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I Signoridelle Alpi

Famiglie e poteritra le montagne d’Europa

I.S.T.A.

Novembre 2015

I SIGNORI DELLE ALPIFamiglie e poteri tra le montagne d’Europa

Progetto: I.S.T.A. - Incontri per lo Studio delle Tradizioni Alpine

Revisione testi: Valeria Gazzoli, Niccolò Orsini de Marzo.

Commissione di selezione: Luca Giarelli, Loris Bendotti, Fausto Bonomelli, Marta Ghirardelli, Fabio Faiferri.

L’edizione di questo libro è stata curata da: Luca Giarelli.

Immagini: Copertina. Fronte: Castello di Tarasp (DinAFoto).

Retro: Stemma Tasso (Tarcisio Bottani), Castello di Tures (Luca Livraghi), Castello di Fénis (Sara Corsaro), Castello di Gorzone (Luca Giarelli).

Immagini: Tarcisio Bottani (p. 196); Bruno Felice Duina (p. 147); Gianluigi Garbellini (p. 321); Luca Giarelli (pp. 43, 44, 63, 84, 116, 124, 128, 368); Gabriele Medolago, Federico Oriani (p. 226); Guido Scaramellini (p. 291).

Stemmario: Marco Foppoli (pp. 413-422). Profilo montuoso: Monte Concarena, Valle Camonica.

Senza il permesso scritto è vietata la riproduzione del presente lavoro sotto qualsiasi forma.Si ringrazia Giancarlo Taboni per il sostegno e la passione fornite per il completamento di quest’opera.

Youcanprint Self-PublishingVia Roma, 73 - 73039 Tricase (LE) - Italywww.youcanprint.itinfo@youcanprint.itFacebook: facebook.com/youcanprint.itTwitter: twitter.com/youcanprintit

ISBN: 978-88-93218-92-4Prima edizione italiana, novembre 2015. Il progetto «I Signori delle Alpi» è stato possibile grazie a:

Comunità Montanadi Valle Camonica

www.cmvallecamonica.bs.it

Cassa PadanaArea Camuna

www.cassapadana.itwww.eurosiderscalo.com

Società Storica e Antropologicadi Valle Camonica

www.ssavalcam.it

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Indice

Introduzione Sergio Onger

pag. 5

Parte I - I Signori delle Alpi

1. Federici di Valle Camonica: potere e politica dalle origini al tramonto dell'età moderna Luca Giarelli

» 9

2. Nobili di Lozio in Valle Camonica: isolamento e potere Ivan Faiferri

» 45

3. Beccagutti di Esine in Valle Camonica Francesco Macario

» 65

4. Da Iseo poi Oldofredi Attilio Alfredo Zani

» 85

5. Fenaroli da Tavernola sul Lago d'Iseo Giovanni Ernesto Fenaroli

» 97

6. Foresti, i signori di Solto Giorgio Danesi, Paolo Formenti

» 117

7. Capitani di Sovere, origini e diramazioni: Marenzi, Bottaini, Nicolini, Maffetti e Lanfranchi Bruno Felice Duina

» 129

8. Capitanei di Scalve Albano Bianchi

» 149

9. Albertoni o Capitanei da Vertova Franco Irranca

» 165

10. Tasso di Valle Brembana: i signori delle poste d'Europa Tarcisio Bottani

» 179

11. Della Torre di Milano. Genealogiche chimere dalla Valsassina alle Fiandre Gabriele Medolago, Federico Oriani

» 197

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12. Perti, una famiglia di notai tra lago e montagna Raffaella Bianchi Riva

» 227

13. Luserna: origini, poteri e alcune vicende tra XII e XX secolo Gustavo Mola di Nomaglio

» 245

14. Challant: nobile casata nella storia e nelle tradizioni della Valle d'Aosta Sara Corsaro

» 261

15. Vertemate di Piuro in Valchiavenna Guido Scaramellini

» 277

16. Salis, una consorteria al centro delle Alpi Diego Zoia

» 293

17. Piatti di Teglio: ascesa e declino di una nobile famiglia valtellinese Gianluigi Garbellini

» 307

18. Venosta nel Medioevo: cadere negli artigli dell'aquila Francesco Ruvolo

» 323

19. Matsch: alle origini dei signori di Venosta e Valtellina Andrea Masetti

» 331

20. Thun: dal Trentino alla Boemia e ritorno Pietro Marsilli

» 345

21 Lodron: oltre la culla della Val del Chiese Gianni Poletti

» 357

22. Solero: la casata ai vertici di Sappada nel bellunese Linda Armano

» 369

Parte II - Apparati

Bibliografia

Abstracts

Stemmario Marco Foppoli

»

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411

417

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Abstracts

1. Federici domines of Valle Camonica from the origins to the end of Early Modern Age

The Federici family was the leading noble family of Valle Camonica between the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Age. Members of the Ghibelline party, they were able to maintain their privileges through major political changes, thanks to a distinction in the various branches. Originating in the area of Montecchio (Darfo Boario Terme) at the end of the 13th century, it divided into the groups of Angolo, Gorzone, Erbanno from whom subsequently the branches of Esine and Artogne separated. Of great importance is the branch of Edolo-Mu, descendants from the group of Erbanno, who moved in high Valle Camonica during the 14th century and who obtained the title of count at the beginning of the 15th century by the Visconti of Milan. After the conquest of the valley by the Republic of Venice in 1428, Federici worked on the confirmation of their privileges so as to take part, from the last quarter of the 15thcentury, to Valle Camonica Community Councils with a share which was equivalent to municipalities and territorial districts.

2. Nobili of Lozio in Valle Camonica: isolation as a source and limit of the powerThis paper deals with an ancient noble family called Nobiles de Locio or Nobili di Lozio

which acted in the middle Valle Camonica since 14th century. The chronological period covered by the study starts from 14th century, when we can find the first records about the family, until the second half of the 16th century.

3. Beccagutti of Esine in Valle CamonicaThe Beccaguttis represent one of the most ancient, noble and ghibelline families in Valle

Camonica and they originated in Esine. The family was related to the Visconti party in the 14th century and it grew in power, which declined in the early 15th century with the conquest of Valle Camonica by the Republic of Venice.

4. Da Iseo then OldofrediThe Da Iseo family, then called Oldofredi, originated from the town of Iseo on the

shores of Sebino (Lake Iseo). It grew in importance since the 14th century and at the begin-ning of the 15th century suffered severe political backlashes caused by the fighting between Pandolfo Malatesta and the Duchy of Milan.

5. Fenaroli from Tavernola on Lake IseoThe Fenarolis are ancient noble houses, known from the 13th century and originated

in Tavernola on Lake Iseo, appearing in the Malatesta Matricola in 1406. Ascribed to the Noble Council of Brescia, before the “lockout” of 1488, they were decorated with the title of Count from the Republic of Venice (1646). Other titles came from the King of Naples, Napoleon and the Austro-Hungarian kingdom. There were many milities, among which Girolamo, fighter in the Lombard League in the 12th century and Ventura, made even more famous by Francesco Hayez painting.

Abstracts

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6. Foresti, the lords of SoltoThe Foresti Family, of doubtful origin, became known when Maffeo, jurisconsult from

Bergamo, received the title of Earl Palatine. The successors of Maffeo were one of the most important Ghibelline families in the town of Bergamo and deep rooted in the territory of Solto Collina. The Ghibelline position made conflicting the relationship with the new Mas-ters, from Malatesta until Serenissima. In the Early Modern Age a lot of branches moved around Brescia and its countryside. The last countess die in Solto in 1808.

7. Capitani of Sovere, roots and branches: Marenzi, Bottaini, Nicolini, Maffetti and Lanfranchi

The Capitanei de Suare family comes from the counts of Mozzo, Lombard descendents and part of the town upper class. Teudoldus of Mozzo is active in Sovere during the 11th century, as a vassal of the Bishop of Bergamo and as a leader of the local community. The family, earlier called de Suare and after Capitaneis de Suare, was ghibelline and it was the protagonist of the political and military scene in the country of Bergamo between the 13th and the 15th century. Among their descendents there are the Marenzis, supporters of the Milanese dominion, proclaimed counts of Tagliuno and Telgate in 1440, the Bottainis , the Maffettis, the Lanfranchis and the Nicolinis. In the 13th century there was the birth and expansion of San Gregorio village in the area of the Capitanei de Suare’s castle. At a later stage there was the appearance of the Marenzi tower and palace, the Bottaini palace, the Maffetti palace and the church of San Gregorio in the 15th century.

8. Capitanei of Val di ScalveIn 1222 the Bishop of Bergamo enoffed Val di Scalve to Capitanei family. The inhab-

itants of Val di Scalve opposed to this grant, forcing Capitanei to give up most of their privileges losing power in the valley. In the course of centuries, there are many prominent figures in the ecclesiastical, civil, political and military field. In the course of time some of its members established home in Brescia, Bergamo, Milan, Meda and Concorezzo, where Pyrrhus of Capitanei of Scalve in 1691 received the title of count by Charles II of Spain. In the late 19thcentury numerous legends, ranging from the origin to the decline of the fam-ily, appeared.

9. Albertoni or Capitanei from VertovaThe Albertoni family from Vertova had an important role from the 12th to the 18th cen-

tury. Several of its members excelled in different fields: from politics and administration to clergy, from diplomacy and army to economy. The origins of the family are legendary. The first member cited in documents is Albertone (1168), his son was known as Albertone dei Capitanei di Vertova because he settled in Vertova, a village in Val Seriana. Some of his descendants continued living in Vertova whether some others settled in Bergamo where they held high roles in the government of the city. Alberto Albertoni, consul of Bergamo, was one among the promoters of the Lombard League. He was one of the signatories of the peace treaty of the Congress of Costanza (1183) that followed the victory of Legnano where the confederation of the free cities defeated Frederick Barbarossa. During the cen-turies the Albertoni family used no longer the appellative “Capitanei” maintaining only the name da Vertova, the place where they had lived and owned goods and a castle. The Al-bertonis administrated the goods (with the role of gastaldi) of the bishop of Bergamo in the territories of Vertova, Semonte, Colzate, Fiorano and Gazzaniga. The descendants of the Albertoni were two families: the Pezzoli Albertoni from Leffe and the Camozzi-Vertova, originated from the union of the Camozzi and the Vertova families.

Abstracts

413

10. Tasso of Val Brembana: the european postal services lordsThe Tasso Family is mainly known for the great poets Torquato Tasso, author of the Jeru-

salem Delivered, and his father Bernardo Tasso, author of the Amadigi, but just few know that this family has other great members that became popular as entrepreneurs: they are consid-ered the founders of the modern postal communications. Originally hailing from Cornello dei Tasso, a lovely hamlet situated in the Val Brembana (in the Province of Bergamo), the various branches of the family played an important role in the Compagnia dei Corrieri della Serenissima (the Courier Company of the Signoria of Venice), the postal service of the Vene-tian Republic, which served the Venice-Milan and Venice-Rome routes. They became then couriers for the Papal States for almost a hundred years, before becoming the postmasters generals of the Habsburg Empire in 16th century, creating a comprehensive network that served hundreds of European cities and establishing a great business that quickly reached the pinnacles of financial success, thus guaranteeing honours, privileges and coat of arms for the family. Known overseas also as Thurn und Taxis, the members of the main branch of the family received their princely title from the emperors and in the 19th century they were among the first to issue stamps in the states served by their postal service.

11. Della Torre of Milan, genealogical chimeras from Valsassina to FlandersDella Torre family (also known as Torriani) dominated Milan and almost all of north-

ern Italy in the second half of the 13th century. Although from 12th century documentary references to the family are numerous, historians who have studied them have, until re-cently, relied almost exclusively on a single historical work, the fourteenth-century Ma-nipulus Florum written by Galvano Fiamma and showing a legendary origin linked to the royal family of France and to a hypothesized Valsassina County. The present study, which is based on a broad survey of family documents from the State Archives of Udine and Trieste as well as other unpublished documents and an extensive bibliography, is a first step towards a more general review of family genealogy and history, as well as a contribu-tion to the history of the Milanese Renaissance historiography. The presence of the family in the centuries before the 13th is documented on a geographical basis demonstrating the absence of links with Valsassina and the relationships among Della Torre family of Milan and other families (such as Della Torre of Gorizia, Thurn of Bohemia, Cattaneo Della Torre of Primaluna, Tassis of Bergamo, Thurn-und-Taxis of Flanders and de la Tour of France) are clarified. These families, between the 16th and 19th centuries, maintained mutual rela-tions coming to build, without historical foundation, a common origin.

12. Perti: a family of notaries between the lake and the mountainNatives of Rovenna, a village in the Prealps of Como, the Pertis had ties with the no-

tarial profession since the 15th century. Important landowners who belonged to the local élite, they were also in possession of a coat of arms. During the 17th century, the Perti fam-ily settled in Como and,thanks to their profession, firmly established themselves within the upper class echelons of the city: they became leaders of the association of notaries and prosecutors of Como and played an important role in the long story of the establishment of the notarial archive. When guilds were deprived of authority by the Habsburgs, they were appointed by the state and city as administrators. The Perti family maintained pro-fessional and economic relations with their place of origin, as demonstrated by the role they played in the feoffment of Rovenna in the first half of the 18th century. Interestingly enough, the most famous member of the family is Tomaso. He joined the process of the Italian unification and took part in the 1848 rising in Como.

Abstracts

414

13. Luserna: origins, powers, and some of the events between the 12th and 20th century

The name of Luserna (or Lucerne) family appears in the history of the subalpine region of Italy at the dawn of the 11th century. The oldest news lead back, in the male line, to the ancient lords of Sommariva del Bosco and a derivation in the female line from Arduino. This genealogical origin, although probable, cannot be proven with indisputable docu-ments. In the 12th century the family was already divided into three main branches of the Manfredi, Bigliori and Rorengo, who shared a vast domain in the valleys by the same name, in the Pinerolo area, and several other surrounding places, gradually dotted with castles and fortified houses. Several representatives of the family were in the Middle Ages at the head of the powerful male and female monastic foundations. The family of the Counts of Luserna were among the first in Piedmont to swear allegiance to the House of Savoy and remained alongside them until extinction always at the top of military, civil and religious hierarchies of the Savoy states, as it is narrated briefly in this study, after an investigation a little more in-depth on the origins.

14. Challants: noble family in the history and traditions of Valle d’AostaThe origin of the well-known Valdostan Challant’s family is very old but we have only

information concerning this dynasty starting from the 12th century. The main and ancient location of this noble family was situated in the lower part of the Ayas Valley, the lateral part of the region that from the italian border leads to the Monte Rosa glaciers. Many members of the family built and renovated lots of castles: Fénis, Aymavilles, Verrès, Us-sel, Issogne. They also did notable renovating works at the collegiate church of Saint Orso in Aosta. Through a series of arranged marriages and coalitions the family conquered the domination of the main manors of Val d’Aosta and in a few centuries they became Savoy ministers. Some members of this family were very bold and audacious even Catherina, who lived during the 15th century. She convinced her father to give the inheritance to her and her sister Margherita going against the law that established that the patrimony was destined only to male heirs. The history of the family reached its higher power and magnificence between the 14th and the half of the 16th century but many conflicts for the inheritance damaged its power. The Challant’s family disappeared at the beginning of the 19th century.

15. Vertemate of Piuro in Val ChiavennaJust up the valley from Chiavenna and a few kilometres from the current Swiss border

there is the village of Piuro, which was buried by a landslide on the 4th September 1618, a time when the Vertemate family were amongst the most prominent in the locality. Della Porta da Vertemate family arrived in Val Bregaglia in the 13th century from the near city of Como and assumed the surname of their native region. Settled in Piuro, the family quickly prospered thanks to commerce moving from the Italian plains via the Engadin, Coira, through the Maloja Pass and in particular the Settimo Pass, hence by no means limited to local trading. In fact the activity expanded to a number of European states whilst locally the family adopted various government positions. A significant step occurred in the first century of Grison domination (16th century) when the brothers Guglielmo e Luigi, part of the Vertemate Franchi branch of the family in Piuro, were responsible for the construction of a magnificent renaissance mansion, the palazzo Vertemate Franchi which survived the landslide due to its position a little downstream at Prosto. It’s one of the most striking and stately homes in upper Lombardy, with rooms superbly decorated with mythologi-cal frescoes and splendidly carved and inlaid ceilings. The mansion was inhabited by the Vertemate family until the extinction of the Piuro line at the end of the 19th century after which it had four separate owners, the last of whom donated the entire property to the town of Chiavenna which created the current museum.

Abstracts

415

16. Salis, a noble family in the heart of the AlpsThe Salis had top positions for several centuries in the territories of Valtellina and Chia-

venna, which since 1512 had been annexed to the Grisons. Hundreds of the Salis mem-bers were officers, who played all the highest positions, including dozens of Governors of Valtellina, Commissioners of Chiavenna, Mayors of the various jurisdictions, Vicari, Presi-dents of Sindacature.They consolidated their position with marriages between members of different branches of the lineage and with other illustrious central Alps families. On the economic front they have been for centuries the collectors of customs duties and became the owners of vast territories in the Alps.

17. Piatti of Teglio: the rise and decline of a noble Valtellina familyThe origin of this family, documented in Teglio since the second half of 12th century, is

unknown. The 15th and 16th centuries register Piatti social rise. Many of them are notaries, they administer various property of the Milan Church in Teglio and they play a leading part in the public life. Sometimes in competition with the rich Besta family, they have a strong desire to make themselves known as the construction of the renaissance Palace in the main square of the village testifies. An emerging personage of the late 1400 is Marsilio Piatti, enterprising and ambitious priest and typical exponent of the clergy of the period. The contrasts between Catholics and Protestants began round about the half of the 16th century in a delicate historical context. The main branch of the Piatti family was among those who support the Catholicism. In 1618 Orazio and his son Biagio are involved in a riot against Protestants. The father is arrested and then, once dead, sentenced to pay a considerable fine. His son is taken to Thusis, where on trial was sentenced to capital punishment. During the tragic days of Sacro Macello (the Holy Slaughter) Antonio Piatti, Orazio’s son and parish priest of Teglio, took his revenge and killed the person who has reported his father and his brother. The Piatti’s decline begins in 1639 with the coming back of the Grisons in Valtellina. In the 16th century the Piattis are destined to disappear from the historical scene and their beautiful palace is in part sold and in part demolished.

18. Venosta in the Middle Ages: fall into the claws of the eagleThe article illustrates the noble family of the Visconti Venosta, originating from Valtel-

lina and residing in the Grosio castle during the Early Modern Age. In particular, in the early decades of the 17th century when the Lord of Grosio was Marco Antonio Venosta (1568-1627). Outlining an historical, social and religious analysis of the Grosio territory, the personality of Marco Antonio Venosta is described among matrimonial alliances and economic affairs. The personality is illustrated with unpublished documents noting its im-portance in the social and religious political events of the Early Modern Age in a large al-pine territory between Engadine and Upper Valtellina, with a central landmark in Grosio.

19. Matsch: the origins of the Lords of Valtellina and Val VenostaThis essay brings up the history of the Matsch family. Between the 12th and 14th cen-

turies their influence was extended, in terms of advocacy and authority, over the territo-ries of Venosta, Valtellina and Engadine. The research is largely based on newly re-edited sources and focuses on the question about the origin and early genealogy of the Matsch family: the search for their ancestry in the ranks of the Swiss family named Tarasp, the identification of the documented members of its first generation who lived in Valtellina in order to update the information published in the past by other historians.

Abstracts

416

20. Thun from Trentino to Bohemia and the coming backThe family Thun is the oldest family of the Habsburg Empire, documented by 1050.

Their cradle is in Val di Non. Already ministerial officials for Flavon and Appiano fami-lies and then for the prince-bishops of Trent, they had also assignments and goods from the counts of the Tyrol. An essential way for stabilizing their positions was the marriage policy which determined the acquisition of more and more castles and properties. In 1516 they became barons. At the beginning of the 17th century there was the decisive moment: acquiring many possessions in Bohemia, they were honoured with the title of “ von Ho-henstein”, obtained the title of counts and a definite change in the coat of arms. In order to manage the new properties a branch of the House settled in Prague.

21. Lodron: over the cradle of Val del ChieseThe origins of Lodrons are humble. They were settled in the south-western Trentino,

in the northern area of Lake Idro. Members of the gentry of the Bishop of Trent, in the first decades of the 15th century Paris, called the Great, after securing full control of Valle del Chiese, laid the foundations for the development of a broad political design, fighting as a mercenary at the service of the prince-bishop of Trento and Venice. Following the defeat of Venice in the Veneto-Tyrolean War of 1487, the Lodrons began to look more towards the north, closer to the positions of the Empire and finally adhering to the policy of the Habsburgs. This position found reflection in the marital choices, in the customs and language, but especially in the possibility of a military, political and ecclesiastical career.

22. Solero: the leading dinasty of Sappada in Belluno areaThe aim of this study is to analyze the Solero family in the 17th and 18th centuries in

Sappada, a German speaking village located in province of Belluno. The Solero evolution is closely linked to Sappada story. We can almost surely outline their economic and social development thanks to different sources dating back to the 14th century, in particular to 1308, as we can see in a document listing 13 masi belonging to 27 families, and the Soleros are among them. All over the centuries the Solero succeeded in gaining a fortune, thanks to their capability to combine sheep farming together with different and more lucrative business. In addition to foreign trading, lumber industry, a cautious management of their real estate and of their human resources, they also lent money to their fellow- citizens or to other communities. A vicious cycle let them reach high social offices: thanks to their skillful management of their fortune, every generation sent some members of the family to monastic life, and the others could enjoy their worldly life

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