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Barbaro family

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The Barbaro family is a Venetian noble family who evolved from the Julii of ancient Rome. The family included the humanists Daniele Barbaro and Marcantonio Barbaro who were the patrons of the architect Andrea Palladio and the painter Paolo Veronese. The family built Villa Barbaro at Maser and owned Pallazzi on the Grand Canal of Venice. Family members acted as deans and professors of the University of Padua and as Patriarchs of Aquileia. The church of Santa Maria Zobenigo in Venice was built for them. The Barbaro family left Rome around 303-311A.D.and moved to Istria, then settling in Trieste around 706A.D. They arrived in Venice during the year 868A.D. The family survives today in two branches: a former Venetian noble branch with the nickname Albergo who had ties to the House of Grimaldi and who had also earned royal titles from both Austria's former House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the Manchu Qing Emperor Jiaqing; and a second noble branch, nicknamed St. George, who are now the Marchesi di San Giorgio of Malta. The family's third branch, nicknamed San Vidal, became extinxt around 1797A.D. The Albergo branch's main industry was silk production.



ANCIENT HISTORY

The Barbaro family of Venice is an ancient noble family who has its roots in early Rome. They are one of the few Italian families who can authentically trace their history to the Julii, making them one of the oldest families of Western Civilization. The Barbaro's earliest recorded ancestor is Sextus Julius Caesar, the cousin to the father of Julius Caesar, Rome's first dictator.

Sextus was later adopted into the Roman consular family Catulus of the gens Lutatius. Two Catulans of the Sextus line would later become a Roman consul under the same name Quintus Lutatius Catulus. The Barbaros are often described as descending from the "twin consuls" of the Julii.

During the era of Rome's persecution of the Christians (c.303-311 A.D.), a Catulan Julii chose to take a stand against Diocletian's policies by addressing the Roman Emperor with the Catulan battle cry Vitus Barbarus (I shun the uncivilized). The gesture began a revolt of the old families against the Roman Emperor resulting in many of the prominent citizens leaving Rome. This exodus would forever immortalize the nickname barbarus to the Catulan Julii as the ones who took a stand against the "barbarian" Diocletian.

After leaving Rome, The Catulan Julii first went to Istria and then settled in Trieste c.706A.D. They arrived in Venice in the year 868A.D.


BECOMING VENETIAN NOBILITY

Many of Rome's nobility chose to come to Venice and build a new republic based on the ancient Roman model. Those families who arrived in Venice before the 10th century became known as the Case Vecchie (the old families), and the Catulan Julii were one of them.

When the Catulan Julii were inscribed into Venice's Golden Book, they followed the tradition of those who were inscribed before them by taking on a new name, often based on a pre-established nickname. The new name was symbolic of being adopted into a new republic. The Catulan Julii were inscribed as Barbaro.

The Barbaros first used the only noble title that was allowed in Venice, Patrician of Venice. This was abbreviated by writing N.H., short for nobilis homo(nobleman) or N.D., short for nobildonna (noblewoman).

The original Barbaro coat of arms was two red fesse (a horizonal bar) on a silver or white field [silver and white are interchangable colors in the rules or heraldry]. The arms symbolized the double red-striped tunics worn by the patricians in the senate house of Rome.

The original family motto was Vitus Barbarus


FOUNDING BARBARO PATRICIANS

JOHANNES BARBARO: Johannes Barbaro is one of the earliest patricians of the House of Barbaro whom may have been the mysterious Prester John of medieval myth. Johannes is credited with paying for the building of the church of San Zorzi in Venice, and documentation with his signature as "Johannes the Presbyter" was recorded in 982A.D.

MARCO BARBARO: Marco Barbaro is referred to as the father of the Barbaro family, and he was responsible for earning the current coat of arms the Barbaros use today. When serving as Venice's Provveditore Generale da Mar (Venetian governor and commander of the armada) off the coast of Jaffa, he was engaged in a bloody battle in 1121A.D. that resulted in the opposing commander's hand being chopped off. With the bloody stump, Marco drew a circle on a silver outstreched turban and then proceeded to fly it as a banner of victory. The ring symbolized ouroborus, an ancient Roman emblem meaning conquered.

When Marco Barbaro arrived in Venice, Doge Michiel recognized the ringed banner as a symbol of Venetian victory. By a senatorial ordinace in 1123A.D., the red ring on a silver or white field became the official Barbaro coat of arms. A painting depicting Marco Barbaro victorious in Jaffa was also created to hang in the Doge's palace.

When conflict later arose in Romania, Marco was again asked to serve as a commander. This battle resulted in Marco having lost the Barbaro standard. In a last ditch effort to save Romania from falling, Marco made a makeshift standard from the bloody bandage tied in a loop around his head and raised it on a spear. With the battle cry "Aeternus Barbarus" (The Barbaro Eternal), Marco then proceeded to rally the cavalry to a miraculous victory.


THE ETERNAL FAMILY

The Romanian victory is especially important to the Barbaro family because it will be the beginning of a long history with Romania as well as provide the poetry for the family's symbolism. The ring of blood now stands for the family who will live forever, and the official Barbaro motto is Aeternus (Eternal). Moreover, since both the Julii and the Catulus families claim to be descendants of gods, the former from the godess Venus and the latter from the god Mars, the Barbaros can say that there is really no official beginning to their family as well as history ensuring that there will be no official end.

The Barbaro mystique is that they are the only family without a beginning and without an end, The Eternal Family


ORDER OF THE DRAGON

FRANCESCO BARBARO: Francesco Barbaro (1398-1454) was made a Knight of the Order of the Dragon in 1432A.D. by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund with the highest honors Grand Prince of the Order. The title awarded him the right to display the Barbaro coat of arms on top of the double-headed eagle of the Imperial House during his service as Venetian Ambassador [the right was later granted to all future generations]. The right to disply the Imperial eagle was usually reserved for Imperial Princes. When Villa Barbaro was made, both the dragon and the the Imperial eagle were carved onto the building. Francesco's son, Daniele, who received the Tudur Rose of England from Queen Elisabeth the I, also had his emblem referenced as well as a bull's head honoring Marco's victory in Romania [the bull head was the symbol used on the standards of Romanian princes in Moldavia].


DOGES OF VENICE

ALMORO BARBARO: Almoro Barbaro (1681-1758) was the Savio di Terraferma and Procuratore di San Marco. He was elected Doge of Venice but chose to pass on the position in order to preserve the Barbaro patrimony for future generations.


BARBARO BRANCHES

Venice's Barbaro family had three main branches known by the nicknames San Vidal, Albergo, & San Giorgio (St. George).

SAN VIDAL The branch of San Vidal is the branch of Daniele Barbaro(1513-1570) and Marcantonio Barbaro(1518-1595). This branch's centers were at Palazzo Barbaro [located in the Venetian neighborhood known as San Vidal (also written San Vital), giving the origin to the branch's nickname] and at Villa Barbaro at Maser. The San Vidal branch worked closely with the Albergo branch who resided at the two joining Barbaro palaces in the Dorsoduro section of Venice in the neighborhood of San Vio (also written san Vito). The palazzi of the Albergo branch today are known by the names Palazzo Dario and Palazzo Barbaro. The San Vidals primarily focused on the family's political concerns at Venice while the Albergos tended to foused abroad on the family's business pursuits in silk production [*it is important to note that these political/business divisions are generalities since both branches had political and business concerns]. After Venice was attacked by Napoleon's army, many of the patrician families or branches who based their livelyhood on the survival of the republic suffered greatly, as would be the case with the San Vidals. Shortly after Venice's fall, the last remaining males of the line expired and Palazzo Barbaro at San Vidal would be sold to the Curtis family of Boston. The remaining female members of the San Vidal branch would remain at Villa Barbaro up untill the 19th century and then also expiring, resulting in the selling of the villa to Count Volpi di Misurata.

ALBERGO: The Albergos credit Giosafat Barbaro as the foundation of their branch who in the 15th century spent 16 years exploring Asia and becoming Venice's first amabassador to the region. Giosafat Barbaro had established a relationship with the Mongol khan who was also befriending the Chinese Ming Emperor Zhengtong. At the court, Giosofat received a special silk producing moth called the Bombyx mori from China's emperor. The mori was originally only found in that region of Asia. The acquistion of the mori began a long history of silk production for the Albergos as well as established a close relationship with the Imperial family of China. In order for the mori to produce silk, it must eat the leaves exclusively from the mulberry tree and the Albergos began to acquire fuedal estates in the region of Calabria, and specifically, acquiring the town of Catanzaro where the mulberry tree was plentiful. In order to make thier silk industry succeed, this branch of the Barbaros formed what is known as an "Albergo" or "Alberghi", [the precurser to our modern corporations]. From the creation of an "Albergo" is where this Barbaro branch gets its nickname.

The Albergos would strengthen their silk Albergo by united with the shipping Albergo of the Grimaldi family of Genoa. This union would form what is often labled as the first "corporate merger", and was very fruitful for both families. The Albergos would become the world's leader in silk production and the Grimaldis would acquire the financial backing that the would eventually allow for them to become the sovereigns of Monaco. The Albergo/Grimaldi connection would also be instrumental in bringing peace to the Republic of Venice and the Republic of Genoa that were often at odds with each other.

By the mid 18th century, the silk production of the Albergos had become so sophisticated that they had already perfected a system of selective breeding that produced a mori with dwarfed wings making it unable to fly, and consequently, easier to handle for producing silk. Rather than keep this special mori a secret, the Albergos returned to China to present it as a gift to the then ruling Jiaqing Emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. The moth was presented in the form of an unhatched cocoon. When the moth hatched, and the Emperor witnessed a mori like none he has ever seen, Emperor Jiaqing bestowed upon the Albergos an Imperial Chinese princely tile, They became The Princes Wei Long [ translated as the "Great Imperial Dragon Princes of the West]. With this Chinese title was the concession of a red imperial dragon with 5 claws as the family's symbol [* it is important to note that Chinese Emperors drew a distinction between a Mang,(a dragon with four claws); and a Long,(a dragon with 5 claws). The Long was exclusively the symbol of Imperial Princes, and the gold colored long was for the Emperor alone. Red was the color that meant good fortune as well as the direction of the West]. After becoming the Princes Wei Long, the Holy Roman Emperor of Austria also bestowed upon the Albergo branch the Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Merit (now referred to as the Order of Franz Joseph). This was the Holy Roman Empire's highest order for achievement in the field of diplomacy and commerce.

SAN GIORGIO (St. Gerorge): The St. George branch honors Simone Barbaro (1646-1742) as the patrician who best defined their line. Simone was part of a line of Barbaros who focused on stopping the slave trade off the coast of Malta. Simone found support in the Gran Maestro dell'Ordine Sovrano (The Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta). When Simone dedicated his life to using his personal fortune to pay for the freedom of hundreds of slaves, the Grand Master de Rohan-Polduc called him the Santo di Venezia (Saint of Venice) and rewarded his son with the title Marchese di San Giorgio (Marquis of St. George) in 1778. It is from this Maltese title that this branch of Barbaro's derive their nickname. The title was initially only meant to be granted for one life time, but soon was changed to be passed on continuously. When the 3rd Marquis of St. George married the German Countess Caroline von Zimmermann in 1817, the St. George branch also inherited the title of Counts of Zimmermann. This additional title caused a division in the Barbaro arms of the St. George branch. Specifically, the ring of blood was placed on the upper portion and the lower portion had three black greyhound heads on a gold field.


BECOMING ROYALTY OF THE HOUSE OF HABSBURG-LORRAINE

In the conflict between Austria and Hungary that occured in the 19th century over the territory of Transylvania. The Barbaro family of the Albergo branch came to the assistance of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia helping him have the additional support he needed to finally defeat Bem's army at the Battle of Temesvar on August 9, 1849. The crucial victory preserved Austria's Grand Principality of Transylvania from being taken by Hungary. Nevertheless, Austria still chose to give territories in the region over to Hungary in 1867 resulting in the formation of the newly combined Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Grand Principality of Transylvania was re-structured into Translithuania. Given that the Barbaro family has played an essential role in helping The Holy Roman Emperors retain Romania for centuries, going back to Marco Barbaro's initial victory, the Emperors chose to turn the Albergo branch of the Barbaro family into an Imperial cadet line of the Imperial House of Austria, and at the same time, giving the Albergos the right use of the title Grand Prince of Transylvania since the territory was never defeated by Hungary, but re-structured under Austria's choosing. With the title of Grand Princes came the priveledges to retain the arms of the Grand Principality as well as use the unique coronet of rank for the Grand Prince that was designed specifically by Maria Theresa inspired on the crowns of ancient Transylvanian Princes. As a cadet branch, the Barbaro family would not disrupt the Imperial House's line of succession, but the position would allow the Albergo branch to be elevated to a level of Imperial Highness that would allow them the sufficient rank to marry into the reigning houses of Europe.

Creating a title of highness for the Albergo branch had certain practical concerns. First, there was the problem of using the title of Prince since in it was the implied notion of Prince of the Blood( being of blood relation). The Barbaro family and the Imperial family were two different families who were un-related. The solution to this problem was to use a rare princely title that the House of Habsburg-Lorraine created for themselves, specifically Gefursteter Graf( Princely Count). This title began when the House of Habsburg went from their original title of Counts of Habsburg into Imperial princes.[What they did was just retain the title of count, but place a style of highness in front of it, since it is actually the style of highness that defines those who are part of the royal social class. Thus creating an Imperial prince fashioned through the title of a count ]. The end product for creating the Albergo branch's Imperial princely title through Gefursteter Graf was the rather cumbersome The Princely Counts of the Grand Princes of Transylvania.

There was the additional issue of what royal style the Albergo branch should use, since again, thay were not of the same family as the Emperors who used Their Imperial Highnesses. It was agreed that the Albergo branch should use Their Illustrious Highnesses (H.Ill.H.) due to their glorious achievement in never allowing Romaina to have fallen in all of their centuries of support in the region.

After the San Giorgio branch received the title of noble count with the marriage of Countess von Zimmermann, practical concerns about the Albergo branch's royal title arose again in terms of how to distinguish the difference between Barbaro's who were royal and Barbaro's who were noble when inscribing members into the Golden Books (the book that registered individuals' titles, and consequently, the political rights they possesed). Italians had no need for the title "Princely Count". They would have just used prince. Count Palatines (counts who had the right to rule over their holdings autonomously) were written as conte alte (a count of highness), but even this had concerns with the Austrian House who would also issued the title Altgraf to nobles in territories high up in the alps. [counts of geographical highness]. The term the Italians came up with to describe a princely count was conte maschera [a fancy count or a count who wears the mantle of a king]. This was abreviated as conte (masch.) In order not to confuse the title with male noble counts (maschi), abreviated as conte (m.), Inscribers of the golden book would also always write the princely titles of the Albergo branch with the phrase, "sottodescritto fu elevato alla dignita di conte (masche.)" [ through imperial decree fully elevated to the dignity of princely count]. The San Georgio branch, referenced as "Altro ramo" [the other line] is always written as, "la concessione del titolo di conte (m.)". [the concession of the title of count for the males].





THE BARBARO FAMILY TODAY

Since 1933, the Italian government does not honor royal or noble tiles as the means of ruling privilege, but does recognize the right of families of royal and noble lineages to continue to pass on royal and noble titles in order to maintain a dynasty's identity and cultural heritage. Families that have maintained legitimacy up till 1933 when the laws governing hereditay titles ceased in Italy, have ownership of their titles in the form of a titled name that only they can use. For example, someone who has the surname Barbaro (which can be a common name) does not have the right to call themselves Barbaro, Patricians of Venice. Doing so can constitute identity theft. This is also the case if someone other than the legitimate Albergos or San Giogios tried to use the Barbaro coat of arms in any formal manner. Moreover, even legitimate relatives to members of the Albergo branch also do not have the right to use the branch's titled names. In fact, there is only one person today who has been designated with the right to maintain the royal and noble dynasty of the Barbaros of the Albergo branch. All future legitimate titled name holders will either have been legitimate issue born from him, a wife married to him, or a family member personally designated by him. Moreover, in matters of divorce, a former wife would loose all her priveledges of using royal and or noble titled names. Therefore, it is fair to say that the Albergo branch of the Barbaro family of Venice continue to be recognized as royalty and nobility, just without their former political powers.


THE BARBARO WITH TITLED NAMES: The current legitimate holder of the Albergo branch's titled names is Vitus Sebastian Barbaro (born on July 27, 1973). His father is Sebastiano (born on July 18, 1935). His mother is Baronessa Grazia Talarico di Capace (born on July 2, 1946). [The Baroness is the ancestor of Alaric I, Italy's first Gothic king. The Baronessa's name translates as "descendant of Alaric of the one who could" (mostly likely referencing, the one who could do the impossible, conquer Rome)].

Sebastiano was an artist, art restorer, and international art dealer in Italy, France, and the United States. He specialized in dealing with mid-century modernists such as Enrico Donati, Lucien Ruolle, and artists of the Peggy Guggenheim circle.

The family of the Baronessa was part of the fashion House of Pucci. The Baronessa's uncle, Terenzio Talarico was Director of Couture Tailoring for the House of Pucci in Rome, Italy.

Vitus is a professional aerospace engineer and automobile designer who specializes in high performance vehicles. In the 1990's he was invited by Ferrari's director to come to the company's headquarters in Maranello, Italy and present design concepts that he envisioned for the company: including follow ups to the Maranello and Modena models. He was also one of the few designers who presented a concept for the Ferrari Enzo. After Ferrari, he also presented design work to Bentley Motor Cars, including an alternative design for the Bentley Continental GT.

Vitus traditionally goes by V.V. Barbaro, Vitus Barbaro or Vitus Sebastian Barbaro after he was invested with the right to use the family's titled names. As a child he often used V.V. Albergo, Vito Albergo and Vito dell'Albergo.


The titled names Vitus has the right to use are:

  • Grand Prince of Transylvania
  • Prince Wei Long
  • Princely Count to the House of Habsburg-Lorraine
  • Baron dell'Albergo or the equivalent Nobile of Lombardy-Veneto
  • Patrician of Venice


He bears the style:

  • His Illustrious Highness


He is styled as:

  • His Illustrious Highness The Princely Count Vitus Sebastian Barbaro, Patrician of Venice of The Grand Princes of Transylvania and The Venetian Barons


His coat of arms is:

  • The traditional Barbaro Ring of Blood on top of the Imperial Eagle of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.


His family motto is:

  • Aeternus (eternal)


His personal emblems are:

  • ouroborous: the snake that bites it's own tail depicted in red [a play on the ring of blood plus referencing Marco Barbaro in Jaffa]


  • red long: a red Imperial Chinese dragon with five claws ( the symbol for Prince Wei Long )


  • Farfalla di Barbaro (Barbaro butterfly): a white Bombyx mori with dwarfed wings in the center of a red silk encircling ribbon that connects with a tied bow [ an elegant emblem that points to the silk moth, silk production, and the ring of blood- but is especially witty when one understands that in Italian farfalla is the same word that one uses for a butterfly as well for as a ribbon that is tied into a bow].


His coronet of rank is:

  • The Crown of a Grand Prince [Grand Prince is a very rare title that is about equal in rank to a King. Grand Principalities were structured differently than kingdoms. Kingdoms have a network of nobles in service to a sovereign. Grand Principalities have a Grand Prince or Great Prince who acts as a reigning overlord with authority to rule above a collection of independant sovereign princes in a territory].



BARBAROS WITH TITLES: The San Giorgio branch continues to use titles since the Maltese governemt honors noble rank. The current legitimate holders of the branches titles are: Dr. Anthony Cremona Barbaro (1955- ) and James St. George (1948- ). [* It is important to note that Barbaros of both banches have a history of using their nicknames as surnames or going from one to the other with a legal name change at some point in their lives after being invested with titled names or tiles. Some legitimate St. Georges have also used the surname Zimmermann

Today, the San Giorgio branch's current figurehead, Dr. Anthony Cremona Barbaro, is serving as the Chairman of the St. John Council and is a professor emeritus.


The San Giorgio's are styled:

  • Dr. Anthony Cremona Barbaro, 9th Marquis of San Giorgio
  • James St. George, 7th Count von Zimmermann


Their coat of arms is:

  • a divided shield withe the Barbaro ring of blood in the upper section and a lower gold section with three black greyhound heads


Their coronets of rank are:

  • The Crown of a Noble Marquis (a crown with two pearls between strawberry leaves)
  • The Crown of a Noble Count (a crown with nine pearls)












References

  • Basehart, Jack; Italian Splendor, Palaces, Castles, and Villas; Rizzoli Press, 1990
  • Cassar Desain, L.A.; Genealogia della Famiglia Testaferrata di Malta; Malta, 1880
  • Bove, Valeria: Veneto Villas; Arsenale Editrice, 1999
  • Duggan, Christopher; A Concise History of Italy; Cambridge University Press, 1994
  • La Famiglia di Barbaro dell' Albergo di Venezia; (Venice, Italy), 1816
  • Gauci, C.A.; A Guide to the Maltese Nobility; Publishers Enterprise Group Ltd., 1992
  • Giles Ash, S.; The Nobility of Malta; Publishers Enterprise Group Ltd., 1988
  • The Golden Books of Venetian Nobility for the House of Barbaro; (Venice, Italy), 2007
  • Gruen, Erich S.; The Last Generation of the Roman Republic; University of California Press, 1995
  • Heather, Peter; The Goths, The People of Europe; Blackwell, 1996
  • Montalto, J.; The Nobles of Malta, 1530-1800; Midsea Books Ltd, 1980
  • Muraro, Michelangelo; Venetian Villas; Konemann Press, 1999
  • Nicolson, Harold; The Congress of Vienna, A Study in Allied Unity: 1812-1822; Grove Press, 1946
  • Norwich, John Julius; A History of Venice; Vintage Books Press, 1989
  • The Records of Italian Nobility; Department of Nobility Records, Italian Government; (Rome & Calabria, Italy), 2007
  • Travels of Giosafat Barbaro, Ambassador from Venice to Tanna; 1436
  • Zorzi, Alvise; Venetian Palaces; Rizzoli Press, 1989
  • Zorzi, Alvise; A City, A Republic, an Empire: Venice 697-1797; Overlook Press, 1999
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