Obertenghi

The Obertenghi were a family of Italian nobility descended from Count Obert I of Luni, the first margrave of Milan and Eastern Liguria, a march called the marca Januensis, marca Obertenga or march of Genoa.

Early in 951, Berengar II of Italy finished the reorganisation of the Italian feudal structure begun by his predecessor Hugh. He named three new margraves to three new territories:

• Aleram, Count of Vercelli, he named margrave of Western Liguria: (Vercelli, Monferrato, Ceva, Acqui Terme, Oneglia, Albenga) (marca Aleramica);
• Arduin Glaber was elevated from count to margrave of Turin: (Torino, Ivrea, Maritime Alps, Nice, Ventimiglia, Sanremo) (the marca Arduinica);
• Obert I margrave of Milan and count of Luni, was given the new marca Obertenga, Milan and Eastern Liguria. Eastern Liguria at this time contained the counties of Genoa, Luni, Tortona, Bobbio, Parma and Piacenza, Modena and Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Ascoli Piceno.

The Obertenghi margraviate was the source of the fiefs of the Este, Pallavicini, Vicini, Malaspina, Fieschi, Della Torre, Visconti of Gallura, Parodi, Pinelli, Lupi, Massa, Della Berardenga, Cavalcabò, Adalbertina, etc.

Further resources

• GLI OBERTENGHI (in Italian) is a page from sardimpex.com, which provides genealogical and historical information on the family.