Coat of arms of the Cybo-Malaspina family
Pope Boniface IX

The House of Cybo, Cibo or Cibei of Italy was an old and influential aristocratic family from Genoa of Greek origin that ruled the Duchy of Massa and Carrara.[1][2]

History

They came to the city in the 12th century. In 1528 the Cybos formed the 17th "Albergo", a union of noble families of Genoa.[3][4] The family split in many branches, some living in Genoa, other in Naples by the name of Tomacelli. Its most famous members were Pope Boniface IX and Pope Innocent VIII.

The Cybo married with the most famous Italian families including Medici of Tuscany, Della Rovere of Urbino and Este of Modena and had blood relationship with the banking family Altoviti. Innocent VIII was the uncle of La Papessa Dianora Cybo Altoviti. Her son Bindo Altoviti was one of the most influential bankers and patron of the arts of the Renaissance as well as a close ally of his cousin cardinal Innocenzo Cybo.

Pope Innocent VIII.

Innocent VIII's natural son, later legitimized, was Franceschetto Cybo, son in law to Lorenzo Il Magnifico de' Medici and brother-in-law to Pope Leo X. He was given by his father the title of Count of the Lateran Palace. Later Pope Julius II award him with the title Duke of Spoleto. His son Lorenzo Cybo, married Ricciarda Malaspina and became co-ruling marquis of Massa and Carrara, founding the Cybo-Malaspina branch, later elevated to the dukes of Massa and Carrara.

Notable members

Notable members from the 15th century to the 19th century include:

References

  1. ^ Smith, Philip (2009). The History of the Christian Church. General Books LLC. pp. 219–220. ISBN 978-1-150-72245-5. CHARACTER OF INNOCENT VIII… Cardinal John Baptist Cibo, who was elected as Innocent VIII. (1484–1492)…His family was of Greek origin, but had been long settled at Genoa and Naples by the name of Tomacelli that to which Boniface IX. belonged. The name of Cibo was taken from the chess-board pattern (itii/30s) in their arms. The father of Innocent had been Viceroy of Naples under King Rene, and Senator of Rome under Calixtus III.
  2. ^ Thomas, Joseph (2010). The Universal Dictionary of Biography and Mythology. Cosimo, Inc. p. 704. ISBN 978-1-61640-071-2. Cybo or Cibo, che-bo', (Arano or Aaron,) the ancestor of a noble Genoese family, was born of Greek origin at Rhodes
  3. ^ The Grimaldis of Monaco, Anne Edwards, HarperCollins, 1992, [1], ISBN 978-0-00-215195-5
  4. ^ Genoa and the sea : policy and power in an early modern maritime republic, 1559–1684, Thomas Allison Kirk, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005, pg. 25 [2], ISBN 978-0-8018-8083-4
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