Originally part of the March of Western Liguria (Marca Liguriae Occidentalis) established by King Berengar II about 950, the area of Montferrat was constituted as the marca Aleramica ("Aleramic march") for his son-in-law Aleramo. The earliest secure documentation of Aleramo and his immediate family is derived from the founding charter of the Abbey of Grazzano in 961. occasioned by the recent death of Aleramo's son Gugliemo.
After King Otto I of Germany had invaded Italy in 961 and displaced Berengar II, he began, in a manner much like his predecessors Berengar and Hugh of Arles, to redefine the great fiefs of Italy. He reorganised the northwest into three great marches. Western Liguria he restored to Aleramo, Eastern Liguria or the marca Januensis he gave to Oberto I, and Turin he made a march for Arduin Glaber.
Aleram's descendants were relatively obscure until the time of Marquess Rainier in the early twelfth century. About 1133 Rainier's son Marquess William V married Judith of Babenberg, a half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany, and so greatly increased his family's prestige. He entered into the Italian policies of Conrad and the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, setting a Ghibelline precedent for his successors, and with his sons became involved in the Crusades.
Marquess Boniface I was the leader of the Fourth Crusade and established the Kingdom of Thessalonica in the Latin Empire of Greece. Reuniting Thessalonica, inherited by Boniface's Greek son Demetrius, with Montferrat became a goal of Boniface's Italian heirs, though nothing ever came of their endeavours.
In the thirteenth century, Montferrat waffled between the Guelph and Ghibelline parties under Boniface II and William VII. It had to wage several long wars against the independence-minded communes of Asti and Alessandria and it became the standard-bearers of a renewed Lombard League forged to fight the spread of Angevin influence into northern Italy. The capital of Montferrat at this time was Chivasso, the centre of the margraves' power.
In 1305, the last Aleramici margrave died and Montferrat was inherited by the Greek imperial Palaiologos dynasty, who held it until 1533, during a period of diminishing territoriality. In that year, Montferrat was seized by the Spanish under Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, who restored it to Federico II, Duke of Mantua from the House of Gonzaga in 1536. His son Margrave William X was elevated to a Duke of Montferrat in 1574 and the "march" ceased to exist as an entity, though it had already undergone the significant change from a feudal collection of frontier counties to one of the petty states of Renaissance Italy, divided into two separated territories.
Haberstumpf, Walter (2009). Regesti dei Marchesi di Monferrato (secoli IX-XVI). Alessandria: San Giorgio Editrice. ISBN9788876790935.
Ruggiero, Michele (1979). Storia del Piemonte. Torino: Piemonte in Bancarella.
January 20, 2023
march, montferrat, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources March of Montferrat news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2007 Learn how and when to remove this template message The March also margraviate or marquisate of Montferrat was a frontier march of the Kingdom of Italy during the Middle Ages and a state of the Holy Roman Empire The margraviate was raised to become the Duchy of Montferrat in 1574 Margraviate of MontferratMarchesato del Monferrato961 1574Flag of Montferrat Arms of Montferrat House of Aleramo Argent a chief gulesThe March of Montferrat blue in 1494StatusMarch of the Kingdom of ItalyState of the Holy Roman EmpireCapitalCasale Monferrato45 08 N 08 27 E 45 133 N 8 450 E 45 133 8 450 Coordinates 45 08 N 08 27 E 45 133 N 8 450 E 45 133 8 450 from 1305 Common languagesPiedmonteseGovernmentMonarchyMarquess 961 967Aleramo first 1550 1574William X last History Established961 End of Aleramici rule1305 Inherited by the House of Gonzaga1536 Raised to Duchy of Montferrat1574Preceded by Succeeded byPiedmont Duchy of MontferratOriginally part of the March of Western Liguria Marca Liguriae Occidentalis established by King Berengar II about 950 the area of Montferrat was constituted as the marca Aleramica Aleramic march for his son in law Aleramo The earliest secure documentation of Aleramo and his immediate family is derived from the founding charter of the Abbey of Grazzano in 961 occasioned by the recent death of Aleramo s son Gugliemo After King Otto I of Germany had invaded Italy in 961 and displaced Berengar II he began in a manner much like his predecessors Berengar and Hugh of Arles to redefine the great fiefs of Italy He reorganised the northwest into three great marches Western Liguria he restored to Aleramo Eastern Liguria or the marca Januensis he gave to Oberto I and Turin he made a march for Arduin Glaber Aleram s descendants were relatively obscure until the time of Marquess Rainier in the early twelfth century About 1133 Rainier s son Marquess William V married Judith of Babenberg a half sister of King Conrad III of Germany and so greatly increased his family s prestige He entered into the Italian policies of Conrad and the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos setting a Ghibelline precedent for his successors and with his sons became involved in the Crusades Marquess Boniface I was the leader of the Fourth Crusade and established the Kingdom of Thessalonica in the Latin Empire of Greece Reuniting Thessalonica inherited by Boniface s Greek son Demetrius with Montferrat became a goal of Boniface s Italian heirs though nothing ever came of their endeavours In the thirteenth century Montferrat waffled between the Guelph and Ghibelline parties under Boniface II and William VII It had to wage several long wars against the independence minded communes of Asti and Alessandria and it became the standard bearers of a renewed Lombard League forged to fight the spread of Angevin influence into northern Italy The capital of Montferrat at this time was Chivasso the centre of the margraves power In 1305 the last Aleramici margrave died and Montferrat was inherited by the Greek imperial Palaiologos dynasty who held it until 1533 during a period of diminishing territoriality In that year Montferrat was seized by the Spanish under Emperor Charles V of Habsburg who restored it to Federico II Duke of Mantua from the House of Gonzaga in 1536 His son Margrave William X was elevated to a Duke of Montferrat in 1574 and the march ceased to exist as an entity though it had already undergone the significant change from a feudal collection of frontier counties to one of the petty states of Renaissance Italy divided into two separated territories See also EditList of rulers of Montferrat for a list of margraves and dukes Iudiciaria Torrensis Duchy of MontferratSources EditHaberstumpf Walter 2009 Regesti dei Marchesi di Monferrato secoli IX XVI Alessandria San Giorgio Editrice ISBN 9788876790935 Ruggiero Michele 1979 Storia del Piemonte Torino Piemonte in Bancarella Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title March of Montferrat amp oldid 1126426671, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
