Marquisate of Fosdinovo

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Marquisate of Fosdinovo
Marchesato di Fosdinovo (Italian)
1355–1797
Coat of arms of the House of Malaspina (Spino Fiorito) (2).svg
Shield of the Malaspina family
Motto: Sum mala spina bonis
(Latin for 'I am a good thorn in the bad')
Duchy of Massa-Carrara and Marquisate of Fosdinovo, 1715 to 1730.png
Fosdinovo (yellow, north of Massa and Carrara).
StatusMarquess, Fief
Capital Fosdinovo
Common languages Italian
Demonym(s) Malaspinans
Government Monarchy
Marquess 
 1355– c.1393 (first)
Galeotto I
 1759–1797 (last)
Carlo Emanuele
History 
 Conquered by the Malaspinas
1355
 Annexation to the Cisalpine Republic
1797
Currency Liguino
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Blank.png Roman Catholic Diocese of Luni
Flag of Lucca.svg Republic of Lucca
Cisalpine Republic Flag of the Repubblica Cisalpina.svg
Today part of Italy

The Marquisate of Fosdinovo was a small fiefdom, led by a Marquess, that existed in the Italian peninsula between 1355 and 1797. It was based around Fosdinovo, a city east of La Spezia, and was ruled by the Malaspinas, a prominent Italian family, throughout its existence.

Contents

Liguino Coin Minted in Fosdinovo Rivista italiana di numismatica 1891 p 153 b.jpg
Liguino Coin Minted in Fosdinovo

Founding of the Marquisate

The Marquisate of Fosdinovo was established around 1355 when Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg visited the area and granted the rank of Marquisate to Galeotto I Malaspina. The area Galeotto I took control of had been owned by the Bishops of Luni and had been occupied by Lucca not long before this. In 1393, Galetto I died, and his sons split the Marquisate into small territories for themselves. [2]

Under Gabriele II (1467 - 1508), the Marquisate developed and expanded significantly. in 1468, an oratory was built, followed by several other religious buildings in the next few decades.

End of the Marquisate

Carlo Emanuele became the ruler of the Marquisate in 1759, thirty years before the French Revolution and the Revolutionary Wars began. Eventually, the fiefdom was occupied by the Republic of France. With the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars and the establishment of the Congress of Vienna, Fosdinovo was put under the control of the Duchy of Modena and Reggio. Towards the end of the 19th century, descendants of the Marquises that formerly ruled over the country regained possession of the town's castle. They still own it to this day.

Bibliography

References

  1. "numista". www.numista.com. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  2. academia . Retrieved 2022-07-20 via www.academia.edu.