago) 1765. Knight of the Illustrious Royal Order of St. Januarius (L’Insigne Reale Ordine di San Gennaro) 1765. (14 August 1702 – 8 January 1779)’ [Note: Prince Antonio’s nephew was Don Cayetano María Pignatelli Rubí Corbera y Saint Climent, 3rd Marquis of Rubí and Barón de Llinas.]

Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi Squarciafico
Pinelli Pignatelli y Aymerich (1779-1911) HSH Prince (Reichsfürst) Don Antonio Francesco, 7th Prince of Belmonte and 2nd Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 6th Duke of Acerenza, 9th Marquess of Galatone, 4th Marquess of Argensola, 3rd Marquess of San Vicente, 6th Count of Copertino, 8th Baron of Badolato, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc.. Lieutenant General, President of the Royal Academy of Science and Letters. Knight of the Order of Santiago (Orden de Santiago), 1766. Knight of the Illustrious Royal Order of St. Januarius (L’Insigne Reale Ordine di San Gennaro), 1766. Married 1stly 24 February 1754 Donna Francesca Revertera, daughter of Don Nicolo Duke of Salandra and Duchess Maria Theresa, herself daughter of the Austrian Count Francesco Ignazio von Thürheim and Countess Maria Maximiliana Rebecca Salburg von Thürheim, (died 1756) (Note: the Thürheim were Hereditary Falconers to the Holy Roman Emperor in the lands of Austria); 2ndly 28 August 1762 Donna Chiara Spinelli, daughter of Don Troiano 9th Duke of Laurino and Donna Barbara Caterina Pinto y Mendoza, 3rd Princess of Montacuto (herself daughter and heir of Prince Don Gregorio and Cristina Malaspina of the Marquesses of Fosdinovo), Princess of Belmonte and of the Holy Roman Empire. (27 March 1722 – 2 January 1794). [Note: His Eminence Cardinal Domenico Pignatelli di Belmonte (19 November 1730 – 5 February 1803), the younger brother of HSH Prince (Fürst) Don Antonio, was ordained priest 22 September 1753, elected bishop of Caserta and chosen as Assistant at the Pontifical Throne 25 February 1782, being consecrated Bishop, 3 March 1782 in Rome. He was promoted to the metropolitan see of Palermo, 29 March, 1802 and was Viceroy of Sicily, 1802 – 1803. Created cardinal priest 9 August 1802. He is buried in the church of the Theatines, Palermo.]

* HSH Prince (Reichsfürst) Don Antonio Maria, 8th Prince of Belmonte and 3rd Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, 1st Prince of Muro Leccese, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 7th Duke of Acerenza, 1st Duke of Corigliano d’Otranto, 10th Marquess of Galatone, 5th Marquess of Argensola, 4th Marquess of San Vicente, 7th Count of Copertino, 9th Baron of Badolato, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo, Specchia, Gildone etc. Married 12 May 1783 Donna Giovanna Pignatelli Aragona Cortés, daughter of Don Ettore Pignatelli Aragona Cortés, 9th Prince of Noia and of the Holy Roman Empire and Princess Donna Anna Maria Piccolomini d’Aragona, 7th Princess of Valle and Grandee of Spain 1st Class, also 16th Duchess of Amalfi &c &c and Patrician of Siena, (herself daughter and heir of the Prince of Valle and Donna Margherita Caracciolo, 5th Duchess of Girifalco), Princess of Belmonte and of the Holy Roman Empire. (7 July 1763 – 17 August 1798). [Note: HSH Fürst Don Francesco, Duke of Acerenza (after 9 November 1812), (13 February 1766 – 20 December 1827), younger brother of the 8th Prince of Belmonte and favourite of Queen Maria Carolina of Naples and the Two Sicilies , married at Dresden 18 March 1801 Johanna (Giovanna) Katharina Biron, Princess of Courland, daughter of Prince Peter, last Sovereign Duke of Courland and Semigallia and Livonia and Duke of Sagan, and of Anna Charlotte, Countess von Medem. The princess became the niece by marriage of Talleyrand. HSH Fürst Don Francesco did not survive his father to inherit the princely title of Belmonte.]* HSH Prince (Reichsfürst) Don Gennaro, 9th Prince of Belmonte and 4th Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, 2nd Prince of Muro Leccese, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 8th Duke of Acerenza, 2nd Duke of Corigliano d’Otranto, 11th Marquess of Galatone, 6th Marquess of Argensola, 5th Marquess of San Vicente, 8th Count of Copertino, 10th Baron of Badolato, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc. Married 11 December 1823, Donna Carmela de Chiaro, Princess of Belmonte and of the Holy Roman Empire. (28 February 1777 – 28 July 1829).
* HSH Princess (Reichsfürstin) Donna Francesca di Paola (Paolina), 10th Princess of Belmonte ‘suo iure’ and 5th Princess of the Holy Roman Empire, 3rd Princess of Muro Leccese, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 9th Duchess of Acerenza, 3rd Duchess of Corigliano d’Otranto, 12th Marchioness of Galatone, 7th Marchioness of Argensola, 6th Marchioness of San Vicente, 9th Countess of Copertino, 11th Baroness of Badolato, Signora di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc., all ‘suo iure’. Married 12 January 1839, Don Angelo Granito, 4th Marquess of Castellabate, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino, Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies (appointed 4 June 1843), awarded the degree of Peer of the Realm (13 May 1848), Superintendent of the Royal Archives (appointed 6 June 1848), styled ‘Prince of Belmonte’ (maritali nomine). (3 April 1824 – 30 August 1911).

  • Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi Squarciafico Pinelli
  • Pignatelli y Aymerich Granito (‘Granito Pignatelli’)
  • (1911- )
  • HE Prince Don Gioacchino Granito, 11th Prince of Belmonte (confirmation of inheritance of title by letters patent dated 3 April 1887), 4th Prince of Muro Leccese, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 10th Duke of Acerenza, 4th Duke of Corigliano d’Otranto, 8th Marquess of Argensola, 5th Marquess of Castellabate, 13th Marquess of Galatone, 7th Marquess of San Vicente, 10th Count of Copertino, 12th Baron of Badolato, Veglie, Leverano, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino, Knight Commander of the Johanniterorden (Sweden), Deputy of the National Parliament, Librarian of the State Archive of Naples. Married 13 November 1869, Donna Maria Caterina d’Ayala Valva, of the Marquess of Valva, Princess of Belmonte. Succeeded by his grandson. (Note: Gennaro Cardinal Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte, Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals and Grand Prior of Rome of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta [13] (from 1937) was the brother of HE Prince Don Gioacchino.) (2 November 1849 – 6 April 1934).

* HE Prince Don Gioacchino, 12th Prince of Belmonte, 5th Prince of Muro Leccese, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 11th Duke of Acerenza, 5th Duke of Corrigliano d’Otranto, 9th Marquess of Argensola, 6th Marquess of Castellabate, 14th Marquess of Galatone, 8th Marquess of San Vicente, 11th Count of Copertino, 13th Baron of Badolato, Veglie, Leverano, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino. Son of Don Angelo Granito Pignatelli, Duke of Acerenza (1875- 1924), and Donna Adelaide Serra Cassano, daughter of Don Francesco 7th Duke of Cassano and of Donna Clotilde Giusso of the Dukes of Galdo, Duchess of Acerenza. Married 23 April 1938, Marcella Scheggi, Princess of Belmonte. (19 March 1913 – 22 May 1982).

* HE Prince Don Angelo Gennaro, 13th Prince of Belmonte &c. Received as a Knight of Justice in the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George by Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro, 24 December 1962. Married 28 May 1969 Sarah Elizabeth Mayhew, Princess of Belmonte. (9 February 1939 – ). Has issue.

The Genealogy of The Princely House

  • Don ORAZIO GIOVAN BATTISTA Ravachieri Fieschi, 2d Baron of Badolato and 2d Baron of
  • Belmonte, etc, also Baron of Tortora in succession to Don Pietro Francesco Ravaschieri
  • (who d. 2 May 1613). Patrician (‘Patrizio’) of Genoa. As Grand Seneschal of the Kingdom
  • of Naples (‘Gran Siniscalco del Regno di Sicilia’), one of the seven Great Offices of
  • State, he was cr 5 Mar 1619 Prince of Belmonte by Philip III of Spain with succession
  • according to agnatic-cognatic feudal law, (d. 12 Oct 1645); m. 29 May 1621 Donna Anna
  • Maria Caracciolo Pisquizi, of the Lords (later Dukes) of Sicignano (28 January 1604 –
  • Belmonte 1637) (for collaterals see CARACCIOLO)
  • 1a) Don DANIELE, 2d Prince of Belmonte, etc (1622-5 Feb 1685); m.
  • 1stly Eleonora Exarquez, dau of Marquess of Lauria; 2dly dau of
  • Don Giovan Francesco Grimaldi, Prince of Gerace

2a) Don Ramiro (d. 21 Jan 1684, pre-deceased
by his son Don Gennaro Francesco d. 1662)

3a) Donna Maria
Teresina (Abbess)

  • 4a) Donna ANNA MARIA, 3d Princess of Belmonte (suo iure), etc (d. 12 Aug 1685); m. Don
  • Cosimo Squarciafico Pinelli, 3d Duke of Acerenza (cr 12 April 1593 for Don Cosimo Pinelli,
  • Grand Chancellor (“Gran Cancelliero”) of the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples from 1557, by
  • Philip II of Spain), 5th Marquess of Galatone (cr 29 June 1562 for Don Stefano Squarciafico
  • by Philip II of Spain), 2d Count of Copertino (cr 29 June 1562 for Don Stefano Squarciafico
  • by Philip II of Spain) (d. 1685)
  • 1b) Don GALEAZZO Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli, 4th Prince of Belmonte, 4th Duke of Acerenza,
  • 6th Marquess of Galatone, 3d Count of Copertino, 5th Baron of Badolato, Baron of Belmonte
  • (d. 1711); m. Donna Giustiniana Pignatelli, dau of Don Fabrizio Pignatelli, 1st Prince of
  • Noia and 3rd Marquess of Cerchiara and Donna Violante de Sangro, dau of Don Giovanni
  • Francesco 1st Prince of Sansevero and of Andreana Carafa. (2 Oct 1595 – 15 Sept 1624)
  • 2b) HE Don ORONZO Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli, 5th Prince of Belmonte etc, High Counsellor
  • of State to HIRH Emperor Charles VI; elevated by the Emperor 15 July 1712 to the rank of
  • Grandee of Spain, 1st Class in the feudal title and rank of the Dukedom of Acerenza, with
  • succession ‘per i suoi figli maschi e femmine in perpetuo’ (18 January 1661 – 25 March 1722)
  • ; m. 5 May 1701 Donna Violante di Sangro, of the Princes of Viggiano
  • 1c) HSH Fürstin Donna ANNA FRANCESCA Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli, 6th Princess
  • of Belmonte (suo iure) and (1st) of the Holy Roman Empire (maritali nomine), etc (Belmonte
  • Castle 14 August 1702 – 8 January 1779); m. 26 May 1721 HSH Fürst (Prince) Don Antonio
  • Pignatelli y Aymerich, 2d Marquess of San Vicente, 3d Marquess of Argensola (cr 12th June
  • 1702 for Don Gerónimo Rocaberti – Pau – Bellera, whose mother was Agnes, Signora di Argensola,
  • by Felipe V of Spain), Grandee of Spain, son of Don Domenico Pignatelli y de Vaez, General of
  • Artillery and Cavalry, Field Marshal in the Principality of Catalonia, Governor and Commandant
  • General of the Province of Extremadura, Viceroy and Captain General of the Kingdom of Navarra
  • and Galicia (Spain), 2d Marquess of Argensola and of his wife Doña Giustiniana (Anna) de
  • Aymerich, daughter of Don Bernard de Aymerich Lord of Bernalda and of Doña Maria de Argensola;
  • General of the Imperial Cavalry, 1st Prince (Fürst) Belmonte of the Holy Roman Empire (cr 9 Sept
  • 1726 by Emperor Charles VI),(4 Aug 1685-26 Jan 1771). (Note: Don Antonio’s sister, Reichsgrafin
  • Maria Anna Giuseppina (26 July 1689 – 1 March 1755), married the diplomat Reichsgraf Michael
  • Johann von Althann, son of Michael Johann von Althann and Princess Maria Theresia von und zu
  • Liechtenstein (see LIECHTENSTEIN), and was lady in waiting to HIRH Empress Elizabeth, consort
  • of HIRH Emperor Charles VI and mother to HIRH Empress Maria Theresa (see AUSTRIA, House of
  • Habsburg-Lothringen)
  • 1d) HSH Fürst Don ANTONIO Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli, 7th Prince of Belmonte and
  • (2d) of the Holy Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 7th Duke of Acerenza, 9th Marquess
  • of Galatone, 4th Marquess of Argensola, 3d Marquess of San Vicente, 6th Count of Copertino,
  • 8th Baron of Badolato, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc. Lieutenant General,
  • President of the Royal Academy of Science and Letters. Royal Order of St. Januarius awarded
  • by Charles III of Spain, 1766 (27 March 1722 – 2 January 1794); m. 1stly 24 Feb 1754 Donna
  • Francesca Revertera, dau of Don Nicolo, Duke of Salandra, and Maria Theresa, daughter of
  • Francesco Ignazio Graf von Thürheim and Maria Maximiliana Rebecca Salburg Gräfin von Thürheim,
  • Hereditary Falconers of the Holy Roman Empire, (d. 1756); m. 2ndly 28 August 1762 Donna Chiara
  • Spinelli, dau of Don Troiano Duke of Laurino and Donna Barbara Caterina Pinto y Mendoza,
  • Princess of Montacuto (herself daughter and heir of Prince Don Gregorio and Cristina Malaspina
  • of the Marquesses of Fosdinovo), (8 Jan 1744 – 18 Feb 1823)

1e) HSH Fürst Don Antonio,
Duke of Acerenza, (d. 1756)

  • 2e) HSH Fürst Don ANTONIO MARIA Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli, 8th Prince of Belmonte
  • and (3d) of the Holy Roman Empire, etc, 1st Prince of Muro Leccese (cr 3 October 1797 by
  • Ferdinand IV of Naples) and 1st Duke of Corigliano d’Otranto (idem) (7 July 1763 – 17 Aug 1798)
  • ; m. 12 May 1783 Donna Giovanna Pignatelli Aragona Cortés, dau of Don Ettore Pignatelli, 9th
  • Prince of Noia, High Admiral and Grand Constable of the Kingdom of Sicily, and Donna Anna Maria
  • Piccolomini d’Aragona, 7th Princess of Valle (19 Mar 1769 – 26 Feb 1821). Adopted a daughter,
  • Enrichetta Paolina Teresa, in 1815.

3e) HSH Fürst Don Giuseppe, Duke of
Acerenza, (26 Aug 1764 – 9 Nov 1812)

  • 4e) HSH Fürst Don Francesco, Duke of Acerenza (after 9 Nov 1812), (13 Feb 1766 – 20 Dec
  • 1827); m. Dresden 18 March 1801 Giovanna Biron, Princess of Courland, dau of Prince Peter,
  • (last) Sovereign Duke of Courland, Semigallia and Livonia and Duke of Sagan, and of Anna
  • Charlotte, Countess von Medem (see BIRON von CURLAND) (24 June 1783 – 21 April 1879)

5e) HSH Fürstin Donna Anna, (b. 1771)

6e) HSH Fürst Don GENNARO Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli, 9th Prince of Belmonte
and (4th) of the Holy Roman Empire, etc (28 Feb 1777 – 28 July 1829); m. 11 Dec 1823
Carmela, dau of Francesco De Chiaro and Margherita Bajanelli (d. 28 Jan 1881)

  • 1f) HSH Fürstin Donna FRANCESCA di PAOLA Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli, 10th
  • Princess of Belmonte (suo iure) and (5th) of the Holy Roman Empire, Duchess of Acerenza
  • and Grandee of Spain 1st Class, Marchioness of Galatone, Marchioness of San Vincenzo and
  • Countess of Copertino, etc. Last Princess of Belmonte and the Holy Roman Empire, the
  • latter title being non-transmissible through an heiress (3 April 1824 – 30 Aug 1911); m.
  • 9 Dec 1838 Don Angelo Granito, 4th Marquess of Castellabate (cr 29 Nov 1745 for Don Parise
  • Granito by Charles III of Spain) (1812 – 29 June 1861). He m. 1stly 16 Feb 1833 Donna
  • Carolina Carafa of the Dukes of Andria, (10 Jan 1811 – 30 Sept 1836), and by her had Donna
  • Teresa (b. 11 Sept 1836, m. 3 Aug 1855, Prince and Count Francesco Carafa della Spina, 6th
  • Duke of Traetto), who was herself dau of Don Francesco, 14th Duke of Andria, and Donna
  • Teresa Caracciolo).

1g) HE Donna Chiara, (b. 12 Oct 1841); m.
5 Feb 1862, Francesco de Clario, Baron of
Finocchito (+ 11 Nov 1901).

  • 2g) HE Don GIOACCHINO (Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli Granito)‘Granito Pignatelli’,
  • 11th Prince of Belmonte, etc. Knight Commander of the Johanniterorden (Sweden), Deputy of
  • the National Parliament, Librarian of the State Archive of Naples (2 November 1849-6 April
  • 1934); m. 13 Nov 1869, Donna Maria Caterina d’Ayala Valva, dau of Don Giuseppe, of the
  • Marquesses of Valva (21 Aug 1850 – 12 Sept 1930)

1h) HE Donna Francesca di Paola (17 Oct 1870 – 12 Nov
1938); m. 10 Oct 1890 Giuseppe Malfatti, Baron of
Montetretto (23 Aug 1846 – 3 June 1905)

  • 1i) Gioacchino Pietro Luigi Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto, Bailiff Grand Cross of
  • Honour and Devotion SMOM, (30 Dec 1891 – 6 Feb 1964); m. 1 Oct 1921 Maria Agata
  • Carolina Whitehead, Dame of Honour and Devotion SMOM, daughter of Sir John Whitehead
  • and of Countess Agatha Breunner-Enkevoirth (30 Dec 1895 – 16 June 1993)

1j) Maria della Gloria Agata Giuseppina Gobertina Malfatti,
Baroness of Montetretto, (26 Aug 1922 – 23 Feb 1984)

  • 2j) Gioacchino Pietro Francesco Gobertus Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto, Knight of
  • Obedience SMOM, Ambassador for SMOM to the Principality of Liechtenstein, (b. 29 Feb
  • 1924); m. 1stly 15 Jan 1959 Alda Matarelli, (d. 13 Sept 1969); m. 2ndly 14 Mar 1970
  • Countess Alice Maria Esterházy de Galántha, Dame of the Order of the Croce Stellata,
  • daughter of Count János István Esterházy de Galántha and of Countess Livia, née Gräfin
  • Sérényi de Kis-Serény (see ESTERHÁZY von GALÁNTHA)1k) (ex 2) Giovanni Malfatti, Baron
  • of Montetretto, Knight of Honour and Devotion SMOM, (b. 7 April 1971); m. 10 Feb 2007
  • Sophie Gräfin von Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee, daughter of Wunibald Graf von
  • Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee and of his wife, Michaela Gräfin von Waldburg zu Wolfegg
  • und Waldsee, née von Oertzen (see WALDBURG)
  • 2k) (ex 2) Roberto Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto,
    Knight of Honour and Devotion SMOM, (b. 24 Oct 1972)
  • 3j) Alessandra Roberta Caterina Gobertina Malfatti, Baroness
    of Montetretto, (b. 15 March 1926); m. 31 Oct 1970 Antonio Grassi
  • 2i) Giuseppe Francesco Antonio Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto,
    (19 Mar 1893 – 12 Jan 1956); m. 12 May 1919 Felicia Nevikluff
  • 1j) Francesco Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto, Ambassador for the Republic
    of Italy (13 Jan 1920 – 18 Dec 1999); m. 23 June 1945 Nobile Adonella
    Brenciaglia, (9 Sept 1923 – 19 Oct 1995)
  • 1k) Paolo Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto,
    (b. 12 Oct 1946); m. Annania Pabilona
  • 1l) Nilo Pabilona Malfatti
    (b. 11/10/1968 – 12/04/2009);
    Lisa Constanzi
  • 1m) Bruno Seve’ Malfatti
    (b. 4/07/2003)
  • 2m) Bella Corinne Constanzi
    (b. 3/14/2007)
  • 2k) Giorgio Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto, (b. 5 Dec 1950);
    m. 1stly 7 Feb 1976 Francesca Orlandi Contucci (divorced);
    m. 2ndly 20 Mar 1999 Desiree de la Caridad Nieves Herrera
  • 1l) (ex 1) Andrea Malfatti, Baron of
    Montetretto, (b. 1 April 1980)
  • 2h) HE Donna Maria Giovanna (12 Oct 1872 – 3 May 1960); m. 20
    March 1897 Gennaro del Balzo (see del BALZO) (11 Dec 1859 – 1929)
  • 3h) HE Don Angelo, Duke of Acerenza, etc. (21 Dec 1875 – 9 Feb 1924); m. 1stly 20 June
  • 1897 Donna Adelaide Serra, daughter of Don Francesco 7th Duke of Cassano and of Donna
  • Clotilde Giusso of the Dukes of Galdo, (2 April 1870 – 27 April 1898); m. 2ndly 1911
  • Donna Maria Guido (23 Feb 1889 – 1980)

1i) HE Donna Angelina (9 April 1912 – 21
Sept 1958); m. 2 Aug 1934 Gennaro Rogges

  • 2i) HE Don GIOACCHINO (Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli Granito) ‘Granito
  • Pignatelli’, 12th Prince of Belmonte, etc. (19 March 1913 – 22 May 1982); m.
  • 1stly 23 April 1938 Marcella Castelli, (annulled 1948); m. 2ndly 25 July 1951
  • Francesca Visco
  • 1j) (ex 1) HE Don ANGELO (Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli Granito) ‘Granito
  • Pignatelli’, 13th Prince of Belmonte, and by descent 6th Prince of Muro Leccese, 13th
  • Duke of Acerenza and Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 6th Duke of Corrigliano d’Otranto,
  • 10th Marquess of Argensola, 15th Marquess of Galatone, 9th Marquess of San Vicente,
  • 7th Marquess of Castellabate, 12th Count of Copertino, 14th Baron of Badolato, 14th
  • Baron of Belmonte, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino, Seigneur of Veglie and Leverano.
  • Knight of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George (KJCO), 24
  • December 1962 (b. 9 Feb 1939); m. 28 May 1969 Sarah Elizabeth Mayhew, daughter of Robert
  • Mayhew, Esq. and of his wife Marjorie, née Taylor
  • 1k) HE Donna FRANCESCA di PAOLA MARIA ELISABETTA (Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli
  • Granito) ‘Granito Pignatelli’ di Belmonte, Duchess of Acerenza and Grandee of Spain 1st
  • Class (b. 27 Feb 1973); m. 1 July 2006 Tristan Charles Johnson Elbrick, son of Captain
  • Alfred Johnson Elbrick, Knight of SMOM, himself son of Ambassador the Hon. Charles Burke
  • Elbrick, Knight of SMOM, KHS (Knight of the Holy Sepulchre), and of Fern Evelyn Clare,
  • daughter of Major David Vere Bendall CMG, MBE, First or Grenadier Guards, and of his wife,
  • née Eve Stephanie Merrilees Forbes Fraser Galpin
  • 2k) HE Donna Maria Sofia Giovanna Rose (Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli Granito)
  • ‘Granito Pignatelli’ di Belmonte, Grandee of Spain 1st Class (b. 11 March 1974); m. 17
  • May 2003 The Hon. Adam Bruce, son of the 11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine,
  • Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (KT), & the Countess of
  • Elgin and Kincardine, née Victoria Mary Usher, daughter of Major Dudley George Usher, MBE,
  • TD, Scottish Horse, and of his wife née Antonia Mary Wilkinson
  • 1l) Robert Frederick Angelo Bruce
    (b. Edinburgh, 7 Jan 2007)
  • 2j) (ex 2) HE Donna Parisina (b 30 Sept
    1954); m. 18 May 1977 Adriano Montagni
  • 3i) HE Donna Caterina (b. 30 March 1914);
    m. 31 Jan 1942 Salvatore Carriero
  • 4i) HE Don Gennaro (b. 21 Oct 1917);
    m. 24 April 1940 Anna Libertini
  • 5i) HE Donna Anna (b. 7 Mar 1920);
    m. 2 Dec 1939 Achille Libertini
  • 6i) HE Don Antonio (23 May 1923 – 20 June
    1983); m. 2 March 1946 Margherita San Mauro
  • 3g) HE Donna Chiara, (b. 12 Oct 1841); m. 5 Feb 1862,
    Francesco de Clario, Baron of Finocchito (+ 11 Nov 1901).
  • 4g) HE Donna Teresa; m. 3 Aug 1855, Prince and Count Francesco
    Carafa della Spina, 6th Duke of Traetto (6 Aug 1829 – 9 Nov 1909)
  • 5g) His Eminence Cardinal Gennaro, (10 April 1851 – 16 Feb 1948), ordained priest on
  • 7 June 1879 in Naples, secretary to Archbishop Guglielmo Sanfelice D’Acquavella OSB:
  • appointed domestic prelate to the Holy Father from 4 April 1884; joined the Roman
  • Curia 1892, and attached to the Sacred Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical
  • Affairs, concerned with foreign affairs of the Holy See. As attaché and counselor,
  • posted to the Paris nunciature from 1893-1896; appointed Titular Archbishop of Edessa
  • di Osrhoëne 1899 and consecrated by His Eminence Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro,
  • Secretary of State, in Rome; Nuncio in Belgium (1899-1904), and in Austria-Hungary
  • (1904-1911). Created Cardinal Priest by Saint Pius X 27 Nov 1911 with the title of S.
  • Maria degli Angeli; papal legate to the Eucharistic Congress of Lourdes 12 July 1914;
  • promoted to Cardinal Bishop of the suburbicarian see of Albano 6 Dec 1915. Camerlengo
  • (Chamberlain) of the Sacred College of Cardinals 4 Dec 1916 – 16 Mar 1919. Papal legate
  • to the Eucharistic Congress of Palermo from 6 Aug 1924. Vice-Dean of the Sacred College
  • of Cardinals 25 Feb 1930, and Dean from 9 July 1930. Cardinal Bishop of Ostia in 1930.
  • Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Ceremonies from 14 July 1930. Grand Prior of Rome
  • of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and
  • of Malta (SMOM) from 1937. Appointed Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Stephen
  • (Königlich Unharischer Orden des Heiligen Stephen) by HIRH Archduke Franz Joseph I of
  • Austria, in 1911. Participated in the Vatican Conclaves of 1914, 1922 and 1939.

6g) HE Donna Maria Mercede (6 July 1853 – 24 May 1925); m.
15 Feb 1874 Don Benedetto Maresca Donnorso, Marquess of
Camerano (4 Sept 1846 – 12 May 1923)

7g) HE Donna Giulia, (b. 6 Feb 1858 – 1920); m.
6 Jan 1879 Edoardo Filo, Count of Torre di
Santa Susanna (9 Dec 1852 – 21 Aug 1905)

  • 8g) HE Donna Livia, (b. 30 May 1859); m. 19 July
  • 1884 Nobile Felice Patroni Griffi (+ 28 April 1898)
  • 9g) HE Donna Laura, (b. 8 August 1860); m.
  • 10 Sept 1879, Count Giuseppe Adolfo Falvella
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Privacy and Cookie Policy Last updated: 11 August 2026

Neue Gotha respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. This Privacy and Cookie Policy explains who is responsible for personal data, what information we process, why we process it, how long we retain it, who may receive it, and the rights available to individuals under the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”) and applicable national data-protection and electronic-communications law.

1. Who is responsible for your personal data?

The controller responsible for the processing described in this policy is:

  • Legal name: Neue Gotha Historical Register gUG
  • Trading or project name: Neue Gotha
  • Postal address: Musterstraße 12, 10115 Berlin, Germany
  • Email: editor@neuegotha.de
  • EU/EEA representative: Not applicable (the controller is established in Germany).
  • Data Protection Officer: No Data Protection Officer has been appointed. Privacy enquiries are handled through editor@neuegotha.de.

Questions about this policy or requests concerning personal data may be sent to the email or postal address above.

2. Scope of this policy

This policy applies to personal data processed through https://neuegotha.com, correspondence with the Neue Gotha editorial office, material submitted for editorial consideration, and editorial or archival records concerning identifiable living individuals.

It does not govern independent third-party websites or services linked from this website. Those providers are responsible for their own privacy practices.

3. Personal data we process and why

Processing activity Personal data Purpose Legal basis Retention
Website delivery, logging, and security IP address; date and time of access; requested page or file; referring page; browser, operating-system, and device information; error and security-event data Deliver the website, maintain availability, diagnose faults, prevent abuse, and protect the website and its users Article 6(1)(f) GDPR — our legitimate interests in operating a secure and reliable website. Where processing is required by law, Article 6(1)(c) GDPR may also apply. Routine access and error logs are retained for 14 days. Records isolated for investigation of a suspected security incident may be retained for up to 90 days after the incident is resolved, or longer where required for legal claims.
Editorial correspondence and enquiries Name, contact details, message content, correspondence history, and any documents or other information voluntarily provided Respond to enquiries, assess corrections or submissions, maintain editorial records, and protect legal rights Article 6(1)(f) GDPR — our legitimate interests in conducting editorial work and responding to correspondence; Article 6(1)(b) GDPR where processing is necessary to take steps at an individual’s request before entering into a contract; Article 6(1)(c) GDPR where retention or disclosure is legally required Correspondence is ordinarily retained for 24 months after the matter closes. Material required to document an editorial decision, resolve a dispute, meet a legal obligation, or establish, exercise, or defend a legal claim may be retained for the applicable limitation period.
Editorial, genealogical, and archival records Names; titles and styles; dates and places associated with public or genealogical events; family relationships; jurisdictions, offices, and public roles; images; biographical information; source and citation information; and correspondence relating to accuracy or provenance Research, document, preserve, verify, correct, and publish material concerning dynastic, genealogical, heraldic, and institutional history Article 6(1)(f) GDPR — our legitimate interests and those of readers, researchers, and institutions in maintaining an accurate historical and genealogical reference work, subject to a documented necessity and balancing assessment. Applicable national rules implementing Article 85 GDPR concerning freedom of expression and information may also apply. For as long as the information remains relevant to the legitimate editorial or archival purpose, subject to accuracy review, correction, restriction, erasure, and applicable archiving or legal requirements
Cookie-consent and language preferences Consent choice, language preference, cookie identifiers, and related technical information Remember privacy choices, demonstrate consent where required, and provide the language selected by the visitor Article 6(1)(f) GDPR for strictly necessary preference and consent-management functions; Article 6(1)(a) GDPR for optional storage, access, or associated processing based on consent As stated in the cookie table below
Optional external services IP address, page URL, device and browser information, language choice, and service-interaction data, depending on the provider Provide optional translation, embedded content, analytics, or similar features actually enabled on the website Article 6(1)(a) GDPR — consent. Non-essential services remain disabled until consent is given. As described for each service and by the relevant provider

We do not use personal data for solely automated decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects concerning individuals.

4. Editorial and archival information obtained from other sources

Neue Gotha is an editorial and historical reference project. Some information in the register may concern identifiable living individuals and may not have been collected directly from those individuals.

Depending on the record, information may be obtained from official gazettes and public registers; archives and libraries; published books and scholarly works; institutional publications; reputable news sources; publicly accessible websites; submissions from the individual concerned or their authorised representative; family representatives; and other documented sources.

The categories of information may include the categories listed under “Editorial, genealogical, and archival records” above. The material may be made available to website visitors and may be indexed by search engines. Neue Gotha seeks to use relevant, proportionate, and appropriately sourced information and to distinguish documented fact from uncertainty or editorial interpretation.

Individuals may contact the editorial office to request access, correction, contextualisation, restriction, or erasure. Requests are assessed under the GDPR and applicable national law, taking into account accuracy, source integrity, the public interest, freedom of expression and information, archival considerations, and the rights and freedoms of other people. No provision of this policy removes a right granted by applicable law.

Neue Gotha does not intentionally publish special-category personal data or information concerning criminal convictions about living individuals unless a specific lawful basis and any additional legal condition have been identified and documented.

5. Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on, or read from, a visitor’s device. Similar technologies may perform comparable functions. Some are strictly necessary for a website or a service expressly requested by the visitor. Others, including many analytics, advertising, social-media, translation, or embedded-content technologies, require prior consent under applicable EU electronic-communications rules.

Neue Gotha does not place or access non-essential cookies, or activate non-essential external services, before valid consent has been given. Visitors may accept or reject optional purposes separately and may withdraw consent at any time by selecting the permanently available “Cookie settings” control. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that was lawful before withdrawal. Strictly necessary technologies cannot be disabled through the consent tool, but they may be controlled through browser settings where technically possible.

The following table reflects the technologies currently deployed on the website. It is updated whenever a plugin, host, analytics tool, embedded service, or cookie configuration changes.

Name Provider Purpose Category Duration Third-party access
_scc_session Neue Gotha / managed hosting and site-control provider Maintains a short-lived session for website security and site-control functions Strictly necessary Browser session The contracted hosting or site-control provider may access the identifier when providing technical support
_tccl_visit Neue Gotha / managed website-analytics provider Distinguishes a single website visit and reduces duplicate counting within the same session Analytics — disabled until consent 30 minutes Yes; the contracted analytics provider processes the identifier on Neue Gotha’s behalf
_tccl_visitor Neue Gotha / managed website-analytics provider Assigns a pseudonymous visitor identifier used to produce aggregated website-usage statistics Analytics — disabled until consent 12 months Yes; the contracted analytics provider processes the identifier on Neue Gotha’s behalf
googtrans Neue Gotha / Google Translate Stores or applies the visitor’s language selection for the translation feature Functional — disabled until consent 12 months Google may receive technical and service-interaction data when Google Translate is activated
ng_gt_default_applied Neue Gotha / website translation plugin Records whether the website’s default translation setting has been applied Functional — disabled until consent 24 hours No direct vendor access is assumed; Google may receive data if activation causes Google Translate to load
eu_cookies_bar_consent Neue Gotha / locally hosted EU Cookies Bar plugin Stores the visitor’s cookie choices and prevents the banner from being shown unnecessarily Strictly necessary 6 months No, provided the consent plugin remains locally hosted and does not transmit consent records to its developer
wordpress_test_cookie Neue Gotha / WordPress Checks whether the browser supports cookies when an authorised user visits the sign-in page Strictly necessary Browser session No; the cookie is processed by Neue Gotha and its contracted host

Authorised editorial users may receive WordPress authentication, security, or preference cookies when they sign in. wordpress_logged_in_[hash] maintains an authenticated session for up to two weeks when “Remember Me” is selected; wordpress_sec_[hash] protects administrative access for the session; and wp-settings-[user_id] stores an editor’s interface preferences for up to one year. These internal cookies are processed solely for editorial access and site administration.

6. Google Translate, web fonts, and other external content

Where enabled with the visitor’s consent, Neue Gotha may use Google Translate to provide machine-generated translations. Activating the service may cause the visitor’s browser to connect to Google and disclose technical information such as the IP address, requested page URL, browser or device information, and language or service-interaction data. Machine translations may contain errors and do not replace the original editorial text.

Website fonts are hosted locally by Neue Gotha and do not require a connection to Google. Google Translate remains an optional external service that is activated only after the visitor provides consent.

Information about Google’s processing is available in the Google Privacy Policy and Google’s explanation of how it uses information from sites and applications that use its services.

Embedded material from another website may allow that provider to process personal data as if the visitor had visited the provider directly. Non-essential embeds remain blocked until consent is obtained. Each enabled provider is identified in this policy and in the consent interface.

7. Recipients of personal data

Personal data may be disclosed only where necessary to:

  • hosting, content-delivery, backup, website-maintenance, email, security, and consent-management providers acting under contract;
  • translation, analytics, media, or other external-service providers selected by the visitor through the consent interface;
  • professional advisers, insurers, auditors, or other specialists where necessary to protect legal or operational interests;
  • courts, regulators, law-enforcement bodies, or public authorities where disclosure is required or permitted by law; and
  • the public and search engines where personal data form part of a lawfully published editorial or archival record.

8. International data transfers

Some service providers may process personal data outside the European Economic Area. Where the GDPR restricts such a transfer, Neue Gotha relies on an applicable European Commission adequacy decision or appropriate safeguards under Article 46 GDPR, such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses, together with supplementary measures where required.

Cloudflare and Google may transfer limited technical information to recipients in the United States. Where the recipient is validly certified, the transfer is based on the European Commission’s adequacy decision for the EU–US Data Privacy Framework. Where that mechanism is unavailable or does not cover a transfer, the relevant provider’s European Commission Standard Contractual Clauses and supplementary technical and organisational measures are used. Information about the applicable safeguards, including how to obtain a copy, may be requested from editor@neuegotha.de.

9. How long we retain personal data

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including security, editorial integrity, source verification, dispute resolution, and compliance with legal obligations. The specific periods or criteria are stated in the processing and cookie tables above.

When a retention period ends, information is deleted or anonymised unless continued retention is required by law, is necessary for legal claims, or is justified by a documented editorial or archival purpose. Encrypted rolling backups are retained for 35 days and are then overwritten automatically, unless a backup has been isolated for incident recovery or a legal hold.

10. Security

Neue Gotha uses appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access. No method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure, and absolute security cannot be guaranteed.

11. Your data-protection rights

Subject to the conditions and limitations in the GDPR and applicable national law, an individual may have the right to:

  • obtain confirmation as to whether personal data concerning them are processed and request access to those data;
  • request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
  • request erasure of personal data;
  • request restriction of processing;
  • object, on grounds relating to their particular situation, to processing based on legitimate interests;
  • receive personal data they provided in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and transmit those data to another controller where the right to portability applies;
  • withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal; and
  • lodge a complaint with a competent data-protection supervisory authority.

To exercise a right, contact editor@neuegotha.de. Please identify the information or record concerned and the nature of the request. We may request information reasonably necessary to verify identity and protect personal data from unauthorised disclosure. Requests are normally answered within one month, subject to any extension permitted by law.

Where a request concerns published editorial or archival content, applicable rights may be limited where necessary and proportionate to reconcile data protection with freedom of expression and information or other rights recognised by law. Each request will be assessed individually.

12. Complaints

We encourage individuals to contact us first so that we can try to resolve a concern. Individuals also have the right to complain to the supervisory authority in the EU or EEA country of their habitual residence, place of work, or the place of the alleged infringement.

For this Berlin-based controller the supervisory authority is the Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit, Alt-Moabit 59–61, 10555 Berlin, Germany; telephone +49 30 13889-0; email mailbox@datenschutz-berlin.de; website https://www.datenschutz-berlin.de/.

13. Children

The website is intended as a general historical and reference resource and is not directed specifically at children. We do not knowingly request personal data directly from children for an online service requiring parental consent. If you believe a child has provided personal data inappropriately, please contact us.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our processing activities, service providers, technologies, or legal obligations change. The current version will be published on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. Where required, we will provide additional notice or request renewed consent before introducing a new processing purpose.

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