Cavanna family

Cavanna are a noble family from the north of Italy.

It seems that the name first appeared historically in Genoa, and later in Piacenza. Nearby, a place called Cavanna di Lesignaro is to be found in the vicinity of Parma. In the center of the triangle Genoa-Piacenza-Parma lies the municipality of Ferriere, which includes the localities of Cassimoreno and Centenaro, and adjacent to the neighbouring municipality of Farini. This is a montane area where a high concentration of Cavannas exists historically.

The family has a coat of arms, indicating noble origins, and several distinguished noble members through the centuries. They are listed as one of the several noble families of the former Republic of Genoa, and during the Albergo period of the governance of Genoa, they formed part of the Albergo De Franchi, one of the 28 Alberghi of the Republic of Genoa.

An Albergo (Alberghi in plural) was an informal grouping, in which several families bonded around a dominant family. Families of an Albergo shared the same political views and economic interests. They usually lived near each other and attended the same churches.

The Cavanna (De Franchi) heraldic arms are portrayed in the Libro d'Oro della Nobiltà di Genova, published in 1920. The Cavannas were also feudal Lords of Castel Gazzo, which castle today survives in the town of Novi Ligure, just north of Genoa, and Patricians of Genoa.

One of the earliest historical references to the family is found in a record of Ida and Ottobonus de Cavanna of Genoa, during the period 1202-1226. In the last part of the 14th century, one of the three skillful lawyers ("valenti giuristi") commended by the famous lawyer Bartolomeo Bosco was Antonio della Cavanna. He was confirmed as Lord of the castle of Gazzo by the Comune of Genoa on 18 October 1397. During 1423, he was Console of the Comune of Genoa in Caffa and during the 1430 was Vicario in Pera, the Genoa's neighbourhood in Costantinopoli. In the 15th century, Galeazzo Cavanna (died circa 1480) was Signore di Castel Gazzo [1], a Patrician of Genoa, and aristocratic di Novi and of Tortona, and he married Orietta Fregoso of Genoa (1453–1494), who had a brother Rinaldo (1454–1498), a Knight of Saint John of Rhodes (Knights Hospitaller, later known as Knights of Malta), and Prior of Tortona. They were children of the Doge of Genoa, Pietro II and his wife Bartolomea Grimaldi of the House of Grimaldi rulers of Genoa and Princes of Monaco. A certain Gian Nicola di Gian Maria Cavanna is also recorded in Genoa in 1640.

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