Demetrio Capuzzimati (Albanian: Dhimiter Këpucmadhi) (February 15, 1557,

San Marzano di San Giuseppe San Marzano di San Giuseppe ( aae, Shën Marcani) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Taranto, in the Italian region of Apulia. Alongside Casalvecchio di Puglia and Chieuti, it is one of the Arbëreshë Arbën/Arbër, from which derived Arb ...

) was an Albanian

Stradiot The Stratioti or Stradioti ( gr, στρατιώτες ''stratiotes''; sq, Stratiotë, Stratiotët;, it, stradioti, stradiotti, stratioti, strathiotto, strathioti; french: estradiots; sh, stratioti, stradioti; es, estradiotes) were mercenary u ...

captain in

Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...

, then part of 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 was the son of a soldier who had fought with

Scanderbeg , reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468 , predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti , successor = Gjon Kastrioti II , spouse = Donika Arianiti , issue = Gjon Kastrioti II , royal house = Kastrioti , father ...

. He was also the first Baron of San Marzano.

Name and career

Capuzzimati or Capuzzimadi is an italianized version of the Albanian ”''këpucmadhe''” meaning ”''big shoe''”. Capuzzimati fought against a conspiracy of the local barons during the years of 1459–1462. He also fought in the Italian wars against

Francis I of France Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...

. On July 27, 1530, the royalty of San Marzano, together with the title of Baron, was sold by the viceroy of Naples, Cardinal

Pompeo Colonna Pompeo Colonna (12 May 1479 – 28 June 1532) was an Italian noble, ''condottiero'', politician, and cardinal. At the culmination of his career he was Viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples (1530–1532) for the Emperor Charles V. Born in Rome, he was ...

, to Capuzzimati for 700 ducats, which he used as a place for immigrating Albanian families. The same year, he was appointed by

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infan ...

. He died in 1557 and his oldest son Cesare inherited his wealth. He died in 1595. His successor was his son Demetrius junior in 1595. The same year, the Royal Chamber expropriated the wealth of Demetrius and sold it in an auction in 1639 for 20,000 ducats to the Duke of Taurisano, Franceso Lopez of Royo, of Spanish originCenni storici, p. 7 The descendants from Capuzzimati's today still live in San Marzano di San Giuseppe and some descendants in the South of Germany in Leutkirch im Allgäu in the line from Cosimo Reo from Leutkirch and produce wine, olive oil and Grappa and manage Restaurants, Hotels, finance offices and Real Estates.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Capuzzimati, Demetrio 1480 births 1557 deaths 16th-century condottieri Italian people of Albanian descent