Aleramici

The Aleramici were a Northern Italian noble and royal dynasty of Frankish^[1] origin which ruled various northwestern Italian territories in Piedmont and Liguria from the 10th to the 14th century, also reigning over the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Thessalonica during the 12th and 13th centuries.

Their name derived from count Aleramo, proclaimed first Marquis of Central Liguria by emperor Otto the Great in 966. The Aleramici were divided in two main lines: the Marquises of Savona or Del Vasto, and the Marquises of Monferrato. In the 14th century the line of Monferrato ended in Irene of Montferrat, Empress of Constantinople, whilst the line of Savona carried on in multiple descending branches.

The oldest known member of the lineage was the Frankish count Willehmus, a Burgundian who is thought to have gone to the Carolingian Kingdom of Italy around 888 or 889, possibly to aid Guy III of Spoleto in his quest for the Iron Crown of Lombardy. His son Aleramo, received from King Hugh of Italy the first feudal domains in Central Liguria in the year 933, later confirmed by Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great, who in addition granted him and his descendants the hereditary title of Marchio or Margrave of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Aleramici formed one of the four imperial margraviates in the northern Kingdom of Italy, soon becoming one of the most powerful dynasties of the Middle Ages. Due to their ancestral Salic tradition, they divided their original territory into multiple marquisates, grouped into two main lines founded by Aleramo's two surviving sons: the Marquises of Savona, or del Vasto, descendants of the eldest son Anselmo, and the Marquises of Monferrato, descendants of the youngest son Otto. Despite their constant territorial division between the multiple male descendants, the Aleramici managed to maintain control over an important part of the Piedmont and the Eastern flank of the Ligurian Bay, forming powerful alliances throughout the ruling houses of Europe, including the Capetians and the Hohenstaufens.

The cadet line of Monferrato gained notable influence and power through their involvement in the Crusades, becoming kings and queens of Jerusalem, first by marriage and then by succession in the 12th century. Recognized as a royal lineage, the Aleramici of both lines married into numerous of royal dynasties, most notably the three Byzantine Imperial dynasties of Comnenus, Angelus and Palaeologus, with whom they formed their most important alliance. As a result of the Fourth Crusade, the Aleramici founded the Latin Kingdom of Thessalonica, then replaced by the Empire of Thessalonica. During this period, two women of the Monferrato line held the title of "Empress Consort" of the Eastern Roman Empire (Empress Agnes and Empress Irene). By the 14th century the Marquisate of Monferrato passed to Theodore I Paleologus, son of Empress Irene, last of the Aleramici of Monferrato.

Despite the extinction of their cadet branch, the Aleramici survived the Middle Ages through the multiple descending branches of the Marquises of Savona, including the Marquises of Saluzzo (from 1135 to 1548), Finale (ruled by the Aleramici del Carreto from 1135 to 1602), Ceva, Busca, Clavesana, Loreto, Bosco, Belforte, Ussecio, Pareto, Varazze, Ponzone, amongst others, whose domains were mostly absorbed by the Republic of Genoa between the 12th and 14th centuries.^[2] Only the Marquises of Finale and the Marquises of Saluzzo continued to rule over part of the original Aleramician domains until the 16th century.

Ruler		Born	Reign	Ruling part	Consort	Death	Notes
Guglielmo I		c.900?	924-933	Marquisate of Liguria	Unknown one child	933 aged 32–33?	A Frankish count and the oldest known member of the family. His title of Marquis is usually given in retrospection: it's possible that he never used the title.
Aleramo		c.920? Son of Guglielmo I	933-991	Marquisate of Liguria	Adelaide three children Gerberga of Italy c.960 no children	991 aged 70–71?	Invested with fiefs in 938, when he is firstly documented.[3]
Guglielmo II		c.940? First son of Aleramo and Adelaide	c.960-961	Marquisate of Liguria	Unmarried	961 aged 20–21?	Ruled alongside his father.
Anselmo I		c.940? Second son of Aleram and Adelaide	991-998	Marquisate of Western Liguria	Gisela of Milan four children	998 aged 57–58?	Younger children of Aleramo, ruled alongside his father at least since 983. After Aleramo's death the brothers made a division in their inheritance.
Oddone I		c.940? Third son of Aleramo and Adelaide	991	Marquisate of Eastern Liguria	? of Piacenza four children	991 aged 50–51?
Guglielmo III		c.970? First son of Oddone I	991-c.1040	Marquisate of Eastern Liguria	Waza c.1030[4] four children	c.1040 aged 69–70?	Children of Oddone, divided their inheritance.
Riprando I		c.970? Second son of Oddone I	991-c.1020	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown at least one child	c.1020[5] aged 49–50?
Anselmo II		c.960? Second son of Anselmo I and Gisela of Milan	998-c.1025	Marquisate of Western Liguria	Adela of Milan three children	c.1025 aged 64–65?
Oddone		c.990 Son of Riprando I	c.1020-1050	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown three children	c.1050 aged 59–60?
Oddone		c.990? First son of Anselmo II and Adela of Milan	c.1025-1060	Marquisate of Western Liguria	Bertha of Turin 1036 six children	c.1060 aged 69–70?
Oddone II		1015 First son of Guglielmo III and Waza	c.1040 – 20 November 1084	Marquisate of Eastern Liguria	Costanza of Savoy two children	20 November 1084 aged 50–51?	Children of Guglielmo III, ruled jointly.
Enrico		c.1015 Second son of Guglielmo III and Waza	c.1040-1045	Marquisate of Eastern Liguria	Unmarried	1045 aged 29–30
Oberto I		c.1040? Son of Oddone	c.1050-1115	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown four children	c.1115 aged 74–75?
Bonifazio		1055 Savona Third son of Oddone and Bertha of Turin	c.1060-1125	Marquisate of Western Liguria	? of Incisa[6][7] seven children Agnes of Vermandois (1085-c.1130) six children	1125 aged 69–70?	After his death, his large inheritance was thoroughly divided between his sons.
Guglielmo IV		c.1030 First son of Oddone II and Costanza of Savoy	20 November 1084 – 1100	Marquisate of Eastern Liguria	Emma of Apulia[citation needed] one child Otta di Agledo two children	1100 aged 69–70?
Rainerio		1075 Second son of Guglielmo IV and Otta di Agledo	1100-1137	Marquisate of Montferrat	Gisela of Burgundy 1105 five children	1137 aged 61–62	Children of Guglielmo IV, divided their inheritance. Rainerio was the first to be titled Marquis of Montferrat.
Enrico Balbo		c.1060 Second son of Guglielmo IV and Otta di Agledo	1100-1127	Marquisate of Rocchetta	Unknown one child	c.1127 aged 32–33?
Oberto II		c.1090? Son of Oberto I	c.1115-1145	Marquisate of Occimiano	Berta-Adelasia c.1125[8] five children	c.1145 aged 56–57?
Manfredo I		c.1110? Savona First son of Bonifacio	1125-1175	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Eleonora of Arborea six children	1175 Saluzzo aged 64–65?	Children of Bonifazio, divided their inheritance. Ugo left no children and was succeeded by a nephew (son of Anselmo III).
Anselmo III		c.1110? Second son of Bonifacio	1125-1178	Marquisate of Ceva	Unknown two children	c.1178 aged 67–68?
Ugo		c.1110? Third son of Bonifacio	1125-1170	Marquisate of Clavesana	Unmarried	c.1170 aged 59–60?
Guglielmo I		c.1110? Fifth son of Bonifacio	1125-1140	Marquisate of Busca	Unknown two children	c.1140 aged 29–30?
Bernardo		c.1080? Son of Enrico	1127-1135	Marquisate of Rocchetta	Unknown one child	c.1135[9] aged 54–55?
Domicella		c.1120? Daughter of Bernardo	1135-1203	Marquisate of Rocchetta	Alberto I, Marquis of Incisa six children	1203[10] Incisa aged 82–83?
Rocchetta annexed to Incisa
Guglielmo V the Elder		1110 First son of Rainerio and Gisela of Burgundy	1137-1191	Marquisate of Montferrat	Judith of Austria 1133[11] nine children	1191 Tyre, Lebanonaged 50–51?
Manfredo I		c.1130? First son of Guglielmo I	1140-1187	Marquisate of Busca	Unknown one child	1187 aged 56–57?	Siblings, possibly held the marquisate jointly, and founded two branches who apparently ruled concurrently, or jointly, the marquisate.
Berengario		c.1140? Second son of Guglielmo I	1140-1211/14	Marquisate of Busca	Emilia four children	1211/14 aged 71–74?
Guglielmo I		c.1110? First son of Oberto II and Berta-Adelasia	c.1145-1150	Marquisate of Occimiano	Galiana c.1145[12] no children	c.1150 aged 39–40?	Children of Oberto II, shared power, or at least shared, in documents, the title of marquis.
Oberto III		c.1110? Fifth son of Oberto I	c.1145-1150	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unmarried	c.1150 aged 39–40?
Enrico		c.1130? First grandson of Oberto I	c.1150-1180	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown ? children [13]	c.1180[14] aged 49–50?	Grandchildren of Oberto I (sons of a son or daughter of this marquis), and nephews of Oberto II. They shared power, or at least, in documents, the title of marquis.
Bernardo[14]		c.1130? Second grandson of Oberto II and Berta-Adelasia	c.1150-1180	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unmarried	c.1180[15] aged 49–50?
Manfredo II		c.1140 Saluzzo First son of Manfredo I and Eleonora of Arborea	1175 – February 1215	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Adelasia of Montferrat 1182 four children	February 1215 Saluzzo aged 74–75?
Guglielmo I		c.1140? First son of Anselmo III	1178-1205	Marquisate of Ceva	? of Vento five children	c.1205 aged 64–65?	Children of Anselmo III, divided their inheritance: Guglielmo inherited his father's domains at Ceva; Bonifazio inherited his uncle Ugo's marquisate at Clavesana.
Bonifazio I		c.1140? Second son of Anselmo III	1170-1221	Marquisate of Clavesana	Unknown three children	1221 aged 80–81?
Anselmo I		c.1170? First grandson of Enrico (?)[14]	c.1180-1205	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown	c.1205[16] aged 34–35?	Possibly grandchildren of Enrico, ruled jointly.
Guglielmo II the Monk		c.1170? Second grandson of Enrico (?)[14]	c.1180-1230	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown	c.1230[17][14] aged 59–60?
Corrado		c.1170? Third grandson of Enrico (?)[14]	c.1180-1200	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown	c.1205?[18] aged 34–35?
Anselmo II Camar		c.1170? Fourth grandson of Enrico (?)[14]	c.1180-1205	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown one child?	c.1205?[19] aged 34–35?
Corrado		1140 Montferrat Second son of Guglielmo V and Judith of Austria	1191 – 28 April 1192	Marquisate of Montferrat	Unknown no children Theodora Angelina (d.c.1195) 1187 (separated May/June 1187)no children Isabella I, Queen of Jerusalem 24 November 1190 one child	28 April 1192 Tyre, Lebanon aged 51–52	Also King of Jerusalem by right of his wife.
Bonifacio I		1140 Montferrat Second son of Guglielmo V and Judith of Austria	28 April 1192 – 4 September 1207	Marquisate of Montferrat	Elena of Bosco (1145-1204) c.1170 three children Jeanne of Châtillon[20] no children Margaret of Hungary May 1204 Constantinople one child	4 September 1207 Tyre, Lebanon aged 50–51?	Laid also claim on the Kingdom of Thessalonica, ruling it effectively from 1205, after the Sack of Constantinople. During his reign in Montferrat, he encouraged the development of literature, inviting many troubadours to his court.
Guglielmo II		c.1160? First son of Guglielmo I	1205-1230	Marquisate of Ceva	Maria of Saluzzo one child	c.1230 aged 69–70?	Son-in-law of Manfredo II of Saluzzo, and father-in-law of Tommaso I of Saluzzo.
Guglielmo VI		1173 Montferrat First son of Bonifacio I and Elena of Bosco	4 September 1207 – 17 September 1225	Marquisate of Montferrat	Sophia of Hohenstaufen (d.1187/88) 1187 no children Berta of Clavesana 9 August 1202 three children	17 September 1225 Almyros aged 51–52
Manfredo II		c.1150? First son of Manfredo I	1211/14-1215	Marquisate of Busca	Bianca Maletta eight children	1215 aged 64–65?	Cousins, possibly held the marquisate jointly. In spite of Manfred III having children, they stopped claiming co-rulership in the marquisate, which was then held exclusively by Berengar's line.
Guglielmo II		c.1160? First son of Berengario and Emilia	1211/14 – 5 April 1233	Marquisate of Busca	Audisia thee children	5 April 1233 aged 72–73?
Manfredo III		c.1180? First son of Manfredo II and Bianca Maletta	1215-1248	Marquisate of Busca	Unknown three children	1248 Asti aged 67–68?
Regency of Adelasia of Montferrat (1215-1218)							Grandson of Manfredo II.
Manfredo III		1204 Saluzzo Son of Bonifacio of Saluzzo and Maria of Torres	February 1215 – 29 October 1244	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Beatrice of Savoy March 1233 four children	29 October 1244 Saluzzo aged 39–40
Bonifazio II Tagliaferro		c.1180? First son of Bonifazio I	1221-1237	Marquisate of Clavesana	Unmarried	1237 aged 56–57?	Children of Bonifazio I, ruled jointly.
Oddone I		c.1180? Second son of Bonifazio I	1221 - 16 September 1233	Marquisate of Clavesana	Mabilia (d. 16 June 1248/14 March 1251) six children	1233 aged 52–53?
Berta		1182 Daughter of Bonifazio I	1221-1224	Marquisate of Clavesana (at Mombarcaro and Cortemiglia)	Guglielmo VI, Marquis of Montferrat 9 August 1202 three children	1224 aged 41–42
Bonifacio II the Giant		July 1202 Montferrat First son of Guglielmo VI and Berta of Clavesana	17 September 1225 – 12 May 1253	Marquisate of Montferrat	Margherita of Savoy (I) (d.1254)c.1235 three children	12 May 1253 Moncalvo aged 50
Giorgio I		c.1190? Second son of Guglielmo I	1230 – 10 June 1268	Marquisate of Ceva	Unknown two children	10 June 1268 aged 77–78?
Aleramo		c.1190? Son of Anselmo II (?)[14]	c.1230-1265	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown two children	c.1265[21][14] aged 74–75?
Bonifazio III		c.1210? First son of Oddone I and Mabilia	1237-1268	Marquisate of Clavesana	Unmarried	1237 aged 56–57?	Children of Oddone I, ruled jointly.
Emmanuele I		c.1210? Second son of Oddone I and Mabilia	1237-1297	Marquisate of Clavesana	Unknown two children	1297 aged 86–87?
Regencies of Beatrice of Savoy (1244) and Boniface II, Marquis of Montferrat (1244-1253)
Tommaso I		1239 Saluzzo First son of Manfredo III and Beatrice of Savoy	29 October 1244 – 3 December 1296	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Luisa of Ceva (d.22 August 1291) c.1260 fifteen children	3 December 1296 Saluzzo aged 64–65?
Enrico		c.1190? First son of Guglielmo II and Audisia	1248-1281	Marquisate of Busca	Rufina three children	1281 aged 70–71?	Siblings and last known marquises. Ruled with Manfredo III since their father's death in 1233.
Oddone		c.1190? Second son of Guglielmo II and Audisia	1248-c.1250?	Marquisate of Busca	Unmarried	c.1250? aged 39–40?
Busca annexed to Saluzzo
Regency of Margherita of Savoy (I) (1253-1257)
Guglielmo VII the Great		1240 Trino Son of Bonifacio II and Margherita of Savoy (I)	12 May 1253 – 6 February 1292	Marquisate of Montferrat	Isabel de Clare[22] (1240-1270) July 1258 Lyon two children Beatrice of Castile August 1271 Murcia seven children	6 February 1292 Alessandria aged 51–52
Oberto IV		c.1210? First son of Aleramo (?)[14]	c.1265-1275	Marquisate of Occimiano	Unknown	c.1275[23] aged 74–75?	Children of Aleramo, ruled jointly.
Bonifazio		c.1210? Son of Aleramo (?)[14]		Marquisate of Occimiano
Occimiano re-merged in Montferrat
Giorgio II		c.1250? First son of Giorgio I	10 June 1268 – 22 February 1313	Marquisate of Ceva	Unknown two children	1324 aged 73–74?	In 1313, Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor, gave the marquisate to the duke of Savoy.[24] This meant the loss of independence of the various branches that descended from Giorgio II. The marquisate itself met its end in 1427, when it was absorbed officially by Savoy.
Ceva annexed to Savoy
Giovanni I the Just		1277 Milan Third son of Guglielmo VII and Beatrice of Castile	6 February 1292 – 9 January 1305	Marquisate of Montferrat	Margherita of Savoy (II) 23 March 1296 no children	9 January 1305 Montferrat aged 27–28	Left no descendants.
Manfredo IV		1262 Saluzzo First son of Tommaso I and Luisa of Ceva	3 December 1296 – 29 July 1332	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Beatrice of Sicily 1287 two children Isabella Doria 1308 five children	16 September 1340 Cortemilia aged 77–78	In 1332, after a war between his children over the succession, Manfredo signed a treaty with Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy, in which he abdicated to his eldest son, Federico.
Oddone II		c.1250? First son of Emmanuele I	1297-1308	Marquisate of Clavesana	? Spinola one child	1308 aged 57–58?	Children of Emmanuele I, ruled jointly.
Francesco		c.1250? Second son of Emmanuele I	1297-1310	Marquisate of Clavesana	Giacomina two children	1310 aged 59–60?
Violante-Irene		1274 Casale Monferrato First daughter of Guglielmo VII and Beatrice of Castile	9 January 1305 – 1306	Marquisate of Montferrat	Andronikos II Palaiologos 1284 (separated 1303) seven children	1317 Constantinople aged 42–43	Inherited the marquisate from her brother in 1305, and tried to propose her eldest son to succeed her brother, but got rejected by Patriarch Athanasius I of Constantinople. Given that she inherited the marquisate, it's probable that she ruled in Montferrat between the death of her brother and the arrival of the chosen successor of John, her son Theodore.[25] Yolande was also Eastern Roman Empress consort at Constantinople.
Montferrat inherited by the Palaiologos dynasty
Regency of Oberto Spinola (1310-1314?)							The marquisate was probably ruled by Federico (Oddone's son) and Argentina and Caterina, Francesco's daughters. As Argentina and Caterina's children were also known as Marquis of Clavesana, it's possible that, at this point, the three ruled jointly, or they divided the marquisate between them.
Federico		c.1300?[26] Only son of Oddone II and ? Spinola	1310-1363	Marquisate of Clavesana (1/3)	Unknown two children	1363 aged 62–63?
Argentina		c.1300? First daughter of Francesco and Giacomina	1310-1355	Marquisate of Clavesana (1/3)	Rafaele Doria no children ? of Saluzzo one child[27]	c.1355 aged 54–55?
Caterina		c.1300? Second daughter of Francesco and Giacomina	1310-1350	Marquisate of Clavesana (1/3)	Enrico del Carretto (d.22 April 1328/8 May 1340) two children [28]	c.1350? aged 49–50?
Federico I		1287 Savona Son of Manfredo IV and Beatrice of Sicily	29 July 1332 – 29 June 1336	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Margaret of Viennois 1303 two children Giacomina di Biandrate 21 June 1333 no children	29 June 1336 Saluzzo aged 64–65?	From 1330, fought with his younger half-brother Manfredo, who their father had favoured and designated successor with the influence of Federico's stepmother Isabella Doria. The treaty with the count of Savoy (1332) made his father abdicate and give the land to him.
Tommaso II		1304 Saluzzo Son of Federico I and Margaret of Viennois	29 June 1336 – 1341 1342 – 18 August 1357	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Ricciarda of Milan 1329 eleven children	18 August 1357 Saluzzo aged 52–53	Became involved in his father's previous war of succession, as his uncle Manfredo came back to reclaim power once more. However, his uncle's victory was short-lived, and he recovered the throne not long after.
Manfredo V		c.1310? Saluzzo Second son of Manfredo IV and Isabella Doria	1341-1342	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Eleonora of Savoy 1333 eight children	1392 Pavia aged 81–82?	After the war with his brother and subsequent exile, he managed to take power from his nephew. However, he was eventually persuaded by the House of Visconti to abandon his claim on Saluzzo.
Federico II		1332 Saluzzo First son of Tommaso II and Ricciarda of Milan	18 August 1357 – 1396	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Beatrice of Geneva 1360 nine children	1396 Saluzzo aged 63–64
Emmanuele II		c.1320? Only son of Federico	1363-1385	Marquisate of Clavesana (1/3)	Andriola three children	1385 aged 64–65?	After his death, what was left on the marquisate on the male line was divided between Savoy, the Republic of Genoa, and the Marquisate of Finale.
Clavesana divided between Savoy, Finale and the Republic of Genoa
Tommaso III		1356 Saluzzo First son of Federico II and Beatrice of Geneva	1396-1416	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Margaret of Roucy 1403 five children	1416 Saluzzo aged 59–60
Regency of Margaret of Roucy and Valerano of Saluzzo (1416-1424)
Ludovico I		1405 Saluzzo First son of Tommaso III and Margaret of Roucy	1416 – 15 April 1475	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Isabella Palaiologina of Montferrat 7 August 1435 nine children	15 April 1475 Saluzzo aged 69–70
Ludovico II		23 March 1438 Saluzzo Second son of Ludovico I and Isabella Palaiologina of Montferrat	15 April 1475 – 27 January 1504	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Giovanna Palaiologina of Montferrat August 1481 one child Margaret of Foix-Candale 1492 five children	27 January 1504 Genoa aged 65
Regency of Margaret of Foix-Candale (1504-1522)							Left no descendants. The marquisate passed to his brothers.
Michele Antonio		26 March 1495 Saluzzo First son of Ludovico II and Margaret of Foix-Candale	27 January 1504 – 18 October 1528	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Unmarried	18 October 1528 Aversa aged 33
Giovanni Ludovico		21 October 1496 Saluzzo Second son of Ludovico II and Margaret of Foix-Candale	18 October 1528 – 2 June 1529	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Unmarried	1563 Beaufort-en-Vallée aged 66–67	In 1529, he was forced to abdicate to his younger brother by Francis I of France.
Francesco Ludovico		25 February 1498 Saluzzo Third son of Ludovico II and Margaret of Foix-Candale	2 June 1529 – 28 March 1537	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Unmarried	28 March 1537 Carmagnola aged 39	Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his younger brother.
Gabriele		26 September 1501 Saluzzo Fifth son of Ludovico II and Margaret of Foix-Candale	28 March 1537 – 29 July 1548	Marquisate of Saluzzo	Madeleine d'Annebault no children	29 July 1548 Pinerolo aged 46	Last marquis of the family in Saluzzo. After his death the marquisate was annexed to France.
Saluzzo annexed by France

• 
  Marriage of Conrad of Montferrat and Isabella I of Jerusalem
• 
  Coin depicting Irene of Montferrat as Eastern Roman Empress
• 
  Several marquises of del Vasto at Castello della Manta
• 
  Castel Gavone of the Marquises of Finale
• 
  Castello di Savona

• March of Montferrat
• Marquisate of Saluzzo
• Marquisate of Finale
• Marquisate of Ceva

• Kinkade, Richard P. (2004). "Beatrice "Contesson" of Savoy (c. 1250–1290): The Mother of Juan Manuel". La corónica: A Journal of Medieval Hispanic Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. 2, Number 3, Summer (3): 163–225. doi:10.1353/cor.2004.0017. S2CID 163041548.

• Marek, Miroslav. "Aleramici". genealogy.euweb.cz. Retrieved 2015-10-13.