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Italian noble family From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The House of Malaspina was a noble Italian family of Longobard origin that descended from Boniface I, through the Obertenghi line, that ruled Lunigiana from the 13th to the 14th centuries, and the marquisate of Massa and lordship of Carrara (which later became the Duchy of Massa and Carrara and at a later time the Principality of Massa and the Marquisate of Carrara) since the 14th century.
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| House of Malaspina Cybo-Malaspina (since 1553) | |
|---|---|
| Marcher noble family[1] | |
_(2).svg) Flowered thorns of the Malaspina's main branch | |
| Parent family | Obertenghi |
| Country |  Kingdom of Italy (HRE) Republic of Genoa Duchy of Massa and Carrara Kingdom of Sardinia |
| Etymology | Alberto Obertenghi's nickname "Malaspina" ("bad thorn") |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Founder | Alberto "Malaspina" Obertenghi[2] |
| Current head | Not extinct. |
| Final ruler | Maria Theresa, Duchess of Massa |
| Titles |
|
| Connected families | |
| Motto | Sum Mala Spina Malis. Sum Bona Spina Bonis ("A bad thorn for the bad. A good thorn for the good.") |
| Estate(s) | Malaspina Castle (seat, Massa) Palazzo Cybo-Malaspina (seat, Carrara) Castle of Serravalle (Sardinian stronghold) |
| Dissolution | 1790 |
| Cadet branches | Malaspina "of the Dry Thorn" (still existing) [a] |
The founder of the Malaspina family was Oberto I, who became the count of Luni in 945. Oberto I was appointed as the marquis of the March of Genoa under the Italian king Berengario II in 951 and he became a count palatine in 953.[4]
Oberto I had two children; Oberto II, who inherited the title of count of Luni from his father, and Adalberto I, whose offspring founded the Pallavicino and the Cavalcabò families.[4] Oberto II had four children; Bertha of Milan, the spouse of the King of Italy Arduino; Ugo, count of Milan; Albert Azzo I, count of Luni whose offspring founded the Este family branches of Hannover and Brunswick; and Oberto Obizzo I, progenitor of the lineage of the Malaspinas.[4]
In 1004, Oberto Obizzo I fought beside his brother-in-law King Arduino against the Count Bishops of Luni: this was the first of many conflicts between the family and the governors of the Roman-founded city. Oberto Obizzo I had a son, Albert I.[4] Albert I also had a son, Oberto Obizzo II (d. 1090), the father of Alberto Malaspina (d. 1140), who was the first member of the family to be called Malaspina; for this reason he is sometimes considered the true founder of the family.[4]
The surname Malaspina means "bad thorn" or "ill-willed thorn" in Italian; some historians believe the surname originated in the time of Ancus Marcius as some paintings in the halls of castle of Fosdinovo may suggest. Other historians believe the name may have originated from a legend regarding the death of an enemy, King Merovingio Teodeberto I. The legend, which is narrated on five sandstone tiles at the entry gate of the Malaspina castle of Godiasco,[5] tells how the king was killed with a thorn. Others believe the name originated from the remarkably bad attitude of Albert Malaspina or some of his relatives held with others.[6]
Albert Malaspina extended the family's possessions towards the Apennine Mountains near Lunigiana, starting a conflict with Genoa and the Bishops of Luni. The 1124 peace treaty of Lucca references the division of goods between the descendants of Oberto Obizzo I, who in time gave birth to several European noble families; Brunswick, Estens, Pallavicino and the marquises of Massa, Sardinia and Corsica, as well as the Malaspinas.[4]
Albert's son, the Marquis Obizzo I Malaspina (d. 1185), initially fought against Frederick Barbarossa the Holy Roman Emperor, supporting rioting commoners. After the emperor took control of the conflict, Obizzo changed sides, supporting him in his fight against Milan in 1157. The emperor rewarded Obizzo, granting him the right to rule over the territories of Liguria, Lunigiana, Lombardy and Emilia. In 1176, after escorting Barbarossa to Pavia, Obizzo surprised him by deciding to ally with the Lombard league and attacking the Emperor's armies. Because of Obizzo's betrayal, Frederick Barbarossa was defeated in the battle of Legnano. In the peace treaty of Costanza, the emperor forgave Obizzo and re-confirmed Obizzo's right to rule over the land he was given. Both the Battle of Legnano and the Peace of Costanza are represented in paintings conserved in the hall of Fosdinovo castle and were realized by Gaetano Bianchi at the end of the 19th century.[7]
Obizzo I had two sons Obizzo II Malaspina—also known as Obizzone—and Moroello I Malaspina.[4] The descendants of Obizzo II founded the Spino secco ("dried thorn") branch of the family while the descendants of Moroello I founded the Spino Fiorito ("bloomed thorn") branch of the family (1221).[4] Obizzo II had a son called Conrad I Malaspina, who was defined by Dante Alighieri as "the Old or The Ancient" due to his fame and long-living legacy; Conrad I is considered to be the first exponent of the Spino Secco branch. He obtained all of the territories over the right bank of the Magra river and the territories of Villafranca on the left bank of the Magra river. Conrad I Malaspina had four children; Manfredi Malaspina, Moroello of Mulazzo, Frederick of Villafranca, and Albert Malaspina.[4]
Manfredi Malaspina had a son named Moroello "Vapor of Valdimagra", who was a good friend of Dante Alighieri; because of his close friendship with Manfredi and the kindness he was shown during his exile, Alighieri paid homage to the Malaspina family in the "Purgatory" section of his epic poem Divine Comedy. Moroello had a son named Franceschino Malaspina, who took part in the wars between Guelfs and Ghibellines, and is known to have hosted Dante Alighieri several times during his exile in Lunigiana, nominating him as his personal attorney in the difficult peace negotiations with the Bishop of Luni, Antonio Da Camilla. These negotiations resulted in the peace of Castelnuovo in 1306. Frederick of Villafranca (Brother of Conrad Malaspina The Old) had two sons; Obizzino Malaspina and Conrad Malaspina the Young, to whom Dante expressed his gratitude for the Malaspina family in the 8th canto of "Purgatory".[4]
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Moroello I Malaspina had a son named Guglielmo Malaspina, whose son Obizzino Malaspina is considered to be the true progenitor of the Spino Fiorito branch of the family. He received all of the territories on the left bank of the Magra river.[4] Obizzino married Caterina Cattaneo and had three heirs; Bernabò Malaspina, Isnardo Malaspina, and Albert Malaspina. Isnardo married Cubina D'este, who gave birth to Gabriele Malaspina (it) and Azzolino Malaspina; the latter had three children; Spinetta Malaspina—also known as The Great, who in 1340 purchased the feud of Fosdinovo without having any legitimate offspring; Isnardo; and Azzolino whose offspring would assume the title of Marquess of Fosdinovo (1355).[4]
The division of lands between the ever-increasing heirs brought about a shattering of the Dominion of the family into smaller feuds. The Malaspinas sometimes supported the Ghibelline faction and sometimes the Guelf faction. While supporting the Guelfs, Obizzino took part in the conflicts of the Lombards against the Hohenstaufen. Obizzino, alongside Morroello of the Malaspinas of Giovagallo, commanded the Guelf army that defended Florence against Henry VII of Luxembourg. The Ghibelline faction defending emperor Henry VII was also led by a household member; Spinetta Malaspina, also known as the Great.[8]
The Malaspina family also controlled land in the north of Genoa around the four provinces area in the valleys of the Trebbia and Staffora rivers. The lordships in the Lunigiana and in the north of Genoa (also called Lombarda) were soon fragmented due to the adoption of the Longobard Right, which required an equal division of assets, including feuds, between male sons. Some members of the Malaspina family held a part of the Giudicato of Lugodoro (Giudicato di Torres) in the 13th and 14th centuries but most relevantly from the 15th to the 18th centuries, the branch of the Cybo-Malaspina governed the independent marquisate of Massa and the participants of Carrara, then known as the Duchy of Massa and Carrara). The family's Sardinian possessions were: the castle of Serravalle (Bosa) with the curation of Planargia and Costa De Addess; and the castle of Osilo with the curation of Montes, Figulinas and Coros.[9] Members of the family also had the right to the title of princes of San Colombano.[10]
In the eighth canto of Purgatory, Dante Alighieri celebrates the Malaspina's courtly values, especially those of liberality and hospitality that were well known throughout Europe.[11]
"Oh!" said I then to him, "I 've never been
in your domains, but where throughout all Europe
dwelleth a man who knows them not? The fame
which honoreth your house, proclaims its lords,
proclaims its district, so that even he
knows of them, who hath never been there yet.
I swear to you, so may I go on high,
that of the glorious use of purse and sword
your honored race doth not despoil itself.
(Divine Comedy, Purgatory, Dante Alighieri, 8th Canto, Vv. 121–129)[12]
The Malaspinas were a marchesal branch descending from the Obertenghi family,[13] whose originator was Oberto I (Otbert or Odebertus), who around the middle of the 10th century became count palatine (the count of the sacred palace of Pavia and absolute judiciary authority of the kingdom), and from 951 he also became marquis of Milan and Count of Luni,[14] as well as of the marquisate of Obertenga, as he called it), in the western part of Liguria, which was made up of the committees of Milan, Genoa, Tortona, Bobbio, Luni and other bordering territories.[15]
This vast territory was fragmented both because the hereditary divisions such as the majorat were not yet valid and because of conflicting relationships with other families, including the Fieschi, Spinola, Doria and others, and because of pressure coming from the birthing communes of Milan, Genoa, Piacenza, Tortona, Pavia and Bobbio. Oberto I founded the house through his descendants Oberto II, Oberto Obizzo I, Albert I, Oberto Obizzo II and Albert I Malaspina (d. 1140).
In 1164, Albert's son Obizzo I (the great) (d. 1185) had his feudal rights confirmed by Emperor Frederick I and was also nominated Imperial Vassal. His feuds included parts of the modern-day Liguria (Tigullio, Cinque Terre and Levanto sul mare—which he acquired from Genoa and the Fieschi; the territories of the Lunigiana, Garfagnana and the valleys of the Trebbia River up to Torriglia); the Val d'Aveto (until Santo Stefano d'Aveto) and Staffora located in the Oltrepò); as well as Lombardy (Val Bormida and Oltregiogo).[16]
In 1220, of Obizzo I's many heirs, only Conrad Malaspina the Old and Obizzino Malaspina were alive; their feudal rights were re-confirmed by the emperor although the territories were slightly reduced due to Piacenza's prevalent influence. In 1221, Conrad and Obizzino divided their lordships equally. Conrad ruled over the Lunigiana territories located on the west bank of the Magra River and Val Trebbia in Lombardy, giving birth to the Spino Secco branch, while Obizzino ruled over the Lunigiana territories located on the east bank of the Magra River and Valle Staffora in Lombardy, giving birth to the Spino Fiorito branch of the family.
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In 1266, four sub-branches were formed from the descendants of Conrad Malaspina (The Old) remembered by Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy.
The origin of this sub-branch is attributed to Moroello Malaspina (d. 1284), who possessed the Castle of Mulazzo in Lunigiana—the main castle of the Spino Secco branch—and feuds in Val Trebbia surrounding Ottone, He also had some influence over the family's dominions in Sardinia. This sub-branch was the first to be generated from the Spino Secco; it retained possession of the marquisate of Mulazzo until the abolition of feudalism. The branch was extinguished in 1810 with the death of marquis Alessandro Malaspina, a renowned politician, explorer and navigator.
The marquisate, ruling from 1266 to 1797, was recognized as an imperial feud as soon as 1164; it expanded with several acquisitions of land in Pozzo [it], Montereggio, Montarese, Castagnetoli (from 1746), Calice, Veppo and Madrignano; the latter three territories were administered by the cadets of the Mulazzo sub-branch from 1710 to 1772, and due to debts were sold to the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
In the 16th century, the branches of Madrignano (1523–1634) and Montereggio (1523–1646) momentarily detached from the main Mulazzo branch. The feud of Mulazzo, starting from 1473, was alternately governed by the "Malaspina del Castello" and the "Malaspina del Palazzo" until 1776. The direct male bloodline was extinguished by the famous explorer Alessandro Malaspina.[17] The ruling marquises are presented below. The main sub-branches deriving from the Malaspinas of Mulazzo were:
An autonomous branch of the family starting from the 15th century with Azzone of Antonio of Mulazzo as its forefather. This branch possessed the feuds of Stadomelli, Cavanella and had some ruling authority over Villafranca. Its main representatives were Thomas II (d. 1603) and his son Francesco (d. 1649). The main branch went extinct in 1759 and with imperial approval, the feuds were unified with Villafranca (1796). In 1794, some revolts against the authoritarian regime of Thomas III started. In 1757, part of the feud was acquired by the Mulazzo branch.[19] The ruling marquises are presented below.
The forefather of this branch was Manfredo, son of Conrad Malaspina The Old, around 1260. They possessed the castle of Giovagallo (Tresana) and some surrounding land. The branch went extinct in 1365 and their feuds were inherited by the Villafranca branch. Most of the marquisate was absorbed by the marquisate of Tresana.[19]
Their forefather was Frederick, son of Conrad Malaspina The Old; they ruled over the castle of Malnido as well as Villafranca in Lunigiana and the surrounding lands. The branch was greatly weakened and impoverished due to many hereditary divisions, wars and the loss of numerous territories in the valleys close to the river Vara, Auella and Taverone. In the 16th century they were taken under the protection of Modena and thanks to their loyalty, with the May 3, 1726, decree, the duke Rinaldo d'Este of Modena gave them the name "Malaspina Estensi". Their newly formed dominion included Garbugliaga, Beverino, Villa, Rocchetta di Vara, and the castles of Virgoletta and Malnido in Villafranca, where they ruled together with the consignori of the Castevoli branch.[19] The ruling marquises are presented below. The branch expanded efficiently, surviving after the end of feudalism and many co-branches still exist. Some of them had their own rulers as well as a separate identity. These include:
This branch's forefather was Alberto (d. 1298), son of Conrad Malaspina (The Old). They inherited the feud of Pregòla—a fraction of Brallo di Pregola—and vast territory on the left side of the Val Trebbia; the river divided their feuds from the ones owned by the branch of Mulazzo. They also owned some territories near Bobbio. In 1304 Corradino Malaspina, the lord of the castle of Carana (Corte Brugnatella), in agreement with Visconte Pallavicino and the abbot of Bobbio, Guido took control over Bobbio, transformed it into a lordship and built its current castle. In 1341 the Visconti Milan took control of Bobbio and of the Brugnatella court, stripping the Malaspina of the castle of Carana and destroying the famous Castello Nero, a black castle famous for the unusual stones used to build it. After 1347, when Corradino died, the feud was distributed between his heirs but in 1361 they had to give it to the Visconti family. in 1436 it was given to the Dal Verme family, who had become counts of Bobbio and Voghera. The Malaspinas also lost control over the ancient church of San Cristoforo in the Valle del Carlone. The only territory they still owned was Dezza, which was later given to the Malaspina of Pregòla. The branch endured a division in 1347, from which the feuds of Prato (a fraction of Cantalupo Ligure, in Val Borbera, near Val Trebbia) and of Corte Brugnatella, which both had a short history. In another division in 1453 the four quartieri were separated from the feud of Pergola; each of the estates was given to a distinct branch of the family. These branches were:[19]
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in 1275, the son and three grandchildren of the forefather of the branch, Obizzo Malaspina also known as Obizzino, created four other sub-branches of the family.
Their forefather was Azzolino, Obizzino's grandson and son of Isnardo, who had already died before the division in 1275. With his brother Gabriele, Azzolino inherited a third of the estates of his grandfather Obizzino, some of which were in Lunigiana and some in Lombardy. After some time, in agreement with his brother, Azzolino took full control of the Lombardy feuds, mostly located in the Staffora valley surrounding Varzi. The Marquisate of Varzi was divided between Azzolino's three sons; the sub-branch of Isnardo, which ruled over Menconico, went extinct in the 15th century but the other two branches survived:[22]
This branch's forefather was Gabriele, Obizzino's grandson and Isnardo's son, who died before the division of the feuds in 1275. Gabriele ruled over a third of the family's estates alongside his brother Azzolino; some feuds were in Lunigiana and some in Lombardy; thanks to a political agreement between him and Azzollino, Gabriele took control of the feuds in Lunigiana, which consisted of the castle of Verrucola in Fivizzano and the bordering territories in eastern Lunigiana. Gabriele had three children; Isnardo's family went extinct in the 15th century, leaving Fivizzano to the Republic of Florence, with which the family were allied. This event determined the future, creating the strong influence Florence had over Lunigiana and the bordering territories. The famous Lunigiana Granducale, which fought for supremacy with the Malaspinian dominium as well as the one of Modena. Spinetta Malaspina pledged his loyalty to Verona; by doing so he was awarded the feud of Fosdinovo. Spinetta had no natural heirs so his bloodline went extinct with his sons; Azzolino's descendants were rewarded with the feud of Fosdinovo and generated the line of Malaspina of Fosdinovo, who were imperial vicars in Italy from whom Antonio Alberico I Malaspina descended. Because Antonio was the marquis of Fosdinovo, he obtained the feud of Massa in 1441.[24] His son, Giacomo I Malaspina (d. 1481), succeeded his father and added to the lordship of Massa the feud of Carrara and its surrounding territories.[25] Giacomo's son, Alberico,[26] banished his brother Francesco and Francesco's offspring, depriving them of all succession rights and leaving his daughter Ricciarda as his sole heir. Ricciarda married Lorenzo Cibo, from which descended the Cybo-Malaspina, the new duchess of Massa and Carrara.[27]
This branch of the family generated several other sub-branches, including:
This branch's forefather was the son of Azzolino, Galeotto, who died in 1367. In 1340, Spinetta Malaspina consolidated the family's power over its estates, granting them the lordship for the following centuries. The marquisate of Fosdinovo became sovereignly autonomous in 1367, engulfing the territories of Viano, Castel dell'Aquila, Gragnola (1646), Cortila, Pulica, Giucano, Ponzanello, Tendola, Marciaso and Posterla, Caniparola. Gabriele, son of Antonio Alberico I of Fosdinovo, took control of the feud of Fosdinovo, leaving the other estates to his siblings.[28]
In 1529 the hereditary status of imperial Vicary was recognised to him and his feuds. In 1666 the emperor granted the branch the right to produce its own currency. The last sovereign marquis was Carlo Emanuele, who was in favour of abolishing the imperial feuds in Italy; he agreed with the Napoleonic edict of 2 July 1797 and renounced his feuds. The Torrigiani-Malaspina family still owns the Castle Fosdinovese.[22] The ruling marquises are presented below.
Their forefather was Francesco, son of Bernabò and grandson of Obizzino who, after the division of 1275, inherited land in Lunigiana (the castle of Olivola, in a fraction of Aulla) and Lombardy, including the castle of Pizzocorno, a fraction of Ponte Nizza. The heirs of the main branch were assassinated in 1413 in the castle of Olivola; their feuds were divided between the Fosdinovo and Godiasco branches of the family. Olivola was given to the line of Gragnola; after the extinction of the line, it was given to Alberico I of Fosdinovo and his son Gabriele IV (d. 1485), who left it to his son Giovan Battista. The feud was later inherited by Lazzaro, who in 1525 created an independent line, which survived until the abolition of the imperial feuds in 1797.[30] The ruling marquises are presented below.
The forefather of this branch was Alberto, son of Obizzino, who in the division of 1275 with his grandchildren had feuds in both Lunigiana and Lombardy, mainly close to the castle of Filattiera. They were initially called Malaspina of Filattiera; this title was kept by the first generation only. They also had a castle in Oramala—a fraction of Val di Nizza, and later acquired control over the Borgo of Godiasco and set it as their centre of power. In 1743 the province of Bobbio was established under the marquisate of Bobbio from 1516; the Savoia and the mandate of Varzi delimitated their territories. The five main sub-branches of the family were created by Nicolò (also known as Marchesotto) the son of Alberto, and his five children; they all had feuds in Lunigiana and in the marquisate of Godiasco:[22]
Original version:
La fama che la vostra casa onora,
"Oh!", diss'io lui, "per li vostri paesi
già mai non fui; ma dove si dimora
per tutta Europa ch'ei non sien palesi?
grida i segnori e grida la contrada,
sì che ne sa chi non vi fu ancora;
e io vi giuro, s'io di sopra vada,
che vostra gente onrata non si sfregia
del pregio de la borsa e de la spada.
(Divina Commedia, Purgatorio, Dante Alighieri, Canto 8, Vv. 121–129)[12]
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