The Chiaramonte are a noble family of Sicily. They became the most powerful and wealthy family in Sicily. In the 13th century the marriage of

Manfredi Chiaramonte Manfredi III Chiaramonte (died November 1391) was a Sicilian nobleman. Of French origins, he was given the County of Modica, then one of the most powerful fiefs in the Kingdom of Sicily, in 1377. He was also made lord of Trapani, Agrigento, Bivo ...

to Isabella Mosca, united the two Sicilian counties of Modica and

Ragusa Ragusa may refer to: Places Croatia * Ragusa, Dalmatia, the historical name of the city of Dubrovnik * the Republic of Ragusa (or Republic of Dubrovnik), the maritime city-state of Ragusa * Ragusa Vecchia, historical Italian name of Cavtat, a t ...

. Around 1307–1320, the couple built the family seat, the

Palazzo Chiaramonte Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri is a Gothic-style palace located on via Piazza Marina, facing the Giardino Garibaldi in the ancient quarter of Kalsa of Palermo, region of Sicily, Italy. History The building, intended to be the family palace or cast ...

, in Palermo. The family's great power in Sicily lasted until 1392 with the

execution Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in ...

Andrea Chiaramonte Andrea Chiaramonte (???? – 1 June 1392) was a representative of the Sicilian nobility in the 14th century. Andrea Chiaramonte was given the County of Modica, which included the municipalities of Modica, Ragusa, Scicli, Pozzallo, Ispica, Chiaram ...

, 8th Count of Modica, last defender of Palermo for King

Frederick IV of Sicily Frederick IV (or III) (in Italian, ''Federico''; 1 September 1341 – Messina 27 July 1377Setton, Kenneth M. (1975) " Volume III: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries", Edited by Harry W. Hazzard, page 214.), called the Simple, was King of Si ...

against the illegitimate pretender

Martin I of Aragon Martin the Humane (29 July 1356 – 31 May 1410), also called the Elder and the Ecclesiastic, was King of Aragon, Valencia, Sardinia and Corsica and Count of Barcelona from 1396 and King of Sicily from 1409 (as Martin II). He failed to secure th ...

. It was outside of the Palazzo Chiaramonte that

was executed on 1 June 1392 Following the fall of the House of Chiaramonte, their palace became known as the Palazzo Steri. The palazzi subsequently became the residence of Martin I of Aragon and of Blanche de Navarre, then the Spanish viceroys, and then a prison of the

Inquisition The Inquisition was a Catholic Inquisitorial system#History, judicial procedure where the Ecclesiastical court, ecclesiastical judges could initiate, investigate and try cases in their jurisdiction. Popularly it became the name for various med ...

. Today, the palace's much copied and distinctive form of

Norman Gothic Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...

architecture is known, in Sicily, as the Chiaramontan style. Traditionally, direct male descendants of Manfredi are called Pietro, Ugo or Flavio – Pietro the foundation stone, Ugo the king of Sicily and Flavio because of Sicily's bright yellow sun. At present, the family uses the Cardone surname. The name of the Chiaramonte can be found today in numerous Sicilian toponyms. The town of

Chiaramonte Gulfi Chiaramonte Gulfi (Sicilian language, Sicilian: ''Ciaramunti'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Ragusa, Sicily, southern Italy. Geography Chiaramonte Gulfi is located on a hill-top north of Ragusa, Italy, Ragusa at an altitude of ...

in (

province of Ragusa The province of Ragusa (; ) was a province in the autonomous region of Sicily, Italy, located in the southeast of the island. Following the abolition of the Sicilian provinces, it was replaced in 2015 by the Free municipal consortium of Ragusa ...

) and

Palma di Montechiaro Palma di Montechiaro () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Agrigento, Sicily, southern Italy. Many Greek archaeological findings of Magna Graecia have been found near the town. Formerly known as Palma, in 1863, Montechiaro was added to ...

(

province of Agrigento The province of Agrigento (; ) is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily, Italy, situated on its south-western coast. Following the suppression of the Sicilian provinces, it was replaced in 2015 by the Free Municipal Consortium of Ag ...

) are both named after the Chiaramonte family. Nearby the latter is a stronghold built in 1358 by Federico III Chiaramonte, Count of Modica.Palma di Montechiaro.
retrieved 18 August 2008.

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