Count of Canossa

The Canossa were one of the most powerful families in medieval Lombardy, whose territory was located in the valleys of the Apennines since the first decades of the 10th century. The importance of the Canossa family was particularly apparent during the investiture controversy.

History

The earliest tradition and history of the house of Canossa mentions a Langobardenfürsten Sigifredo of Canossa in the early 10th century, who possessed fiefs owned in the area of Lucca and extensive properties in Lombardy. His son Goffredo was 970-976 Bishop of Brescia and from 976 until his death in 998 Bishop of Luni. Sigifredos son Adalbert Atto of Canossa (* 939, † February 13 988 ) succeeded his father in the possession and began by numerous castles to secure the facility, including 945-950 attachment of the Rock of Canossa. Since 984 he was referred to in the documents as Margrave and received as a fief of the counties of Parma, Piacenza, Bergamo, Cremona and Brescia. The marriage Adalbert with Hildegard came his son Thedaldo, who ruled from 988 until his death on May 8, 1012.

At the time of its greatest extent around the year 1050, the territory covered those. Canossa from Lake Garda to the upper Lazio, including cities such as Mantua, Modena, Ferrara, Florence and Perugia Today's Reggio Emilia was the center of military power and thus of political events. In the course of little more than a century, the family left the bases on the streets from the Apennines to the Po Valley to expand so as to bring the most important trade routes between Italy and Central Europe and the Adriatic Sea under their control. This strategy allowed the house to consolidate his position and was a source of his wealth and power. One of the main points was the castle in Canossa.

Boniface of Canossa (* 985, † May 6, 1052 ) was one of the most powerful nobles in Italy in the first half of the 10th century. He was the son of Theobald of Canossa, Count of Reggio, Modena, Mantua, Brescia and Ferrara. Boniface was around 1028/32, Margrave of Tuscany (as Boniface IV ) and in 1051 Duke of Spoleto and Margrave of Camerino.

From the second marriage of Boniface with Beatrix of Lorraine (* 1017, † April 18, 1076 ) his daughter Matilda of Canossa was born (* 1046, † July 24, 1115 ), which was the sole heiress and ruler until reaching her majority. She was the one who was able to successfully mediate in the Investiture Controversy between Pope and Emperor. Pope Gregory VII visited the castle of Canossa under their protection. Henry IV came here his Walk to Canossa in to leave lift the excommunication by the pope again.

Matilda left no direct heirs, as she died in 1115. The house died so out partially, the possessions went with the time lost. Some castles were held by the local lords and knights and mercenaries, other possessions went to distant relatives or came under papal rule.

Canossa of Mantua

A later, occurring in the early modern family by the name of Canossa, who came from Mantua and is in no family relation to the original noble family, the privilege of the nobility was awarded again with the same coat of arms. They stood in the service of the noble family of Gonzaga. Ludovico Canossa was from 1511 to 1516 Bishop of Tricarico. The family took under Vincenzo I Gonzaga, which the village Calliano gave the family fief, the nobility title. Important representatives of this family were the Holy Gabriela Magdalena of Canossa (1774-1835), founder of the Congregation of the " Canosserinnen ", and Cardinal Luigi di Canossa ( 1809-1900 ).

The Canossa had as one of three genders margravial a hereditary seat in the manor house, the upper house of the Austrian Imperial Council. The family received in 1861 the hereditary seat awarded in the mansion. However, since they, like all other Lombardo- Venetian houses that belonged to the mansion - in protest against the Austrian Italian policy - did not use the their rightful member right, they lost in the period following the death of Octavian Margrave Canossa (1820-1903) the seat

Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows upright dog on a red background, with a bone in its mouth. The coat of arms is found in the coat of arms of the town of Canossa again.

Possessions

The Canossa had several more possessions than the ancestral castle.

The second Canossa left behind some distinctive buildings: the Palazzo Canossa in Verona is located between the banks of the Adige and the present Via Cavour. Magdalene of Canossa came there to the world. In Mantua there is also another Palazzo Canossa, an important Renaissance building in the city. There is also the summer residence of the family in Grezzano.