The House of Carafa or Caraffa is the name of an old and influential

Neapolitan Neapolitan means of or pertaining to Naples, a city in Italy; or to: Geography and history * Province of Naples, a province in the Campania region of southern Italy that includes the city * Duchy of Naples, in existence during the Early and Hig ...

aristocratic family of Italian

nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

, and men of arts, known from the 12th century.

History

The House of Carafa is a cadet branch of the noble House of Caracciolo, one of the most prominent families of the

nobility. The family rose to prominence in the Kingdom of Naples during the 14th century and established itself as one of the leading noble families of southern Italy in the 15th century. Across the time, the family split in many lines, the most important being the Princes of Roccella, the Dukes of

Andria Andria (; Barese: ) is a city and '' comune'' in Apulia ( southern Italy). It is an agricultural and service center, producing wine, olives and almonds. It is the fourth-largest municipality in the Apulia region (behind Bari, Taranto, and Fogg ...

and Counts of Ruvo, the Princes of Stigliano, the Dukes of Maddaloni, the Dukes of Nocera and the Dukes of Noja. The family gave sixteen cardinals to the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

, including one pope, Paul IV.

Notable members

* Oliviero Carafa (1430 – 20 January 1511), cardinal * Giovanni Pietro Carafa (1476–1559), became

Pope Paul IV Pope Paul IV, born Gian Pietro Carafa, C.R. ( la, Paulus IV; it, Paolo IV; 28 June 1476 – 18 August 1559) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 May 1555 to his death in August 1559. While serving as pap ...

from May 1555 until his death *

Gianvincenzo Carafa Gianvincenzo Carafa (1477–1541) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography A member of the ''della Stadera'' branch of the House of Carafa, Gianvincenzo Carafa was born in Naples in 1477, the son of Fabrizio Carafa, ''sign ...

(1477-1541), cardinal * Diomede Carafa (1492-1560), cardinal * Carlo Carafa (1517-1561), cardinal, nephew of Pope Paul IV; executed under Pope Pius IV * Giovanni Carafa, Duke of Paliano (died 1561), nephew of Pope Paul IV; executed under Pope Pius IV * Antonio Carafa (1538–1591), cardinal, nephew of Pope Paul IV *

Alfonso Carafa Alfonso Carafa (16 July 1540 – 29 August 1565) was a member of one of the oldest noble families of Naples and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. His father was Antonio, Marquis of Montebello, whose uncle, Gian Pietro Carafa, ascende ...

(1540 – 1565), cardinal, grandnephew of Pope Paul IV * Fabrizio Carafa (bishop) (1588–1651), Bishop of Bitonto * Fabrizio Carafa (died 1590), Duke of

; murdered by composer

Carlo Gesualdo Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa ( – 8 September 1613) was Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza. As a composer he is known for writing madrigals and pieces of sacred music that use a chromatic language not heard again until the late 19th century ...

(1566–1613), Prince of Venosa and Count of

Conza Conza della Campania (or Conza di Campania; formerly called Compsa, commonly known as Conza (Campanian: )) is a '' comune'' (municipality) and former Latin Catholic (arch)bishopric in the province of Avellino in the region of Campania in souther ...

, for having an affair with Gesualdo's wife * Girolamo Caraffa (1564–1633), Marquis of Montenegro, a general in Spanish and Imperial service * Decio Carafa (1556–1626), cardinal * Pier Luigi Carafa (1581-1655), cardinal * Porzia Carafa, mother of Pope Innocent XII (1615-1700) * Giuseppe Carafa (died 1647), Neapolitan aristocrat who was killed in July 1647 during the early stages of the Revolt of Masaniello against Spanish Habsburg rule *

Vincenzo Carafa Vincenzo Carafa (5 May 1585 – 6 June 1649) was an Italian Jesuit priest and spiritual writer, elected the seventh Superior-General of the Society of Jesus. He is a Servant of God. Biography Carafa was born in Andria in the Kingdom of Nap ...

(1585-1649),

Superior General of the Society of Jesus The superior general of the Society of Jesus is the leader of the Society of Jesus, the Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position sometimes carries the nickname of the Black Po ...

Francesco Maria Carafa 250px, Francesco Maria Carafa. Francesco Maria Carafa (died 1642) was an Italian nobleman, 5th Duke of Nochera, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece and was viceroy of Aragon and Navarre and a military commander who commanded troops loyal ...

(died in prison, 1642), 5th

Duke of Nochera Duke of Nochera ( es, Duque de Nochera; it, Duca di Nocera) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee. Originally styled "Duca di Nocera", it was granted in 1656 by Philip IV to Francisco de Moura C ...

, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece; Viceroy of Aragon and

Viceroy of Navarre This is a list of Spanish Viceroys of Navarre from 1512 to 1840, when the function was abolished. *1512 : Diego Fernández de Córdoba y Arellano, marqués de Comares *1515 : Fadrique de Acuña, Conde de Buendía *1516 : Antonio Manrique de L ...

* Gregorio Carafa (1615–1690), Grand Master of the

Order of St. John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headqu ...

from 1680–90 * Antonio Carafa (1646–1693); Imperial Field Marshal and Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece * Pierluigi Carafa (1677–1755), Dean of the College of Cardinals *

Francesco Carafa di Trajetto Francesco Carafa della Spina di Trajetto (29 April 1722, Naples - 20 September 1818, Rome) was an Italian cardinal. Family He belonged to the family of pope Paul IV and of pope Paul V via his mother. He was the great-great uncle of cardinal Dome ...

(1722-1818), cardinal * Ettore Carafa (1767-1799), late 18th-century Neapolitan Republican * Michele Carafa (1787-1872), 19th-century Italian composer *

Domenico Carafa della Spina di Traetto Domenico Carafa della Spina di Traetto (12 July 1805 – 17 June 1879) was a Catholic Cardinal, Archbishop of Benevento and Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals. Personal life Carafa was born in Naples, Italy on 12 July 1805. He was the ...

(1805–1879), cardinal

References

{{Set index article 12th-century establishments in Italy Papal families Neapolitan nobility