A small Aleramic house on the Belbo caught between Montferrat, Asti and Genoa.
In 1189 Domicella seized two Genoese envoys over an unpaid toll and demanded ransom; Genoa and Montferrat had Henry VI confiscate the fiefs and give them to Boniface. On 3 December 1190 she ceded Montaldo and Rocchetta to Asti, which at once gave them back in fief. The family still holds Incisa and the borghi round it in common; in 1203 Manfredo and Pagano take Rocchetta and Montaldo as their share, founding the Incisa della Rocchetta line.
Who he is
- Name
- Domicella of Incisa, widow of Marquis Alberto (killed 1188), and her sons Alberto II, Guglielmo, Raimondo, Jacopo, Manfredo and Pagano
- Title
- Marquises of Incisa (held in common by a widow and her sons)
- Since
- 1188, on Alberto's death in a clash (Alberto II was gravely wounded and Domicella took over)
- Born
- not pinned
- Family
- Aleramici. Alberto, son of Bonifacio of Incisa, was count of Gravina in 1157. Two daughters, Domicella and Berta, married into the Sirio family of Asti. Whether Domicella is still alive and in charge on 1 January 1200 is not pinned; a charter of 24 January 1204 grants property to the sons (fmg.ac).
- Confidence
- low
it.wikipedia Marchesato di Incisa; fmg.ac; en.wikipedia on Boniface (county of Incisa granted 1191).
Overlord
Boniface of Montferrat, to whom Henry VI transferred the Incisa fiefs after Domicella seized two Genoese ambassadors in 1189 (en.wikipedia dates the grant of the county of Incisa to 1191); Asti for Montaldo and Rocchetta.
What it holds
- Incisa and the surrounding borghi on the Belbo, under Montferrat's overlordship
- Montaldo and Rocchetta (Rocchetta Tanaro), Asti's fiefs since 3 December 1190
- Cerreto (acquired 1161)
How it was acquired
Aleramic inheritance.
Allies and rivals
Vassals of Montferrat and of Asti; old enemies of Genoa (the 1189 affair).
How things stand that morning
Holding Incisa under Boniface and Montaldo-Rocchetta under Asti; their own leadership on 1 January 1200 not pinned.
Wealth
Tolls on the Belbo road; a toll dispute with Genoa caused the 1189 crisis.
Military
Castles; no figures.
Threats
- Genoa's grievance
- Absorption by Montferrat or Asti
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1203 (beyond 1200)Family division: Manfredo and Pagano take Rocchetta and Montaldo.Depends on: The sons coming of age and agreeing. Stopped by: Quarrel or forfeiture.
Places of note
- Incisa castle: Seat of the marquises on the Belbo.
Where the sources disagree
- fmg.ac calls the widow Donexella and says she was captured in 1188-89; it.wikipedia calls her Domicella and says she captured two Genoese ambassadors in 1189. We follow it.wikipedia.
Evidence: The 1188-90 events are dated; who leads the family in 1200 is not.
On the map: Rough blocks; the borghi held in common are not pinned one by one.
Primary sources for Montferrat
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- The Conquest of Constantinople (Villehardouin), Geoffrey of Villehardouin (about 1207 to 1213). Opens with the preaching of Fulk of Neuilly and the tournament at Ecry (28 November 1199) where Theobald III of Champagne and Louis of Blois took the cross, then the taking of the cross by Baldwin of Flanders, Hugh of Saint-Pol, Geoffrey of Perche and others through early 1200, the assemblies at Soissons and Compiegne in 1200, and the six envoys sent to Venice in the winter of 1200 to 1201. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.