Pignatelli

Pignatelli

Naples–Marsiconovo, 15th c.–1796

Marsiconovo, Moliterno

• Princes of Moliterno
• Princes of Marsiconovo

The Pignatelli, an ancient Neapolitan patriciate, were Princes of Marsiconovo and, from 1743, Princes of Moliterno in Basilicata. Through the 1796 marriage of Maria Emanuela Pignatelli, heiress, and Giuseppe Gerardo Gallone, the southern fiefs and titles passed to the House of Gallone.

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The Pignatelli are a noble Sicilian, Neapolitan and Apulian family, among the most powerful of the Kingdom of Naples. To account for their arms and name, some scholars say that a Landolfo, fighting in the East for King Roger the Norman, during the assault on the Imperial Palace of Constantinople, came out with three silver vases or pots (pignatte) skewered on his pike, and adopted them as arms for his descendants. This thesis has recently been corroborated by the discovery of a document in the Pignatelli Archive of Monteroduni, which records that two “Pignatelli”, orti a nobile sanguine, contributed around 1500 soldiers for the certamen of the First Crusade in 1094, which logically explains the “right of pillage” of the three silver pots. Other authors hold that a Gisulfo, commanding several ships for King Roger against the Greeks at Negroponte, won victory through fire hurled at the enemy, enclosed in pots.

Of this great historic House there are documented records from 1102 with Lucio Pignatelli, Constable of Naples. From a Riccardo, who lived in 1250, descended in a direct line Tommaso, Governor of Atri in 1431, and from his three sons — Carlo, Stefano and Palamede — the principal Lines.

The line of Carlo (b. 1421, d. 1476) became extinct with Geronima (b. 1599, d. 1667), Princess of the Holy Roman Empire, 5th Duchess of Monteleone, Countess of Borrello, Vicereine of Aragon in 1655, daughter of Ettore III (b. 1572, d. 1622), 4th Duke of Monteleone and Viceroy of Catalonia, and of Caterina Caracciolo, Countess of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi. This line merged into the Line of Cerchiara and Noja, through Geronima’s marriage to Fabrizio Pignatelli, 5th Marquess of Cerchiara and 3rd Prince of Noja, who inherited from his wife the Duchy of Monteleone, the County of Borrello, the Barony of Mesiano and Rosario, and the County of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi.

The descent of Stefano gave rise to the Lines of the Marquesses of Casalnuovo, the Dukes of Montecalvo and the Princes of Monteroduni. The Casalnuovo line became extinct in the middle of the last century, and the “Colonel of the House” is currently Giovanni Pignatelli della Leonessa (b. 1920), 8th Prince of Monteroduni, 4th Prince of Sepino, Count of Tuhegl, Duke of Castoria, Baron del Gallo, Neapolitan Patrician.

With Giacomo († 1539), son of Palamede, began the line of Cerchiara and Noja. The Marquisate of Cerchiara was granted in 1556 to Fabrizio I († 1567), Viceroy of Calabria, 2nd Lord of Noja, son of Giacomo. The Principality of Noja was granted in 1600 to Fabrizio II, 3rd Marquess of Cerchiara.

The senior branch of the Line of Cerchiara and Noja prefixed the name and arms “Aragona Cortez” by the marriage pacts of 1639, in which it was established that the descent of Ettore Pignatelli, Marquess del Vaglio, and of Giovanna Tagliavia Aragona Cortez, should be called “Aragona Pignatelli Cortez”. Through this marriage entered into the succession the Marquisate of Avola, the Principality of Castelvetrano, the Duchy of Terranova and the County of Borghetto. The title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire was granted in 1648, with male and female succession, to Giovanna’s father, Diego Tagliavia Aragona Cortez. Giovanna Tagliavia herself, through the succession of her mother, Stefania Carrillo Cortez, granddaughter of Hernán Cortés, Conqueror of Mexico, inherited the titles of Marquise of the Valle de Oaxaca and Countess of Priego.

Through the marriage of Nicolò Pignatelli (b. 1648, d. 1730), Viceroy of Sardinia and Sicily, younger brother of Fabrizio III, 5th Marquess of Cerchiara and 3rd Prince of Noja, to his grand-niece (!) Giovanna II Aragona Pignatelli Cortez (b. 1677, d. 1723), all the titles of the House were inherited by the eldest son, Diego.

To this Line belongs the Pontiff Innocent XII (1691-1700), in the world Antonio Pignatelli (b. 1615, d. 1700), of the Marquesses of Spinazzola.

The Possessions

Over 179 fiefs, the principal ones including: Amendolara, Bellizzi, Briatico, Caiazzo, Castellammare del Golfo, Carpineto, Ferolito, Ferrandina, Gallo, Guastalla, Leveranno, Maddaloni, Melfi, Novi, Nusco, Orta, Palma, Pisciotta, Regina, Sant’Angelo, Sant’Eufemia, Scafati, Summonte, Taurasi, Torritto, Tufara, Trecase, Veglie, …

18 Counties: Acerra, Borghetto (1564), Borrello (1506), Cerinola, Cerignola, Copertino (1557), Egmont, Fuentes, Melissa, Mesagne, Montavano, Monteleone, Priego, San Giovanni Lappione (1618), Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi (1508), San Valentino, Tuehgl (1715), Vaglio.

22 Marquisates: Argensola, Avola, Caronia, Casalnuovo (1630), Cerchiara (1556), Collelongo (1735), Colletorto (1712), Favara (1559), Galatone (1562), Lauro, Moio, Padula, Paglieta (1603), Sambuca, San Giovanni, San Vincenzo, Spinazzola (1586), Tertiveri, Trentola, Tufara, Vaglios, Valle de Oaxaca (1547) (with the Mexican Lordships of Caro, Cotaxilla, Coyocan, Cuernavaca, Etla, Nico, Sancta Maria, Sant’Anna, Tambaya, Tapulia, Tuxilla).

17 Duchies: Acerenza (1593), Alliste, Bellosguardo, Bisaccia (1600), Caivano, Castoria (1715), Corigliano d’Otranto (1798), Girifalco, Montecalvo (1611), Monteleone (1533), Rocca Mondolfa, San Demetrio (1735), San Marco, San Martino (1621), San Mauro, Terranova (1561), Tolve (1678).

14 Principalities: Belmonte (1619), Castelvetrano (1564), Marsiconuovo (1677), Minervino (1624), Moliterno (1743), Monasterace, Montecorvino (1650), Monteroduni (1702), Muro Leccese (1798), Noja (1600), Racale, Supino (1627), Valle.

Miscellaneous: The Pignatelli held the rank of Nobles in Rome, Venice, Sicily, Spain and Mexico. They wore the habit of Malta from 1420 and held high offices in the Church and the State. Awarded the Golden Fleece in the branches of Monteleone-Terranova and of Strongoli, and the Grandeeship of Spain of the first class in the lines of Monteleone-Terranova, Belmonte, Strongoli, Fuentes. Princes of the Holy Roman Empire in the branches of Belmonte (1723), Monteleone-Terranova, Strongoli, Fuentes and Cerchiara (1648).

The Pignatelli of Marsiconovo and Moliterno

The line that converges in the Princes of Tricase descends through the female line from the Pignatelli, Princes of Marsiconovo (from 1677) and of Moliterno (from 1743), whose branch becomes extinct with Maria Emanuela Pignatelli (1775–1818), heiress of the two Principalities, who carries both titles into the House of Gallone by marrying Giuseppe Gerardo Gallone, 6th Prince of Tricase.

The House traces its origin, according to the ancient genealogies, from the De Domna Maria documented in Naples from the 11th century, from Sergio through Giovanni and Landolfo “Pignatello” — a byname from which, following Landolfo’s exploits in the East for King Roger the Norman and the “right of pillage” of the three silver pots taken at the assault on the Imperial Palace of Constantinople, derives the surname Pignatelli, definitively adopted from the generation of his son Landolfo.

The line continues with Ruggero († 1278), Landolfo “Puzzetto” Patrician of Naples, Riccardo “de Caserta”, Giacomo, Tommaso (Governor of Atri in 1431) and his three sons Carlo, Stefano and Palamede, founders of the three principal lines of the House. From the line of Palamede descend Giacomo († 1539), Fabrizio I (1st Marquess of Cerchiara 1556, Viceroy of Calabria) and Lucio, who consolidate its Neapolitan primacy.

For the branch that converges in the Princes of Tricase, the central figures are Giovanni Battista I Pignatelli (Prince of Marsiconovo from 1677), Girolamo I and Giovanni Battista III Pignatelli (1737–1812), Prince of Moliterno and Marsiconovo, ambassador of the Kingdom of Naples in France, married to Luisa d’Avalos of the Princes of Aquino d’Aragona. From them are born Girolamo III Pignatelli (1773–1848), 3rd Prince of Moliterno and 5th of Marsiconovo, and Maria Emanuela Pignatelli (1775–1818), last heiress of the double princely inheritance.

A cavalry general, Girolamo III fought against the French and was among the protagonists of the Neapolitan Republic of 1799; he died, however, without issue. It was thus his sister Maria Emanuela who gathered and carried into the House of Gallone the Principalities of Moliterno and Marsiconovo.

Maria Emanuela carries the Principalities of Moliterno and Marsiconovo into the House of Gallone by marrying in 1796 Giuseppe Gerardo Gallone, 6th Prince of Tricase. From the couple’s five children descends Giovanni Battista Gallone (1800–1868), then Giuseppe, Pietro Giovanni Battista “Gino” and finally Maria Bianca Gallone (1895–1982), 10th Princess of Tricase and 7th Princess of Moliterno, last of the House of Gallone. Her titles pass through the maternal line to the House of Guerri dall’Oro Gallone di Tricase e di Moliterno, currently represented by Simon Guerri dall’Oro Gallone, 12th Prince of Tricase, and by his son Léon (b. 2018), 13th Prince of Tricase.

The succession: from De Domna Maria to Léon

Marsiconovo

Moliterno

Historical views of the two Principalities taken from “Il Regno di Napoli in Prospettiva” by Giovan Battista Pacichelli (1634–1695), published posthumously in 1702.

Pope Innocent XII.

POPE INNOCENT XII

Pope Innocent XII, in the world Antonio Pignatelli of the Marquesses of Spinazzola (b. 13.03.1615 in Spinazzola, d. 27.09.1700 in Rome), 242nd Pope of the Catholic Church, 1691–1700.

His direct line descends from the founder of the Cerchiara branch, Fabrizio I Pignatelli († 1567, 1st Marquess of Cerchiara in 1557), married to Vittoria Cicinelli of the Barons of Carpinone, whose son Marzio I († 1601, 1st Marquess of Spinazzola from 1586) and grandson Francesco (1588–1620, 4th Marquess of Spinazzola and 1st Prince of Minervino, married to Porzia Carafa della Stadera of the Dukes of Andria) give rise to Antonio Pignatelli (1615–1700), created Cardinal in 1681 and Pope under the name of Innocent XII in 1691.

Successor of Pope Alexander VIII, he was born in Spinazzola to Francesco, 4th Marquess of Spinazzola, and to Porzia Carafa, Princess of Minervino Murge. He was educated at the Jesuit college in Rome. At twenty he became an official of the court of Pope Urban VIII. Under the following popes he served as vice-legate of Urbino and then as governor of Perugia.

Neapolitan Patrician, Doctor of both laws, Vice-legate of Urbino in 1635, Inquisitor in Malta 1642-1649, Governor of Viterbo in 1648, Referendary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura of Grace and Justice, titular Archbishop of Larissa in 1652, Apostolic Nuncio in Poland 1666-1668, Apostolic Nuncio in Vienna 1668-1671, Archbishop (title ad personam) of Lecce 1671, Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars 1673, Prefect of the Sacred Apostolic Palace 1675, created Cardinal-Priest on 01.09.1681 (with the title of San Pancrazio on 22.09.1681), Archbishop of Faenza 1682, Legate of Bologna 1684, Archbishop of Naples 1685.

On the death of Alexander VIII, which occurred on 1 February 1691, the conclave dragged on for five months; Antonio Pignatelli was then elected Pope under the name of Innocent XII on 12.07.1691 (consecrated in the basilica of Santa Maria in Via Lata in Rome on 15.07.1691). He was the compromise candidate between the French cardinals and those of the Holy Roman Empire.

Immediately after his election, he took a stand against nepotism, which for too long had been one of the great scandals of the Church; the bull Romanum decet Pontificem, promulgated in 1692, forbade Popes, at any time, to grant property, offices or revenues to any relative; furthermore, no relative could be raised to the cardinalate. Throughout his pontificate he remained faithful to this principle; no member of his family held office in the Vatican, and he even denied the cardinal’s purple to the archbishop of Taranto because he was his relative. Instead, he appointed the bishop of Spoleto, Pietro Gaddi of Forlì, assistant to the pontifical throne. At the same time he sought to counter the buying and selling of offices at the Apostolic Chamber, and to this end introduced at his court a simpler and more economical style of life. He himself said “the poor are my nephews”, comparing the nepotism of many of his predecessors with his policy of public charity.

In 1694 he established the Congregation for the discipline and reform of the Regular Orders, with the intention of reforming the Church towards greater spirituality.

Innocent made several necessary and very useful reforms in the States of the Church, and — for the better administration of justice — had the Forum Innocentianum erected. In 1693 he urged the French bishops to withdraw the four propositions linked to the “Gallican Liberties”, which had been formulated by the assembly of 1682. In 1699, he sided with Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet in the controversy between that prelate and Fénelon, concerning the Explication des Maximes des Saints sur la Vie Intérieure written by the latter.

In terms of the recovery of the city of Rome and its surroundings, he launched a plan to restore the port of Anzio, which served the capital to the south.

In foreign policy, his pontificate contrasted with that of a series of his predecessors, for his inclination towards France rather than Germany. This benevolent, self-denying and pious pope died on 27 September 1700. Clement XI succeeded him.

After his death his friend, Cardinal don Vincenzo Petra of the dukes of Vastogirardi, had a funeral monument erected at his own expense in his honour at St Peter’s, in the Vatican. Innocent XII was the last pontiff to wear a beard and moustache habitually.

Further reading: the Pignatelli family on Wikipedia.