Gravina (noble family)

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Coat of arms of the Gravina princes

Gravina is the name of an Italian noble family that has flourished to this day and belongs to the high nobility . The family belongs to the oldest nobility in Sicily and rose to princely and ducal dignities there.

history

The ruins of Gravina Castle in Puglia , built for Emperor Friedrich II.

According to tradition , the Gravina are a Norman family who are said to descend from Rollo , the first Duke of Normandy and direct ancestor of William the Conqueror (1027-1087). They are of the same tribe as the Sanseverino and the Filangeri . The progenitor of Gravina was Silvano, who named himself after his fiefdom in Gravina in Puglia (who passed on to the Orsinis in hereditary path around 1420 ). King Martin I confirmed this royal descent to them by diploma dated November 20, 1405 and allowed them to use the royal burial place. This diploma also mentions a Gilberto di Gravina who distinguished himself in the First Crusade as a comrade in arms of his cousins Bohemond of Taranto and Tankred of Hauteville .

The Gravina then served the House of Anjou and the Crown of Aragon , from which they received many fiefs, including nine that were associated with princely titles (including Principe di Palagonia , di Comitini , di Ramacca ), five with ducal titles, seven margraviates, three counties and 24 baronies. Under Philip V they were made grandees of Spain.

In addition to the Alliata , Filangeri , Lancia , Moncada , Notarbartolo , Paternò , Spucches , Stagno , Tomasi di Lampedusa , Valguarnera and Ventimiglia , the Gravina belong to the great princely houses of the former Kingdom of Sicily . After the famous novel The Gattopardo , these are sometimes referred to as The Leopards .

Today's head of the family is Don Silvano Gravina Cruyllas, Principe di Comitini e di Santa Maria d'Altomonte (* 1946), see web link.

Known family members

literature

  • Adrien Richer, Vite de 'più celebri marini , editore P. Tizzano, 1824.
  • Giovanni Tillio ed Elimando, Nortmandorum successionibus .
  • Vincenzo Palizzolo Gravina, Un diploma di Re Martino e la famiglia Gravina della regia stirpe normanna , editore R. Starrabba, Palermo, 1872.

Web links

Commons : House of Gravina  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

heirsofeurope.blogspot : Ancestry of Don Silvano Gravina Cruyllas, Principe di Comitini e di Santa Maria d'Altomonte (* 1946)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Vincenzo Palizzolo Gravina, Il blasone in Sicilia : pagina 206, Visconti & Huber, 1875