Convalida

This is an official confirmation and recognition of the noble title of Marchese (Marquis) granted to Francesco Tortora Brayda di Belvedere by His Majesty Umberto II, King of Italy. Issued during the period of the monarchy's exile, the document validates Francesco's hereditary right to bear the title of Marchese and authorizes its transmission by male primogeniture. The royal decree also affirms the right of the family to use its coat of arms and specifies the design, motto, and heraldic distinctions for both male and female descendants.

This set of patent letters (Lettere Patenti) includes:

• The granting of the marquisate title.

• A formal heraldic registration.

• Authorization for future generations to use the title and the associated coat of arms.

• The royal signature of King Umberto II, as well as those of the Minister of the Royal House and the Secretary for Heraldry, Giovanni di Giura.

Official Translation – Letters Patent of Nobility

UMBERTO II – KING OF ITALY

We are pleased to grant to the Noble Francesco Tortora Brayda di Belvedere, born in Naples on the 15th of March 1934, the confirmation of the title of Marchese (Marquess).

We therefore instruct the issuance of this document of the granted grace to the concessionaire. Accordingly, by virtue of Our Royal Authority, we hereby declare that the title of Marchese belongs to the Noble Francesco Tortora Brayda di Belvedere, and that it shall be transmissible to his legitimate and natural descendants, males issued from males, in line and by order of primogeniture.

We further declare that the aforementioned Marchese Francesco Tortora Brayda di Belvedere and his family are to be duly registered in Our Heraldic Registers, and have the right to make use of the hereditary family coat of arms, transmissible to their legitimate and natural descendants of both sexes, through continued direct male lineage.

The arms, illustrated on the attached sheet, are described as follows:

"Quartered: the first and fourth, per pale: azure, on a mount of three green hills, a dove proper, surmounted by three gold stars aligned in chief; the second and third, gules, a golden lion passant guardant, facing sinister; overall bordered in red."

The crest includes a natural dove above the shield, crowned with three gold stars, the whole encircled with noble ornamentation. The motto reads:

"Fortiter in re, suaviter in modo" (Strong in action, gentle in manner)

The shield, for the titleholder and his direct successors in the title of Marchese, shall bear the full armorial achievements of a Marquis. For other male descendants, the shield shall display the appropriate special noble embellishments for male cadets of a marquisal family. For female descendants, it shall reflect the heraldic insignia appropriate to noblewomen.

These Letters Patent shall be sealed with Our Royal Seal and signed by Us.

Given at Our hand, on the second day of April, in the year nineteen hundred and eighty-two (1982).

[Signed] Umberto II

The Minister of the Royal Household Falcone Lucifero

The Secretary of His Majesty for Heraldry Giovanni di Giura

The Papal Bull and Noble Affiliation: Tortora Brayda, Pignatelli, and Conti Connections

Ecclesiastical Recognition and Noble Privilege

Among the archived treasures of the House of Tortora Brayda is a papal bull that grants perpetual absolution and the right to request Holy Mass to be held within the family residence—a rare and solemn privilege, historically reserved for families of recognized spiritual and social standing. This document not only reflects the family's intimate ties to the Church but also its integration within the upper echelons of Italian and Vatican nobility during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Internal family records and this extract from the Vatican Secret Archives attribute its issuance to Pope Innocent XIII (Michelangelo dei Conti, reigned 1721–1724), probably as a gesture towards the family of the previous Pope Pignatelli (Pope Innocent XII Antonio Pignatelli, reigned 1691–1700), both of whom descended from noble houses intertwined with the Church and the Tortora Brayda family, at various points in history.

On the Question of Family Connection: Pignatelli, Conti, and Tortora Brayda

The Pignatelli Lineage

The House of Pignatelli was a distinguished Neapolitan noble family, with branches titled Princes of the Holy Roman Empire and deeply engaged in ecclesiastical affairs. Most notably, Pope Innocent XII (Antonio Pignatelli) came from this lineage. The Pignatelli family was known for intermarrying with other prominent houses such as the Carafa, Sanseverino, and Orsini—all of whom feature in the extended marriage networks of the Tortora Brayda family. The latest being the greatgrandmother of Margherita Boccapianola, who was the wife of Nicola Sergio Muscettola, Prince of Leporano and Camilla Pignatelli (b.1747) dei Principi di Marsico Nuovo, and mother of Francesco I Tortora Brayda. 

The Conti of Poli and Pope Innocent XIII

The Conti family, from whom Pope Innocent XIII descended, was among the great noble houses of Rome, producing multiple popes—including Innocent III, Gregory IX, and Alexander IV. Direct matrimonial connection exists between the Conti and the Tortora Brayda families, and both operated within the same diplomatic and religious orbit during the height of papal influence. The Conti's historical relationship with the Order of Malta, to which the Tortora Brayda family also belonged, presents further proximity.

The Tortora Brayda Line

The House of Tortora Brayda, of ancient Lombard and Frankish descent, is well-documented in noble registries of Italy, with titles including Marquis of Belvedere, Duke della Chiusa, and Baron of Tortora. The family's nobility was formally recognized by Emperor Charles VI in 1713 and later by the Kingdom of Italy in 1900. Their historical inclusion in the Sovereign Military Order of Malta—often linked to papal privileges—adds further context to the issuance of this unique ecclesiastical document.

Interpretation of the Papal Bull's Significance

This papal bull granting perpetual absolution and domestic liturgical rights is emblematic of the family's spiritual distinction and ecclesiastical trust. While such bulls often carried ceremonial rather than legal authority beyond the Church, they were powerful markers of noble status, ecclesiastical favor, and moral stewardship. They were not issued casually but rather bestowed on families with proven piety, loyalty, and often noble obligation to Church and society.

The bull offers a profound reminder of the family's historical standing—at once noble, devout, and politically engaged. It also reinforces the house's enduring legacy as a steward of tradition, culture, and ethical governance.

Conclusion: A Living Heritage

The possession of a papal bull of such gravity affirms the moral and spiritual stature of the House of Tortora Brayda within the historical framework of Catholic nobility. It also calls future generations to preserve and honor this heritage—not only as a matter of lineage but as an embodiment of values that continue to shape the family's global mission.

Last Will & Testament of 1325

Historical Context

Composed during the Angevin rule over the Kingdom of Naples, this testament reflects the legal customs of feudal succession, primogeniture, and devotional obligation characteristic of 14th-century southern Italian nobility. Women of noble birth, such as Policane de Alneto, exercised notable agency over the disposition of family wealth and were instrumental in preserving dynastic legacies through both property distribution and spiritual endowments.

The Brajda (later Brayda) family is here shown to hold significant estates and clerical presence in the Kingdom, with branches embedded in military service, noble marriages, and religious life. The testament further highlights the family's close connections to prominent Neapolitan institutions and lineages such as the Pignatelli, Cantelma, and Tomaselli families—illustrating the web of alliances that sustained feudal influence across generations.

Testament of the Noblewoman Policane de Alneto (1325)

Document Type: Notarial Testament – Certified Copy (Manuscript, Four Folios)
Date of Original: 1325
Place of Origin: Naples
Requestor of Certified Copy: The Reverend Odnodum (Oddone) de Brajda

This manuscript is a faithful 14th-century transcription of the original testament of Policane de Alneto, a noblewoman of Neapolitan descent, and the widow of Ruggero de Brajda, milites (knight) of the Castro di Moliterno, a fortified settlement of strategic importance in the Lucanian highlands. The copy, dated 1325, was authenticated by the royal notary and judge Angelo Gambatella, in the presence of a scribe and witnesses, and was made upon the formal request of her son, Reverend Oddone de Brajda.

This testament provides a vivid portrait of feudal life and dynastic continuity in early 14th-century southern Italy, during the Angevin dominion over the Kingdom of Naples. It reflects both the material wealth and the social networks of a noble family embedded in civic, ecclesiastical, and military structures.

Policane de Alneto bequeaths her estate and possessions with careful attention to family hierarchy, spiritual legacy, and obligations of charity:

• Her entire patrimony, including lands and feudal holdings, is entrusted to her sons: Oddone and Corrado de Brajda, and to her grandsons: Ruggerello and Giovannino de Brajda, sons of her late son Nicola de Brajda.

• She requests to be buried beside her husband Ruggero in the Church of San Domenico in Naples, a revered Dominican site often chosen by Neapolitan aristocracy for burial.

• She leaves monetary legacies in gold ounces to her daughters:

  • Donna Rita de Brajda, wife of Don Giacobbe Tomaselli of Naples (3 ounces plus 4 additional ounces, likely to clear a debt).

  • Donna Berarda de Brajda, wife of Don Pietro Minutili of Naples (3 ounces).

  • Donna Caterina de Brajda, nun at the Monastery of Santa Maria Domina Romita, Naples (3 ounces).

• Religious endowments also extend to:

  • Her sister, Donna Fiole de Alneto, also a nun at the same monastery (2 ounces).

  • Her niece, Donna Clara Pignatelli, likewise a nun at Santa Maria Domina Romita (2 ounces).

• She bequeaths shared real estate holdings in Villa Afragola and Ponticelli, held jointly with her nephew Don Andrea Pignatelli of Naples, stipulating that the mother of the Pignatelli heirs serve as guardian until their majority.

• Other minor legacies include:

  • Donna Antonella Cantelma, wife of Oddone de Brajda (2 ounces).

  • Donna Lauretta Extendardo (1 ounce), and her daughter Donna Rengella Caracciola (1 ounce).

  • Don Pietro Extendardo of Naples, her nephew (1 ounce), and his daughter Donna Cubella (1 ounce, to be held until her marriage).

• Substantial religious donations are designated to several ecclesiastical institutions, including:

  • The Hospital of Santa Maria Annunziata

  • The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore

  • The Monasteries of San Marcellino, San Romolo, and San Gregorio

  • The Church of Santa Maria Nova and Santa Maria del Carmelo

• She allocates funds for the regular celebration of Masses for the souls of her parents, her husband, and herself.

The Tortora Brayda family archives include rare and valuable documents of the Carafa della Spina lineage, preserved through legitimate dynastic succession. This transmission occurred through Francesco Tortora Brayda, who inherited the principal salic line of the family after the death of his elder brother, Gian Lorenzo Tortora Brayda (b. 19 July 1847). Gian Lorenzo's only male child, Camillo, died without heirs, thereby passing the primary family line to Francesco. Crucially, Gian Lorenzo's wife, Maria Concetta Severino Longo—Patrician of Naples and daughter of Maddalena Carafa della Spina—brought with her a direct connection to one of the most venerable noble families of Southern Italy, known for its close ties to the Vatican and its production of high-ranking ecclesiastics, including cardinals.

Notably, the only title not transmitted through this legitimate line was that of Marquis of Gagliati, which, by royal concession of H.M. King Umberto II, was instead passed to an adopted descendant—specifically, the child of Amalia Arlotta, daughter of Margherita, herself a daughter of Gian Lorenzo. This title was conferred upon a Mr. Coletti, a person unrelated by blood to the original house. While formally sanctioned, this atypical elevation appears to have been a socially motivated arrangement aimed at enhancing the status of an external party, rather than preserving the hereditary continuity of the Tortora Brayda lineage. As such, it remains a footnote of limited genealogical relevance when considering the legitimate transmission of family heritage and archival rights.

Emperor Charles V Decree of 1544

King Ferdinand of Aragon (Ferdinando II of Naples) Decree of 1506

Diploma Regale | Royal Patent of Nobility

Issued by His Majesty Charles, King of the Two Sicilies – 9 May 1754

"Recognitions of Italian Predicates and Pontifical Noble Titles in the Italian Republic"

(Riconoscimenti di Predicati Italiani e di Titoli Nobiliari Pontifici nella Repubblica Italiana)

The publication "Riconoscimenti di Predicati Italiani e di Titoli Nobiliari Pontifici nella Repubblica Italiana," curated by Valter Pagnotta under the direction of the Italian Ministry for Cultural and Environmental Heritage, represents a meticulous archival effort to document the recognition of noble titles and associated predicates within Italy's modern republican context.

The work situates itself within the legal and administrative landscape shaped by Article XIV of the Italian Constitution of 1948, which declared noble titles no longer recognized in Italy, and that predicates existing prior to 28 October 1922 would be considered part of surnames. This constitutional measure ended the official recognition of nobility, abolishing the administrative processes that had been conducted by the Consulta Araldica—an institution established in 1869 to advise the government on noble titles and heraldry. Although the Consulta Araldica was not formally abolished until later, its records were transferred in 1959 to the Central State Archive, with an Araldic Office retained within the Presidency of the Council of Ministers solely for the granting of emblems to entities like municipalities and military bodies.

Historically, in the Kingdom of Italy, noble titles fell into two categories: those granted by royal decree (grace) and those recognized administratively (justice). The former included concessions, renewals of lapsed titles within the same family line, validations, and foreign titles adopted within Italy; the latter involved the formal recognition of noble status or authorization for foreigners to use Italian noble titles.

The 1889 royal decree tasked the Consulta Araldica with preparing comprehensive registers of families with legitimate titles, starting with partial and regional lists. These included Italian families with recognized titles, foreign families with legitimate Italian titles, and those listed in pre-unification state nobility registers. Regional commissions—often inconsistent in their methodologies—compiled these lists based on both documentary evidence and claims submitted by interested families.

The culmination of this work was the 1922 and 1933 official lists of the Italian nobility (Elenco ufficiale della nobiltà italiana), later supplemented in 1936. These lists included only titles officially recognized by decree and registered in the Libro d'oro della nobiltà italiana. Titles that had not undergone this recognition process or whose documentary evidence was lacking were removed from subsequent lists.

The 1929 and 1943 ordinances on nobility law reinforced that unrecognized titles would not be included in future updates. After the monarchy's end, legal challenges arose regarding whether long-standing but unrecognized titles had any validity—particularly after the cutoff date of 31 December 1932. The Constitutional Court's 1967 ruling ended administrative record-keeping of noble titles, confirming that noble predicates could not be formally recognized or entered in state registers if they had not been recognized before the republic's foundation.

However, the status of titles conferred by the Papacy (pontifical titles) is treated differently. Under the Lateran Pacts of 1929 (and their reaffirmation in the 1986 revision), Italy agreed to recognize such titles, even if granted after 1870, treating them similarly to foreign titles authorized for use within Italy. This exception extends only to pontifical titles, not to those issued by other sovereign entities or internal aristocratic claims after 1922.

The work by Pagnotta therefore focuses on two categories of titles still relevant for documentary and genealogical purposes: those Italian noble titles with predicates existing before 1922, and pontifical titles recognized under the Concordat. The publication compiles archival records of families that have received formal recognition of these titles, listing them along with their date of concession and the name of the recipient. While gaps remain, especially concerning certain origins and documentary proofs, this repertoire remains a valuable historical resource for tracing the legacy and legal status of noble titles in the Italian Republic.

Untranslated Archival Documents

Welcome to the Photogallery of Untranslated Archival Documents—a curated preview of the extraordinary holdings of the House of Tortora Brayda. This gallery presents a minute excerpt from a vast and meticulously preserved family archive that spans over 700 years of Southern European history. These original documents, still in untranslated Latin, include royal decrees, feudal concessions, legal rulings, ecclesiastical privileges, and chancery correspondence—testament to centuries of active engagement in the civic, military, and noble life of the Mediterranean world.

The documents showcased here are only a fraction of a much larger collection composed of hundreds of parchment manuscripts, many of them dating from the Angevin, Aragonese, and Bourbon dynasties. The work of cataloguing, conserving, and translating this monumental body of material is ongoing, and will culminate in a comprehensive digital archive made accessible to researchers, academics, and historians specializing in medieval and early modern Europe.

Notably, among our most valuable holdings are authenticated notarial copies of documents originating from the Angevin section of the Naples State Archives—many of which no longer exist elsewhere. These documents are of exceptional historical significance, as they represent some of the only surviving copies of records destroyed during the 1943 fire at the Archivio di Stato di Napoli.

In one of the greatest archival tragedies of the 20th century, German troops, during their retreat from Naples in World War II, deliberately set fire to the Montesano Villa in San Paolo Belsito, where the most precious Neapolitan documents had been relocated for safekeeping. This act resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of parchments and volumes, including chancery registers from the Angevin dynasty (1265–1435), the Catalogus Baronum, and countless feudal records from the Kingdom of Naples, the House of Barcelona, and the Order of Malta.

That the Tortora Brayda Archive retains faithful, notarized copies of some of these lost documents is of inestimable value to the global scholarly community. These materials are being preserved with the utmost care and will soon be made available for academic access through controlled channels, contributing to the reconstruction of Mediterranean and European legal and dynastic history.

We invite you to explore this gallery not only as a window into our family's past, but as a resource for the rediscovery of histories thought forever lost.