The House of Imperiali (or Imperiale) is an ancient
prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
ly noble family. It is one of the most important
Italian noble families
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
and was a key protagonist of European history among aristocratic families. Originating from the
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...
it was previously named Tartaro (10th century), and descends from the
House of Ventimiglia
The Ventimiglia family is an old Italian noble family of Liguria. Descendants of the family held positions and titles of nobility in Sicily in Mediaeval times and later.
Members of the family
* Giovanni I Ventimiglia (1383–1475), eighth coun ...
. Also following the behavior of Captain Davide Imperiale during the Battle of Lepanto (7 October 1571), the family acquired much prestige in the Republic of Genoa and had among its members 4 doges. It was one of the most powerful families dominating the city's politics in the 17th and 18th century and owned a vast amount of land in Italy.
Titles
The various titles of the Imperiali family acquired over years are the following:
* Honorific treatment of ''Don'' or ''Donna'' (name)
*
Grandees of Spain
Grandees of Spain () are the highest-ranking members of the Spanish nobility. They comprise nobles who hold the most important historical landed titles in Spain or its Spanish Empire, former colonies. Many such hereditary titles are held by extend ...
* Princes of
Francavilla (1639)
* Princes of
Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi
Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It has been a historical site of significance in the history of Southern Italy.
Geography
Just on a hilltop near the Fredano Ri ...
(1718)
* Princes of
Montafia
Montafia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about northwest of Asti. As of 31 January 2024, it had a population of 950 and an area of .All demographics and o ...
(1725)
* Princes of
Castagneto
Castagneto is a ''frazione'' (outlying area) of the Italian city of Teramo. It is located approximately four miles from Teramo at the base of a mountain sub-range known as Monti della Laga. Nearby is a state highway, SP 50, which leads to the nea ...
(1789)
* Marquises of
Latiano
Latiano ( Brindisino: ; Leccese: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Brindisi in Apulia, on the southeast coast of Italy. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes.
Bartolo Longo was a native of Latiano.
Ma ...
(1668)
* Marquises of Oyra (1572)
* Marquises of
Livorno
Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...
(1725)
* Marquises of
Pianezza
Pianezza is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northwest of Turin
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It ...
(1725)
* Marquises of Roatta (1725)
* Marquises of Casetelnuovo (1725)
* Marquises of
Moretta
Moretta is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southwest of Turin and about north of Cuneo. As of 1-1-2017, it had a population of 4 141 and an area of .All demographics and other st ...
(1725)
* Marquises of
Dego (1725)
* Marquises of Cagna (1725)
* Marquises of
Giusvalla (1725)
* Marquises of Piana nel Monferrato (1725)
Cardinals of the Catholic Church
The Imperiali family possessed a strong presence in religion and had three cardinals:
Lorenzo Imperiali
Lorenzo Imperiali (21 February 1612 - 21 September 1673) was an Italian Catholic cardinal.
Early life
Imperiali was born in Genoa on 21 February 1612 to the patrician Imperiali family of that city.
He went to Rome during the pontificate of Po ...
(1612-1673).
Giuseppe Renato Imperiali
Giuseppe Renato Imperiali (1 May 1651 – 18 February 1737) was an Italian cardinal, and known as an avid bibliophile.
Biography
He was born in Francavilla Fontana in Apulia, in the Kingdom of Naples, into an aristocratic family which had come ...
(1651-1737) participated in the papal enclave after the death of
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X (6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655.
Born in Rome of a family fro ...
and was only one vote short of being elected pope.
Cosimo Imperiali (1685-1764): Born in Genoa, he was great-grand-nephew of Cardinal
Lorenzo Imperiali
Lorenzo Imperiali (21 February 1612 - 21 September 1673) was an Italian Catholic cardinal.
Early life
Imperiali was born in Genoa on 21 February 1612 to the patrician Imperiali family of that city.
He went to Rome during the pontificate of Po ...
, nephew of Cardinal
Giuseppe Renato Imperiali
Giuseppe Renato Imperiali (1 May 1651 – 18 February 1737) was an Italian cardinal, and known as an avid bibliophile.
Biography
He was born in Francavilla Fontana in Apulia, in the Kingdom of Naples, into an aristocratic family which had come ...
, and cousin of Cardinal
Giuseppe Spinelli. He was made cardinal in 1753. He participated in the
Conclave of 1758, that elected
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII (; ; 7 March 1693 – 2 February 1769), born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 July 1758 to his death in February 1769. He was installed on 16 July 1758.
...
.
Historical Buildings
Palazzo Imperiali in Genova

The palace was built in around 1560 for Giovan Vicenzo Imperiale.
Villa Imperiali in Genova
The villa was purchased by the Imperiali family from the Catteneo. Its gardens are currently open to the public and the building is host to the communal library known as "Lercari".
Castle of Francavilla Fontana
Originally built in 1455 by Giovanni Antonio del Balzo
Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following:
* Aaro ...
. It was purchased by the Imperiali family from S. Carlo Borromeo, from the
House of Borromeo
The House of Borromeo is an Italian nobility, Italian noble family. They started as merchants in San Miniato around 1300 and became bankers in Milan after 1370. Vitaliano de' Vitaliani, who acquired the name of Borromeo from his uncle Giovanni, ...
, in the 16th century for 40,000 ounces of gold.
Castle Imperiali di Villa Castelli
The castle was purchased by the Imperiali in the 17th century from the
Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following:
* Aaro ...
family.
Castello di Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi
The building dates back to the 10th century. Major works were carried out by the
Caracciolo family in the 17th century and by Prince Placido Imperiale after purchasing the building. The
1980 Irpinia earthquake
The 1980 Irpinia earthquake () took place in Italy on 23 November 1980, with a moment magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). It left at least 2,483 people dead, at least 7,700 injured, and 250,000 homeless.
Eart ...
severely damaged the building's structure.
Palazzo Imperiali di Latiano
Palazzo Imperiali-Filotico di Manduria
Palazzo Imperiali a Avetrana
Palazzo Imperiali a Salza Irpina
The estate was a rural residence and hunting lodge. Due to the 1980 earthquake, the building underwent a major restoration project, subsequently becoming the property of the Municipality of Salza Irpina.
Villa Imperiali a Vicenza
Palazzo Cellamare
The Palazzo Cellamare or Cellammare is a monumental palace located in via Chiaia 139 in the Quartiere San Ferdinando of Naples, Italy. The entrance is near the church of Santa Caterina a Chiaia.
History
The palace was erected in the 16th centur ...
Torre dell'Antoglietta
Famous members
*
Michele Imperiali Simeana, Prince of Montena and Francavilla (c1736-1782).
*Davide Imperiale (1540-1612).
*
Giovanni Vincenzo Imperiale (1582-1648), politician, art collector, and poet.
*Giulio I Imperiale (1680-1738), first prince of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi.
*
Caterina Imperiale Lercari Pallavicini (fl. 1721),
Neo-Latin
Neo-LatinSidwell, Keith ''Classical Latin-Medieval Latin-Neo Latin'' in ; others, throughout. (also known as New Latin and Modern Latin) is the style of written Latin used in original literary, scholarly, and scientific works, first in Italy d ...
poet and member of the
Pontifical Academy of Arcadia
The Accademia degli Arcadi or Accademia dell'Arcadia, "Academy of Arcadia" or "Academy of the Arcadians", is an Italian literary academy founded in Rome in 1690. The full Italian official name was Pontificia Accademia degli Arcadi.
History Found ...
.
*The Marquis
Guglielmo Imperiali (1858-1944), diplomat.
*The Marquis
Pierre Imperiali
The Marquis Pierre Guillaume Imperiali des Princes de Francavilla (17 May 1874 – 10 January 1940) was a Belgian politician. As a member of the Catholic Party, he served as a member of the parliament (1912–1919), and later senator (1919-1925). ...
(1874-1940) (second cousin of Guglielmo), Belgian politician and senator, inventor of the
Imperiali quota
The Imperiali quota or pseudoquota is an unusually-low electoral quota named after Belgian senator Pierre Imperiali. Some election laws used in largest remainder systems mandate it as the portion of votes needed to guarantee a seat.
The Czech ...
and of the
Imperiali method.
*Giovanni Imperiali d'Afflitto di Francavilla (1890-1983) Italian army general in the first and second world war. Descendant from the princely House
d’Afflitto.
*
Katie Boyle
Caterina Irene Elena Maria Boyle, Lady Saunders (; 29 May 1926 – 20 March 2018), usually known as Katie Boyle, was an Italian-born British actress, writer, radio announcer and television personality. She became best known for presenting the E ...
(1926–2018), daughter of the Marchese Demetrio Imperiali di Francavilla and his English wife, was a British television personality, game-show panelist and animal rights activist, very well known from the 1960s on.
[Boyle, Katie, ''What This Katie Did: An Autobiography''.Littlehampton Book Services Ltd, 1st edition (9 October 1980); .]
See also
*
History of Francavilla Fontana
The history of Francavilla Fontana, a town in the Province of Brindisi, begins with the appearance in the Neolithic period of a village inhabited mainly by shepherds. Later, with the settlement first of the Messapians and later of the Roman people ...
References
Bibliography
*Gian Domenico Oltrona Visconti, Imperialis Familia, Piacenza 1999.
External links
The Castello Imperiali at Francavilla Fontana*
ttp://www.almanachdegotha.orgOfficial Website of the Almanach de Saxe Gotha - Princely and Ducal Houses of Europe/The Princely House of ImperialiThe journey of Gian Vincenzo Imperiale in 1633History and biographies of the Imperiali of Genova and of the Sant'Angelo branch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Imperiali Family