Italian Family Crests

Описание: In Italy, coats of arms were borne by the noble and patrician classes.

The nobility of Italy consisted of individuals and families who were recognized by the Italian city-states (Venice, Milan, Florence, etc.) since the Middle Ages and later by the Kings of Italy during the late 19th and early twentieth centuries.

Patricians originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome, they were they only ones who could exercise many political functions. In the centuries after the fall of the empire, with the rise of European towns in the 12th & 13th centuries, the patriciate became a group of families who were again the governing wealthy families. They were found in the Italian city-states and maritime republic. Centuries later, the term became somewhat synonymous with the upper Bourgeoisie.

Additionally, some Italian were granted nobility and arms through the Holy Roman Emperors. In some cases, the Papacy would elevate individuals to the ranks of nobility through ecclesiastic promotion. Further, some individuals were ennobled under the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy which existed from 1805 until 1814.

In the middle of the twelfth century, during the Norman rule of much of Italy, coats of arms developed as distinctive insignia painted on the shields of knights and other nobleman. In combat, friend and foe could identify the fully armored knight, whose face was concealed by a helmet, according to the colorful design on his decorated shield. The same design appeared on his surcoat - hence the term "coat of arms." With time, the right to use certain blazons, as well as feudal titles (ex. count, baron, etc.), passed from father to son.

The first family to discuss is the Ruspoli family. Their coat of arms was a blue shield with two grape vines atop a mount of six golden hills. This could possibly indicate the family were wine makers or merchants. The family descended Lorenzo Ruspoli, a Florentine noble who lived in the 13th century. One of his descendants, Orazio Ruspoli, was a Roman nobleman and patrician of Seina. In 1725, the Pope himself was a guest of Francesco Maria Ruspoli, the 1st Prince of Cerveteri. Francesco married was married to the maternal niece of Pope Innocent the 13th, with whom he had nine children. The family owned several castles, including Castello Ruspoli Vignanello shown here. And lastly, we show the painting of members of the Ruspoli family breakfasting in their Italian palazzo in 1807 painted by an unknown artist.

The second family to discuss is the Stampa family who rose to prominence in the 15 century. They were Grandees of Spain, members the Order of the Golden Fleece and owned many estates throughout the Italian Peninsula.

In 1536, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V assigned the Milanese Stampa family the Marquisate of Soncino, whose castle is shown here. The family held the castle until 1876.

Shown here is Massimiliano Stampa, 3rd Marquess of Soncino, portrayed in 1557, next to the families coat of arms, which features two eagles, two castles, and a dog on a collar in front of a tree.

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