Duke or Duchess of Acerenza

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Duke or Duchess of Acerenza is a noble title created by the Kings of Spain for Don Galeazzo Pinelli, Patrician of Genoa, on 12 April 1593, with succession stipulated according to Spanish nobiliary law.

Don Galeazzo's father Don Cosimo had held the office of Grand Chancellor ('Gran Cancelliere') of the Kingdom of Naples from 1557-1562, and the feudality of Acerenza had been acquired by the Pinelli three decades before the grant in (1563). Inherited by marriage with the Pinelli, the title of Duke or Duchess of Acerenza is currently held by the Prince or Princess Belmonte, and may be used by the Prince or Princess's heir as a courtesy title.

[edit] Succession

  • Don Galeazzo Francesco Pinelli, 1st Duke of Acerenza, Marquess of Tursi, married Donna Livia Squarciafico (d. 1602), daughter of Don Uberto Squarciafico of Genoa (d. 1562). Donna Livia's dowry included the fief of the Contea (Earldom) of Copertino, acquired in 1557. Don Uberto had also acquired the feudalities of Galatone, Lequile, Veglie and Leverano in the same year. Don Galeazzo himself obtained the Marquesate of Tursi in 1568 from Don Giovanni Andrea Doria, 6th Prince of Melfi.

Note: Don Galeazzo was the son and heir of Don Cosimo Pinelli, (d. 1601), himself son of Donna Livia Squarciafico and Don Galeazzo Pinelli. Don Cosimo was married twice: to Donna Nicoletta Grillo, daughter of Don Agapito Grillo, Guardian ('Custode') of the Galley of Admiral Andrea Doria, and of Donna Luisa, daughter of Don Marco Centurione Marquess of Estepa and of Donna Battina Negrone, and previously to Donna Dianora d’Avalos. (Donna Clemenza and Donna Lucrezia were the daughters of Don Cosimo by Donna Dianora. The former married Don Fabrizio Cantelmo, 4th Duke of Popoli, of the ancient Provencal seigneurs of Tarascon, Boulbon and Romans, the latter married Don Antonio Guevara, of the Counts of Potenza, Hereditary Grand Seneschals of the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples.)

  • Don Cosimo Pinelli, 2nd Duke of Acerenza. Married Donna Anna Maria Ravaschieri Fieschi, 3rd Princess of Belmonte suo iure. (Note: on 23rd May 1642, Don Cosimo presented to the Archbishop of Acerenza and Matera, Simone Carafa Roccella (1638-1647), a building for the foundation of a seminary in Acerenza to serve the diocese.)
  • Don Galeazzo Francesco Pinelli, 3rd Duke of Acerenza, married Donna Giustiniana Pignatelli, daughter of Don Fabrizio Pignatelli, 1st Prince of Noia and 3rd Marquess of Cerchiara.

Thereafter, the Dukes and Duchesses of Acerenza, Grandees of Spain on the Acerenza Fief, also Princes and Princesses of Belmonte, and of the Holy Roman Empire (see Prince or Princess Belmonte):

  • HE Prince Don Oronzo Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli, 4th Duke of Acerenza
  • HSH Princess (Fürstin) Donna Anna Francesca Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli, 5th Duchess of Acerenza
  • HSH Prince (Fürst) Don Antonio Pignatelli, 6th Duke of Acerenza
  • HSH Prince (Fürst) Don Antonio Pignatelli, 7th Duke of Acerenza
  • HSH Prince (Fürst) Don Gennaro Pignatelli, 8th Duke of Acerenza
  • HSH Princess (Fürstin) Donna Francesca di Paola (Paolina) Pignatelli, 9th Duchess of Acerenza
  • HE Prince Don Gioacchino Granito Pignatelli, 10th Duke of Acerenza
  • HE Prince Don Gioacchino Granito Pignatelli, 11th Duke of Acerenza
  • HE Prince Don Angelo Granito Pignatelli, Prince Belmonte, 12th and current Duke of Acerenza

[edit] Arms

The Arms: a list of the individual arms inherited by the Dukes of Acerenza is given below.

Squarciafico
Squarciafico
Grillo
Grillo
Ravaschieri
Ravaschieri
Fieschi
Fieschi
Pignatelli
Pignatelli
  • Squarciafico (Genoa)- gules, a cross or potencée, repotencée; coronet of a Marquess (Galatone*).
  • Pinelli (Naples)- gules, six pinecones or arranged 3, 2, 1; coronet of a Duke (Acerenza*).
  • Grillo (Genoa)- azure, a bend dexter argent, charged with a 'grillo' (grasshopper) proper
  • 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, recognised by the Hohenstaufen Emperors).
  • 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. (HSH Prince Antonio Pignatelli and Belmonte, Marquess of San Vicente*). 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*).