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 29 June 1562, and inherited according to Spanish nobiliary law. The title is currently held by the Prince or Princess Belmonte, and may be used as a courtesy title.
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[edit] Creation of the Title
The feudality of Galatone was acquired in 1557 by Don Uberto Squarciafico of Genoa, who died on 8 February 1562 leaving his property to his son Don Stefano. On 29 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 Duke of Sesto and Marquess of Venafro (Filippo Spinola), Patrician of Genoa- and sister of the 1st Marquess de los Balbases victor of the Siege of Ostend and the Siege of Breda- and of Polissena Grimaldi, Baroness of Casalnuovo. Polissena was the daughter of Niccolo Grimaldi, Prínce of Salerno, Duke of Eboli, Marquess of Diano, Count of Rampolla, Lord of Altavillla, and first banker to King Phillip II of Spain, and of Giulia Cybo (daughter of Lorenzo Cybo-Malaspina, Count of Ferentillo, General of the Papal Armies and brother of Pope Innocent VIII. Lorenzo was married to Ricciarda Malaspina, Marchioness of Massa, Lady of Carrara. From the Cybo-Malaspinas descended Maria Theresa Cybo, Duchess of Modena, whose daughter and heir Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este married Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este). As a widow, Donna Lelia married on 27 November 1585 Don Gian Francesco Oliva Grimaldi, 2nd Duke of Terranova and Seigneur of Gerace. Her son by that marriage, Don Girolamo Oliva Grimaldi, was created 1st Prince 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 (+ 28 October 1617), daughter of Don Agapito Grillo, Patrician of Genoa and Guardian ('Custode') of the Galley of Admiral Don Andrea Doria, and of Luisa Centurione, daughter of Marco, 1st Marquess of Estepa (himself the son of Adam Centurione, 1st Marquess of Laula, Vivola and Monte de Vay and of Orietta Grimaldi- grandparents of the 1st Prince of Melfi, founder of the house of Doria-Pamphilii-Landi), 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 Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (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 Don Cosimo and Donna Nicoletta, was created 1st Duke of Acerenza on 12 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 died on 12 August 1685 and her tomb was placed in the Chapel of the Immacolata at Galatone.
- Don Gaetano Pinelli, second son of Duke Cosimo and Duchess Anna Maria, succeeded to 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. See also the Dukedom of Acerenza, for the line of the Dukes prior to their marriage alliance with the Ravaschieri Fieschi, Princes of Belmonte.
[edit] Arms
 Squarciafico |
 Pinelli |
 Ravaschieri |
 Fieschi |
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).
[edit] Style and forms of address
The Prince or Princess Belmonte's eldest son (or eldest daughter, in the absence of sons) may use the courtesy title Duke or Duchess of Acerenza, whilst the eldest son (or eldest daughter, in the absence of sons) of that heir may use the title Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone.
| Styles of The Marquess and Marchioness of Galatone |
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| Reference style | Don [First Name], Marquess of Galatone or Donna [First Name], Marchioness of Galatone |
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| Spoken style | Marquess of Galatone or Marchioness of Galatone |
| Alternative style | Marquess or Marchioness |
As the heir in the second degree (ie the heir to the heir), to TE The Prince and Princess of Belmonte, and the grandson or granddaughter of a Grandee of Spain (1st Class), the Marquess or Marchioness of Galatone and their consort are correctly styled as follows:
On Envelope
The Marquess of Galatone, The Marchioness of Galatone, The Marquess and Marchioness of Galatone
Salutation in Letter
Dear Marquess, Dear Marchioness, or where familiar Dear Don [first name] or Donna [first name]
Oral Address
Marquess, Marchioness, or where familiar Don [first name] or Donna [first name]
