Conte de Spinola

Description

Spinola is the name of one of the most distinguished families of Genoa. They owned in the mid-18th century the duchies of St. Pierro, St. Angelo, Sesto, St. Severino and Los Balbazes. The first known Spinola was Guido Spinola, who fought as a knight during the Crusades and was consul of Genoa several times (1102-1121). His sons Ansaldo and Oberto are the progenitors of the two main branches Luccoli and St. Luca. A Spinola bought the city of Lucca in 1340 for 30,000 florins. Antonio Spinola was appointed the first Genoese governor in Corsica in 1453. Filippo Spinola, Marquese del Sesto e di Venafro (Benafro), (1559-1585), had three sons from his marriage to Princess Policena of Salerno.