Branciforte
Blazon: azure, a lion or crowned, holding with his truncated front paws a standard gules, the pole sable, with three fleurs-de-lis or, flapping to the left, and two truncated paws or, in a cross of S. Andrew. Motto: DOMINUS FORTITUDO.
Origins: unknown
Seat: Palermo
Notable people:
- Stefano, considered by some as the family's first ancestor in Sicily and a royal master rational;- Raffaele, his son, the first Baron of Mazzarino in his family, royal secretary, and master portolano of the kingdom beyond the Salso;- Giovanni (son of Raffaele), Baron of Mazzarino, who commanded the royal armies and brought the city of Piazza under royal obedience during the reign of Federico il Semplice;- Federico, Giovanni's brother, Baron of Mazzarino, who received an annual concession of one hundred gold ounces for life on May 15, 1375, and married Anna degli Uberti, daughter of Scaloro, Count of Assoro;- Giovanni (son of Nicolò, of Federico, of Nicolò, of the aforementioned Federico), Baron of Mazzarino, etc., and vicar general of war in Val di Noto in 1462;
- Nicolò Melchiorre (son of the previous), first Count of Mazzarino, vicar general in Agosta in 1479 and 1485, kingdom deputy, stratigò of Messina in 1504, and husband of Belladama Alagona, who brought many baronies into the Branciforte household;
- Giovanni (son of the previous), Count of Mazzarino, etc., vicar general of war in Licata in 1521;
- Blasco (brother of the previous), Baron of Tavi, captain of justice in Palermo in 1527-28, stratigò of Messina in 1538, where he erected a bulwark known as Don Blasco's bulwark, war captain in Trapani, married Margherita Abbatellis, heiress of Cammarata, and later Beatrice Moncada, heiress of Piscazzi soprani and S. Martino, and progenitor of two branches of this noble family: that of the Dukes of S. Giovanni and Counts of Cammarata, and that of the Counts of Raccuia, Princes of Leonforte, etc.;
- Antonio (brother of the previous), Baron of Mirto and Melilli, first Count of Raccuia, vicar general of the kingdom in 1542, and stratigò of Messina in 1546;
- Girolamo Branciforte e Abbatellis (son of Blasco), Count of Cammarata, knight of the Order of Alcantara, vicar of war in Val Demone in 1563;
- Nicolò Branciforte e Moncada (son of the aforementioned Blasco), Count of Raccuia, Baron of Mirto, Sinagra, and Tavi, vicar general of the kingdom who fought in Germany under Emperor Charles V;
- Ercole (son of the aforementioned Girolamo), first Duke of S. Giovanni, Count of Cammarata, etc., knight of the Order of S. Giacomo della Spada, kingdom deputy, governor of the noble company of the Bianchi in Palermo in 1603; Giovanni Branciforte e Tagliavia, vicar general of war in Patti and throughout Val Demone;
- Fabrizio Branciforte e Barrese (son of the previous), Prince of Butera, Pietraperzia, etc., husband of Caterina Barrese, heiress of the Marquisate of Militello, the baronies of Cipolla, S. Marco lo Celso, Monteclimato, etc., knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, and a Grandee of Spain of the 1st class; Nicolò Placido, Count of Raccuia, first Prince of Leonforte and Duke of S. Lucia, vicar general in the Valle di Noto, praetor of Palermo in 1613-14 and 1624-25, kingdom deputy, governor of the noble company of Pace in Palermo in 1615 and 1621, knight of the Order of S. Giacomo della Spada, and stratigò of Messina in 1642;
- Pietro, captain of the royal cuirassier cavalry, captain of justice in Palermo in 1647; Girolamo Branciforte e Colonna (son of the previous), Marquis of Martini and first Duke Branciforte, kingdom deputy, governor of the Monte di Pietà of Palermo in 1686, of the noble company of Pace in 1688, chamberlain to King Charles II, and praetor of Palermo in 1698;
- Francesco, Prince of Butera, etc., who married Giovanna d'Austria, daughter of Don Giovanni d'Austria;
- another Francesco, Duke of S. Lucia, knight of the Order of S. Giacomo della Spada, governor of the Monte di Pietà of Palermo in 1662, captain of justice of the same city in 1661, and praetor in 1667 and 1675;
- Giuseppe, Prince of Butera, etc., first Prince of Niscemi, knight of the Order of Alcantara;
- another Giuseppe, Prince of Leonforte, Pietraperzia, etc., kingdom deputy, praetor of Palermo in 1656-57, and knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece;
- Domenico, Count of S. Antonio, kingdom deputy in 1684, and general of the Sardinian galley squadron;
- Pietro (son of the previous), Count of S. Antonio, general of the aforementioned galley squadron;
- Blasco, senator of Palermo in 1688-89;
- Giuseppe, Prince of Scordia, kingdom deputy, chamberlain to King Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy, captain of justice in Palermo in 1710, and praetor of the same city in 1714;
- Ercole (son of the previous), Prince of Scordia, chamberlain, justice captain of Palermo in 1737, 1750-51-52, master rational of the royal patrimony tribunal, praetor of Palermo in 1762-63 and 1774-75, and knight of the Order of S. Gennaro;
- Antonino (brother of the previous), apostolic nuncio to the court of Paris and the Republic of Venice, abbot of the SS. Trinità della Magione in Palermo, cardinal of S. R. C., governor of Urbino, archbishop of Thessalonica, and pontifical legate of the city of Bologna;
- Nicolò Placido Branciforte e Del Carretto, Duke of S. Lucia, Prince of Butera, etc., knight of the Golden Fleece and of the SS. Annunziata;
- Ercole Michele Branciforte e Gravina, Duke of Branciforte, Prince of Butera, etc., knight of the Order of S. Gennaro, kingdom deputy, and chamberlain;
- Salvatore Branciforte e Branciforte (son of the previous), Prince of Pietraperzia, Butera, etc., knight of the Order of Malta, kingdom deputy, chamberlain, knight of the Order of S. Gennaro, colonel of the "Siracusa" infantry regiment, and later brigadier of the royal armies;
- Ercole Michele Branciforte e Pignatelli, Prince of Butera, etc., knight of the Order of Malta, and chamberlain; Giuseppe, Prince of Leonforte, senator of Palermo in 1779-80;
- Nicolò Placido, Prince of Leonforte, chamberlain, and senator of Palermo in 1799 and 1803-04
Titles:
Prince of Butera;
Prince of Leonforte
Prince of Niscemi,
Prince of Pietraperzia,
Prince of Scordia,
Prince of Villanova;
Duke of Branciforte,
Duke of S. Giovanni,
Duke of S. Lucia;
Marquess of Barrafranca,
Marquess of Martini,
Marquess of Militello;
Count of S. Antonio,
Count of Cammarata,
Count of Mazzarino,
Count of Raccuia;
Baron of Alzacuda,
Baron of Baulo,
Baron of Belmonte,
Baron of Biviere di Lentini,
Baron of Bonanotte,
Baron of Bruca,
Baron of Cassibile,
Baron of Chirumbo,
Baron of Cipolla,
baron of Condrò,
Baron of Daini,
Baron of Draffo,
Baron of Favare|Menelao,
Baron of Fontanamurata,
Baron of Gallitano,
Baron of Gallizzi,
Baron of Gatta,
baron of Giangiuffrè,
Baron of Gibiliuso,
Baron of Grassuliato,
Baron of Gulfo,
Baron of Limbrici,
Baron of Malfitano,
baron of S. Marco lo Celso,
Baron of S. Maria di Niscemi,
Baron of Melilli,
Baron of Mirto,
Baron of Monteclimato,
Baron of Motta Camastra,
Baron of Occhialà,
Baron of Oxini,
Baron of Pedagaggi e Randazzini,
Baron of Pietranera,
Baron of Radalì,
Baron of Sinagra,
Baron of Suffiano,
Baron of Tavi,
Baron of Ursitto,
Baron of Voltano.
Bibliography:
Palizzolo Gravina 1871, s.v. "Branciforte";Mango 1912, s.v. "Branciforte"
This illustrious and ancient family boasts a rich history, with its members holding numerous positions and titles across countless fiefdoms. While a full account would exceed the scope of this work, a brief overview of their origins, main titles, and most distinguished individuals is offered.
According to Crescenzi, the family descends from Obizzo, a general ensign in Charlemagne's army against the Lombards. The family arrived in Sicily with Guglielmo, who married Francesca Maletta, daughter of Manfredi, lord of Mineo, and died in Catania in 1347 during Ludovico's reign.
, among many others not mentioned for brevity.
No comments:
Post a Comment