The Delle Piane family is an old Genoese noble family first recorded in
Polcevera
The Polcevera (in Ligurian ''Pûçéivia'' or ''Ponçéivia'') is a river in Liguria (Italy).
Geography
The river is named the Polcevera from Pontedecimo, at the confluence of the Torrente Riccò (left-hand) and torrente Verde (right-hand). ...
in
1121
Year 1121 ( MCXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* Emperor John II (Komnenos) recovers southwestern Anatolia (modern Turkey) from ...
.
[M. BERALDO, Casate liguri: Dellepiane, in "La Voce della Collegiata di N.S del Rimedio", Genova 1991, a. XLII, n. 2, p. 8.] Over the past ten centuries it has produced many distinguished government officials, clerics, diplomats, soldiers and patrons.
The members of the house were part of the Genoese
patrician class and of the ruling orders in Genoa and its dominions in the various institutional set-ups that succeeded one another over the centuries.
First, they became part of the civic nobility that played a leading role in the fortunes of the
Commune of Genoa and in the creation of a “
colonial empire
A colonial empire is a collective of territories (often called colonies), either contiguous with the imperial center or located overseas, settled by the population of a certain state and governed by that state.
Before the expansion of early mode ...
” based on monopolies and trading bases dotted all over the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
and in the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
. Formerly supporters of the
Ghibelline
The Guelphs and Ghibellines (, , ; it, guelfi e ghibellini ) were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, rival ...
faction, the Delle Piane family held government posts reserved for its political faction and engaged in trade and international finance in the Mediterranean and
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
.
Later, when constitutional reforms in
1528
__NOTOC__
Year 1528 ( MDXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–June
* January 12 – Gustav I of Sweden is crowned king of Sweden, having alrea ...
gave rise to the aristocratic
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the Lat ...
and the ancient factions were formally abolished, the Delle Piane family were included in the ''Liber Nobilitatis''. From then, generation after generation through to the fall of the
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
, they were part of a "sovereign aristocracy" occupying positions at the top levels of economic and political power.
The most eminent branch of the family, which originated in Polcevera, still flourishes today, and continues to produce prominent entrepreneurs both in the socioeconomic life of Genoa and in a broader international context.
Medieval origins
The Delle Piane surname derives from a place called Planum in the Ceranesi area, attested in the diocesan curia of ''Morego'', later called ''Chianne'' and subsequently ''Piane di Polcevera'' in the medieval vernacular, and from ''Campum Planum'', east of the city of
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...
.
Cited in
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
documents as ''de Plano'', ''de Campo Plano'' and ''de Planis'', the members of the family had allodial and emphyteutic holdings in the three
podestà
Podestà (, English: Potestate, Podesta) was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of Central and Northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a city ...
jurisdictions outside the city walls – those of
Voltri, Polcevera and
Bisagno. Multiple family members occupied consular posts from
1197
Year 1197 ( MCXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Europe
* Spring – Emperor Henry VI travels to Italy to persuade Pope Celestine III to c ...
onwards.
[A.S.G., ms. 102, c. 95; G. CIPOLLINA, Regesti di val Polcevera, Genova 1912, vol. I, p. 219.]
As early as the
12th century there is mention of the Delle Piane family with regard to the rural
vassalage of the
Bishop of Genoa
The Archdiocese of Genoa ( la, Archidioecesis Ianuensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Erected in the 3rd century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133. The archdiocese of Ge ...
, to whom they paid land tax, and around whom they gravitated. Oberto and Fulco ''de Planis de Pulcifera'' are recorded in
1254
Year 1254 ( MCCLIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* Battle of Adrianople: Byzantine forces under Emperor Theodore II (Laskaris) de ...
in official deeds of the curia and documents dating to
1255
Year 1255 ( MCCLV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Europe
* February 25 – Battle of Montebruno: Guelph forces under Thomas II of Savoy invade ...
attest to their presence alongside
Archbishop Gualtiero. In the same period, they received land in Polcevera in emphyteusis from the
Order of Malta
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...
.
The
genealogists
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinsh ...
recognize Oberto as the founder of the Polcevera line. The first member to hold significant posts in the government of the
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
was Oberto's son, Matteo, who is cited in official documents relating to the foundation of the church of San Nicolosio in Genoa (
1305
Year 1305 ( MCCCV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* April 30 – Co-Emperor Michael IX (Palaiologos) invites Roger de Flor, Ita ...
).
Various historic documents between the 12th and 13th centuries reveal that many members of the family held public office or devoted themselves to an ecclesiastical or military career, while for a long time also engaging in mercantile activities. Many are also cited as being overseas in the 13th–14th centuries: Ottolino (
1277
Year 1277 ( MCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* March 19 – Byzantine–Venetian Treaty: Emperor Michael VIII (Palaiolo ...
) a
Laiazzo, an important port in the
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Middle Armenian: , '), also known as Cilician Armenia ( hy, Կիլիկեան Հայաստան, '), Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia ( hy, ...
; Matteo (
1298
Year 1298 ( MCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Europe
* April 20 – Rindfleisch massacres: The Jews of Röttingen are burned en mass ...
) an official in
Gazaria, a Genoese colony in the
Crimea
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
, and in
Bonifacio
Bonifacio may refer to:
Places
* Bonifacio, Corse-du-Sud, a town in Corsica, France
* Strait of Bonifacio, separating Corsica from Sardinia
* Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental, a municipality in the Philippines
* Bonifacio Global City, a central bu ...
in
Corsica
Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
, etc.
The age of the lifetime Doges
From
1339
Year 1339 (Roman numerals, MCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–December
* June – Battle of Laupen: The Canton of Bern defeats the forces o ...
, the year in which
Simone Boccanegra
Simone Boccanegra (; lij, Scimon Boccaneigra ; died 1363) was the first Doge of Genoa. He became doge in 1339, but was ousted from power six years later. He regained the position in 1356, retaining it until his death in 1363.
His story was popul ...
took power and was proclaimed the first lifetime
Doge of Genoa
The Doge of Genoa ( lij, Dûxe, ; la, Januensium dux et populi defensor, "Commander of the Genoese and Defender of the People") was the ruler of the Republic of Genoa, a city-state and soon afterwards a maritime republic, from 1339 until the s ...
and its dominions, the emerging ''populares'' faction acquired a predominant public role, occupying the majority of government posts and reserving the office of doge for its representatives alone. For this reason, many members of the family served on the Magnificent Council of Elders, the leading government magistracy flanking the doges or, during periods of foreign rule, the royal or ducal governors.
The descendant of Oberto I,
[A.M.G. SCORZA, Genealogia della famiglia Delle Piane di Novi Ligure originaria di Polcevera, Genova 1953, ms., tav. I, pp. 1–2 (doc.) Chiavari Biblioteca della Società Economica, fondo Scorza.] known as ''Obertaccio'', was Oberto II,
[G. CIPOLLINA, cit., vol. I, pp. 258–259.][GB. DI CROLLALANZA, Dizionario storico blasonico delle famiglie nobili e notabili italiane, Pisa 1886, vol. III, p. 277;][B. D'ANJOU DURAZZO, Elenco di tutte le famiglie patrizie esistenti e estinte di Genova, in "Rivista Araldica", Roma 1932,p. 49.] who served on the Council of Elders for three consecutive mandates (1374–1404). He was then elected
Knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
of the Doge together with Giuliano di Savignone;
[F. FEDERICI, Famiglie che sono state in Genova e nel Genovesato prima dell'anno 1528 con molte altre delle Due Riviere, ms. prima metà XVII sec., vol. II, p. 541, Fondo Graberg, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Firenze;] he then became
commander of the army defending the
ducal palace Several palaces are named Ducal Palace (Italian: ''Palazzo Ducale'' ) because it was the seat or residence of a duke.
Notable palaces with the name include:
France
*Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, Dijon
*Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine, Nancy
*Pa ...
, where he resided permanently by virtue of his thirty-year mandate.
''Dominus Dux lanuensium etc., et Consilium Antianorum, volentes procedere ad ellectionem faciendam de duobus probis millitum prefati Domini Ducis pro anno futuro, confisi si quidem de sufficentia et probitate Iuliani de Savignone et Obercacii de Planis de Pulcifera, ipsos et utrumque ipsorum ellegerunt et constituerunt in millites et pro millitibus dicti Domini Ducis pro anno uno proximo venturo in Kalendis mensis presentis Iulii inchoato''
During military operations against
Bernabò and
Galeazzo Visconti, Obertaccio was taken prisoner near
Rossiglione
Rossiglione ( lij, Rosciggion , locally /) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about northwest of Genoa.
Rossiglione borders the following municipalities: Belforte Monferrato ...
and ransomed by his brother, who obtained a loan from Gabriele
Pallavicino and Adamo
Spinola Spinola is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Agostino Spinola (d. 1537), Italian cardinal
* Alberto Spinola (born 1943), Italian water polo player
* Ambrogio Spinola, 1st Marquis of the Balbases (1569–1630), Genoese banker an ...
.
Between the
14th
14 (fourteen) is a natural number following 13 (number), 13 and preceding 15 (number), 15.
In relation to the word "four" (4), 14 is spelled "fourteen".
In mathematics
* 14 is a composite number.
* 14 is a square pyramidal number.
* 14 is a s ...
and
16th
16 (sixteen) is the natural number following 15 and preceding 17. 16 is a composite number, and a square number, being 42 = 4 × 4. It is the smallest number with exactly five divisors, its proper divisors being , , and .
In English speech, ...
centuries, the members of the family did not just hold prominent posts in the government of the
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
, and in the upper echelons of the military, but also continued trading and entrepreneurial activities, both in the dominions and overseas. Oberto, who had close ties with Doge
Antoniotto Adorno Antoniotto Adorno may refer to the following:
* Antoniotto I Adorno (1340–1398), Doge of the Republic of Genoa (1378, 1384–1390, 1391–1392, 1394–1396)
* Antoniotto II Adorno
Antoniotto II Adorno (c. 1479 – 12 September 1528) was Do ...
, handled Genoa's diplomatic relations with the
Duke of Orleans
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
in
1394
Year 1394 ( MCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events January–December
* February 28 – Richard II of England grants Geoffrey Chaucer 20 pounds a year for life, for h ...
in relation to the Convention of Savona. Later he agreed to cede some
Genoese territories near
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
to the Turks, who had effectively already taken control of them.
Other members of the family, like Giacobo and Raimondo, forged ties with the Spain of
John II of Aragon at the dawn of the
15th century
The 15th century was the century which spans the Julian dates from 1 January 1401 ( MCDI) to 31 December 1500 ( MD).
In Europe, the 15th century includes parts of the Late Middle Ages, the Early Renaissance, and the early modern period.
M ...
. Antonio, during the French governorship of marshal
Jean II Le Meingre, was elected Abbot of the People of the Podesteria of Voltri (
1404
Year 1404 (Roman numerals, MCDIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–December
* April or May – Battle of Blackpool Sands: Local English forces defea ...
),
[G. PARODI, Annali storici di Sestri Ponente e delle sue famiglie, in Atti S.L.SP., Genova 1904, vol. XXXIV, p. 279.][A.S.G., Massaria Communis Ianuae, L.C., pp. 44, 46.][G.B. CABELLA, Pagine voltresi, contributo per la storia medievale e moderna, Genova 1908, p. 29.] an important post that entailed, amongst other things, making representations on the Podesteria's behalf to the central government, and guaranteeing the security and allegiance of the area. He was summoned by Adorno regarding the refusal of the
Duke of Milan
The following is a list of rulers of Milan from the 13th century to 1814, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia by the Congress of Vienna.
Before elevation to duchy
Until 1259, Milan was a free commune that elect ...
to negotiate on the sovereignty of Genoa. Soon afterwards, in front of his brothers Battista, Pantaleo, Giacomo, Andrea, Pietro and Leonardo, he swore allegiance to the heir of the duke of Milan,
Gian Galeazzo Sforza
Gian Galeazzo Sforza (20 June 1469 – 21 October 1494), also known as Giovan Galeazzo Sforza, was the sixth Duke of Milan.
Early life
Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only seven years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assa ...
.
It is well known that the Genoese noble families were accustomed to band together in
Alberghi dei Nobili, private family groupings of noble blood that were, however, recognised by the law. Similar to clans, the members were united by common political and economic interests and used their cohesion to exert greater influence in public life and in the main trading bases. During the
15th century
The 15th century was the century which spans the Julian dates from 1 January 1401 ( MCDI) to 31 December 1500 ( MD).
In Europe, the 15th century includes parts of the Late Middle Ages, the Early Renaissance, and the early modern period.
M ...
, in a Genoa wracked by increasingly bitter factional conflict, the family under Antonio banded together with other
aristocratic and old Genoese families to form the Albergo degli Honesti (
1378
Year 1378 ( MCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–December
* January – Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, visits his nephew Charles V of Fran ...
).
The aristocratic Republic of Genoa
In 1528
Andrea Doria
Andrea Doria, Prince of Melfi (; lij, Drîa Döia ; 30 November 146625 November 1560) was a Genoese statesman, ', and admiral, who played a key role in the Republic of Genoa during his lifetime.
As the ruler of Genoa, Doria reformed the Repu ...
completed institutional reforms that led to the founding of the aristocratic
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the Lat ...
. Twenty-eight new
alberghi ( ; family groupings inspired by the medieval ones, but in this case established by the government) were set up, and the members of the Genoese nobility included in the , the only people with the right to hold government office up to and including the post of
doge, were distributed among them.
Many members of the Delle Piane family were counted as nobility, with some of them grouped in the De Franchi
albergo An Albergo (Alberghi in plural) was a term used during the Renaissance to indicate an organizational structure in which several families linked by blood or a common interest banded together. The different families derived economic, political, or mi ...
and others in the
Cybo albergo. In accordance with ancient custom, the Cybo
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
was carved onto the shrine of St Paul in the church of
Santa Maria di Castello
Santa Maria di Castello is a church and religious complex in Genoa, Italy. Administrated for a long time by the Dominicans, it is located in the ''Castello'' hill of the city, where in the Middle Ages a bishop's fortified castle existed. The chu ...
(which is on the historic di Luccoli, in the ancient centre of Genoa). The many tombs of family nobility that can be found in various Ligurian churches date to the 16th and 17th centuries.
With the enactment, in 1576, of the Republic of Genoa's final legislative reform, the
Great Council and Minor Council of Genoa The Great Council and Minor Council were the two chambers of the political system of the Republic of Genoa that elected the Doge from 1528 to 1797.
History
In 1528, the Genoese Admiral Andrea Doria reformed the constitution of the Republic of Gen ...
(), the "artificial" alberghi of 1528 were abolished, but the Delle Piane family retained a prominent position, and its members continued the family's long military, diplomatic, ecclesiastical and commercial traditions.
Many important figures emerged in these fields between the 17th and 18th centuries, often engaged in forging alliances with other Genoese aristocratic families, but sometimes in the service of European monarchs as well. Jacopo was
proconsul
A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority.
In the Roman Republic, military command, or ' ...
to the Republic of
Livorno
Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...
(1632); Oberto was active in the
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...
and is documented, together with Amerigo, alongside the
Pallavicino and Durazzo families; Giovanni Andrea was active in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, orbiting alongside the
Pallavicino (1727), while Giovanni Batta can be placed alongside the
Sauli (1731) family. Giovanii Maria orbited first around the court of the
Farnese dukes of Parma
The Duke of Parma and Piacenza () was the ruler of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, a historical state of Northern Italy, which existed between 1545 and 1802, and again from 1814 to 1859.
The Duke of Parma was also Duke of Piacenza, except ...
, and then the Spanish court of
Philip V Philip V may refer to:
* Philip V of Macedon (221–179 BC)
* Philip V of France (1293–1322)
* Philip II of Spain, also Philip V, Duke of Burgundy (1526–1598)
* Philip V of Spain
Philip V ( es, Felipe; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was ...
, and finally the court of King
Charles of Naples.
From the Kingdom of Sardinia to the Kingdom of Italy
The social structure of the Republic of Genoa, definitively established by the ''Leges Novae'' enacted in
1576
Year 1576 (Roman numerals, MDLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–June
* January 20 – Viceroy Martín Enríquez de Almanza founds the settle ...
following the civil war between “old” and “new” nobility in
1575
__NOTOC__
Year 1575 ( MDLXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–June
* January 21 – Queen Elizabeth I of England grants a monopoly on producin ...
– the final resurgence of centuries of factional strife which, in the city and even more so on the
Riviera
''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two areas ...
and inland, had long survived the reform of
1528
__NOTOC__
Year 1528 ( MDXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–June
* January 12 – Gustav I of Sweden is crowned king of Sweden, having alrea ...
– lasted until
1797
Events
January–March
* January 3 – The Treaty of Tripoli, a peace treaty between the United States and Ottoman Tripolitania, is signed at Algiers (''see also'' 1796).
* January 7 – The parliament of the Cisalpine Re ...
. The ''
ancien regime
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word for "ancient, old"
** Société des anciens textes français
* the French for "former, senior"
** Virelai ancien
** Ancien Régime
** Ancien Régime in France
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word for ...
'' then collapsed in Genoa as well, due to revolutionary uprisings stemming from
Republican France
In the history of France, the First Republic (french: Première République), sometimes referred to in historiography as Revolutionary France, and officially the French Republic (french: République française), was founded on 21 September 1792 ...
. The period that followed the brief revolutionary phase, during which Genoa and Liguria were ruled in quick succession by various forms of government – the
Ligurian Republic (1797–1804), the
French Empire
French Empire (french: Empire Français, link=no) may refer to:
* First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon I from 1804 to 1814 and in 1815 and by Napoleon II in 1815, the French state from 1804 to 1814 and in 1815
* Second French Empire, led by Nap ...
(1805–1814), the re-established
Genoese Republic (1814–1815) and annexation to the
Kingdom of Sardinia (
1815
Events
January
* January 2 – Lord Byron marries Anna Isabella Milbanke in Seaham, county of Durham, England.
* January 3 – Austria, Britain, and Bourbon-restored France form a secret defensive alliance treaty against Prussi ...
) – offered families like that of the Delle Piane many opportunities to play an important role.
There were many prominent figures in this troubled historic period, and the Delle Piane family also had many palaces and villas in this age. Antonio, who officially received
Victor Emanuel I, king of Sardinia, in
1814
Events January
* January 1 – War of the Sixth Coalition – The Royal Prussian Army led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher crosses the Rhine.
* January 3
** War of the Sixth Coalition – Siege of Cattaro: French garrison s ...
and then
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...
in
1815
Events
January
* January 2 – Lord Byron marries Anna Isabella Milbanke in Seaham, county of Durham, England.
* January 3 – Austria, Britain, and Bourbon-restored France form a secret defensive alliance treaty against Prussi ...
, both on visits to Genoa, possessed the monumental complex, abbey, monastery and adjoining lands of San Nicolò del Boschetto in
Rivarolo; the neighbouring Palazzo Cattaneo Delle Piane, built in the
16th century
The 16th century begins with the Julian year 1501 ( MDI) and ends with either the Julian or the Gregorian year 1600 ( MDC) (depending on the reckoning used; the Gregorian calendar introduced a lapse of 10 days in October 1582).
The 16th cent ...
, surrounded by vast lands; and the Palazzo Veneroso in Genoa.
The most illustrious branch of the family, who for centuries resided at San Cipriano, had already established themselves at
Novi Ligure by the time of the collapse of the ''ancien regime''. For centuries Novi had been the “capital” of the Genoese
Oltregiogo, was the seat of the governorship and a lively economic and social hub.
When Liguria was annexed to the
Kingdom of Sardinia, the members of the family were ready to grasp the opportunities that the backing of a modern, expanding state could offer to the old nobility. They continued to live in part in Novi, where the family owned some of the most prestigious palaces that still characterise the historic centre of Novi (including the Palazzo Delle Piane and Villa Delle Piane, formerly
Brignole-Sale), and continued to be active in the textile industry; and in part in Genoa, where they participated in the entrepreneurial and financial activities favoured by the
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy ( it, Casa Savoia) was a royal dynasty that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, the family grew in power from ruling a small Alpine county north-west of Italy to absolute rule of ...
and which led to an economic revival that played an important role in the
Unification of Italy
The unification of Italy ( it, Unità d'Italia ), also known as the ''Risorgimento'' (, ; ), was the 19th-century Political movement, political and social movement that resulted in the Merger (politics), consolidation of List of historic stat ...
.
Ten centuries of civic aristocracy, patriciate and landed nobility
For centuries the Delle Piane family were members of the medieval civic nobility, of the landed lords typical of ecclesiastical vassalage, and subsequently of the sovereign aristocracy of Genoa.
As members of the Genoese patriciate, the family had the right to the title of ''Magnifico'' (“Magnificent”), the only one permitted by the law within the
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the Lat ...
. Although outside Genoa's dominions or at foreign
royal courts Genoese noblemen were treated as equivalent to the rank of
Marquess
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
, they continued to proudly use the title of ''Magnifico Patrizio Genovese''.
To honor figures of particular distinction, the Republic granted to some members of the family the honorary privilege of ''tecto capite'', with a treatment similar to that reserved for Genoese aristocrats in the Liber ''Nobilitatis'', including the title of “Magnifico”, but without the right and duty to hold public posts and the hereditariness of such rights: a fairly rare nobility ''ad personam''.
The coronation of
Gian Francesco I Brignole as Doge of Genoa and first
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
of Corsica marked the transformation of the rank of all Genoese patrician aristocrats: as they were potential successors of an
absolute sovereign, every Genoese patrician acquired the same rank as a
hereditary prince or ''
Prince du sang'' (‘Prince of blood’) in European courts.
The transition of the aristocratic Republic to the
Ligurian Republic following the
Italian campaigns of the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
marked the end of sovereign aristocracy (
1797
Events
January–March
* January 3 – The Treaty of Tripoli, a peace treaty between the United States and Ottoman Tripolitania, is signed at Algiers (''see also'' 1796).
* January 7 – The parliament of the Cisalpine Re ...
). With the annexation to the
Kingdom of Sardinia, the use of the title of “Magnifico” was suppressed, though “
Marquess
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
” was tolerated as a courtesy title, by custom if nothing else. After heated debate between
1888
In Germany, 1888 is known as the Year of the Three Emperors. Currently, it is the year that, when written in Roman numerals, has the most digits (13). The next year that also has 13 digits is the year 2388. The record will be surpassed as late ...
and
1890
Events
January–March
* January 1
** The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony, in the Horn of Africa.
** In Michigan, the wooden steamer ''Mackinaw'' burns in a fire on the Black River.
* January 2
** The steamship ...
, the
Consulta Araldica (College of Arms) decreed such title not to be granted ''ex officio'' to all Genovese patricians but had to be granted by the King ''ad personam''. As the family never bothered with this bureaucratic procedure, the family is now inscribed in the
Libro d’Oro della Nobiltà Italiana (the official Golden Book of Italian Nobility) of with the title of
''Nobile'' ("Noble"), applicable to all members of the house, male and female.
Heraldry
File:Stemma Famiglia Delle Piane Medievale.jpg, Linea di Polcevera
File:Stemma DellePiane Rinascimentale.jpg, Linea Patrizia
File:Stemma Cybo-DellePiane.png, Cybo - Delle Piane
Historical buildings
* Castle of Corvara, 11th century (La Spezia)
* Castle of Pornassio and of the Valle Arroscia, 13th century (Imperia)
* Palazzo Delle Piane, 17th century (Piazza Delle Piane, Novi Ligure)
* Palazzotto Delle Piane, 18th century (Genova)
* Palazzo Balbi Delle Piane, 16th century (Val Polcevera, Genova)
* Villa Cattaneo Delle Piane dell’Olmo, 17th century (Val Polcevera, Genova)
* Villa Delle Piane al Boschetto, 17th century (Val Polcevera, Genova)
* Villa Delle Piane, formerly
Brignole-Sale, 18th century (Novi Ligure)
* Palazzo Delle Piane, 20th century (Savona)
Notable members
* Fulco (12th century), Consul of the
Comune di Genova (1197, 1217)
* Lanfranco (12th century), Consul of the
Comune di Genova (1198)
* Baldovino (13th century), Consul of the
Comune di Genova (1203)
* Obertaccio (14th century), Elder of the
Comune di Genova (1374–1394). Commander of armies of Doge
Nicolo Guarco nel 1380
* Giovanni (13th century), Elder of the
Comune di Genova (1362), took part together with the
Grimaldi in the battle against the galleys of Luciano Imperiale
* Nicolò (14th century), lord of the castle of
Pornassio
Pornassio ( lij, Purnasce) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about northwest of Imperia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 642 and an area o ...
in 1343 together with his son Antonio, commander of a band of
Genoese crossbowmen
* Giacobo (14th century), Elder of the
Comune of Genoa (1382)
* Antonio (15th century), Elder of the
Comune of Genoa (1401). Abate del Popolo of Sestri, Pegli, Arenzano and Voltri (1404)
* Gio. Maria (1756–1836), commander of
Ferdinand I, Duke of Parma; he fought and defeated the soldiers of
Louis XIX of France Louis may refer to:
* Louis (coin)
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
Derived or associated terms
* Lewis (d ...
* Giovanni Battista (1889–1961),
Archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
and
Apostolic Nuncio of
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
* Luigi Giuseppe (1865–1941), General Commander and War Minister
* Mariano (1844–1916), industrialist and philanthropist, whose son of Francesco (1881–1953) was a senator in the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
in
1913
Events January
* January 5 – First Balkan War: Battle of Lemnos (1913), Battle of Lemnos – Greek admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis forces the Turkish fleet to retreat to its base within the Dardanelles, from which it will not ven ...
* Giovanni (1937–), industrialist and shipowner
Ancient Line of Polcevera
Bibliography
* ''Annuario della Nobiltà Italiana, (Yearbook of Nobility)'', (edizione 28, 2 volumi) and (edizione 30, Volume 3), a cura di Giovan Battista Crollalanza, presentato a Palazzo Lascaris con il Principe Amedeo di Savoia.
* ''Il Libro d'Oro della Nobiltà Italiana di Genova'' (Edizione 1990–94, volume II, parte II), a cura del Collegio Araldico di Roma.
* Guelfo Guelfi Camaiani, ''Il Liber Nobilitatis Genuensis e il Governo della Repubblica di Genova fino all'anno 1797'', Firenze, 1965, pag. 405.
* ''L'Araldica a Genova, Origini e Significativi di una realtà storica e sociale'', Liguria, edizione Sabatelli 1983, a cura di Gian Francesco Bernabò di Negro.
* ''Dizionario Storico-blasonico delle famiglie nobili e notabili'' , Vol.3, 1886–1890, G.B. di Crollalanza.
* ''Mons. Giovanni Delle Piane (Un insigne Genovese nella diplomazia pontificia)'', a cura di Giuseppe Parodi Domenichi di Parodi
* Il Novese: ''La galleria Liberty di Palazzo Delle Piane di Novi Ligure'', a cura di Beppe Merlano.
* Fondazione Casa America, ''Dizionario storico biografico dei liguri in America Latina da Colombo a tutto il Novecento'', Volume 1, pag. 189, 190, 191.
Other footnotes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delle Piane Family
Families of Liguria
Italian noble families
Novi Ligure
Republic of Genoa families