HOW PRINCES RAINIER & ALBERTOFMONACO, DROTTOVONHABSBURG, BROOKESHIELDS AND THE MARQUISDESADE HAVE ALL GOT COMMON ANCESTORS FROM LESVOS ISLAND, GREECE

HOW PRINCES RAINIER & ALBERTOFMONACO, DROTTOVONHABSBURG, BROOKESHIELDS AND THE MARQUISDESADE HAVE ALL GOT COMMON ANCESTORS FROM LESVOS ISLAND, GREECE

Lesvian: Of or pertaining to the island of Lesvos, Greece

Maria Palaeologos was daughter of Andronikos II Palaeologos, Emperor of Byzantium, by his wife, Anne de Savoy. Maria married Francesco Gattilusio, Lord of Lesvos. Some well-known people are descendants of Maria. Though the descents below have been available for some time, the relative obscurity of some of the families through whom the descents go has impeded a thorough search. To the best of my knowledge, these particular descents have never before been published, though descents from Maria have been in print for at least forty years.

In 1354, Francesco Gattilusio, a Genoese freebooter, landed, with his band, on the island of Tenedos, and there discovered John V Palaeologos, the Emperor of Byzantium, who had been retired there after losing his throne to John VI Kantakuzene. Palaeologos and Gattilusio struck a deal whereby if Gattilusio would help Palaeologos regain the Byzantine throne, Gattilusio would be given Palaeologos's sister's hand in marriage. By means of a clever trick, Gattilusio did just that, in Autumn of that year (1354). Palaeologos followed through on his end of the deal, married his sister Maria to Gattilusio, and gave him the island of Lesvos as her dowry. On 17 July 1355, Francesco I began his reign as Lord of Lesvos.

After an eventful reign of 29 years, Francesco, his wife Maria, and their two eldest sons, Andronico and Domenico, were killed by an earthquake on 6 Aug. 1384. A third son, Jacopo, miraculously survived the earthquake and was installed (under the regency of his uncle, Francesco's younger brother, Niccolo I Gattilusio, Lord of Ainos) as Lord of Lesvos with the name of Francesco II.

At his accession in 1384, Francesco II was extraordinarily well-connected, genealogically speaking, to many of the contemporary European rulers. He was a nephew of the Byzantine Emperor (still John V). Through his maternal grandmother, Anne de Savoy, he was a second cousin of Enguerrand de Coucy, the Earl of Bedford, and a half-second cousin of Amadeo VII, the Count of Savoy. Through his matrilineal great-grandmother, Marie de Brabant, he was a third cousin of Wenzel, the King of Germany (later Holy Roman Emperor), and of Anne, the Queen of England. Charles VI, King of France, was a third cousin once removed. Francesco II also had an interesting set of ancestors, including the Palaeolog Emperors of Byzantium, the Arpad Kings of Hungary, the Lascaris Emperors of Nicaea, the Rupenid and Hethumid Kings of Armenia, the Anjevin Kings of Jerusalem, King Stephen of the English, Frederick Barbarossa, and, through the Dampierre Counts of Flanders and the Counts of Champagne, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Francesco II was also descended from a brother of Pope Innocent IV and from a sister of Pope Adrian V.

Francesco II died in the best slapstick/low comedy fashion on 26 Oct. 1404, leaving, by his unknown wife, six children. The daughters were (1) Eugenia, d. 1440, m. Emperor John VII Palaeologos, and had no issue; (2) Helene, m. Stephen Lazarevich, Despot of Serbia, and had no issue; and (3) Caterina, m. Pietro Grimaldi, Baron de Bueil, and had issue. The sons were (4) Jacopo, his father's successor as Lord of Lesvos, m. Valentina Doria and left no issue when he died ca. 1428; (5) Dorino I, Jacopo's successor as Lord of Lesvos, and (6) Palamede, who succeeded his unmarried great uncle, Nicolo I, as Lord of Ainos in 1409.

Dorino I Gattilusio, Lord of Lesvos, married Orietta Doria and had six children: (a) Francesco III, Lord of Thasos, married a daughter of Palamede and died v.p. and s.p. six months later; (b) Domenico, married Maria Giustiniani-Longo and had no issue; (c) Niccolo, who died without issue; (d) Ginevra, m. 1444, Jacopo II Crispo, Duke of the Archipelago, and had issue; (e) Caterina, m. 27 July 1441, Constantinos XI Palaeologos, then Despot of Morea and the last Byzantine Emperor and d. July 1442, without issue; and (f) Maria, married Alexandros Komnenoi, Emperor of Trebizond, and had issue.

Palamede Gattilusio, Lord of Ainos, died in 1455, having had, by his wife, six children, (i) Giorgio, d. v.p. in 1449, leaving issue; (ii) Dorino II, his father's successor at Ainos, from which he was absent (on vacation) when the Turks invaded in Jan. 1456, m. his cousin, Elisabetta, dau. of Jacopo II

Crispo by Ginevra Gattilusio, above, but had no issue; (iii) Caterina, married Marino Doria and may have had issue; (iv) Ginevra, married Lodovico Fregoso, Doge of Genoa, and had issue, (v) Costanza, married Lodovico's first cousin, Giangaleazzo Fregoso (whose Will was dated 3 May 1484), and had issue, and (vi) a daughter, who married her first cousin, Francesco III, above, and had no issue.

To finish up the story of the Lordship of Lesvos, Dorino I, though then an invalid, was still Lord when Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1453. He died on 30 June 1455, leaving Lesvos to his elder surviving son, Domenico, who was overthrown and strangled in 1458 by the younger son, Niccolo. 

The Turks continued their acquiring spree, and, in early September 1462, the Turkish fleet, under the command of Admiral Mahmud Pasha and the Turkish land forces under the personal command of Sultan Mohammed II, besieged Mytilini, the Lesvian capital. Though Mytilini had enough provisions to withstand a year's siege, it had nobody competent to command such a defense. After the Turkish guns pounded flat much of the city, the Lesvians surrendered. The Turks entered the city, and, with acts of appalling viciousness, slaughtered many of the inhabitants, and transported the most important Lesvians to Istanbul (formerly Constantinople). Niccolo Gattilusio, formerly Lord of Lesvos, was strangled there in the same way he had strangled his own brother, and Lesvos remained Turkish until 1912.

There was only one legitimate male Gattilusio who survived the Turkish conquests, and, in 1488, Dorino II Gattilusio, formerly Lord of Ainos, granted to his brother-in-law, Marino Doria, all of the Gattilusii rights in the Levant.

The lines of modern descendants of the Lesvian Gattilusii I will trace start, of course, with

1. Francesco I Gattilusio, Lord of Lesvos, d. 1384, m. 1355 Maria Palaeologina, d. 1384.

2. Francesco II Gattilusio, Lord of Lesvos, d. 1404, m. NN

3. Palamede Gattilusio, Lord of Ainos, d. 1455, m. NN

4. Ginevra Gattilusio, m. Lodovico Fregoso, Doge of Genoa. Her Will was dated 3 May 1489, and by her husband, who died in 1490, she had three children who married: (a) Leonarda, m. Scipione, marchese d'Este, and had issue which became extinct in 1567; (b) Battistina, m. 1461 Ambrogio Contrari (who died 28 Apr. 1493), and had descendants traceable to the present; and

5. Agostino Fregoso, d. v.p. and v.m. in 1487, having m. Gentile di Montefeltro, by whom he had eight children, including (a) Ottaviano, Doge of Genoa, whose illegitimate son had descendants traceable to at least 1826; (b) Federico, a Cardinal, (c) Bettina, m. her cousin, Honore Grimaldi, Baron de Bueil, and had issue which will be treated below, and

6. Costanza Fregoso, m. Marcantonio Landi, and had, among others,

7. Agostino Landi, created, 25 May 1551, Prince of Valditarro, and d. 13 March 1555, having married Julia Landi, a cousin, and had, among others, a younger son

8. Claudio Landi, who succeeded, his elder brother, Manfred (who had d. s.p.) as 3rd Prince of Valditarro, and married Manfred's widow, Juana Fernandez de Cordova. By her he had, among others, a daughter

9. Maria Landi, m. 1595 Hercule I Grimaldi, Lord of Monaco, murdered 1604, and had, among others, an oldest son and heir,

10. Honore II Grimaldi, Lord of Monaco (1597-1662), raised under the tutelage of his uncle, Federigo Landi, Prince of Valditarro. Federigo had his nephew raised, in 1612, to the title of Prince and Lord of Monaco. Honore II m. 1616 Ippolita Trivulzio, who d. 1638, and had, among others,

11. Hercule Grimaldi, Hereditary Prince of Monaco (1623-1651), m. 1641 Aurelia Spinola, d. 1670, and had, among others, daughters named Therese Maria and Pellina, whose issue will be treated below; and

12. Louis I Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1642-1701), m. 1660 Catherine Charlotte de Gramont (1639-1670), and had, among others, an elder son

13. Antoine I Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1661-1731), m. 1688 Marie de Lorraine d'Armagnac (1674-1724), and had, among others, an eldest daughter and heiress

14. Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi, Sovereign Princess of Monaco (1697-1731), m. 1715 Jacques Goyon de Matignon, Duc d'Estouteville (1689-1751). At their marriage, Jacques changed his surname to Grimaldi, and, in 1731, succeeded his wife as Jacques I, Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Jacques I abdicated, 1733, in favor of their oldest surviving son,

15. Honore III Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1720-1795), m. 1757 separated 1770, as her first husband, Catherine Brignole-Sale (1737-1818). Honore III and Catherine had two sons, the younger of whom, Joseph, married and had issue. The elder son was

16. Honore IV Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1758-1819), m. 1777 and div. 1793 Louise d'Aumont, Duchesse de Mazarin et de Meilleraye (1759-1826), and had two sons. The elder son, Honore V Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1778-1841), never married, and was succeeded by his brother

17. Florestan I Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1785-1856), m. 1816 Caroline Gibert (1793-1879), and had two children, a son and a daughter. The daughter, Florestine, married the Duke of Urach, and the son was

18. Charles III Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1818-1889), m. 1846 Antoinette, comtesse de Merode (1828-1864), and had one child

19. Albert I Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1848-1922), m. (1) 1869, annulled and divorced 1880, Lady Mary Douglas-Hamilton (1850-1922), and m. (2) 1889, separated 1902, Alice Heine (1858-1925). Prince Albert's only child was by his first wife, and his name was

20. Louis II Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (1870-1949), m. 1946 Ghislaine Dommanget (1900-1991). By her he had no issue. While serving in the French Army in Algeria, Louis had an illegitimate dau. by a Mme. Delmaet (nee Louvet), named

21. Charlotte Louvet (1898-1977), legitimated, given the surname of Grimaldi, and the title of Duchesse de Valentinois by ordinance of Prince Albert I in 1919, was recognized as Hereditary Princess of Monaco at her grandfather's death in 1922. She m. 1920, separated 1930 and div. 1933, Comte Pierre de Polignac (1895-1964). At their marriage, Pierre was granted the surname Grimaldi and the title "Prince de Monaco". They had two children, a daughter named Antoinette, now Baronne de Massy, and a son named Rainier. Charlotte renounced, in 1944, her rights of succession to the Principality of Monaco in favor of the son, who thus, at his grandfather's death, became

22. Rainier III Grimaldi, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, b. 1923, m. 1956 Grace Patricia Kelly (1929-1982), and has three children. Prince Rainier of Monaco is thus a 22nd generation descendant of Francesco I Gattilusio, founder of the Lesvian Gattilusii dynasty.

The next line of descent I will trace is through one of the daughters of Hercule Grimaldi, Hereditary Prince of Monaco, generation 11, above. That daughter,

12. Therese Maria Grimaldi (1646-1723), m. 1671 Sigismondo d'Este, Marchese di San Martini (1647-1732) and had, among others,

13. Matilde d'Este (1675-1743), m. 1695 Camillo II di Gonzaga, Conte di Novellara (1649-1727), and had, among others (who left no issue), a daughter and heiress

14. Ricciarda Gonzaga (1698-1768), m. 1715 Alderano Cibo, Duca di Massa (1690-1731), and had an only child,

15. Maria Teresia Cibo (1721-1790), m. 1741 Ercole III d'Este, Duca di Modena (1727-1823) and had an only child,

16. Maria Beatrice d'Este (1750-1829), m. 1771 Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Modena (1754-1806), and had, among others,

17. Maria Theresia di Modena (1773-1832), m. 1789 Vittorio Emmanuele I, King of Sardinia (1759-1824), and had, among others,

18. Maria Teresia di Savoja (1803-1879), m. 1820 Carlo II, Duke of Parma (1799-1883). Their only child who married was

19. Carlo III, Duke of Parma (1823-1854), m. 1845 Louise Marie de Bourbon (1819-1864), and had, among others,

20. Roberto I, Duke of Parma (1848-1907), m. (1) 1869 Maria Pia di Borbone-Sicilia (1849-1882), and m. (2) 1884 Maria Antonia de Braganca (1862-1959). Roberto had a total of 24 children by both of his wives. One of the children by the second wife was

21. Zita, Principessa di Borbone-Parma (1892-1989), m. 1911 Karl, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary (1887-1922). Their first child was

22. Otto, Crown Prince of Austria, b. 1912, now Dr. Otto von Habsburg of Pöcking, Bavaria, a 22nd generation descendant of Francesco I Gattilusio, founder of the Lesvian Gattilusii dynasty.

The next line of descent I will trace is through another daughter of Hercule Grimaldi, Hereditary Prince of Monaco, generation 11, above. That daughter,

12. Pellina Grimaldi (1651-1724), m. (1) 1668 Andrea Imperiali, 2. principe di Francavilla (1647-1678) and had, among others,

13. Aurelia Imperiali (1678-1770), m. 1699 Fabrizio Carafa, 10. duca di Andria (1673-1707) and had several children. The only child who married was

14. Don Ettore Carafa, 11. duca di Andria (1701-1764), m. 1726 Francisca Guevara (1710-1795) and had, among others,

15. Donna Eleonore Carafa (1728-1765), m. 1743 Don Giovanni Andrea Doria-Pamphili-Landi, 1. principe di Torriglia (1704-1764), and had, among others,

16. Don Giovanni Andrea Doria-Pamphili-Landi, 2. principe di Torriglia (1744-1820), m. 1767 Donna Leopolda di Savoja (1744-1807) and had, among others,

17. Don Giovanni Andrea Doria-Pamphili-Landi, 3. principe di Torriglia (1779-1838), m. 1808 Donna Teresia Orsini (1788-1829), and had, among others,

18. Donna Leopoldina Doria-Pamphilj-Landi (1811-1843), m. Don Sigismondo Chigi-Albani, 6. principe di Farnese (1798-1877), and had, among others,

19. Donna Teresa Chigi-Albani (1831-1884), m. 1850 Don Giulio Torlonia, 2. duca di Poli e di Guadagnolo (1824-1871), and had, among others,

20. Don Marino Torlonia, 4. principe di Civitella-Cesi (1861-1933), m. 1907 Elsie Moore (1889-1941), and had, among others,

21. Donna Marina Torlonia (1916-1960), m. (1) 1940, div. 1951, Francis X. Shields, the tennis player (1909-1975), and had

22. Francis Alexander Shields, b. 1941, m. (1) Jan. 1965, div. 1965, Maria Theresia Schmonin, b. ca. 1934, and had

23. Brooke Shields, b. 31 May 1965, the model and actress, a 23rd generation descendant of Francesco I Gattilusio, the founder of the Lesvian Gattilusii dynasty.

Another child of Francesco II Gattilusio, Lord of Lesvos, generation 2, above, was

3. Caterina Gattilusio, m. Pietro Grimaldi, Baron de Bueil. Their son,

4. Jacques Grimaldi, Baron de Bueil, d. 1491, m. Caterina Caretto, and had, among others,

5. Honore Grimaldi, Baron de Bueil, whose Will was dated 1523, m. (his cousin) Bettina Fregoso, daughter of Agostino Fregoso, generation 5, above. Honore and Bettina had, among others,

6. Rene Grimaldi, Baron de Bueil, married Thomasine Lascaris, and had, among others,

7. Honore Grimaldi, Baron de Bueil, married Julia Picamilli, and had, among others,

8. Vittoria Grimaldi, married Joachim de Simiane, Seigneur de Chateauneuf, d. 1605, and had, among 

others,

9. Anne de Simiane, m. 1601 Francois de Simiane, Seigneur de la Coste, liv. 1615, and had, among others,

10. Diane de Simiane, m. Jean Baptiste de Sade, Seigneur de Saumare, and had, among others,

11. Cosme de Sade, Seigneur de Saumare, m. 1669 Elisabeth de Nogaret, and had, among others,

12. Gaspard Francois de Sade, Marquis de Sade, d. 1739, m. 1699 Louise d'Astouaud, and had, among others,

13. Jean Baptiste de Sade, Comte de Sade, (1702-1767), French ambassador to Cologne, St. Petersburg and London, m. 1733 Marie Eleonore de Maille (1712-1777), and had an only surviving child

14. Donatien Alphonse Francois de Sade, Marquis de Sade, b. at the Hotel de Conde, Paris, 2 June 1740, d. at the Charenton Asylum for the Insane, Paris, 2 Dec. 1814, author of Justine, Juliette, 120 Days of Sodom, etc., the man after whom, from of his behavior and writings, the words "Sadistic" and "Sadism" were coined, and a 14th generation descendant of Francesco I Gattilusio, founder of the Lesvian Gattilusii dynasty.

A further examination would show many other persons with Lesvian ancestry. The descents given above suggest avenues for further exploration.