Duke or Duchess San Donato ((in Italian):Duca o Duchessa di San Donato) was a noble title, first created in 1602 by the Spanish King Philip III for the Sanseverino family. The dukedom was traditionally based on estates and territories held in San Donato di Ninea, Calabria. The first creation, however, lasted only 52 years. In 1668, the title was recreated for a wealthy merchant, Antonio Amitrano, who had some years earlier bought the feudal rights over the former dukes' territories. Descendants of the Ametrano family held the dukedom, until it became extinct in the 1970s. [2] There have been successive claims over the centuries by distant kinsmen of the first holders to claim the dukedom; these remain unverrified.
The history of the Dukedom of San Donato can be traced to 1374, when following the wedding of Margherita di Sangineto with Venceslao di Sanseverino, Count of Tricarico and Chiaromonte, as part of the bride's dowry, feudal and territorial rights over lands in the area of San Donato di Ninea, passed to Sanseverino family. The family continued to hold the estates until in 1510, when Bernardino Sanseverino, Prince of Bisignano, granted them to a distant relation, Francisco Sanseverino, Baron of Càlvera. This began the lineage of the Sanseverino barons, later to be the first dukes of San Donato. The Sanseverino name was to remain linked, albeit tentatively, with the dukedom throughout its history. At the height of its glory throughout Genoa, Venice, Milan, Piacenza, Modena, Capua, Salerno and Naples the family held ten princely titles, twelve dukedoms, nine marquessates and forty members of the family held the title count. [3]
In 1598, the Baron of Càlvera were elevated, by the governing Spanish authorities, to the rank of Marquess of San Donato. This was to be a stepping stone to greater titles, for on 29 September 1602, Philip III of Spain created Scipione, 3rd Baron of Càlvera and 4th Baron of Policastrello, Duke of San Donato. Thus, establishing the dukedom. [4] This was a common ploy by the Spanish, for keeping a the powerful nobility of the occupied country loyal to Spain, rather than as a reward for any great service on the part of the newly created duke.
Three years after the creation of the dukedom, greater good fortune was to come to the new duke. In 1605, his mother, Lucrezia Carafa, inherited the the estates of Roggiano from the Prince of Bisignano. From this time, the ducal court was now resident for much of the year at Roggiano, rather than San Donato. Scipione, Duke of San Donato died in 1640 and was succeeded to the title by his son, Francesco.
Francisco Sanseverino 2nd Duke of San Donato, was born in November 1611. As an aristocrat created by the Spanish, he was heavily involved in the the Rebellion of Naples. The rebellion which had begin as a protest against the imposition of taxes place, by the Spanish authorities, on fruit, a staple food, has begun in Sicily and spread to Naples. The rebels principal targets were the tax collectors and the Spanish authorities, a body which included much of the Spanish created aristocracy. When the rebel's leader, Tommaso Aniello suddenly went mad in the middle of the revolt following a visit to the Governor's Palace, it was widely assumed he had been poisoned and the rebellion grew in animosity and spread beyond the city into the surrounding areas. In October 1647, following the failure of Spanish forces to reimpose their rule a republic was declared. However it was to be short lived; the aristocracy raised forces and maintained a blockade of Naples and the rebels, lacking the hoped for support of the French, were quelled and the Spanish were able to restore their authority. However, during the discord of 1647 the 2nd Duke of San Donato, regarded an enemies of the rebels, was murdered together with his daughters. [5]
The Sanseverino line's tenure on the title was now fragile, the sole heiress to the title, Anna, had been injured in the attacks on her father, and aged nine years, she died in 1654 from her injuries. The title was now regarded as extinct and its associated rights reverted to the Royal Court of Naples, still controlled by the Spanish Hapsburgs, presided over by Philip IV of Spain. The first creation of the dukedom of San Donato had lasted just fifty-two years.
Following the extinction of the sanserevino line, the title lay in abeyance. The ducal fiefs and territories which had reverted to the crown were sold to a wealthy merchant Antonio Ametrano, the son of a clerk in the royal household who had made his money in trade and from excises in Calabria. Ametrano paid the Neapolitan royal treasury 72,000 ducats for the fiefs and rights over the former dukedom. The Ametrano family were unrelated to the previous holders of the Dukedom of San Donato, but in 1668, the title and the lands were reunited when Amitrano was created 1st Duke of San Donato (of the 2nd creation) by Charles II of Spain.
Descendents of the Ametrano were to hold the dukedom intil their line became extinct in the 1970s. during the 300 years that the family held the title, the name of the ducal house changed as the dukedom passed through the female line. as the family prospered and intermarried it acquired further older nad grander titles until the dukedom of san Donato became a secondary title, often handed out for use to a younger son - while the head of the family and true holder of the title used the superior titles of Prince of Bonifati or Duke of Malvito.
died 1769 last if the Ametrano. Married Lucio, Cavalcanti 1st Duke of Buonvicino. succeeded by Maria Ametrano Duchessa di San Donato
Mother of Francisco Saverio, Duke of San Donato. She married Paul II Sambiase, 3rd Duke of Malvito (1710-1770)
Inheirited the title through his mother Maria Ametrano Duchessa di San Donato
According to this [1] we now have a Patrizio di Cosenza, Duke of San Donato succeeding his mother Maria Cavalcanti Ametrano.
married (1809) Beatrice Pirelli. Supported the Naples Republic and was consequently persecuted. Dod heroic rescue, per Nobility of Naples
Son of the above. 1821 -1901
Died 1929
1881 - 1972
this version seems to be pretty spot on to me at the moment.
Don Ladislao Sambiase, Duke and Prince of Malvern Bonifati, born in Naples on February 14, 1881 (succeeding his brother Paul + February 7, 1929), who had no children by his wife Margaret Nardi (Libro d'Oro, ed. XX, vol. XXII, 1990-1994, p 538)
La genealogia riportata sopra va quindi letta in questo modo:
Stipite comune Marco Antonio Sanseverino 2° barone di Càlvera investito dal Principe di Bisignano 4° grado con privilegio datato Cassano 7-6-1526 Sp. donna Vittoria Castrocucco D'Aquino ___________________________________|______________________________ | | 3° grado Taddeo Sanseverino Ettore Sanseverino 5° grado | | 2° grado Ercole III Gio Geronimo Sanseverino 6° grado | | 1° grado Francesco Sanseverino Gianfrancesco Sanseverino 7° grado | | Porzia Sanseverino Orazio (Ercole) Sanseverino 8° grado sp. don Francesco Sanseverino 2° Duca di San Donato | | | Anna detta "Annuccia" Sanseverino | 3° Duchessa di San Donato Policastrello e Roggiano Mario Sanseverino 9° grado
Fu il 2º Duca di San Donato l'11 dicembre 1640, 5º barone di Policastrello e 1º barone di Roggiano e Patrizio Napoletano.È un periodo di grave malcontento per i sandonatesi, che in concomitanza e in conseguenza dei fatti successi nella capitale del Regno nel 1647, tumultuarono contro il loro signore, al quale tolsero ogni rispetto ed obbedienza "mettendo fuoco ai suoi magazzini di grano, ammazzandogli tutte le mandrie dei vari animali, facendo prigioniera la Duchessa, con morte di due sue femmine e del fattore e con tanti altri eccessi di crudeltà", come risulta da un dispaccio del Residente veneto a Napoli in data 6 agosto 1647." cfr. R. Bisignani, I Sanseverino, ramo San Donato, sta in "Calabria Nobilissima", 1989, 42-43, 33-70.
Questa linea della grande casata principesca reggerà il feudo fino al 1654, anno in cui muore l'unica figlia femmina sopravvissuta, l'ultima duchessa di San Donato, la piccola Anna di appena 9 anni e il feudo viene incamerato dalla Reale corte di Napoli. Il feudo ed il titolo di duca di San Donato fu quindi devoluto (ritornò) al sovrano: messo in vendita all'asta, il feudo sarà aggiudicato alla famiglia Ametrano di Napoli nel 1664: in questo modo San Donato passò ad altri feudatari, dopo gli antichi Sanseverino. [1]
<references>
Duke or Duchess San Donato ((in Italian):Duca o Duchessa di San Donato) was a noble title, first created in 1602 by the Spanish King Philip III for the Sanseverino family. The dukedom was traditionally based on estates and territories held in San Donato di Ninea, Calabria. The first creation, however, lasted only 52 years. In 1668, the title was recreated for a wealthy merchant, Antonio Amitrano, who had some years earlier bought the feudal rights over the former dukes' territories. Descendants of the Ametrano family held the dukedom, until it became extinct in the 1970s. [2] There have been successive claims over the centuries by distant kinsmen of the first holders to claim the dukedom; these remain unverrified.
The history of the Dukedom of San Donato can be traced to 1374, when following the wedding of Margherita di Sangineto with Venceslao di Sanseverino, Count of Tricarico and Chiaromonte, as part of the bride's dowry, feudal and territorial rights over lands in the area of San Donato di Ninea, passed to Sanseverino family. The family continued to hold the estates until in 1510, when Bernardino Sanseverino, Prince of Bisignano, granted them to a distant relation, Francisco Sanseverino, Baron of Càlvera. This began the lineage of the Sanseverino barons, later to be the first dukes of San Donato. The Sanseverino name was to remain linked, albeit tentatively, with the dukedom throughout its history. At the height of its glory throughout Genoa, Venice, Milan, Piacenza, Modena, Capua, Salerno and Naples the family held ten princely titles, twelve dukedoms, nine marquessates and forty members of the family held the title count. [3]
In 1598, the Baron of Càlvera were elevated, by the governing Spanish authorities, to the rank of Marquess of San Donato. This was to be a stepping stone to greater titles, for on 29 September 1602, Philip III of Spain created Scipione, 3rd Baron of Càlvera and 4th Baron of Policastrello, Duke of San Donato. Thus, establishing the dukedom. [4] This was a common ploy by the Spanish, for keeping a the powerful nobility of the occupied country loyal to Spain, rather than as a reward for any great service on the part of the newly created duke.
Three years after the creation of the dukedom, greater good fortune was to come to the new duke. In 1605, his mother, Lucrezia Carafa, inherited the the estates of Roggiano from the Prince of Bisignano. From this time, the ducal court was now resident for much of the year at Roggiano, rather than San Donato. Scipione, Duke of San Donato died in 1640 and was succeeded to the title by his son, Francesco.
Francisco Sanseverino 2nd Duke of San Donato, was born in November 1611. As an aristocrat created by the Spanish, he was heavily involved in the the Rebellion of Naples. The rebellion which had begin as a protest against the imposition of taxes place, by the Spanish authorities, on fruit, a staple food, has begun in Sicily and spread to Naples. The rebels principal targets were the tax collectors and the Spanish authorities, a body which included much of the Spanish created aristocracy. When the rebel's leader, Tommaso Aniello suddenly went mad in the middle of the revolt following a visit to the Governor's Palace, it was widely assumed he had been poisoned and the rebellion grew in animosity and spread beyond the city into the surrounding areas. In October 1647, following the failure of Spanish forces to reimpose their rule a republic was declared. However it was to be short lived; the aristocracy raised forces and maintained a blockade of Naples and the rebels, lacking the hoped for support of the French, were quelled and the Spanish were able to restore their authority. However, during the discord of 1647 the 2nd Duke of San Donato, regarded an enemies of the rebels, was murdered together with his daughters. [5]
The Sanseverino line's tenure on the title was now fragile, the sole heiress to the title, Anna, had been injured in the attacks on her father, and aged nine years, she died in 1654 from her injuries. The title was now regarded as extinct and its associated rights reverted to the Royal Court of Naples, still controlled by the Spanish Hapsburgs, presided over by Philip IV of Spain. The first creation of the dukedom of San Donato had lasted just fifty-two years.
Following the extinction of the sanserevino line, the title lay in abeyance. The ducal fiefs and territories which had reverted to the crown were sold to a wealthy merchant Antonio Ametrano, the son of a clerk in the royal household who had made his money in trade and from excises in Calabria. Ametrano paid the Neapolitan royal treasury 72,000 ducats for the fiefs and rights over the former dukedom. The Ametrano family were unrelated to the previous holders of the Dukedom of San Donato, but in 1668, the title and the lands were reunited when Amitrano was created 1st Duke of San Donato (of the 2nd creation) by Charles II of Spain.
Descendents of the Ametrano were to hold the dukedom intil their line became extinct in the 1970s. during the 300 years that the family held the title, the name of the ducal house changed as the dukedom passed through the female line. as the family prospered and intermarried it acquired further older nad grander titles until the dukedom of san Donato became a secondary title, often handed out for use to a younger son - while the head of the family and true holder of the title used the superior titles of Prince of Bonifati or Duke of Malvito.
died 1769 last if the Ametrano. Married Lucio, Cavalcanti 1st Duke of Buonvicino. succeeded by Maria Ametrano Duchessa di San Donato
Mother of Francisco Saverio, Duke of San Donato. She married Paul II Sambiase, 3rd Duke of Malvito (1710-1770)
Inheirited the title through his mother Maria Ametrano Duchessa di San Donato
According to this [1] we now have a Patrizio di Cosenza, Duke of San Donato succeeding his mother Maria Cavalcanti Ametrano.
married (1809) Beatrice Pirelli. Supported the Naples Republic and was consequently persecuted. Dod heroic rescue, per Nobility of Naples
Son of the above. 1821 -1901
Died 1929
1881 - 1972
this version seems to be pretty spot on to me at the moment.
Don Ladislao Sambiase, Duke and Prince of Malvern Bonifati, born in Naples on February 14, 1881 (succeeding his brother Paul + February 7, 1929), who had no children by his wife Margaret Nardi (Libro d'Oro, ed. XX, vol. XXII, 1990-1994, p 538)
La genealogia riportata sopra va quindi letta in questo modo:
Stipite comune Marco Antonio Sanseverino 2° barone di Càlvera investito dal Principe di Bisignano 4° grado con privilegio datato Cassano 7-6-1526 Sp. donna Vittoria Castrocucco D'Aquino ___________________________________|______________________________ | | 3° grado Taddeo Sanseverino Ettore Sanseverino 5° grado | | 2° grado Ercole III Gio Geronimo Sanseverino 6° grado | | 1° grado Francesco Sanseverino Gianfrancesco Sanseverino 7° grado | | Porzia Sanseverino Orazio (Ercole) Sanseverino 8° grado sp. don Francesco Sanseverino 2° Duca di San Donato | | | Anna detta "Annuccia" Sanseverino | 3° Duchessa di San Donato Policastrello e Roggiano Mario Sanseverino 9° grado
Fu il 2º Duca di San Donato l'11 dicembre 1640, 5º barone di Policastrello e 1º barone di Roggiano e Patrizio Napoletano.È un periodo di grave malcontento per i sandonatesi, che in concomitanza e in conseguenza dei fatti successi nella capitale del Regno nel 1647, tumultuarono contro il loro signore, al quale tolsero ogni rispetto ed obbedienza "mettendo fuoco ai suoi magazzini di grano, ammazzandogli tutte le mandrie dei vari animali, facendo prigioniera la Duchessa, con morte di due sue femmine e del fattore e con tanti altri eccessi di crudeltà", come risulta da un dispaccio del Residente veneto a Napoli in data 6 agosto 1647." cfr. R. Bisignani, I Sanseverino, ramo San Donato, sta in "Calabria Nobilissima", 1989, 42-43, 33-70.
Questa linea della grande casata principesca reggerà il feudo fino al 1654, anno in cui muore l'unica figlia femmina sopravvissuta, l'ultima duchessa di San Donato, la piccola Anna di appena 9 anni e il feudo viene incamerato dalla Reale corte di Napoli. Il feudo ed il titolo di duca di San Donato fu quindi devoluto (ritornò) al sovrano: messo in vendita all'asta, il feudo sarà aggiudicato alla famiglia Ametrano di Napoli nel 1664: in questo modo San Donato passò ad altri feudatari, dopo gli antichi Sanseverino. [1]
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