Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Thessalonica

The Marquises and Dukes of Montferrat were the rulers of a territory in

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

south of the Po and east of

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

called

Montferrat Montferrat (, ; it, Monferrato ; pms, Monfrà , locally ; la, Mons Ferratus) is part of the region of Piedmont in northern Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Mo ...

. The

March of Montferrat The March (also ''margraviate'' or ''marquisate'') of Montferrat was a frontier march of the Kingdom of Italy during the Middle Ages and a state of the Holy Roman Empire. The margraviate was raised to become the Duchy of Montferrat in 1574. Or ...

was created by

Berengar II of Italy Berengar II ( 900 – 4 August 966) was the King of Italy from 950 until his deposition in 961. He was a scion of the Anscarid and Unruoching dynasties, and was named after his maternal grandfather, Berengar I. He succeeded his father as Ma ...

in 950 during a redistribution of power in the northwest of his kingdom. It was originally named after and held by the

Aleramici The House of Aleramici were a medieval Italian noble family of Frankish origin which ruled various northwestern counties and marches, in Piedmont and Liguria from the tenth to the 14th centuries. History The founder of the family was William I of ...

. In 1574, Montferrat was raised to a

Duchy A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a Middle Ages, medieval country, territory, fiefdom, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or Queen regnant, queen in Western European tradition. There once exis ...

Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II (31 July 1527 – 12 October 1576) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death in 1576. A member of the Austrian House of Habsburg, he was crowned King of Bohemia in Prague on 14 May 1562 and elected King of Germany (King ...

(see

Duchy of Montferrat The Duchy of Montferrat was a state located in Northern Italy. It was created out of what was left of the medieval March of Montferrat after the last Palaeologus heir had died (1533) and the margraviate had been briefly controlled by the Emperor C ...

Marquises

Aleramici dynasty

William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087 ...

(d. 933 or before) * Aleramo (933–967) **'' William II, son and co-ruler'' *

Otto I Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), traditionally known as Otto the Great (german: Otto der Große, it, Ottone il Grande), was East Francia, East Frankish king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the olde ...

(967–991), son * William III (991 – bef. 1042), son *

Otto II Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (''der Rote''), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy. ...

(bef. 1042 – c. 1084), son **''

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

(d. 1045), brother and co-ruler'' *

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...

(c. 1084 – c. 1100), son * Rainier (c. 1100 – c. 1136), son *

William V William V may refer to: *William V, Duke of Aquitaine (969–1030) *William V of Montpellier (1075–1121) *William V, Marquess of Montferrat (1191) *William V, Count of Nevers (before 11751181) *William V, Duke of Jülich (1299–1361) *William V, ...

(c. 1136–1191), son * Conrad (1191–1192), son * Boniface I (1192–1207), brother * William VI (1207–1225), son *

Boniface II Pope Boniface II ( la, Bonifatius II; died 17 October 532) was the first Germanic bishop of Rome. He ruled the Holy See from 22 September 530 until his death on 17 October 532. Boniface's father's name was Sigibuld. He was probably born in Ro ...

(1225–1253/55), son * William VII (1253/55–1292), son *

John I John I may refer to: People * John I (bishop of Jerusalem) * John Chrysostom (349 – c. 407), Patriarch of Constantinople * John of Antioch (died 441) * Pope John I, Pope from 523 to 526 * John I (exarch) (died 615), Exarch of Ravenna * John I o ...

(1292–1305), son

Paleologo dynasty

* Theodore I (1306–1338), nephew of John *

John II John II may refer to: People * John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg (1455–1499) * John II Casimir Vasa of Poland (1609–1672) * John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (died 1302) * John II Doukas of Thessaly (1303–1318) * John II Komnenos (1087–1 ...

(1338–1372), son * Secondotto,Secondotto, John III and Theodore, who were the sons of Elisabeth, daughter of

James III of Majorca James III ( – ), known as James the Rash (or the Unfortunate), was King of Majorca from 1324 to 1344. He was the son of Ferdinand of Majorca and Isabella of Sabran. Life James was born in Catania, Sicily. Margaret of Villehardouin, James's ...

, and of John II of Montferrat, have been called dukes. Historiae et Urbium Regionum Italiae rariores, Volume 114, Cronica del Montferrato, Benvenuto Sangiorgio, Arnaldo Forni Editore 1780. also known as Otto III (1372–1378), son * John III (1378–1381), brother * Theodore II (1381–1418), brother * John Jacob (1418–1445), son * John IV (1445–1464), son * William VIII (1464–1483), brother *

Boniface III Pope Boniface III ( la, Bonifatius III; died 12 November 607) was the bishop of Rome from 19 February 607 to his death. Despite his short pontificate, he made a significant contribution to the Catholic Church. Early career The son of John Cataa ...

(1483–1494), brother * William IX (1494–1518), son. (Father-in-law to

Federico II, Duke of Mantua Federico II of Gonzaga (17 May 1500 – 28 August 1540) was the ruler of the Italian city of Mantua (first as Marquis, later as Duke) from 1519 until his death. He was also Marquis of Montferrat from 1536. Biography Federico was son of Francesco ...

.) *

Boniface IV Pope Boniface IV ( la, Bonifatius IV; 550 – 8 May 615) was the bishop of Rome from 608 to his death. Boniface had served as a deacon under Pope Gregory I, and like his mentor, he ran the Lateran Palace as a monastery. As pope, he encouraged m ...

(1518–1530), son, under the regency of his mother

Anne of Alençon Anne d'Alençon (Italian: Anna d'Alençon) (30 October 1492 – 18 October 1562), Lady of La Guerche, was a French noblewoman and a Marquise of Montferrat as the wife of William IX, Marquis of Montferrat. She acted as Regent of the Marquisate of ...

* John George (1530–1533), uncle **''Spanish occupation until 1536.'' * Margaret of Montferrat (1533–1536), daughter of William IX and

, and Marchioness of Montferrat in her own right.

Gonzaga dynasty

In 1536

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (Crown of Castile, Castil ...

granted the marquisate, despite competing claims from Savoy and from the

Marquis of Saluzzo The marquises (also marquesses or margraves) of Saluzzo were the medieval feudal rulers city of Saluzzo (today part of Piedmont, Italy) and its countryside from 1175 to 1549. Originally counts, the family received in ''feudum'' the city from the ...

, to the Gonzagas. This was confirmed in 1559 by the

Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...

. * Frederick Gonzaga (1536–1540), Duke of Mantua. Married to Margaret of Montferrat, daughter of William IX and

, and Marchioness of Montferrat in her own right. *

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

(1540–1550), Duke of Mantua, Marquis of Montferrat. Son of Margaret of Montferrat and Frederick Gonzaga. * Guglielmo I Gonzaga (1550–1574), Duke of Mantua, Marquis until 1574, then duke. Son of Margaret of Montferrat and Frederick Gonzaga

Dukes

Gonzaga dynasty

* William X (1574–1587), Duke of Mantua, Duke of Montferrat from 1574, previously marquis * Vincent I (1587–1612), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of William X * Francis II (1612), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of Vincent I *

Ferdinand Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

(1612–26), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of Vincent I. * Vincent II (1626–27), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of Vincent I. * ''

War of the Mantuan Succession The War of the Mantuan Succession (1628–1631) was a related conflict of the Thirty Years' War, caused by the death in December 1627 of Vincenzo II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, Vincenzo II, last male heir in the direct line of the House of Gonzaga ...

'' (1627–1631) – a portion was lost to

Duchy of Savoy The Duchy of Savoy ( it, Ducato di Savoia; french: Duché de Savoie) was a country in Western Europe that existed from 1416. It was created when Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, raised the County of Savoy into a duchy for Amadeus VIII. The duc ...

Maria Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial * 170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 * Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, ...

, Duchess of Montferrat 1612–61, also Duchess of Mantua 1627–1631. Daughter of Francis II. *

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

, called "of Nevers", Duke of Montferrat (1627–1637), also Duke of Mantua and Nevers. Father-in-law of Maria, co-ruler with Maria and his son, Charles. * Charles II (1637–1665). Also Duke of Nevers until 1659. Son of Maria, grandson of both Charles I and Francis II. * Ferdinand Charles (1665–1708), Duke of Montferrat and Mantua. Son of Charles II.

Savoy dynasty

The House of Savoy gained part of the duchy after the

and the remainder in 1708. The head of the family used the title of Duke of Montferrat from 1631 until 1861. In addition, the title was granted to some younger sons of the House: * Prince Amadeus, Duke of Montferrat (1754–1755), second son of

Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia Victor Amadeus III (Vittorio Amadeo Maria; 26 June 1726 – 16 October 1796) was King of Sardinia from 1773 to his death. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until he declared war on Revolu ...

Prince Maurizio, Duke of Montferrat Prince Maurizio of Savoy, Duke of Montferrat (''Maurizio Giuseppe Maria''; 13 December 1762 – 1 September 1799) was a member of the Royal House of Savoy. Biography Prince Maurizio was born at the Royal Palace of Turin in 1762. He was the n ...

(1762–1799) third son of Victor Amadeus III *

Prince Oddone, Duke of Montferrat Prince Oddone of Savoy, Duke of Montferrat (Oddone Eugenio Maria; 11 July 1846 – 22 January 1866) was an Italian humanist and philanthropist and member of the Royal House of Savoy. He was the fourth child and third eldest son of King Victor ...

(1846–1866), third son of

Victor Emmanuel II of Italy en, Victor Emmanuel Maria Albert Eugene Ferdinand Thomas , house = Savoy , father = Charles Albert of Sardinia , mother = Maria Theresa of Austria , religion = Roman Catholicism , image_size = 252px , succession1 ...

Notes

Bibliography

*
Circolo Culturale ''I Marchesi del Monferrato''
(external link to website devoted to dynastic history)

(external link to downloadable text). * ttp://www.friesian.com/italia.htm#montferrat The Margraves of Montferrat and Kings of Thessalonica, 961–1573 AD* Usseglio, Leopoldo. ''I Marchesi di Monferrato in Italia ed in Oriente durante i secoli XII e XIII'', 1926. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rulers of Montferrat * *

Montferrat, rulers