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Title:
Count
Title in succession: 9th
Date created: 1720
Grant by: Francis
I Farnese, Reigning Duca di Parma
Granted To: Dr. Bernardo Piscop Macedonia LL.D
Rep: Manduca Azopardi Piscopo Macedonia
Remainder to: his successors in perpetuity
Present Holder: Alfred Manduca Piscopo Macedonia
The title of Mont’Alto was
granted to Dr Bernardo Piscopo-Macedonia LL.D, a jurat of Notabile in 1720 at Piacenza by Francis
I Farnese, Reigning Duca di Parma.
Bernardo, being without issue
petitioned for permission to nominate one of his grand-nephews as his
successor to the title , the further descent being to the male issue of
his successor according to primogeniture. He also asked for permission to
found a primogeniture based on the fief. The Duke of Parma gave his assent
on 1724 and 1725.
The feudatory of the old and noble fief of
Mont'Alto in the Duchy of Parma, given to Bernardo Piscopo and his direct
descendants were also entrusted with this prerogative. Although, in
practice, a Titolato had to register his title in both the cancelleria and
in the Castellania and pay a fee of 116 scudi, the absence of such a
registration did not necessarily invalidate the act of
ennoblement.
The petition of the first Count of Mont'Alto was
not only accepted, but the Italian Grand Master Zondadari issued a special
decree to that affect.
The owners of a large number of owners
were prosperous, prominent persons who were to become ancestors of the new
nobility created in the eighteenth century. Bernardo Macedonia the
Capomaestro of the Gozitian artillary and the ancestor of Count Piscopo
Macedonia built, in 1613, the tower of Sant Cilia on the outskirts of
Mgarr in Gozo. In 1628, Grand Master de Paule granted a special privilege
to all those who lived on Macedonia's lands exempting them from all
guardie.
Bernardo nominated his eldest grand nephew , Felice Manduca-Piscopo.
Felice ,the 2nd Count of Mont’Alto died in
1775, leaving no male issue, where upon his brother, Salvatore
Manduca-Piscopo petitioned Ferdinand I, Duke of Parma for permission to
inherit the title. This request was granted on the 28th of December 1776.
Since then , the title has descended thru the male line according to
primogeniture. For matters of precedence in Malta, the title is considered
to have been granted in 1776. The holder of the primogeniture is obliged
to used the Name and Arms of Piscopo-Macedonia.
During the last
years of the Order of Malta, Hompesch appointed three Counts (Manduca,
Barbaro and Teuma Castelletti) and one Marquis ( Mallia-Tabone) as Jurats
of Notabile.
Under the French occupation, the parents had to pay
800 livres for their sons' board and lodging, and 600 livres for their
passage on board French warships. The chosen studnets had to waer 'blue
trousers and waistcoats, red cuffs, and facing and white pipings'. Those
families who refused to send their sons to France were to be fined 1000
scudi. Among those who were intially chosen were the young Count Fontani,
the three sons of Count Sant, and four other boys whose fathers were
respectively Baron Galea, Marquis Mallia, Count Manduca, and Marquis
Testaferrata.
Salvatore, the 3rd Count was succeeded by his son
in 1800, Sir Vincenzo Manduca-Piscopo-Macedonia K.C.M.G, 4th Count was a
member of the Malta council of Government and married the daughter of the
Baron di San Marciano, though died without any
children.
His successor was his nephew , Rev. Mgr.
Salvatore Manduca-Piscopo-Macedonia, Domestic Prelate to H.H The Pope and
Apostolic Pronotary.
Died unmarried in 1885, succeeded by his
nephew , Francesco Manduca-Piscopo-Macedonia, as the 6th
Count.
Francesco married twice, firstly to Nicolina Azzopardi dei
Baroni di Buleben , without issue, and secondly to her sister Angiolina,
with issue.
Francesco , died in 1916 and succeeded by his eldest
son , Bernardo, who died in 1972, unmarried.
Bernardo’s successor
was his nephew, Francis, who was also Baron di Buleben.
Francis was
the first in his family to hold both titles of Count of Mont’Alto and
Baron di Buleben, untill his death, when the titles were split between his
sons.
Alfred Manduca, the successor and present holder to the title of
Count of Mont'Alto.
A short version of the Barons of
Buleben and the Counts of Montalto
Francesco Manduca Piscopo
Macedonia Azopardi (1851-1916) 6th Count of Montalto, married firstly to
Nicolina dei Baroni Azopardi-Zammit, without issue, and married secondly
her sister in 1889 Angiolina dei Baroni Azzopardi Zammit, with
issue.
1. Bernardo Manduca Piscopo Macedonia (1891-1971), 7th Count
of Montalto, dunm.
2. Joseph Manduca Piscopo Macedonia Azopardi Zammit
(1893-1964), 7th Baron di Buleben, married 1942 to Lucy Muscat
Fenech
2.1. Francis Manduca Piscopo Macedonia Azopardi Zammit (1926-
??) , 8th Count of Montalto and 8th Baron di Buleben. Married 1957 to
Margaret Gatt
2.1.1. Alfred Joseph Manduca Piscopo Macedonia (1958- 9th
Count of Monalto, married with issue
2.1.2. Joseph Bernard Manduca
Piscopo Macedonia Azopardi (1959-, 9th Baron di Buleben, married 1985 to
Angela Marich, with issue
3. Maria Manduca Piscopo Macedonia
(1890-1913/4), married 1910 Francis Sant Cassia, 6th Count Sant, 11th
Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia, with issue
4. Concetta Manduca Piscopo
Macedonia (1896-, married 1915 Francis Sant Cassia, 6th Count Sant, 11th
Baron di Ghariexem e Tabia, with issue
5. Carmelina Manduca Piscopo
Macedonia (1898-1964) , married Joseph A. Borg with issue
5.1. John
Francis Borg Manduca (1934-, married 1961 to Josephine Camilleri
5.2.
Angele Borg Manduca (1931- , married 1957 to Lawrence Cachia Zammit, with
issue
5.3. Myriam Borg Manduca (1939-, married 1962 to Architect
Richard England Sant Fournier, with issue
(IF THERE ARE ANY
UPDATES TO ANY TREES, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO 'bibinomagno@hotmail.com '
stating site you seen the genealogical tree and
updates.)
References: 1) Gauci,C.A.," The Genealogy and
Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta", Gulf Publishing Ltd, Malta,
1981.
2) Gauci,C.A.," The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families
of Malta, Volume Two", Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1992.
3)
Gauci,C.A and Mallet, P.,"The Palaeologos Family- A Genealogical Review"
,Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1985
4) Gauci, C.A.," A Guide
to the Maltese Nobility", Publishers Enterprise Group (PEG) Ltd, Malta,
1986.
5) Montalto, J., "The Nobles of Malta-1530-1800", Midsea Books
Ltd, Malta, 1980.
6) De Piro, N., "Casa Rocco Piccola", The Conde' Nast
Publications 1999.' Http://www.vol.net.mt/casarocca '
7) Giles Ash, S.,
"The Nobility of Malta", Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd,
1988.
8) Said Vassallo, C.M., Unpublished research papers.
9) Said
Vassallo, C.M., Maltagenealogy.com Research site.
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