The Chiaramonte are a noble family of Sicily. They became the most powerful and wealthy family in Sicily. In the 13th century the marriage of

Manfredi Chiaramonte Manfredi III Chiaramonte (died November 1391) was a Sicilian nobleman. Of French origins, he was given the County of Modica, then one of the most powerful fiefs in the Kingdom of Sicily, in 1377. He was also made lord of Trapani, Agrigento, Bivona ...

Isabella Mosca Isabella may refer to: People and fictional characters * Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Isabella (surname), including a list of people Places United States * Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpora ...

, united the two Sicilian counties of Modica and

Ragusa Ragusa is the historical name of Dubrovnik. It may also refer to: Places Croatia * the Republic of Ragusa (or Republic of Dubrovnik), the maritime city-state of Ragusa * Cavtat (historically ' in Italian), a town in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Cro ...

. Around 1307–1320, the couple built the family seat, the

Palazzo Chiaramonte Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri is a Gothic-style palace located on via Piazza Marina, facing the Giardino Garibaldi in the ancient quarter of Kalsa of Palermo, region of Sicily, Italy. History The building, intended to be the family palace or castle ...

, in Palermo. The family's great power in Sicily lasted until 1392 with the execution of

Andrea Chiaramonte Andrea Chiaramonte (???? – 1 June 1392) was a representative of the Sicilian nobility in the 14th century. Andrea Chiaramonte was given the County of Modica, which included the municipalities of Modica, Ragusa, Scicli, Pozzallo, Ispica, Chia ...

, 8th Count of Modica, last defender of Palermo for King

Frederick IV of Sicily Frederick III (or IV) (1 September 1341 – Messina 27 July 1377Setton, Kenneth M. (1975) " Volume III: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries", Edited by Harry W. Hazzard, page 214.), called the Simple, was King of Sicily from 1355 to 1377. H ...

against the illegitimate pretender Martin I of Aragon. It was outside of the Palazzo Chiaramonte that

was executed on 1 June 1392 Following the fall of the House of Chiaramonte, their palace became known as the Palazzo Steri. The palazzi subsequently became the residence of Martin I of Aragon and of Blanche de Navarre, then the Spanish viceroys, and then a prison of the

Inquisition The Inquisition was a group of institutions within the Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy, conducting trials of suspected heretics. Studies of the records have found that the overwhelming majority of sentences consisted of penances, ...

. Today, the palace's much copied and distinctive form of

Norman Gothic Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

architecture is known, in Sicily, as the Chiaramontan style. Traditionally, direct male descendants of Manfredi are called Pietro, Ugo or Flavio – Pietro the foundation stone, Ugo the king of Sicily and Flavio because of Sicily's bright yellow sun. At present, the family uses the Cardone surname. The name of the Chiaramonte can be found today in numerous Sicilian toponyms. The town of Chiaramonte Gulfi in (

province of Ragusa The Province of Ragusa ( it, Provincia di Ragusa; Sicilian: ''Pruvincia 'i Rausa'') was a province in the autonomous region of Sicily in southern Italy, located in the south-east of the island. Following the abolition of the Sicilian provinces, ...

) and Palma di Montechiaro ( province of Agrigento) are both named after the Chiaramonte family. Nearby the latter is a stronghold built in 1358 by Federico III Chiaramonte, Count of Modica.Palma di Montechiaro.
retrieved 18 August 2008.

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