The Marchioness and Duchesses of Montferrat[1] were the consorts of the rulers of a territory in Piedmont south of the Po and east of Turin called Montferrat. The March of Montferrat was created by Berengar II of Italy in 950 during a redistribution of power in the northwest of his kingdom. It was originally named after and held by the Aleramici. In 1574, Montferrat was raised to a Duchy by Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor (see Duchy of Montferrat).

Marchioness of Montferrat

House of Aleramici

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Marchioness Ceased to be Marchioness Death Spouse
Name Unknown Guglielmo I
Gerberga of Ivrea
(Gerberga di Ivrea) 		Berengar II of Italy
(Ivrea) 		945 - - - Aleramo
Name Unknown Ottone I degli Aleramici
Waza The Miracula sancti Bononii records William's wife as Waza. She prayed at the tomb of Saint Bononio, abbot of Santissimi Michele e Genuario di Lucedio. Guglielmo III degli Aleramici
Adelaide of Susa
(Adelasia di Susa) 		Ulric Manfred II of Turin
(Arduinici) 		1014/20 before 19 January 1042 January 1142
husband's accession 		14 March 1044/1045
husband's death 		19 December 1091 Enrico degli Aleramici
Constance of Savoy
(Costanza di Savoia)
(Savoy) 		- - -
husband's accession 		20 November 1084
husband's death 		- Ottone II degli Aleramici
His first wife - - - 20 November 1084
husband's accession 		- Guglielmo IV degli Aleramici
Otta d'Agliè
(Otta di Aglié) 		Tibaldo d'Agliè - - 1100
husband's death 		-
Gisela of Burgundy
(Gisella di Borgogna) 		William I, Count of Burgundy
(Ivrea) 		1075 1105 May 1133 Ranieri degli Aleramici
Judith of Babenberg
(Giuditta di Babenberg) 		Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
(Babenberg) 		late 1110s/1120 before 28 March 1133 May 1135
husband's accession 		after 1168 Guglielmo V degli Aleramici
Isabella I of Jerusalem
(Isabella di Gerusalemme) 		Amalric I, King of Jerusalem
(Ingelger) 		1172 24 November 1190 1191
husband's accession 		28 April 1192
husband's death 		May/June 1205 Corrado degli Aleramici
Margaret of Hungary
(Margherita d'Ungheria) 		Béla III of Hungary
(Árpád) 		1175 9 August 1202 4 September 1207
husband's death 		after 1223
Berta of Clavesana
(Berta di Clavesana) 		Bonifacio, Marquess of Clavesana and Count of Cortemiglia
(Aleramici) 		1180 9 August 1202 4 September 1207
husband's accession 		1224 Guglielmo VI degli Aleramici
Margaret of Savoy
(Margherita di Savoia) 		Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy
(Savoy) 		1224/28 9 December 1235 12 June 1253
husband's death 		1254 or after 14 January 1264 Bonifacio II degli Aleramici
Isabel de Clare
(Isabella di Clare) 		Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford
(de Clares) 		1240 June 1258 1270 Guglielmo VII degli Aleramici
Beatrice of Castile and León
(Beatrice di Castiglia e León) 		Alfonso X of Castile and León
(Anscarids) 		5 November/6 December 1254 August 1271 after 1280
Margaret of Savoy
(Margherita di Savoia) 		Amadeus V, Count of Savoy
(Savoy) 		1295 23 March 1296 9 March 1305
husband's death 		1339 Giovanni I degli Aleramici

House of Paleologi

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Marchioness Ceased to be Marchioness Death Spouse
Argentina Spinola Opicino Spinola, Doge of Genoa
(Spinola) 		1295 October 1307 1337 Teodoro I Paleologo
Cécile of Comminges
(Cecilia di Comminges) 		Bernard VII, Count of Comminges
(Comminges) 		- 1337 24 April 1338
husband's death 		after 23 June 1354 Giovanni II Paleologo
Isabella of Majorca
(Isabella di Maiorca) 		James III of Majorca
(Barcelona) 		1337 4 September 1358 19 March 1372
husband's death 		1406
Violante Visconti Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan
(Visconti) 		1354 2 August 1377 16 December 1378
husband's death 		November 1386 Ottone III Paleologo
Argentina of Lunigiana
(Argentina di Lunigiana) 		Leonardo Malaspina, Marquess of Massa
(Malaspina) 		- - - 1387 Teodoro II Paleologo
Joanna of Bar
(Giovanna di Bar) 		Robert I, Duke of Bar
(Scarpone-Montbéliard) 		- 8 September 1393 15 January 1402
Blessed Margaret of Savoy
(Beata Margherita di Savoia) 		Amadeo, Prince of Achaea
(Savoy) 		21 June 1390 17 January 1403 16 April 1418
husband's death 		23 November 1464
Joanna of Savoy
(Giovanna di Savoia) 		Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy
(Savoy) 		16 July 1392 26 April 1411 16 April 1418
husband's accession 		12 March 1445
husband's death 		January 1460 Giovanni Giacomo Paleologo
Marguerite of Savoy
(Margherita di Savoia) 		Louis, Duke of Savoy
(Savoy) 		1439 2 May/December 1458 19 January 1464
husband's death 		9 March 1483 Giovanni IV Paleologo
Marie de Foix
(Maria di Foix) 		Gaston IV, Count of Foix
(Foix-Béarn-Bigorre) 		1452 19 January 1465 1467 Guglielmo VIII Paleologo
Isabella Maria Sforza
(Elisabetta Maria Sforza) 		Francesco I Sforza, Duke of Milan
(Sforza) 		10 June 1456 18 July 1469 1 September 1472
Bernardina of Brosse
(Bernarda di Brosse) 		Jean II de Brosse
(Brosse) 		1450 6 January 1474 27 February 1483
husband's death 		17 February 1485
Helena of Brosse
(Elena di Brosse) 		Jean II de Brosse
(Brosse) 		1460 31 August 1483 1484 Bonifacio III Paleologo
Maria of Serbia
(Marija Branković) 		Stefan III Branković, Despotes in Serbia
(Branković) 		1466 8 July 1485 31 January 1494
husband's death 		27 August 1495
Anne of Alençon
(Anna d'Alençon) 		René, Duke of Alençon
(Valois-Alençon) 		30 October 1492 31 October 1508 4 October 1518
husband's death 		18 October 1562 Guglielmo IX Paleologo
Julia of Naples
(Giulia di Napoli) 		Frederick IV of Naples
(Trastámara) 		1492 21 April 1533 30 April 1533
husband's death 		10 March 1542 Giovanni Giorgio Paleologo
Spanish occupation until 1536.

House of Gonzaga

In 1536 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor granted the marquisate, despite competing claims from Savoy and from the Marquis of Saluzzo, to the Gonzagas. This was confirmed in 1559 by the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis.[2]

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Marchioness Ceased to be Marchioness Death Spouse
Margaret Palaeologina
(Margherita Paleologa) 		Guglielmo IX Paleologo
(Paleologi) 		11 August 1510 3 October 1531 1536
husband's accession 		28 August 1540
husband's death 		28 December 1566 Federico I Gonzaga
Catherine of Austria
(Caterina d'Austria) 		Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
(Habsburg) 		15 September 1533 22 October 1549 22 February 1550
husband's death 		28 February 1572 Francesco I Gonzaga
Eleanor of Austria
(Eleonora d'Austria) 		Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
(Habsburg) 		2 November 1534 26 April 1561 1574
Marquisate raised to a Duchy 		5 August 1594 Guglielmo X Gonzaga

Duchess of Montferrat

House of Gonzaga

In 1574, Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor raised the Gonzaga marquis to a duke and the "march" became the Duchy of Montferrat.

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Duchess Ceased to be Duchess Death Spouse
Eleanor of Austria
(Eleonora d'Austria) 		Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
(Habsburg) 		2 November 1534 26 April 1561 1574
Marquisate raised to a Duchy 		14 August 1587
husband's death 		5 August 1594 Guglielmo X Gonzaga
Eleonora de' Medici Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
(Medici) 		28 February 1567 29 April 1584 14 August 1587
husband's accession 		9 September 1611 Vincenzo I Gonzaga
Margaret of Savoy
(Margherita di Savoia) 		Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
(Savoy) 		28 April 1589 19 February 1608 9 February 1612
husband's accession 		22 December 1612
husband's death 		26 June 1655 Francesco II Gonzaga
Caterina de' Medici
 Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
(Medici) 		2 May 1593 16 February 1617 29 October 1626
husband's death 		17 April 1629 Ferdinando I Gonzaga
Isabella Gonzaga
(Isabella Gonzaga) 		Alfonso Gonzaga, Marquess of Novellara
(Gonzaga) 		1576 1616 29 October 1626
husband's accession 		25 December 1627
husband's death 		? 1627
[3] 		Vincenzo II Gonzaga

House of Gonzaga-Nevers

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Duchess Ceased to be Duchess Death Spouse
Isabella Clara of Austria
(Isabella Clara d'Austria) 		Leopold V, Archduke of Austria
(Habsburg) 		12 August 1629 7 November 1649 14 August 1665
husband's death 		24 February 1685 Carlo III Gonzaga
Anna Isabella Gonzaga
(Anna Isabella Gonzaga) 		Ferrante III Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla
(Gonzaga) 		1655 1670 11 August 1703 Carlo IV Gonzaga
Suzanne Henriette of Lorraine
(Susanna Enrichetta di Lorena) 		Charles III, Duke of Elbeuf
(Guise) 		1 February 1686 8 November 1704 before 5 July 1708
Conquest by Dukes of Savoy 		19 December 1710

See also

References

  1. ^ "Marchioness" (now normally "Marquise" for titles outside the British Isles) may also be rendered by the Germanic equivalent, Markgrafin Margravine. Montferrat is also called Monferrato.
  2. ^ Fabbri, Paolo; Carter, Tim (1994), Monteverdi, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-35133-1
  3. ^ It is most likely that she died before her husband.
Categories