Arianitto Arianiti
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Arianitto Arianiti (died 16 November 1551), self-styled as Arianitto Comneno (Latin: ''Arianita Comnenus''), was a 16th-century Italian nobleman of
Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
descent, the only son of the diplomat and pretender Constantine Arianiti. After his father's death in 1530, Arianitto continued Constantine's pretensions, styling himself as the 'Prince of
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
', but dropping the other titles used by his father. He served as a captain in the papal army in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
until his death in battle in 1551, which ended the male line of the
Arianiti family The Arianiti were a noble Albanian nobility, Albanian family that ruled large parts of Albania and neighboring territories from the 11th to the 16th century. Their domain stretched across the Shkumbin valley and the old Via Egnatia road and reach ...
in Italy.


Biography

Arianitto Cominato Arianiti was the only son of Constantine Arianiti. Constantine was an Albanian noble who lived in exile in Italy owing to the conquest of his homeland by the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. Following in the footsteps of his father
Gjergj Arianiti Gjergj Arianiti (13??–1462) was an Albanian feudal lord who led several successful campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. He was the father of Donika, Skanderbeg's wife, as well as the uncle of Moisi Golemi. Gjergj Arianiti was Skanderbeg's ...
, who had fought the Ottomans during their invasion of Albania, Constantine had sought to establish himself as a leadership figure among the Balkan refugees in Italy. Constantine also partook in ultimately unsuccessful schemes to organize expeditions to fight the Ottomans. In the 1490s, Arianitto's father assumed the titles 'Prince of Macedonia' and 'Duke of Achaea', making concrete claims to lordship over territories in Greece. Arianitto's mother was Francesca of Montferrat, the (probably illegitimate) daughter of
Boniface III, Marquis of Montferrat Boniface III Palaeologus (10 August 1426 – 1494) was Marquis of Montferrat from 1483 until his death. Biography Boniface was the son of marquis John Jacob and Joanna of Savoy. He succeeded his brother William VIII who had got involved in the ...
(1483–1494). The Montferrat ruling family, the House of
Palaeologus-Montferrat The House of Palaeologus-Montferrat or Palaiologos-Montferrat, or just Palaeologus or Paleologo, was an Italian noble family and a cadet branch of the Palaiologos, Palaiologos dynasty, the last ruling family of the Byzantine Empire. The cadet bran ...
, were distant relatives of the last few
Byzantine emperors The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
, being descended from emperor
Andronikos II Palaiologos Andronikos II Palaiologos (; 25 March 1259 – 13 February 1332), Latinization of names, Latinized as Andronicus II Palaeologus, reigned as Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328. His reign marked the beginning of the recently restored em ...
(1282–1328). Upon Constantine's death on 8 May 1530, Arianitto inherited his father's titles and claims. Although Constantine had claimed three titles: Prince of
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
, Duke of
Achaea Achaea () or Achaia (), sometimes transliterated from Greek language, Greek as Akhaia (, ''Akhaḯa'', ), is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of Western Greece and is situated in the northwest ...
and
Despot of the Morea The Despotate of the Morea () or Despotate of Mystras () was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. Its territory varied in size during its existence but eventually grew to include almost a ...
, the only title of the three attested to have been assumed in pretense by Arianitto was 'Prince of Macedonia'. Arianitto lived with his mother for a time in the mountain village of
Montefiore Conca Montefiore Conca () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about south of Rimini. Montefiore Conca borders the following municipalities: Gemmano, ...
, where Constantine had spent his last few years, though the two later moved to Rome. In Rome, Arianitto joined the papal military, rising through the ranks until he was eventually made captain of a contingent of soldiers. He was married at some point, though the name of his wife has not been preserved in the sources. Arianitto was killed in battle on 16 November 1551 at
Torchiara Torchiara is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. Geography The municipality borders with Agropoli, Laureana Cilento, Lustra, Prignano Cilento and Rutino. It counts the ''frazione'' of ...
during a conflict between
Pope Julius III Pope Julius III (; ; 10 September 1487 – 23 March 1555), born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 February 1550 to his death, in March 1555. After a career as a disting ...
(1550–1555) and
Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma Ottavio Farnese (9 October 1524 – 18 September 1586) reigned as Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1547 until his death and Duke of Castro from 1545 to 1547 and from 1553 until his death. Biography Born in Valentano, Ottavio was the second so ...
(1547–1586). With Arianitto's death, the male line of the Arianiti family in Italy was rendered extinct. Arianitto had only a single child, a daughter, who married into the
Trivulzio The House of Trivulzio is the name of an old Italian noble family, most closely associated with Milan, whose members were prominent politicians, military men and various clergymen, whose first members are recorded since the 10th century . Histor ...
family. Although more legitimate heirs existed, such as the
Tocco family The House of Tocco ( ''Tocchi'', Τόκκοι, ''Tokkoi'') was an Italian nobility, Italian noble family from Benevento that came to prominence in the late 14th and 15th centuries, when they ruled various territories in western Greece as County ...
, descended from Arianitto's eldest sister, the title of 'Prince of Macedonia' was after Arianitto's death claimed by his cousins of the
Angelo Flavio Comneno The Angelo Flavio Comneno or Angeli () were a Venetian noble family of Albanians, Albanian descent who claimed descent from the Angelos dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. In the 16th century, the family founded the Sacred Military Constantinian Order ...
family, supposed descendants of the
Angelos The House of Angelos (; pl. Angeloi; , pl. ) was a Byzantine Greek noble family that produced several Emperors and other prominent nobles during the middle and late Byzantine Empire. The family rose to prominence through the marriage of its foun ...
dynasty of
Byzantine emperors The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
.


References


Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Arianiti, Arianitto 1551 deaths 16th-century Italian nobility Arianiti family Arianites family Byzantine pretenders after 1453