Origins , born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, by
Giovanni Battista Gaulli, known as
Il Baciccia The Altieri family, according to a custom quite common in the past among the Roman nobility, claimed to descend from a
Lucius Alterius, the legendary founder of the Roman
Gens Alteria: to demonstrate that, the Altieri were in possession of an ancient
funerary urn bearing his name. According to him the ancient surname of the Altieri was
Lucii, descendants from the king of Rome
Tullus Hostilius. But the origins of the family name were likely Germanic. The name possibly came to southern Italy from northern France through the
Normans. Another possible etymological origin suggests that it is derived from the Italian word of Latin origin “altieri”, which means “proud” or “haughty.” This term may have originally been used as a nickname for someone who exhibited proud or haughty personality traits.
15th–16th century The Altieri in the Middle Ages did not belong to the
high nobility, but in the second half of the 15th century, they were already owners of huge estates and large flocks of sheep in the
campagna romana. Moreover, they held several offices in Rome's administration, as those of
Caporione (chief of a
Rione),
Maestro delle Strade (
road Master), and
Conservatore (city counselor). The above-mentioned Marco Antonio Altieri (1450-1532), was a humanist belonging to
Pomponio Leto's circle, literary in his tastes, a farmer and also a good politician, because in 1511 he arranged the so-called "Pax Romana" among the Roman
barons, ending centuries of fights among the nobility. Emilio Altieri, having taken vows, became
bishop of Camerino in 1627,
apostolic nuncius in Naples from 1644 to 1652: appointed cardinal in 1669 by
Pope Clement IX, he ascended the papal throne in 1670 with the name of
Clement X: he reigned until his death in 1676. But the moment of maximum splendor of the family also coincided with its extinction. Emilio Altieri, now Clement X, last male member of the family, on the occasion of the marriage between Marquis Gaspare Paluzzi Albertoni, belonging to the Paluzzi Albertoni, often related with the Altieri, and his niece Laura Caterina, ensured that the surname of his family, including property and coat of arms, would pass to the Paluzzi Albertoni, whose surname thus became "Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni". Thanks to the intervention of Clement X, Gaspare became Prince of
Oriolo and Viano (
Vejano) and Duke of
Monterano. • Gaspare Altieri, 1650–1720, 1st Prince of Oriolo and Viano • Emilio Altieri, 1670–1721, 2nd Prince • Girolamo Antonio Altieri, 1673–1762, 3rd Principe • Carlo Emilio Altieri, 1723–1801, 4th Prince • Paluzzo Altieri, 1760–1834, 5th Prince • Clemente Altieri, 1795–1873, 6th Principe • Emilio Altieri, 1819–1900, 7th Principe • Paolo Altieri, 1849–1901, 8th Prince • Ludovico Altieri, 1878–1955, 9th (and last) Prince Ludovico, the last Prince, had the following brothers and sisters • Teodolinda Altieri, 1876–1947 • Clemente Altieri, 1877–1886 • Maria Augusta Altieri, 1880–1976 (the last member of the princely family to bear the surname) • Guglielmo Altieri, 1884–1893 • Marcantonio Altieri, 1886–1886 • Camilla Altieri, 1889–1971 • Marcantonio Altieri, 1891–1919 ==See also==