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The Patricanship of Venice. The
dignity of Patrician of Venice (Barbaro) (??),
origins unknown)
Footnote: A “Dignity
of Venetian Patrician” was claimed in 1878.
In 1878, this dignity was
claimed by Giorgio Crispo Barbaro.
The Royal Commissioners
dismissed this claim because, the same Commissioners decided not only that the
claimant did not provide any proof whatsoever BUT ALSO because the same
Commissioners held that this dignity was a mere municipal honour
and not one emanating from a foreign sovereign, or fons honorum. (“Correspondence
and Report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the claims and grievances
of the Maltese Nobility”, May 1878, presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her Majesty (C.-2033.) (See Report Para. 240)).
Thus, as far as the
Commissioners were concerned, once they regarded this dignity as a municipal
honour, it did not fall within the remit of the Commission because the
Commissioners were of the opinion that once it is a municipal honour it does
not qualify to be registered in accordance with the rules of 1739 and 1795 as
enacted by Grand Masters Despuig
and Rohan. In this case, it
appears that the claimant did not only not even present any documents in proof
of his claim, but did not even indicate a date when this was supposedly
granted. The claim was dismissed altogether by the Commissioners.
The actual report says the
following:
“No proof or
document whatever having been produced concerning these grants, such claims
cannot be consequently allowed. The same conclusion will also hold good with regard to the claims of
Giorgio Crispo Barbaro to the dignity of Venetian Patrician.”
However, upon a more detailed analysis
about the nature of this dignity, it appears that contrary to what was held by
the Commissioners, that this dignity (if proven) may in fact a conferral of
nobility if it results that Venice acted as a fons honorum (fountain of honour) in the same way as
Messina and Rome. In this regard see also http://cilialacorte.com/Patriciates.htm.
Sadly, from a reading of the
Report, there is no indication as to who was the original grantee of the
dignity claimed by Crispo Barbaro.
Updated January 2007