Rulers of Montferrat

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The Marquisate of Montferrat (in brick red) in the context of late 15th century Italy.
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The Marquisate of Montferrat (in brick red) in the context of late 15th century Italy.

The Marquess of Montferrat is the title derived from Montferrat (in Italian, Monferrato), a territory in Piedmont south of the Po and east of Turin. It was held by the Aleramici, a family who were in the 12th century one of the most considerable in Lombardy, related to the Kings of France and the Holy Roman Emperors. Members of the family participated frequently in the Crusades, and became kings and queens of Jerusalem. They also married into the Byzantine imperial families of Comnenus, Angelus and Palaeologus and, as a result of the Fourth Crusade, founded the Latin Kingdom of Thessalonica.

The descendants of Aleramo in the male line ruled Montferrat until it passed through the female line to the imperial Byzantine Palaeologus family in 1305. It was briefly controlled by Spain (1533-1536) before it passed again through a woman to the Gonzaga Dukes of Mantua (1536-1708). In 1574, Montferrat was elevated to Duchy. With the War of the Mantuan Succession (1628-1631) a piece of the marquessate passed to the Duchy of Savoy, the remainder passing to Savoy in 1708, as Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor gained possession of the Gonzaga territory. The next heir of the House of Gonzaga was later compensated by giving Duchy of Teschen in Silesia to them.

Contents

[edit] Marquesses

[edit] Aleramici dynasty

Arms of Montferrat (House of Aleramo): Argent a chief gules
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Arms of Montferrat (House of Aleramo): Argent a chief gules
  • William I (d. before 933)
  • Aleramo (933-967)
    • William II , co-ruler?. Son of Aleramo
    • Otto I (967-991), son of Aleramo
  • William III (991-bef.1042), son of Otho I
  • Otho II (bef.1042-c.1084), son of William III
  • William IV (c.1084-c.1100), son of Otho II
  • Renier I (c.1100-c.1136), son of William IV
    • William (c.1100-c.1127), co-ruler. Son of William IV
  • William V (c.1136-1191), son of Renier I
  • Conrad (1191-1192), son of William V. King of Jerusalem, de jure from 1190, confirmed by election 1192
  • Boniface I (1192-1207), son of William V. King of Thessalonica from 1205
  • William VI (1207-1225), son of Boniface I
  • Boniface II (1225-1253/55), son of William VI. Titular king of Thessalonica (1239/49-1255)
  • William VII (1253/55-1292), son of Boniface II. Titular king of Thessalonica
  • John (1292-1305), co-ruler from 1290, son of William VII. Titular king of Thessalonica

[edit] Palaeologi dynasty

[edit] Gonzaga dynasty

  • Frederick II (Federico) (1536-1540), Duke of Mantua. Married to Margaret of Montferrat, daughter of William IX
  • Francis I (Francesco) (1540-1550), Duke of Mantua. Son of Federico II.
  • William X (1550-1587), Duke of Mantua. Son of Federico II. From 1574, Duke of Montferrat.
  • Vincent I (Vincenzo) (1587-1612), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of William X
  • Francis II, Duke of Mantua (1612). Son of Vincenzo I
  • Ferdinand I, Duke of Mantua (1612-26). Son of Vincenzo I
  • Vincent II, Duke of Mantua (1626-27). Son of Vincenzo I
  • War of Mantuan Succession (1627-1631) - a portion was lost to Duchy of Savoy
  • Maria, Duchess of Montferrat, daughter of Francis II, technically 1612-61, and her husband Charles, Duke of Rethel, Charles I, died 1634
  • Charles II, called "of Nevers", Lord of Montferrat (1627-1637), Duke of Mantua and Nevers. Son of Ludovico, Duke of Nevers, son of Federico I
  • Charles III, Duke of Mantua (1637-1665). Also Duke of Nevers until 1659. Grandson of both Charles of Nevers and Francis II, son of Maria
  • Charles IV (Ferdinando Carlo) (1665-1708), Duke of Mantua. Son of Carlo III

[edit] Sources & Further Reading

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