Caracciolo Family History

The Caracciolo di Torchiarolo are a side branch of the Caracciolo di Avellino. The progenitor of the Torchiarolos was the second son of the fifth prince of Avellino, Ambrogio (1699-1748), who obtained in 1726, upon payment of 9000 ducats, the fiefdom of Torchiarolo, in the province of Lecce, on which he also received the title of Prince Ambrose married Francesca Afan de Rivera daughter of the Marquis of Villanueva de Las Torres. Ambrose’s sons were Luigi II, prince of Torchiarolo, who was initiated into an ecclesiastical career by his cousin, the prince of Avellino, who thus hoped to take possession of the properties and titles of the Torchiarolo family, and Serafina. Luigi, to sevntare the aims of his cousin, stripped off the cassock and challenged the renunciation he had signed years earlier, claiming his rights and credits against them. Later he married Iamara Frantone, daughter of the prince of Pietracupa, from whom he had Ambrogio who married Maria Teresa Sanchez de Luna. In 1770 the brother of his paternal grandmother Pedro Alfan de Rivera, the last Marquis of Villanueva de Las Torres, died childless. The conspicuous patrimony that he possessed in Spain, passed by right to the descendants of Pedro’s sister, Maria Francesca Afan de Rivera, first princess of Torchiarolo. Ambrose, who wore cassocks at the time of Pedro’s death, was expelled from the succession so that all the assets passed to his aunt Serafina Caracciolo, princess of S. Lorenzo. After abandoning the ecclesiastical state, Ambrogio sued his aunt and in 1779 he was granted the definitive possession of the assets with a sentence of the court of Madrid. The Torchiarolos’ patrimony increased further when in 1806 the last prince of Ripa died, Giovanni Francone, Ambrogio’s maternal ancestor, who remained in fact the only heir. The events of 1799 forced Ambrose to retire to Sorrento. In 1806 he followed Ferdinand IV to Sicily. Ambrose died in 1818. Luigi was succeeded by his nine children, to whom all the Spanish assets of the Afan de Rivera succession went, while the other 7 sons were liquidated on Mount Ciarletta (a mountain established by Scipione Caracciolo), while the only daughter Maria Iamara does not touch anything having had this dowry in 90.0000 ducats. The eldest son Luigi married Costanza Salluzzo daughter of the Duke of Corigliano. From this marriage nine children were born including: Marino (1783-1841), colonel of the royal navy and ambassador to Tunis; Camillo (1784-1850), cavalry brigadier; Scipione Alessandro (1786-1838), knight of Malta, Alonzo (1787-1841) initiated into a legal career, then deputy of the Supreme Health Magistrate and subintendent of Melfi; Paolo (1788-1855), interim commander of the company of royal horse guards and week butler of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, and Settimino (1790-1840), initiated into an ecclesiastical career by his father who he gave up to devote himself to a military career. Settimino, married to Marianna de Curtis, had seven children. The eldest son Ambrogio, (1821-1906), married Maria Andrei, daughter of Mariano Andrei and Giovanna Morey, and with a real rescript of 1857 he was authorized to use, maritale nomine, the title of Count d’Andreu. Maria was the last descendant of one of the noblest families of the kingdom of Mallorca. Ambrogio was several times provincial councilor of Pollena Trocchia and councilor and municipal councilor of Naples. Of his 5 children we remember Fausto and Francesco who, due to the death of the first, inherited the title of Count d’Andreu from their father, was mayor of Pollena Trocchia and councilor and provincial deputy of Naples. From his marriage to Isabella Bassano, daughter of the Marquis of Tufillo, Mario was born, who was embarked on an ecclesiastical career, and Ambrogino, to whom the papers were deposited. He was honorary inspector of fine arts, corresponding member of the heraldic college of France, author of some publications including the updated re-edition of his family’s genealogy. Ambrogio was several times provincial councilor of Pollena Trocchia and councilor and municipal councilor of Naples. Of his 5 children we remember Fausto and Francesco who, due to the death of the first, inherited the title of Count d’Andreu from their father, was mayor of Pollena Trocchia and councilor and provincial deputy of Naples. From his marriage to Isabella Bassano, daughter of the Marquis of Tufillo, Mario was born, who was embarked on an ecclesiastical career, and Ambrogino, to whom the papers were deposited. He was honorary inspector of fine arts, corresponding member of the heraldic college of France, author of some publications including the updated re-edition of his family’s genealogy. Ambrogio was several times provincial councilor of Pollena Trocchia and councilor and municipal councilor of Naples. Of his 5 children we remember Fausto and Francesco who, due to the death of the first, inherited the title of Count d’Andreu from their father, was mayor of Pollena Trocchia and councilor and provincial deputy of Naples. From his marriage to Isabella Bassano, daughter of the Marquis of Tufillo, Mario was born, who was embarked on an ecclesiastical career, and Ambrogino, to whom the papers were deposited. He was honorary inspector of fine arts, corresponding member of the heraldic college of France, author of some publications including the updated re-edition of his family’s genealogy. due to the death of the former, he inherited the title of Count d’Andreu from his father, was mayor of Pollena Trocchia and provincial councilor and deputy of Naples. From his marriage to Isabella Bassano, daughter of the Marquis of Tufillo, Mario was born, who was embarked on an ecclesiastical career, and Ambrogino, to whom the papers were deposited. He was honorary inspector of fine arts, corresponding member of the heraldic college of France, author of some publications including the updated re-edition of his family’s genealogy. due to the death of the first, he inherited the title of Count d’Andreu from his father, was mayor of Pollena Trocchia and provincial councilor and deputy of Naples. From his marriage to Isabella Bassano, daughter of the Marquis of Tufillo, Mario was born, who was embarked on an ecclesiastical career, and Ambrogino, to whom the papers were deposited. He was honorary inspector of fine arts, corresponding member of the heraldic college of France, author of some publications including the updated re-edition of his family’s genealogy. to whom the cards are deposited. He was honorary inspector of fine arts, corresponding member of the heraldic college of France, author of some publications including the updated re-edition of his family’s genealogy. to whom the cards are deposited. He was honorary inspector of fine arts, corresponding member of the heraldic college of France, author of some publications including the updated re-edition of his family’s genealogy.

related documentation

Caracciolo of Torchiarolo

sources

Archives of families and individuals, Rome, Ministry of Cultural and Environmental Heritage, 1991, I, p. 35;

J. MAZZOLENI, Documentary and bibliographic sources from the century. X to the sec. XX preserved in the State Archives, Naples, 1978, II, pp. 361;

DOMENICA MASSAFRA PRORCARO, Inventory of the private archive of the Caracciolo family of Torchiarolo, Rome, 1978;