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This is one of several articles on how the Douglases came to Italy
Originating from the royal lineage of the Douglas of
Scotland, as it is from a diploma of the Emperor Sigismund dated
from Cremona on 12 February 1414. A William, cousin of Achaio,
who reigned in Scotland towards the year 787, is the progenitor
of the Scotta people branched out in various cities of Italy. He
came to fight with Desiderio, King of the Lombards, he
established his home in Piacenza.
The children of a Lanfranco by
David Scotti formed four branches of their family in the
thirteenth century, which were then divided into many others.
• The Lords of Mamago, Magnano, Castelbosco and Rezzano came from
Ruffino;
• by Rolando, who was lord of Voghera, the Lords of
Muzzano, Passano and Aiguerra.
• The lords of Vigoleno, Sarmato
and Fombio descended from Giovanni.
• Rinaldo was the progenitor
of the lords of Varso and Gravago.The second and fourth of these
major lines are extinct, and the first and third still thriving.
The latter was subdivided into the three branches of Francesco, Nicolò and Giacomo:
• the first was head-jamb of the counts of Sarmato, Vigoleno, Agazzano and Gragnano;
• the second of the
counts of Fombio, Guardamiglio, Ritengo and Casalecchio; and
from
• the third came the lords of Castel San Giovanni and other
lands in the Val Tidone.
A Fabio obtained in 1604 from Cesare
d'Este Duke of Modena and Ferrara the investiture of the county
and jurisdiction of Mizzeno, and was later created by the Duke
of Parma, Odoardo Farnese, count of S. Giorgio. The legacy of
the castle and estate of Rezzanello was then devolved to its
branch.
Many illustrious men came out of this noble
lineage; several Bishops, of whom San Fosco Canon Regular
Lateran of S.Eufemia was celebrated, and Bishop of Piacenza and
then of Pavia where he died in 1229. Three Cardinals of the Holy
Roman Church. Alberto said the Great was elected in 1290 by the
Piacentini for their lord and sovereign; which was succeeded by
his son Francesco in 1335. In 1335 Francesco, said the Milite,
reconquered the Lordship of Piacenza. Attached by Azzone
Visconti, came to Patti, he received the dominion of Fiorenzuola
(1336), which he returned two years later. From the Alberto son,
called Albertino, John, Head of the Branch of Conti S. Di
Agazzano, and by Cristoforo, Francesco II, created by Giovanni
Maria Visconti Conte of Vigoleno (1404). From the only son of
this, Giacomo, came Alberto II, scholar and patron, who had from
the emperor sigismondo in 1414 the investiture of Castellarquato,
Fiorenzuola and annexed places and the Douglas title, in memory
of the ancient fabulous origin, and from the Duke Filippo Maria
Visconti, in a noble and perpetual feud, with Mero and Mixed
Empire, Carpaneto, Sarmato, Chero, Fontanafredda and Vicomarino.
From Francesco di Alberto II the Douglas Scotti of
Sarmato and from Bartolomeo were broken by Vigoleno. Three
children had Francis: Giacomo, Cristoforo and Giovanni. Among
the descendants of the last is conspicuous Giulio Clemente
(1602-1669), first Jesuit and then, in several works, Acre
opponent of the Company; Among those of Cristoforo, Paolo Emilio
(died in 1585) that militated at the service of France, Spain
and the Venetian Republic, with glory, in the war of Cyprus, and
ruled Bergamo and other cities of the Serenissima. From Paolo
Emilio Venne Orazio (died in 1629), for large military and
diplomatic services rewarded by the Farnese with the Marchesato
of Montalbo, and Father of Ranuzio (1597-1661) Bishop of Borgo
S. Donnino, Governor of the Marche, Nuncio Pontifice in
Switzerland e In France and finally patriarchal vicar in the
Vatican Basilica. Among the descendants of Giacomo, Honorio (who
died in 1602), at the service of Venice, held the Government of
Candia, then of Corfu and Albania, Ascanio was Governor of
Palmanova, Candia, Bergamo and Brescia. From Bartolomeo, the
Branch of Vigoleno, Francesco Maria, Giovanni Maria, Antonio
Maria, respectively jambs of the Douglas Scotti of Vigoleno
branch, which still lasts, and of Agazzano and Gragnano,
extinct.
Note:
• There is an alternative theory
to the origins of the Scottis: Fulco was an Irish soldier who came to France with four thousand Irishmen to serve Charlemagne. He married a woman named Da Spettini and they produced a family called Scotti (Latin for Irish), a surname still found in that part of Italy. He is revered in Pavia as Saint Fulco.
See also:
Douglas family in Italy
Family tree [pdf]
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