The counts of Gravina, later the dukes of Gravina, were medieval rulers of
Gravina in Puglia
Gravina in Puglia (; nap, label= Barese, Gravéine ; la, Silvium; grc, Σιλούϊον, Siloúïon) is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy.
The word ''gravina'' comes from the Latin ''grava'' or from ...
, in the old
Kingdom of Sicily and the
Kingdom of Naples. The county was settled on various royal favorites, and was held by members of the Neapolitan royal family from about 1300 until 1385. In 1417, it was granted to Francesco Orsini, who was created a duke in 1436; his descendant holds the title today, and represents the remaining branch of the
Orsini family. Among the Orsini dukes, Pietro Francesco resigned his temporal dignities in 1667 to become a
Dominican, and subsequently ascended the papal throne as
Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII ( la, Benedictus XIII; it, Benedetto XIII; 2 February 1649 – 21 February 1730), born Pietro Francesco Orsini and later called Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 May ...
. His nephew, Duke Domenico II, was created cardinal. Francesco (d. 1503) also achieved notoriety by being strangled while a captive of
Cesare Borgia.
Counts of Gravina
*Robert, in 1132
*Alexander, mid-12th century
*
Gilbert, 1159–1167
*
Richard de Say, from 1168
*
Riccardo Orsini (d. 1304), 1284–1291, also
Count palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
The County Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos existed from 1185 to 1479 as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. The title and the right to rule the Ionian islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos was originally given to Margaritus of Brindisi for his serv ...
, Capt. Gen. of Corfu 1286–1289,
Bailli
A bailiff (french: bailli, ) was the king's administrative representative during the ''ancien régime'' in northern France, where the bailiff was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in h ...
of
Morea
The Morea ( el, Μορέας or ) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The name was used for the Byzantine province known as the Despotate of the Morea, by the Ottom ...
1297–1300
*
Peter Tempesta
Peter (1291 – 29 August 1315), called Tempesta (meaning "storm"), was the Count of Eboli from 1306. He was the eighth son of Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary (see Elizabeth of Sicily). His sobriquet came from his stormy temperamen ...
(1292–1315), Count of Gravina ?–1315
*
John, Duke of Durazzo
John of Gravina (1294 – 5 April 1336), also known as John of Anjou, was Count of Gravina 1315–1336, Prince of Achaea 1318–1332, Duke of Durazzo 1332–1336 and ruler of the Kingdom of Albania (although he never used a royal title). He was ...
(1294–1336), Count of Gravina 1315
*
Charles, Duke of Durazzo
*
Louis of Durazzo
Louis of Durazzo (1324 – 22 July 1362) was Count of Gravina and Morrone. He was the son of John of Durazzo and Agnes of Périgord.
In 1337, he was named Vicar- and Captain-General of the Kingdom of Albania. During the ascension of the Dura ...
(1324–1362)
*
Charles III of Naples
Charles the Short or Charles of Durazzo (1345 – 24 February 1386) was King of Naples and the titular King of Jerusalem from 1382 to 1386 as Charles II, and King of Hungary from 1385 to 1386 as Charles II. In 1381, Charles created the chivalr ...
(1345–1386), Count of Gravina 1362–1385
*Spinetta II Malaspina (d. 1398), Count of Gravina from April 8, 1385
*Francesco Orsini (d. 1456), Count of Gravina from 1417, created Duke of Gravina in 1436
Dukes of Gravina
*Francesco Orsini (d. 1456), created Duke in 1436
*Giacomo Orsini (d. 1472)
*Raimondo Orsini (d. c. 1488)
*Francesco Orsini (d. 1503)
*Ferdinando I Orsini (d. 1549)
*Antonio Orsini (d. 1553)
*Ferdinando II Orsini (1538–1583)
*Michele Antonio I Orsini (d. 1627)
*Felicia Maria Orsini (d. 1647), resigned the Duchy to her cousin in 1635
*Pietro Francesco Orsini (d. bef. 1641)
*Ferdinando II Orsini (1623–1658)
*
Pietro Francesco Orsini (1649–1730), resigned the Duchy in 1667
*Domenico I Orsini (1652–1705)
*Ferdinando Bernualdo Filippo Orsini (1685–1734)
*
Domenico II Orsini (1719–1789)
*Filippo Bernualdo Orsini (1742–1824)
*Domenico III Orsini (1790–1874)
*Filippo I Orsini (1842–1924)
*Domenico Napoleone I Orsini (1868–1947)
*Virginio Orsini (1892–1972)
*Filippo II Orsini (1920–1984)
*Domenico Napoleone II Orsini (b. 1948)
Don Federico Carlos (1756–1806), a Spanish grandee and son of the Duke of San Miguel, also used the title of Duke of Gravina.
See also
*
Orsini family
References
Sources
*{{cite web, url=http://www.sardimpex.com/Orsini/ORSINI-GRAVINA.htm, archive-url=http://web.archive.bibalex.org/web/20040430083651/http://www.sardimpex.com/Orsini/ORSINI-GRAVINA.htm, url-status=dead, archive-date=30 April 2004, accessdate=29 April 2007, title=Orisini di Gravina
Countships
Gravina
Gravina