Ferdinand Castriota was born into the House of Kastrioti, he was the son of Gjon Kastrioti II and Jerina Branković.[1] He was the grandson of the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg on his father's side. As well as the great-grandson of Thomas Palaiologos on his mother's side. Not much is known about his early life. But he succeeded his father as Duke of San Pietro and Count of Soleto.[2] Ferdinand Castriota, whose exact year of marriage remains unknown, married Adriana Acquaviva-d'Aragona of Nardò.[3][2] Ferdinand, fought under General Lotrecco against Charles V, whose army was commanded by Philibert of Chalon in the War of the League of Cognac. Following the conflict, Ferdinand's name appeared among those excluded from the amnesty that Charles V proclaimed after the Peace of Cambrai on April 28, 1530. As a result of this exclusion, his fiefs, including the Duchy of San Pietro in Galatina and the County of Soleto, were confiscated.[4] His daughter, Erina, inherited these fiefs and later brought them as dowry upon marrying Pier Antonio Sanseverino.[4]
Coat of arms of Ferdinand, identical to that of his father, Gjon16th century painting of Galatina Palace the former home of the Castriota family
Debate Over Heirs and Inheritance
Following this loss of his fiefs, his only daughter, Erina, inherited the fiefs and was part of her dowry upon marrying Pier Antonio Sanseverino. This transfer was recognized by Charles V, who referred to Erina as the "only-begotten legitimate and natural daughter" in the donation document. The act stipulated a dowry of twenty-five thousand ducats, with three thousand paid at her marriage and the remaining twenty-two thousand due after Ferdinand's death if he had no male heirs. There is ongoing debate regarding whether Ferrante had male children, with Dufresne asserting that all his sons died without heirs and Monardo suggesting that the male line had died out. Conversely, some scholars, like Zazzera, argue that Erina was Ferrante's only child with Adriana Acquaviva. Erina's inheritance of Ferrante's estates is attributed to the felony of her father and the supposed death of her brothers without heirs. When Erina died in 1565, it implied that the direct line of the Castriota family as feudatories of S. Pier in Galatina became extinct, although the broader Castriota lineage persisted. Historical records indicate that Achille Castriota Scanderbech, a descendant of Ferdinand, maintained ties to the family legacy, underscoring the complexities of inheritance and lineage within the Castriota family.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
Issue
Ferdinand married Adriana Acquaviva-d'Aragona of Nardò. The pair had one child:[13][3][6]
Ferdinand possibly had other illegitimate children, as Erina was recognized as his only legitimate child and inherited her father's lands. Furthermore, it is suggested that Ferdinand's sons may not have had descendants, thereby solidifying Erina's position as the sole heir. Some historians debate whether Ferdinand had additional children, but Erina's status as the sole heir marks the end of the direct male line of the Castriota family as feudatories of San Pietro in Galatina and Soleto.[6][3]
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