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
The Princes of Belmonte descend directly from the powerful medieval
family of the Fieschi, Counts of Lavagna.
Rubaldo/Robaldo di Fiesco or 'Fieschi' was created Count of Lavagna
in c1060. In 1158 Frederick I 'Barbarossa', Holy Roman Emperor, confirmed
feudal rights in Liguria to the Counts of Lavagna: the beneficiaries of those
rights included Rubaldo and his nephews Gulielmo, Tebaldo, Enrico, Ruffino,
Aldedado, Gherardo; Ottone and his brother Ugone; and Alberto and his brother
Beltramino, who founded the line of the Princes, the Ravaschieri Fieschi. In the C13th the family of the Princes
twice provided popes to the Church: Sinibaldo, Pope Innocent IV,
son of Ugone, and Ottobuono, Pope Hadrian V,
son of Thedisius. In the same period
the Fieschi supported the Guelphic house descended from Otto Canella and his
son Grimaldo- the Grimaldi, later Sovereign Princes of Monaco, in their
struggle at
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.
1a) Don DANIELE, 2d Prince of
Belmonte, etc (1622 -
2a) Don Ramiro (d.
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. (
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
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, (
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 G
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.
2g) HE Don GIOACCHINO (Ravaschieri Fieschi
Pinelli Pignatelli Granito) ‘Granito Pignatelli’, 11th Prince of
Belmonte, etc. Knight Commander of the
Johanniterorden (
1h) HE Donna Francesca di Paola (
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, (
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.
3j)
Alessandra Roberta Caterina Gobertina Malfatti, Baroness of Montetretto,
(b.
2i) Giuseppe Francesco Antonio Malfatti,
Baron of Montetretto, (
1j) Francesco Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto,
Ambassador for the
1k) Paolo Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto, (b.
2k) Giorgio Malfatti, Baron of Montetretto,
(b.
1l) (ex 1) Andrea Malfatti,
Baron of Montetretto, (b.
2h) HE Donna Maria Giovanna (12 Oct 1872 - 3 May 1960); m. 20 March 1897
Gennaro
3h) HE Don Angelo, Duke of Acerenza, etc. (
1i) HE Donna Angelina (
2i) HE Don GIOACCHINO Granito Pignatelli y Aymerich Squarciafico Pinelli
Ravaschieri Fieschi, 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 (d. 13 May 2008), daughter of Donna Maria Augusta of
the Counts Bonmartini and of Onorevole Professor Sabato (Sabatino) Visco, Director
of the Institute of General Physiology, University of Rome, and Director of the
National Institute of Biology on the National Research Council [himself the son
of Donna Merope del Mercato dei Baroni di Rutino e Monteforte, and grandson of
Donna Maria Antonia (Antonietta) del Mercato Pacelli di Leo Sanseverino, 10th
Duchess of San Donato (suo iure)]
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 (b.17 Apr 1945), daughter of
Robert Evelyn Gurney Mayhew, and of his wife Marjorie Rose, herself daughter of
Thomas Lancelot Taylor (Wisden Cricketer of the Year, 1901)
1k) HE Donna FRANCESCA di PAOLA MARIA ELISAB
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
2l)
2j) (ex 2) HE Donna Parisina (b
3i) HE Donna Caterina (b.
4i) HE Don Gennaro (b.
5i) HE Donna Anna (b.
6i) HE Don Antonio (
3g) HE Donna Chiara, (b.
4g) HE Donna Teresa; m.
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
6g) HE Donna Maria Mercede (
7g) HE Donna Giulia, (b.
8g) HE Donna Livia, (b.
9g) HE Donna Laura, (b.
Note: This page was
prepared by a correspondent based on the following sources: Collegio Araldico,
Roma (2000-2004), ‘Libro d’Oro della Nobilta Italiana’;
Magri, Andrea (1640), ‘Memorie della Nobilissima Famiglia
Ravaschiera, Discendente da gli'Antichissimi Conti di Lavagna’; Firpo,
M. (1994/1998), ‘La ricchezza e il potere: le origini patrimoniali
dell’ascesa della famiglia Fieschi nella Liguria Orientale tra XII e XIII
secolo’, in Atti del Convegno I Fieschi tra Papato e Impero, ed.
Calcagno, D., Lavagna and Chiavari; Turchi, Gabriele (2004), ‘Storia di
Belmonte Dalle origini alla fine del secolo XIX’; Ruvigny, Marquess of
(1914, 2ed.), ‘Titled Nobility of Europe’; Dr. Christine Maria
Grafinger of the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana; Ms. Maroma Camilleri of the
National Library of Malta (Archives of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller
Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta- SMOM)