|
Family History of
Vassallo
The
Origin of the Vassallo Name is quite noble and Famous, due to its long
connections with nobility and their master . They are directly descendents to
the Kings of Lombardy and the Dukes of Bavaria. They are linked to all
nobilty and Royality. Not all Vassallo are Connected to this family because
the family were Landed Gentry in Malta , Sicily, and in Milan. They own many
Slaves , and upon Freedom ,They were baptized with the Surname of Vassallo
many of these Vassallo's were from
Africa or Turkey or even Albania what ever was on the slave market and what
was cheap. The Vassallo Family have most of the Present Maltese Nobilty as
Descendants thru Felmale Descendants also there is a Head of the Vassallo
Clan who Bears the Sicilian Title of Baron of Bavuso. This Title was created
in the 12/13 th Century by the King of Sicily . Lastly, for a look at the
Vassallo Family tree just look at the Family Trees The
Research was originally carried out by the Great Marquis Paul Vassallo de
Vedra
We
are told by V. Spreti, in his Enciclopedia Storico Nobiliare Italiana"
(1981 edition), Vol V, page 833 and by G.B Crollolanza, in his "
Dizionario Storico Balsonico" (1977 edition), Vol, that the Vassallo of
Sicily (Which also calles itself Vassallo-Paleologo) claim to be descended
from the Emperor Micheal VIII Paleologus of the Byzantine Empire. The
claim is that, the family Palaeologus , settled in Sicily on two separate
occasions. The
first settlement of the Imperial Palaeologus in Sicily had taken place in
1332, when one Giacomo Palaeologus, had settled in the city of Noto, Sicily,
changing his name to Vassallo, on settling in Sicily. It is also claimed that
this branch became extinct in the 15th Century. The
second settlement in Sicily took place in 1429, when one Niccolo Palaeologus,
was ordered by his kinsmen, Constantine (The future Emperor), the Despot of
Morea, to go to Siciliy, and assume the name of Vassallo, which he did, and
we are also told there is a diplomia of King Alfonso V of
Aragon-Naples-Sicily-Malta, stating this, which is registered in the Royal
Sicilian Chancery dated 1439, Fol.455. We are also told that Vassallo of
Sicily are descendants of this Niccolo Vassallo, the so-called Palaeologus. The
historians mentioned above, mentioned that Muscia in his "Sicilia
Nobile", on pagfe 8, that one Giacomo Vassallo, was the father of one
Vassallo de Vassallo, which gentlemen was the Barone di Bavuso, in Sicily, in
1296, thus the year earlier than the supposed settlement of the Palaeologus
family in Sicily. However, these historians do not trouble themselves to
explain the contradiction. Also , they never mention that one Roberto de
Vassallo, had long been settled in Sicily, who had years before been made a
Judge in Cefalu in Sicily, and was still living on 19 April 1284, when he
received a letter from the Secreto of Sicily, in which he addressed him as
'Giudice'. If
it was true that the first Vassallo, to settle in Sicily was Giacomo
Palaeologus, who changed his name to Vassallo in 1332, how is it that we have
Roberto, Giacomo and Vassallo de Vassallo living , years before the year 1332
? V.
Spreti, and G.B Crollolanza, and many others, only record the claim put
forward by the Vassallo of Sicily in the 13th Century, and also claim that
the family only came to Sicily in 1332 and in 1429. Giacomo
who settled in Sicily, was not a Palaeologo, but a scion of the Counts of
Vercelli, of the House of the MANFREDINGI. Muscia is wrong in making Baron
Vassallo of Bavuso a son of Giacomo, he was the son of Judge Roberto
(Bartolomeo) and thus Giacomo's grandson, not his son. (See
the Genealogical data of the Vassallo family-further down below) From
the Genealogical tables kindly provided by the Director of the 'Archivio di
Stao di Vercelli', from the Microfilm of the work of T.Arborio Mella,
"Genealogie di Antiche Famiglie Vercellesi, Biellesi e di
Piemontesi", togther with proofs of Nobility of Fra. Carlo Guiseppe
Bernezzo-Vassallo, A.O.M.4030, (1708); and the work of Professor Ferdinand
Gabotto., and others, such as Vittorio Spreti, G.Crollolanza, Muscia, and
other Italian works, we are now able to contruct the early pedigree of the
Family name Vassallo, ca 1127-1130, at Vercelli, to Sicily and Malta. Exactly,
four hundred years after the Vassallo family settled in the village of Mosta
in 1525, when Bartolomeo Vassallo, married the Noble Joanne Cumbo, and went
to live in the village of Mosta on the properties he received as dowry from
her father, the noble Andrea Cumbo, the Lord of the Fortified 'Tower
Cumbo", a weathly noblemen related to the Catalan Noble family, who
became Barons di Buonalbergo. Some
of the branches of the Manfredingi did not adopt family names until 1127, and
some of them like the branch which adopted the family name 'RADICATI', did so
from one of its Lordships, they did this in 1178. Another
branch, which adopted as their family 'GUASCO' did so about 1120, when Count
Scipione' detto Guasco' (from his nicknae 'Guasco') The
Family name of VASSALLO came into being in the same manner. Auberto 1 'detto
Vassallo', ie: Auberto the Vassal, the first signor of Lavino, Riseria, and
Cassina della Valo, on the outskirts of Vercelli, adopted his family name of
Vassallo from his nickname of 'The Vassal', he had been nicknamed possibly
from his status as a vassal lord of his elder brother Bongiovanni II , and
also of the Count-Bishop Ardizzone of Vercelli, when in 1127, his brother
Bongiovanni II, exchanged the rule of Count, by the agreement he made with
Bishop Ardizzone, and was made the Advocate of the Church of Vercelli and
adopted as the family name of AVOGADRO in 1127.
The
ancestry of the Counts of Vercelli go back to the dark ages of the Dukes of
Bavaria, and the Kings of Alamanni in the 4th and 5th centuries. Almost from
the beginning of history as settlers in Vindilicia, we find the Bavarians under
the leadership of the Ducal house of the Agilofings who were of Franco-Salian
origin. However,
the Bavarians themselves appear to have been a Suevic tribe who had wandered
into the old Roman province then lying desolate and unoccupuied as a sort of
no-man's land, and , they settled there on or about 420.AD. From
the beginning of their Danubian settlement they seem to have been subject to
the Merovingian Kings, who were the kinsmen of the Agilolfings. It had been a
peaceful arrangemnt as they did not have to pay tribute. As
their dukes were called Agilofings, the Aponym of their House, had to be
called Agilulf. Howver, he has been llost to History, and we not in a postion
to know as to when he lived. We therefore , shall start the pedigree of the
Vassallo family with:- Hunno
Velphio: King of the Alamanni, born ca: 385, not sure of the date of death.
The Alamanni were the fiercest of all the western German tribles. It is
stated that the Alamanni were offshoots of the Swabian, Branch of the west
Germans, from which they were constituted. Adalger
1: King of the Bavarians ( - 508). Born ca: 415 and died in 508. He was
elected King of the Bavarians, but at a later date, he renounced the title of
King and renounced the title of King and called himself 'Duke' of the
Bavarians. On his death, he was succeeded by his son. Teodo
I: duke of the Bavarians (r508-12). He was also called Gihuld, married
Regnaburga, from whose name we have the city of Ratisbona, in Alamannia,
Swabia. She is also called Reginpirga. They had two sons Uto 'The warrior'
and Teodo II, who succeeded to Bavaria. Teodo
II: Duke of Bavaria (512-37). He was born in ca: 465, and died 537. married
to Lucile the daughter of Aubert, the first Lord of Alsace, and by his wife
they had three sons, Teodo, Otto and Teodovald. On his death, the tow elder
sons, divided Bavaria between them, and both took the title of Duke.One the
death of Otto in 545, his Brother Teodovald succeeded as the Duke of Upper
Bavaria. From him is descended the noble House of Vassallo. Teodo
III: Duke of Lower Bavaria (r 537-65). Born ca:515, and died 584., he had
succeeded to lower Bavaria on the death of father, while his second brother
Ottone took Upper Bavaria. Married and was succeeded by his son Teodobert I. Teodobert
I: Duke of Lower Bavaria (565-84). He died in his seventies and was succeeded
by his son Garibald. Garibald
I: duke of Lower Bavaria (584-92). Born ca: 540, and died 592. married to the
Princess Waldrade of Waccho I , king of Lombardy (ca:510-540) She
was married twice before, her first husband was King Theudebald I, of
Austrasia, and King Clothair I of all Frank, who devorced her soon after
their marriage, when she married Gariblad, as her third husband, by whom she
had her only children. We
are told by 'Paulus the deacon', the historian of the Lombardians, who was
born in 725, tht Waldrade was 'uni ex suis qui dicebatur Garibald', which
goes to descibe Garibald I , as being the kinsmen of her two previous
husbands. Also the Merovingian Kings Clothair II, and Clovis II, were being
described Queen Gundeberga, Garibald's granddaughter as being their
Kinswomen. They had a son, Gundwald and two daughters. Teudelinda, married
King Authari of the Lombards and on his death in 591, married his successor
King Agilulf (591-616), the other daughter married Euin, Duke of Trient. Gundwald
I: Duke of Lower Bavaria (592) Shortly
after succeeding as the Duke of Lower Bavaria, his cousin Tassilo I, duke of
Upper Bavaria, attacked him and forced Gundwald to flee to Italy. He went to
his sister Teudelinda, who was Queen of King Aripert, was elected King of
Lombardy in Italy, on death of his cousin's husband. Aripert
I: King of Lombardy in Italy (r 656-61). He
was elected KING OF THE LOMBARDS,in 656, when his cousin Gundeberba's husband
, King Rodoald was assassinated. King Aripert was a Christian of the Catholic
faith, he built a Church dedicated to our Saviour, at Pavia. An unnamed
daughter, married Grimwald, Duke of Benevento, he also had two sons.
Perctarit and Godebert. The brothers ruled as joint Kings, but they soon
quarrelled and Godebert called in his brother in law, Duke Grimwald to help
hil, Grimwald had him killed. Godebert
I: joint King of Lombards in Italy (r 661-62). He reign jointly with his
brother Perctarit., Being assassinated by his brother in law Grimwald, the
Duke of Benevento, whom he called for help against his brother Perctarit from
Italy, when they had quarrelled in 662 Grimwald then chased Perctarit from
Italy and usurped the throne from 662 to 673, when Perctarit returned to the
throne and ruled until his death in 689. Godebert had a son named Reginbert. Reginbert
1: King of the Lombards in Italy (r 700). He
was Duke of Turin before succeeding as King. On the death of his cousin, King
Cunnincpert I in 700, he rose in rebellion and marched eastward with a strong
army and meet Ansprnad, the guardian of the Boy King Luitpert on the plain of
Novara and defeated Ansprand and his allies and won the crown. Howver he dies
three months later, he had two sons- Aripert and Gumbert. Gumbert,
Prince of the Lombards Born
ca: 665, and died in France in Exile in 700, at an unknow date. On the death
of their father in 700, Gumbert's elder brother Aripert II succeeded to the
throne, but he had to fight Anspand and his allies for the throne and Aripert
being Victoriious, Ansprnd fled, leaving his family behind. King Aripert II
in revenge , mutilated Ansprand's wife and one of their Daughters. Ansprand
returned with an army in 712, and was Victorious, and Aripert II was adviced
by his supporters to flee to France and raise an army to fight for his
throne, howver he was drowned crossing the river tecino. Gumbert
made it successfully to France with his three sons, he fled to France with
his children as he feared that Ansparna would take revenge on his sons, in
revenge for what his brother Aripert had done to his wife and daughter. It
was his great grandson Manfred III, Comte de Orleans, who in 834 returned to
Italy on the request of his nephew, King Lothaire I, King of Italy (Future
Emperor). We
learn from historians of the Lombards, Paulus the deacon, that one of
Gumberts sons, Reginbert, became Comte de Orleansin France, the second
Manfred became the ancestor of the Manfredingi, Counts of Toule, Metz,
Orleans, and Verdun in France, and Manfreingi of Italy , whose descendants
finally finished in Sicly and in Malta. WE
WILL START WITH THE MANFREDINGI, WITH MANFRED I. Who became the eponym of the
MANFREDINGI. Manfred
I: Prince of the Lombards Born
in Italy about 690, and dying in Mainz, a city in West Germany, on the river
Rhine in 756. He went to live in the diocese of Magonza and died there. Married
in 713 to the daughter of Pepn II de heristal, Duke of the Franks, and Mayor
of the palace of Anastrasia, to the Merovingian Kings. She is given as having
been a Carolingian, but that name did not come into being until PepinII,
assumed the throne from the Franks, she should really be a 'Pepian' Manfred
II, Prince of Lombards. Born
in Germant about 715, we also are ignorant of what title he held, except that
he was a prince of Blood royal. He is given by the Chroniclers of that time
as having been of Blood Royal, this blood royal , referred to his descent of
the Lombards. Guagenfred
I, Comte de Verdun. Born
in Germany/France about 740, still living about 795. It is not know weather
he was created Count of Verdun, or whether he had succeeded to Verdun on the death
of his father. As we do know if his father had been Count of Verdun himself,
married in 765, Princess Theudelinda, a daughter of Ethelbert II, King of
Kent, In 795. he made two donations to the abbey of Gorze. Manfred
III, Comte de Orleans (c 800-34) Born
in Verdun, France ca:770, dying in Italy in 836, succeeded to Orleans on the
extinction of the line of Reginbert, the elder brother of Manfred I. Married
about 815 to Princess Theodrada or Hiltrude, one of the young daughters of
the Emperor Charlemagne, by his third wife Fastrada, an East Frank. Thus
husband and wife were both the great grand childreb of Duke Pepin II. When
the sons of the Emperor Louis I, fought their father, Manfred was a partisian
of Louis I, fought their father, Louis was also the King of Italy and took
Manfred III with him to Italy, where he was granted large territories in 834.
Their sons Alberico, Ethelbert, When
in 834, Manfred III, went to Italy, with his nephew King, and gave up
Orleans, and king Louis I, made him Duke of Neustria d'Italia, Duke of Tusia,
and Marquis di Valtellina, and Count di Lucca. Alberic
I , Conte di Milan and Seprio (c 845-80) Born
in Orleans and was created Count of Milian and Seprio Manfredo
IV, Conte di Lodi (c 879-96) Count
of the Sacred Palace of Italy (888-96), Marquis of Lombardy and of Biella and
Novarese in 878. Born
in Piedmont, Italy and was beheaded for rebellion in 896 by the orders of
Emperor Lambert I. Manfred
V, Conte di Lodi Born
in Italy, dying in Piedmont about 975 At
the time his father was being beheaded for rebellion, Manfred was blinded, on
the orders of the same Emperor Lambert. Aimone
I, Conte di Vercelli (c 950) He
had also received from the Emperor Otto II in 976, Montiglio, Moncucco,
Vestigne, Verrua, and part of Moncestrino. Married
and had at least two sons, Uberto and Ariberto. This Ariberto the ancestor of
the family Guasco, the Radicata, and others. Aimone,
born in 905, dying after 976. Uberto
I, Conte di Vercelli, Vestigne…. Very
little is know about Uberto, apart from his succession. Obizzo
I,. Conte di Vercelli. Born
about 955. As the other territories are not mentioned as forming part of his
territories, Obizzo I, must have had other brothers, who received the
territories of Vestigne, Verrua, and Moncestino. Guala
I,Conte di Vercelli (c 1055-60) Born
about 990, and died 1060. His
elder brother Uberto II, succeeded their father , as Count of Vercelli and on
his death he was succeeded by his son Uberto III, who died without issue.
When he was succeeded by his younger Brother Adalberto I, who too died
without issue about 1055. On
the death of Adalberto I, his uncle Guala, then succeeded to Vercelli. Bongiovanni
I, Conte di Vercelli (c 1060-95). Born
in Vercelli, Italy about 1025, he succeeded to Vercelli on the death of his
father Guala I. By
his unnamed wife, he had a son Guala, who died before him, leaving a two
small sons. On
the death of his son , Bongiovanni, dismembered the lands of Lavino, Riseria,
and Cassina della Valo from his demesne, to create a separate Lordship for
his younger grandson, which were to be inherited on his death. These lands
were adjoining of Vercelli, where the River Vassalla, crosses. Auberto
I, 1st Signor di Lavino, Riseria and Cassina della Valo, on the outshirts of
Vercelli itself.. He succeeded to the lordship , on the death of his
grandfather, Count Bongiovanni I about 1090. His elder brother succeeded to
the Countship of Vercelli, and its lands. In 1127, Bongivanni II, exchanged
the rule of count for the Adovacy of the Church of Vercelli, by agreement he
had made with the Bishop Ardizzone of Vercelli, and adopted the family name
of Avogadro. Auberto
I'detto Vassallo' he had been given the nickname of Vassallo, and Vassallo
came into being as the family name of the Lords of Lavino, Riseria and
Cassino della Valo. Vassallo
de Vassallo, 2nd Signor….. Succeeded
as Signor on the death of his father, not much else is know Auberto
II de Vassallo, 3rd Signor Born
in Vercelli, about 1145, and married and had issue, Rejnerius, Filippo ,
Antonio, and Vassallo. The
eldest son was Vassallo. Vassallo
de Vassallo, 4th signor Born
in Vercelli about 1175, and succeeded to the lorship on the death of his
father , had several sons, Antonio, Giacomo and Vassallo. Giacomo
de Vassallo, Born
about 1210 in Vercelli, his elder brother succeeded as the 5th Signor , his
great great great great Grandson, Lord Girolamo Vassallo, sold most of the
Lordship to purchase the lordship of Favris and its castle in the early part
of 1577, and in the month of December 1577, the Emperor created HIM Count of
Favria. However , on the death of his grandson COUNT Carlo Girolamo, the
Countship of Favria passed to his daughter Francesc Faustina, who married
Francesco Birago, Marchese di Roccaglione, on 12 June 1666, and the Countship
passed out of the Vassallo family Giacomo
had two sons, Roberto and Giacomo, who were born in Sicily, Giacomo settled
in the island of Sicily about 1235.
|
