The Del Carretto marquises

Who rules

Name

Ottone Del Carretto and his brother Enrico II, marquis of Finale

Title

Marquises of Savona (marchiones Saone), now called Del Carretto after the castle of Carretto near Cairo

Since

the death of their father Enrico Guercio (1184-1186), when they divided his lands

Born

Enrico II about 1170; Ottone not pinned (older)

Family

Aleramici (the Del Vasto line): sons of Enrico Guercio, marquis of Savona, invested by Frederick I on 10 June 1162

Confidence

high

English Wikipedia (Ottone) and Italian Wikipedia (Enrico II) give the division of 1184-1186, the oath of both brothers to the Genoese Compagna in 1182, Ottone's sales to Savona in 1191-1192, Enrico's sales at Noli in 1188-1193, and their joint service with Boniface of Montferrat in 1198-1199.

Overlord

The emperor (Frederick I invested their father in 1162); both brothers are sworn citizens of Genoa (1182) and allies of Montferrat.

What the realm holds

• Ottone: the castles of Cairo, Dego, Cortemilia and Carretto (his later residence); Castano (probably Castino near Cortemilia), Torre Bormida and Torre Uzzone; half of Carcare (shared with Enrico)
• Enrico II: Finale with the Burgus Finarii (Finalborgo, founded 1188, walled about 1193); Osiglia, Millesimo (borgo founded only in 1206), Camerana and lands towards Novello; the castle of Cengio (recovered 1190); half of Carcare
• Rights sold or ceded: Savona's banal rights (Ottone, 10 April 1191), Quiliano and Albisola (Ottone, 22 November 1192), Noli's grain market and criminal justice (Enrico, 1188-1193), the castle of Segno (Enrico to Noli, 8 April 1198)

How it was acquired

Frederick I invested Enrico Guercio with the march of Savona on 10 June 1162; his sons divided his lands in 1184-1186. The coastal towns bought their freedom from them in 1191-1193 and Henry VI confirmed Savona's independence on 18 November 1191 and Noli's in 1196.

Allies and rivals

Allies: Boniface I of Montferrat (both brothers joined him when war broke out with Asti and Alessandria in 1198); Genoa (both sworn to its Compagna in 1182; Ottone was its podestà in 1194; Enrico married Simona, daughter of the Genoese Baldovino Guercio); the Embriaci (Ottone's wife Alda is probably a daughter of Hugh III of Gibelet). Rivals: Alessandria (Ottone took the castle of Montechiaro from it in 1199) and Asti; Savona and Noli, which bought them out and watch their roads; Alba [peace of Manfredi Lancia with Alba, August 1199].

The realm that morning

On 1 January 1200 the brothers hold their inland castles and Finale securely. Their quarrel with Savona has been settled for the moment by sale (1191-1192): Ottone keeps a protective role (Savona became a commune 'under the protection' of Ottone, as Italian Wikipedia puts it) and his son Ugo will be Savona's podestà in 1202. They stand with Montferrat in the war against Asti and Alessandria; whether that war is in truce on 1 January is for the Piedmont records (pie) and is not pinned here.

Wealth

Tolls on the roads from Savona and Finale over the Cadibona and Melogno passes to the Bormida valleys and the Langhe, and the purchase money from the coastal towns (no figures given here). Rents of the Bormida villages; the small port of Finale.

Military

Castles at Cairo, Dego, Cortemilia, Carcare, Cengio, Finale (the castle above Finalborgo; Castel Gavone is later), Osiglia and Millesimo; their own vassals and Montferrat's alliance. They served Boniface in 1198-1199; Ottone took Montechiaro in 1199.

Threats

• Alessandria and Asti in the Montferrat war
• Savona and Noli, which have bought most of their coastal rights and will push inland
• Genoa, which buys out lords along its roads (it will take Cairo and Dego from Ottone and give them back as fiefs in 1212)

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.

In 1200

1. 1200 (month not pinned)Ottone witnesses the transfer of Manzano's castle to Alba.Depends on: Peace in the Langhe holding. Stopped by: Renewed war with Alba.

Later, on the likely course

1. March 1202Ottone agrees with Alessandria to buy land there and send soldiers to its militia, ending his share of the war.Depends on: Montferrat making peace with Alessandria. Stopped by: A Montferrat victory.
2. 1202Ottone's son Ugo is podestà of Savona.Depends on: Good relations with Savona. Stopped by: A new quarrel with the commune.
3. 1206Enrico founds the borgo of Millesimo.Depends on: Peace in the Bormida. Stopped by: War.

Places of note

• Carretto: The castle that gave the family its name, near Cairo
• Finalborgo: Enrico's walled borgo (1188, walled about 1193)
• Carcare: Castle shared by the brothers at the crossing of the Bormida

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: The sales and oaths of 1182-1198 are documented and well dated; the exact share of each brother in 1200 and Enrico's children are not pinned.

On the map: The brothers' shares are drawn from their later holdings; the Langhe castles towards Novello are left out because they are not pinned.

Primary sources for this realm

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.

• Annals of Genoa, by Caffaro and his continuators, with Ogerio Pane for 1197 to 1219, Ogerio Pane and the other official annalists of Genoa (year by year under the commune's authority; the 1197 to 1219 section by Ogerio Pane). The official record of the commune. Read online