Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone

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Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone (Marchese o Marchesa di Galatone) is a noble title created by the Kings of Spain for Don Stefano Squarciafico, Patrician of Genoa, on 29th June 1562, and inherited according to Spanish nobiliary law. The title is currently held by the Prince or Princess Belmonte, and may be used by the heir to the Prince (or Princess) Belmonte's heir, Duke or Duchess of Acerenza, (ie the second in line to the succession to the princely title), as a courtesy title.

[edit] Creation of the Title

The feudality of Galatone was acquired in 1557 by Don Uberto Squarciafico of Genoa, who died on 8th February 1562 leaving his property to his son Don Stefano. On 29th June of that year, the title Marquess of Galatone was conferred on Don Stefano by His Majesty King Philip II of Spain, son of His Imperial Majesty Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, whose Queen was Mary I of England, (daughter of Henry VII and granddaughter of the Catholic Monarchs (los Reyes Católicos), Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile). Don Stefano married Donna Vittoria Doria. He died in 1568, and is buried in the family's Chapel , the Capella di San Marco, at Copertino Castle. His monument there is inscribed with the words: 'STEFANUS SQUARCIAFICUS GAL MARCHIO OBIIT ANNO DOMINE MDLXVIII'. Don Stefano's brother Don Uberto, who held the courtesy title of Count of Copertino in right of his elder brother, is also buried in the Capella di San Marco, the tomb inscribed with the words: 'UBERTU SQUARCIAFICUS STEFANI FRATER CUPERTINI COMES OBIIT ANNO DOMINI MDLXII VI ID FEB'.

[edit] Succession

• Don Giulio Cesare, younger son of Don Uberto, succeeded his brother Don Stefano as 2nd Marquess of Galatone in 1568, and was placed under the guardianship of Don Uberto's sister Donna Livia and her husband Don Galeazzo Pinelli owing to his youth. Donna Livia had been given the Contea (Earldom) of Copertino by Don Uberto, as a dowry on her marriage. Don Giulio Cesare married Donna Lelia Spinola, daughter of the Marquess of Venafro (Filippo), Patrician of Genoa, and of Polissena Grimaldi. As a widow, Donna Lelia married on 27th November 1585 Don Gian Francesco Oliva Grimaldi, 2nd Duke of Terranova and Seigneur of Gerace.

• Don Cosimo, son of Don Galeazzo and Donna Livia, succeeded to the lands, Castle and title as 3rd Marquess of Galatone in 1588. From his mother he also inherited the title Count of Copertino. He married Donna Nicoletta (+ 28th October 1617), daughter of Don Agapito, Patrician of Genoa and Guardian ('Custode') of the Galley of Admiral Don Andrea Doria, and of Luisa Centurione, daughter of the Marquess of Estepa (Marco), Patrician of Genoa, and of Battina Negrone. Don Cosimo was responsible for the construction of the Church and Convent of San Francesco in Galatone in 1599-1600 at his own expense, dedicating it to the care of the Cappuchins and reserving the Chapel of the Immacolata as a family crypt. Don Cosimo died in 1601.

• Don Galeazzo (II) Francesco, only son of Duke Cosimo and Duchess Nicoletta, was created 1st Duke of Acerenza on 12th April 1593 by Philip II of Spain. He succeeded his father in 1602 as 4th Marquess of Galatone and Count of Copertino. Don Galeazzo (II)'s daughter Donna Caterina also resided at Galatone, and is buried in the Chapel of the Immacolata, along with her cousin Donna Nicoletta, daughter of Don Galeazzo (I).

Documents produced at the time of Duke Galeazzo (II) Francesco's succession include the following description of the Castle that he inherited:

'uno castello cum diversi membri; sala, camera, torre, cortiglio, stalle, cantine, giardene, et altri membri, con puzzo seu trozza, cisterne tre, sito dentro la terra di Galatone'.

• Don Cosimo (II) succeeded as 2nd Duke of Acerenza, 5th Marquess of Galatone and Count of Copertino, and married Donna Anna Maria Ravaschieri, daughter of Don Orazio Giovan Battista Ravaschieri Fieschi, 1st Prince of Belmonte, bringing her from the convent where she had been enclosed. Together they had nine children. She dies on 12th August 1685 and was entombed in the Chapel of the Immacolata in Galatone. (+12th August 1685)

• Don Gaetano Pinelli, second son of Duke Cosimo and Duchess Anna Maria, succeeded to the titles as 3rd Duke of Acerenza , 6th Marquess of Galatone and Count of Copertino, since his elder brother Don Gaetano Antonio was considered 'fatuo' or simple. Duke Gaetano died at Belmonte (now Belmonte Calabro) in 1711, with no direct heir. His titles and lands therefore passed to his first cousin, who was nephew to the 3rd Duchess, Donna Anna Maria.

• His Excellency Don Oronzo Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli, 5th Prince of Belmonte, succeeded to the Dukedom (Ducato) of Acerenza as 4th Duke, the Marquessate (Marchesato) of Galatone as 7th Marquess, and the Earldom (Contea) of Copertino.

For the descent of the Dukedom of Acerenza, Marquessate of Galatone and Earldom of Copertino to the present day in the line of the Princes and Princesses of Belmonte, see Prince or Princess Belmonte

[edit] Arms

The Arms: a list of the individual blazons related to the Dukes of Acerenza and Marquesses of Galatone up to their inter-marriage with the Princes Belmonte, the Ravaschieri Fieschi, is given below.

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

• Grillo- (Genoa) azure, a bend dexter argent, charged with a 'grillo' (grasshopper) proper (later Dukes of Mondragone).

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

• 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).