Prince of Belmonte

Prince Belmonte (formally Prince of Belmonte or Principe di Belmonte) is a noble title created on 5th March, 1619 by Philip III of Spain for the Barons of Belmonte, with succession stipulated according to Spanish nobiliary law. The first holder of the title was Grand Seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples, one of the seven great offices of State. The Princes of Belmonte later inherited the Dukedom of Acerenza (pronounced as 'Atcherenza') by marriage, and were elevated to the rank of Grandee of Spain (1st Class) on that fief. In the 18th Century the Princes were raised to the rank of Princes of the Holy Roman Empire by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, at Vienna on 9th September, 1726. The Princes also hold several lesser titles, among which are the Marquess of Castellabate, Marquess of Galatone, Marquess of San Vicente, Earl (Conte) of Copertino etc.. The seat of the Prince of Belmonte is Palazzo Belmonte, south of Amalfi in Italy, although the title refers to the fortress town of Belmonte, now Belmonte Calabro.

The current Prince Belmonte is His Excellency Prince Don Angelo Granito Pignatelli, 10th Prince of Belmonte and 12th Duke of Acerenza, who succeeded his father, His Excellency Prince Don Gioacchino Granito Pignatelli, 9th Prince of Belmonte and 11th Duke of Acerenza, in 1982.

Other titles

His Excellency the Prince of Belmonte is descended directly from the Fieschi, an ancient family of Liguria, whose members included Pope Hadrian V. The Prince's ancestor, Rubaldo/Robaldo di Fiesco or 'Fieschi', was created Count of Lavagna in c1060. In 1158 or 1161 Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor confirmed feudal rights in Lavagna to the Fieschi: the beneficiaries included Rubaldo and his nephews Gulielmo, Tebaldo, Enrico, Ruffino, Aldedado, Gherardo; Ottone and his brother Ugone; and Alberto and his brother Beltramino, founder of the Ravaschieri dynasty.

In addition to the princely title of Belmonte, His Excellency holds the following subsidiary titles:

Grandee of Spain, 1st Class, with entitlement to the style ‘His Excellency’ or ‘Most Excellent’ (created 15th July 1712)
Duke of Acerenza (created 12th April 1593)
Marquess of Galatone (feudality acquired 5th October 1557, title confirmed 29th June 1562)
Marquess of Castellabate (created 29th November 1745)
Marquess of San Vicente (created 1694)
Count of Copertino (feudality acquired 5th October 1557, title confirmed 29th June 1562)
Baron of Badolato
Baron of Belmonte
Baron of Veglie
Baron of Rocca Cilento
Baron of Tresino

These titles were granted in the peerage of the successors to the Kings of Spain in Madrid, who ruled the Kingdom of Naples: thus, they have subsequently been recognised in addition, firstly within the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and secondly within the Kingdom of Italy. Those titles created by the Kings of Spain having dominion over Naples are eligible for recognition in Spain according to the terms of their creation, by the heir to that throne, Juan Carlos I of Spain. Those titles of the Princes Belmonte not created by the Kings of Spain (and therefore ineligible for such recognition) include: Castellabate, Rocca Cilento and Tresino, being titles created in the peerage of the Two Sicilies. The style Duke of Acerenza or Duchess of Acerenza has been accorded from time to time as a courtesy title to the Prince or Princess's heir.

Coat of arms

The Arms: The Belmonte Princes may technically quarter the inherited arms of their ancestors, with appropriate augmentations of honour. However, the Princes have chosen historically to display simpler arms, often of the most recent princely family and (sometimes) one or more if its predecessor families.

A list of these individual blazons is given below, in the Italian of their original language. A series of illustrations of these arms is currently being prepared.

Fieschi- bendy azure and argent; coronet of a Count (Lavagna)

Ravaschieri- bendy gules and argent, the 4th bend gules charged with an ermine proper; coronet of a Prince (Belmonte)

Squarciafico-

Pinelli- gules, six pinecones or arranged 3, 2, 1; coronet of a Duke (Acerenza)

Aymerich- quarterly: in the first 1st, argent, cuatro palos azure, 2nd in chief or, four palos gules, flanked argent with an eagle sable sable on either side, crowned or, beaked and limbed gules (Aymerich)

Rocaberti- of Catalonia- gules, three piñas, de oro, bien ordenadas, coronet of a Marquess (Argensola)

Pignatelli- or three pignates sable arranged 2, 1, all borne on the breast of a double-headed eagle displayed sable crowned and nimbed or, coronet of a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (Prince Antonio Pignatelli, Prince Belmonte)

Granito- party per fess azure and or, in the first a lion proper nascent from the second, armed gules; in the second six points azure arising from the bottom of the shield, coronet of a Marquess (Castellabate)

Residences

There are five residences commonly associated with the Princes of Belmonte: Belmonte Castle (in Belmonte Calabro), Acerenza Castle, Galatone Castle, Copertino Castle and Palazzo Belmonte.

See Belmonte Calabro

See Acerenza

See Galatone

See Copertino

The current seat of the Princes of Belmonte and their ancestors for over 250 years is Palazzo Belmonte.

Succession of the Princes of Belmonte

The Principate of Belmonte has descended through its heiresses three times since creation: it was initially the possession of the Ravaschieri Fieschi family, previously Barons of Belmonte. They are descended from the Fieschi family of Lavagna, created Counts in c1060. In 1685 the princely title descended to the Pinelli, Dukes of Acerenza and Marquesses of Galatone, through marriage; in 1779, it descended on the death of the Princess (through her marriage to the Marquess of San Vicente, of the Pignatelli, Princes of Noia; in 1911 the last Pignatelli Princess of Belmonte died and her son inherited the title (this succession was confirmed by patent in 1887). The following are the men and women who have held the title of Prince or Princess of Belmonte:

Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi (1619-1685)

Don Orazio Giovan Battista Ravaschieri Fieschi (of the ancient Counts of Lavagna), Baron of Badolato, Baron of Belmonte, Barone of Tortora, created 1st Prince of Belmonte on 5th March 1619, Grand Seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples ('Gran Siniscalco del Regno di Sicilia') (? - 12th October 1645). Patrician of Genoa. Married 29th May 1621, Donna Anna Maria Carracciolo Pisquizi, of the Lords (later Dukes) of Sicignano, Princess of Belmonte, (28th January 1604 - Belmonte 1637).

Don Daniele Ravaschieri Fieschi, 2nd Prince of Belmonte, Baron of Badolato, Baron of Belmonte (? - 5th February 1685). The 2nd Prince's sister Donna Anna Maria married Don Cosimo Squarciafico Pinelli, 3rd Duke of Acerenza and 5th Marquess of Galatone.

Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli (1685-1779)

HE Don Oronzo Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli, 3rd Prince of Belmonte (18th January 1661 - 25th March 1722), heir and nephew of the 2nd Prince via his mother who was the wife of the Marquess of Galatone; 5th Duke of Acerenza, 7th Marquess of Galatone, 17th Count of Copertino, Seigneur (Signore) of Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc., High Counsellor of State to His Imperial & Royal Highness Emperor Charles VI; elevated by the Emperor on 15th July 1712 to the rank of Grandee of Spain (See Grandees of Spain), 1st Class in the feudal title and rank of the Dukedom of Acerenza, with succession ‘per i suoi figli maschi e femmine in perpetuo’, thus gaining the style for himself, his heirs and their consorts of ‘Most Excellent Lord/Lady’ or ‘His/Her Excellency (HE)’ (See Grandee). Married 5th May 1701 Donna Violante di Sangro, of the Prince of Viggiano, Princess of Belmonte.

HE Donna Anna Francesca Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli, 4th Princess of Belmonte ‘suo iure’, (14th August 1702 - 8th January 1779), daughter and heiress of the 3rd Prince, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 6th Duchess of Acerenza, 8th Marchioness of Galatone, 18th Countess of Copertino, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc. Married 26th May 1721, Prince (HRE) Don Antonio Pignatelli y Aymerich, 2nd Marquess of San Vicente (son of the 1st Marquess Don Domenico Pignatelli y Vagher, Viceroy of Navarra and Galicia and of his wife Doña Giustiniana de Aymerich, daughter of Don Bernard de Aymerich Lord of Bernalda and of Doña Maria Argensola of the Marquesses of Argensola; through her 3rd Marquess of Argensola); General of the Imperial Cavalry, created 1st Prince Pignatelli di Belmonte of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of Belmonte, (4th August 1685 - 26th January 1771).

Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli (1779-1911)

HE Prince Don Antonio Pignatelli, 5th Prince of Belmonte, (27th March 1722 - 2nd [January/June] 1794), 2nd Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 7th Duke of Acerenza, 9th Marquess of Galatone, 3rd Marquess of San Vicente, 19th Count of Copertino, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc.. Married 1st 24th February 1754 Donna Francesca Revertera, of the Duke of Salandra and the Countess von Thuerheim (died 1756); 2nd 28th August 1762 Donna Chiara Spinelli, daughter of the Duke of Laurino and the Princess of Montacuto, Princess of Belmonte.
HE Prince Don Antonio Pignatelli, 6th Prince of Belmonte, 3rd Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 8th Duke of Acerenza, 10th Marquess of Galatone, 4th Marquess of San Vicente, 20th Count of Copertino, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc., Grandee of Spain 1st Class (7th July 1763 - 17th August 1828). Married 12th May 1783 Donna Giovanna Pignatelli Aragona Cortés, of the Prince of Noia, Princess of Belmonte.
HE Prince Don Gennaro Pignatelli, 7th Prince of Belmonte, 4th Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 9th Duke of Acerenza, 11th Marquess of Galatone, 5th Marquess of San Vicente, 21st Count of Copertino, Signore di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc. (28th February 1777 - 28th July 1829). Married 11th December 1823, Donna Carmela de Chiaro, Princess of Belmonte.
HE Princess Donna Francesca di Paola (Paolina) Pignatelli, 8th Princess of Belmonte ‘suo iure’, 5th Princess of the Holy Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 10th Duchess of Acerenza, 12th Marchioness of Galatone, 6th Marchioness of San Vicente, 22nd Countess of Copertino, Signora di Veglie, Leverano, San Cosimo etc. (3rd April 1824 – 30th August 1911). Married 12th January 1839, Don Angelo Granito, 4th Marquess of Castellabate, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino, Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies (appointed 4th June 1843), awarded the degree of Peer of the Realm (13th May 1848), Superintendent of the Royal Archives (appointed 6th June 1848), Prince of Belmonte.

Belmonte- Ravaschieri Fieschi Pinelli Pignatelli Granito (‘Granito Pignatelli’) (1911- )

HE Prince Don Gioacchino Granito Pignatelli, 9th Prince of Belmonte (confirmation of inheritance of title by letters patent dated 3rd April 1887) (2nd November 1849 - 6th April 1934), Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 11th Duke of Acerenza, 12th Marquess of Galatone, 7th Marquess of San Vicente, 5th Marquess of Castellabate, 23rd Count of Copertino, Baron of Badolato, Veglie, Leverano, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino, Knight Commander of the Johanniterorder (Sweden), Deputy of the National Parliament. Married 13th November 1869, Donna Maria Caterina d’Ayala Valva, of the Marquess of Valva, Princess of Belmonte.
HE Prince Don Gioacchino Granito Pignatelli, 10th Prince of Belmonte, (19th March 1913 - 22nd May 1982), Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 12th Duke of Acerenza, 13th Marquess of Galatone, 8th Marquess of San Vicente, 6th Marquess of Castellabate, 23rd Count of Copertino, Baron of Badolato, Veglie, Leverano, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino. Married 25th July 1951, Donna Francesca Visco, Princess of Belmonte.
HE Prince Don Angelo Granito Pignatelli, 11th Prince of Belmonte, (9th February 1939- ), Grandee of Spain 1st Class, 13th Duke of Acerenza, 14th Marquess of Galatone, 9th Marquess of San Vicente, 7th Marquess of Castellabate, 24th Count of Copertino, Baron of Badolato, Veglie, Leverano, Baron of Rocca Cilento and Tresino. Married 28th May 1969 Donna Sarah Elizabeth Mayhew, Princess of Belmonte.
- The Prince has two children: HE Donna Francesca di Paola Maria Elisabetta Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte (27th February 1973- ), married 1st July 2006 Tristan Charles Johnson Elbrick; and HE Donna Maria-Sofia Giovanna Rose Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte (11th March 1974- ), married 17th May 2003 the Hon. Adam Bruce, younger son of the 11th Earl of Elgin and 15th Earl of Kincardine.