The Arneri family were land proprietors & merchant ship owners on the Dalmatian island of

Korčula Korčula (, it, Curzola) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after ...

, since the 15th century. Arneri Palace, placed in the Old town of Korčula is built in

Venetian Gothic Venetian Gothic is the particular form of Italian Gothic architecture typical of Venice, originating in local building requirements, with some influence from Byzantine architecture, and some from Islamic architecture, reflecting Venice's trading ...

architecture and is one of landmarks of the island. It has a bronze knocker adorning the door representing Hercules swinging two lions by their tails. In the courtyard there is a marble draw-well. It has three pears cut into it. This symbol is the arms of the family. Andrew A. Paton an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

writer (19th century) spoke to Signor Arneri. Andrew Paton described him as a polite gentleman who had a white neck cloth and a broad-brimmed hat: :

''Signor Arneri: "These three pears you see on the wall," said he, "are the arms of my family. Piruzović was the name, when, in the earlier part of the 15th century, my ancestors built this palace; so that, you see, I am Dalmatian. All the family, fathers, sons, and brothers, used to serve in the fleets of the Republic (Republic of Venice); but the hero of our race was Arneri Piruzović, whose statue you see there, who fought, bled, and died at the
Siege of Candia The siege of Candia (modern Heraklion, Crete) was a military conflict in which Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian-ruled city. Lasting from 1648 to 1669, or a total of 21 years, it is the second-longest siege in history after the siege of Ce ...
, whose memory was honoured by the Republic, and whose surviving family was liberally pensioned; so his name of our race. We became Arneri, and ceased to be Piruzović.''

The original Patriarch of the clan was called Dobroslav (Boniface) Peruzzi. He had a status of a minor nobleman (local

Patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a synonym for "aristocratic" in modern English usage * Patrician (post-Roman Europe), the governing elites of cities in parts of medieval ...

status of the City of Korčula). It is believed that the clan's Frankish ancestors (and partial benefactors) might have been the

Peruzzi The Peruzzi were bankers of Florence, among the leading families of the city in the 14th century, before the rise to prominence of the Medici. Their modest antecedents stretched back to the mid 11th century, according to the family's genealogist ...

family of

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...

. Pertaining to their trading links (in wood, wheat & iron ore) with Western Bosnia and South Central Croatia, and the subsequent abandonment of all trading posts towards the interiors (as a resulting factor of the Ottoman invasion), might have given rise to the hypothesis that the family's origin came from Bosnia. While it is very likely that these activities netted them further titles (particularly with the Kingdom of Hungry), the significance of these holdings remain unclear. In 1420 the family was mentioned in the charter of the town of Korčula as the Duke/Lord of the Manor of Korčula. In 1558 the clan was awarded Venetian holdings on the Island of Hvar, thereby making them Counts there as well. Later, land acquisition in Brač, Split, Trogir, Zadar, Vis, etc. placed the family holdings among the largest in Venetian Dalmatia. Other noble families of Korčula were Kanavelić, Izmaeli, De Polo, Gabrijelić and Nikoničić.

References

{{reflist People from Korčula Croatian noble families