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Notarbartolo


Notarbartolo is one of the main families of the Sicilian nobility. Originated in the Middle Ages, it gave to the island numerous personalities who have made a significant contribution to its social, political, intellectual and artistic life. The different branches of the family collected, over the centuries, numerous fiefdoms and noble titles.

The name of the family derives from Bartolo, a descendant of Gerlach of the House of Wangenii, since the V century lords of "Andermacco in Alsace" (Andernach, castle on the Rhine). Bartolo descended into Italy in 951 a.D. as "signifer" (assistant) of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. Returning to Germany to face the threat of the Magyars - which he defeated at the Battle of Lechfeld in 955 - the Emperor appointed Bartolo as governor ("gubernator") of Pisa. At his death, Bartolo was succeeded by his son Lucchino, called by the local population Lucchin di Noterbartolo, "Lucchino (son) of Notarius Bartolo". His descendants lived in Pisa, Siena, Perugia and other cities of medieval Italy, where they were known as knights and men of letters, intermarrying with numerous illustrious families.

As a consequence of the war between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, a descendant belonging to the latter faction, Pietro Notarbartolo Farfaglia, moved in the late 13th century to Catania. Pietro, Royal Secretary of Aragonese King Frederick III of Sicily, obtained by the latter in feudum the control of the city of Polizzi.

In Sicily, the family flourished - at first in Polizzi and, later on, especially in Palermo - gaining numerous fiefdoms and titles and later subdividing in the 16th century in the two main branches of the Princes of Sciara and of the Dukes of Villarosa. Members of both the branches, as well as of the branch of the Princes of Furnari, were Peers of the Realm.


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