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Title: Marquis
Title in succession: 8th
Date created: 1742 (Com. of Privileges 1983)
Granted by: Philip the V of Spain
Granted To: Gio Pio De Piro (San Vincente e Castilla)
Rep: de Piro
(dormant) Capitano della Verga
Remainder to: heirs and successors in perpetuity
Present Holder: Nicholas De Piro
Abeyance: Passed into abeyance 1962 and brought out 1983 by the Com. of
Privileges
Other related titles: Budaq
Other realated sites: further
information provided by the Marquis N. De Piro and Baron of Budach
The current Holder (artist: Phillipa Bianchi)
Marquis Baron Vincenzo de Piro 1799 in dress
uniform of the Royal Sicilian regiment. he helped raise
rebellion against the French and elected as one of the
representatives of the people.
1st Marquis De Piro ; Dr.Giovanni DePiro LL.D and 1st Baron of
Budaq; created by the Philip the V of Spain on 6 November 1742, a
special levy to be paid to the crown of Spain on the succession
of the new Titleholder; by his grandson.
An interesting
note regarding Dr Giovanni de Piro's ancestor whom first arrived
in Malta in 1530, Cosimo de Pyrrho. According to Prince
Mihail Dimitri Sturdza, the author of 'Grandes Familles de Grece,
d'Albanie, et de Constantinople' that this Cosimo de Pyrrho was a
personal slave of the Grand Master Villiers de I'Isle-Adam, whom
was granted freedom and favours from the Grand Master. This led
to the 'Rise and Rise of the "de Piro" family.
Also note, that
Cosimo was stated to be of Albanian descent.
Giovanni de Piro,
married Anna Gourgion, who came from an equally family
of merchants. De Piro who succeeded Gourgion as the Procurator
of Wheat, arrived at Licata on the 22 July 1703 escorted by two
galleys of the Order. Although he was received with courtesy, de
Piro immediately found himself in a very embarrasing situation.
His sacks of scudi which he had taken to buy wheat were weighed
and found below the required standards. The problem was
neatly solved when de Piro distributed the scudi into smaller
sacks, which were then found to be within the prescribed weight.
The Sicilian fiscal officer had no option but to accept this
compromise.
From the voluminous correspondence in the possession of
the Present Baron de Piro, it is evident that his ancestor, Gio
Pio, had kept Grand Master Perellos, the Seneschal, several Jurats, the Bailiff of Palermo and various persons at Messina
continuously informed about matters relating to his office.
Undoubtedly, he needed a first hand knowledge of wheat purchasing, since prices varied considerably according to the
type of grain, the time of harvest and the place to
purchase.
De Piro was re-appointed Procurator of Wheat in 1704 and
was again conformed in 1705. That year the harvests were
particular poor due to locusts and heavy rains. When riots broke
out in Licata, de Piro sent his family to live in the Castle of
Girgenti, but himself went to Palermo where he made most of his
purchases. On the 1 April 1705, Perollos wrote two separate letters
to Gio Pio de Piro and to his father the Archdeacon Ubaldesco, to
express his concern over the Licata riots. Eventually , the riots
were brought under control and de Piro continued to serve
undisturbed until he retired.
2nd Marquis DePiro, Vincenzo,
The only two sons of Marquis Vincenzo de Piro to marry,
disregarded the wish of their parents and married partners of
their own choosing. The eldest Antonio, married Teresa de Re, a
person of his own 'nationality but not of equal rank', from
whom-it was rumoured had an illegitmate child. His enraged father
not only disinherited him, but also his innocent descendants.
Five years later, in 1795 Antonio left with his family to live in
Rome. The second son, Giuseppe, was nominated , within the space
of three years, the future heir to the lucrative Gourgion and the
de Piro entails. Rather surprisingly he was not disinherited in
spite of the fact that he married Generosa Borg, below his
rank.
3 rd Marquis DePiro, Antonio, died 1806 when the Title
Marquis De Piro went into abeyance
4th Marquis DePiro,
Francesco Saverio, restored by the Spanish Crown 9 January 1878,
in favour of the 3rd Marquis’s nephew.
5th Giuseppe Lorenzo,
Marquis DePiro recognised by the Spanish crown March 1895, Knight
S.M.O.M.
6th Marchioness De Piro, Adelina, Title again went into
abeyance. It was called out of abeyance by the Committee of
Privileges of the Maltese Nobility, 1983, in favour of her
kinsman Jerome Carmel de Piro d’Amico-Inguanez, 7th Marquis De Piro
and 8th Baron of Budaq. In favour for his son;
Nicholas
John Thomas Anthony De Piro D’Amico Inguanez, Marquis De Piro
and Baroncino di Budaq
The Marquisate was
created in 1742 by King Philip V of Spain to Dr Gio Pio de Piro
J.U.D., 1st Baron di Budaq. Dr Gio Pio de Piro was also
sometime Capitano della Verga, Secreto Regio in Sicily, Secreto
to the Grand Master Zandadari.
The Baron de Budaq
was First created Vizconde de Chartely which was immediately
suppressed and cancelled as he was elevated to the title
of Marquis . The title of Marquis de Piro was registered at the
Chancellory of the Knights of St John in Malta and was granted
full recognition by the Grand Master. British Recognition in
1878.
The title was granted in exchanged for the payment of
572,000 Maravedis de Vellon ( Local Currency ) by Gio Pio de Piro
to the Spanish Crown, a special levy was payable to the Spanish
crown each time a new holder inherited
the title.
Due to the turbulence which surrounded
the Napoleonic War, the French invasion of Malta , and the onset
of British rule the de Piro family omitted to make these
payments.
As a result of which, the title went into de jure
abeyance upon the death of the 3rd Marquis in 1806 and was
formally suppressed by the Spanish crown by Royal edict of 9th of
September 1826.
The title was restored by the Spanish crown
on the 9th of January 1878, in favour of Colonel Francesco
Saverio de Piro C.M.G. . In the years between 1806 and 1878, the
title was used de facto, but not de jure by Guiseppe
de Piro-Gourgion and by Adriano de Piro-Gourgion.
Upon the death of the 4th Marquis’s grand
daughter, Adelina MacPherson in 1962, the title went to abeyance.
It was called out of abeyance by the committee
of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility on the 29th of
September ,1983 in favour of the 8th Baron of Budaq, who
immediately upon succession renounced in favour of his only son,
the Present Marquis. The title called out was in fact the title
of “de Piro”, not the Spanish title, Marquis de Piro.
As seen
above, the title of Marquis de Piro, does NOT have the facility
for the title-holder to nominate his / her successor.
It
is a Spanish title, which follows certain well-established rules of
succession.
‘Notes on the succession to the title of Marquis de
Piro’ which also appears on various articles and
site's have dealt at some length with the
unusual way in which Nicholas de Piro came to be recognised as Marquis de
Piro, by the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility on 29th.
September 1983.
There is consequently no need to repeat these facts
here.
However,a simply note, for the record that;
a. the
title of Marquis de Piro was (is) not disposable by
nomination and that
b. even if it were disposable by
nomination, it most certainly could not be disposed of by an act
of nomination, inter vivos, lacking the Sovereign’s
assent.
Thus, the question regarding the ‘succession’ of Nicholas
de Piro to this title on 29th. September 1983.
There are, of
course, other factors regarding his ‘succession’ to this title; I
have already dealt with these in the above-mentioned article.
The
most important consequence of Nicholas de Piro’s ‘succession’ to
the title of Marquis de Piro was that it gave him the right to
vote at elections of the Committee of Privileges together with
the right to be elected to that Committee.
At the time of
his ‘succession’ he was living abroad. However, he eventually
returned to live in Malta when he served on the Committee for
a number of years as ‘Marquis de Piro’. In this capacity, he sat
in judgement on matters concerning the nobility, not the least
of which was the succession to other Maltese
titles.
Nicholas de Piro became a de jure title-holder
following the death of his father Jerome de Piro d’Amico
Inguanez, 8th. Baron of Budaq on 15th. April 1996.
He
became the 9th. Baron of Budaq.
But note that succession, even
between father and son does not happen instantaneously; the
Committee does not entertain any claims for a certain period of
time and then a special procedure has to be followed.
The whole
process normally takes about one year.
I presume, therefore that he
succeeded as 9th. Baron of Budaq in 1997 Consequently, from 1983 to
1997, he served for a number of years on the Committee of
Privileges of the Maltese Nobility when, according to the
terms of the 1878 Royal Commission, his right to do so is
questionable.
Because his ‘succession’ was brought about by
an act of nomination inter vivos, not ratified by the
Sovereign but only by a private Committee (see footnote
below).
This form of succession to titles of nobility had been
specifically declared ultra vires by the 1878 Royal Commission
report.
The Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility has
always maintained that it sticks to the letter of the Royal Commission report and that this ‘rigorous’ adherence to the
letter of the law, therefore, confers an air of legality to its
deliberations.
It should also be remembered that even
whilst not serving on the Committee, as ‘Marquis’ de Piro,
Nicholas de Piro voted in the annual elections to the Committee
and therefore had a say in who was elected to serve on
that Committee.
Individuals such as titleholders,
whose election to the Committee of Privileges never depended on
the votes of those who, according to the terms of the 1878 Royal
Commission report, should not have taken part in these elections
at all (least those concerning succession to
titles).
Another spin-off from this unfortunate turn of
events is that the (mis) use of the act of nomination inter vivos
came to be regarded as a perfectly legitimate manoeuvre by the
Committee.
This despite its use in the succession to titles, having
being declared as being totally invalid according to the 1878
Royal Commission report.
De Piro Crest
A genealogical account of
the Marquis's de Piro
Vincenzo de Piro, 2nd Baron di Budaq, 2nd
Marquis di Castilla (de Piro),
died 1799., married 1757 to Maria
Teresa dei Baroni Testaferrata Abela
1. Antonio de Piro, 3rd Baron
di Budaq, 3rd Marquis di Castilla
(1758-1806), married 1790 to
Teresa della Re.
1.1. Vincenzo de Piro (1785-1840), married 1810 to
Loreta Mallia
1.1.1. Guiseppe de Piro, married 1845 to Maria Antonia
Mizzi
1.1.1.1. Antonio de Piro, married firstly to Louisa Borg, with
issue,
Married secondy to Florence Cowley, with further
issue.
1.1.1.2. Fortunato de Piro, married 1893 to Ersilea Leone
Ganado
1.1.1.2.1. Joseph de Piro, married 1930 to Antonia Caruana
Dingli dei
Marchesi del Fiddien, and dsp.
1.1.1.2.2. Jane de
Piro, married 1928 to Joseph Buttigieg
1.1.1.2.2.1. Anthony Buttigieg
de Piro, Marquis Buttigieg de Piro, "Marquis
di Castillo" (1932-
, married 1959 to Alice Pace.
1.1.1.2.2.2. Capt Joseph dei Marchese
Buttigieg de Piro (1934- , married
1969 to Corinne
Eminyan
1.1.1.2.2.2.1. David dei Marchese Buttigieg de Piro
(1974-
1.1.1.2.2.2.2. Victoria dei Marchese Buttigieg de Piro
(1971-
1.1.1.2.2.3. Cecil dei Marchese Buttigieg de Piro
(1936-
1.1.1.2.3. Victoria de Piro, married Paul Fenech Gasan, with
issue
1.1.1.3. Loreto de Piro, married Annette Mizzi, with
issue.
1.1.2. Antonia de Piro, married to Gio Batta Mamo Mompalao, with
issue
1.2. Sir Giuseppe Maria de Piro C.M.G., (1794-1870), 4th Baron di
Budaq,
married Antonia Moscati Gatto, 3rd Baroness di Benwarrad,
and dsp.
1.3. Francesca de Piro (died 1877), 5th Baroness di
Budaq
2. Giuseppe de Piro Gourgion, C.M.G (died 1852), married 1810 to
Gaetana
Borg Madiona
2.1. Adriano de Piro Gourgion (1817-66)
Styled Marquis de Piro, dunm.
2.2. Dr Carmelo dei Marchese de
Piro-Gourgion, married 1844 to Gerolama
dei Baroni Sceberras
d'Amico-Inguanez
2.2.1. Guiseppe de Piro-Gourgion (c 1845-1916), 6th
Barone di Budaq, dunm.
2.2.2. Alessandro de Piro-Gourgion (c 1849-98),
married 1868 to Ursola
Aguis-Caruana
2.2.2.1. Dr Carmelo de
Piro, MD. (c 1871-1912), married 1908 to
Dolores
Dyer-Lister
2.2.2.1.1. Maria Pilar de Piro (c
1911-44), married Alexander Apap-Bologna
dei Marchese di Gnien is
Sultan, with issue
2.2.2.2. Maria Teresa de Piro (c 1869-1920), married
1899 to Paolo Apap
Bologna, 5th Marchese di Gnien is
Sultan
2.2.2.3. Rev Santo de Piro (c 1873-1929) dunm.
2.2.2.4. Igino
de Piro d'Amico Inguanez (c 1874-1942), 7th Baron di Budaq,
married Nicolina Apap Bologna
2.2.2.4.1. Jerome de Piro
d'Amcio Inguanez (c 1914-9?), 8th Baron di Budaq,
7th Marquis de
Piro , married 1938 to Philomena Cassar-Torreggiani
2.2.2.4.1.1.
Nicholas de Piro d'Amico Inguanez (c 1941- , 9th Baron di
Budaq,
8th Marquia de Piro , married 1970 to Frances Wilson
2.2.2.4.1.1.1.
Cosimo de Piro d'Amico Inguanez (c 1971-, Marchesino de Piro
e
Baroncino di Budaq, married with issue.
2.2.2.4.1.1.2. Clement de
Piro d'Amcio Inguanez (c 1972- dei Marchesino de Piro d'Amico
Inguanez
2.2.2.4.1.1.3. Anton de Piro (c 1985-
2.2.2.4.1.1.4. Mary
Louise de Piro (c 1974-
2.2.2.4.1.2. Rosemarry de Piro (c 1943-.,
married 1974 to Dr John O'Connell
2.2.2.4.1.2.1. Thomas O'Connell (c
1975-
2.2.2.4.1.2.2. James O'Connell (c 1976-
2.2.2.4.1.2.3.
Victoria O'Conell (c1978-
2.2.2.4.1.3. Mary Therese de Piro (c 1946-,
married 1974 Simon Bailey
2.2.2.4.1.3.1. Sebastian Bailey (c
1977-
2.2.2.4.1.3.2. Paul Bailey (c 1977-
2.2.2.4.1.4. Mary
Elizabeth de Piro (c 1950-, married 1977 to Ralph
Bianchi
2.2.2.4.1.4.1. Mark Bianchi (c 1980-
2.2.2.4.1.4.2. Guilia
Bianchi (c 1978-
2.2.2.4.1.4.3. Philippa Bianchi (c
1982-
2.2.2.4.1.5. Mary Margaret de Piro (c 1951-, married Paul
Bianchi
2.2.2.4.1.5.1. Alexandra Bianchi (c 1982-
2.2.2.4.1.5.2.
Catherine Bianchi (c 1979-
2.2.2.4.2. Marie de Piro (c 1902-., married
Niclino Trapani Galea Feriol,
9th Baron di San
Marciano
2.2.2.4.3. Cecilia de Piro (c 1904-, married firstly 1924 to
Count Nazzareno
Zimmermann Barbaro, 5th Count von Zimmermann,
married secondly to Professor
John Pick.
2.2.2.4.4. Monica de
Piro (c 1909- ), married Col.John Toole Nelson.
2.2.2.5. Alberto de
Piro (c 1877-99) dunm
2.2.2.6. Mgr Alberto de Piro (c 1877-1933) dunm.
2.2.2.7. Maria de Piro (c 1872-1907), married Dr Alfredo Stilon
MD
2.2.2.8. Dr Guido de Piro (c 1879-., married Betta
Capone....
2.2.2.9. Gio Pio de Piro (c 1881-..., married Emma
Gauci-Tramblett
2.2.2.9.1. Dr Alessandro de Piro Gourgion LLD (C
1917-
2.3. Francesco Saverio de Piro, C.M.G (1824-94), 4th Marquis di
Castillo,
married 1856 to Adelaide dei Marchese Cassar
Desain
2.3.1. Guiseppe Lorenzo de Piro, C.M.G, (1858-1911), 5th Marquis
di
Castillo, married 1891 to Georgina Galea-Naudi
2.3.1.1.
Adelina de Piro (1892-1962), 6th Marchioness di Castillo,
married
to Kenneth MacPherson, dsp.
(IF THERE
ARE ANY UPDATES TO ANY TREES, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO
'[email protected]'
stating site you seen the genealogical tree and
updates.)
References: 1) Gauci,C.A.," The Genealogy and
Heraldry of the Noble
Families of Malta", Gulf Publishing Ltd,
Malta, 1981.
2) Gauci,C.A.," The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble
Families of Malta,
Volume Two", Publishers Enterprises Group
(PEG) Ltd, 1992.
3) Gauci,C.A and Mallet, P.,"The Palaeologos Family- A
Genealogical Review"
,Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd,
1985
4) Gauci, C.A.," A Guide to the Maltese Nobility", Publishers
Enterprise
Group (PEG) Ltd, Malta, 1986.
5) Montalto, J., "The
Nobles of Malta-1530-1800", Midsea Books Ltd, Malta,
1980.
6)
De Piro, N., "Casa Rocco Piccola", The Conde' Nast Publications
1999.'
Http://www.vol.net.mt/casarocca '
7) Giles Ash, S.,
"The Nobility of Malta", Publishers Enterprises Group
(PEG) Ltd,
1988.
8) Said Vassallo, C.M., Unpublished research papers.
9) Said
Vassallo, C.M., Maltagenealogy.com Research site a member of
the
'Triple Alliance Site- Maltese Nobiliy'.
10). Sturdza,
Prince Mihail Dimitri ., Archives and collection of
data
researched for ''Grandes Familles de Grece, d'Albanie, et
de
Constantinople'.
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