The name Filangieri originates from the
Latin Filli Angerii (sons of Angerio) named after
Richard "Angerio" of Arnes, who adopted the
nickname "Angerio" during his military service as
captain of the
Italian falangerio (
phalanges) in the
First Crusade. They played a prominent role in the
Kingdom of Sicily (prior to the
War of the Sicilian Vespers) and the subsequent
Kingdom of Naples. Over the years, the family came to hold the highest political and military positions in the
Kingdom of Sicily first and then in the
Kingdom of Naples, finally coming to own a total of six principalities, eight duchies, two marquisates, sixteen counties and over 120 baronies. It was also awarded the
Grandee of Spain, the
Order of the Golden Fleece and other illustrious Orders of Chivalry and, in 1444, it was received into the
Order of Malta. Among others, it enjoyed nobility in
Benevento,
Messina,
Naples in the Seats of
Capuana and Nido,
Palermo and
Trani in the Seat of Campo. The family eventually branched out into the following lines: Princes of
Arianello, Princes of
Satriano, Counts of Avellino, Lords of Lapio and Lords of Vietri in the
Kingdom of Naples, Princes of Cutò, Princes of
Mirto, Princes of
Santa Flavia and Dukes of Pino in the
Kingdom of Sicily, and
Candida Gonzaga.
Princes of Cutò of the Princes of Cutò branch The first to be invested with the Principality of Cutò was Alessandro Filangieri,
Marquis of Lucca Sicula, who married Giulia Platamone, heiress of the fiefdom, in 1706. Among the Princes of Cutò there was another
Alessandro, Captain and
Justiciar of
Palermo in 1726 and,
Girolamo, also Captain and Justiciar in 1743 and gentleman of the chamber of King
Charles III of Spain. The branch boasted various Viceroys and Lieutenants, including Alessandro Filangieri and his son
Niccolò Filangieri. Their main residences were the
Palazzo Cutò located in
Bagheria in
Via Maqueda, designed by
Giacomo Amato, with a staircase built by the architect
Giovanni Del Frago, and the Palazzo Cutò in
Corso Vittorio Emanuele, opposite the
Palermo Cathedral, whose façade is by the architect
Emmanuele Palazzotto in 1836. Teresa Mastrogiovanni Tasca Filangieri di Cutò, mother of the poet
Lucio Piccolo, Baron of Calanovella, son of Giuseppe, and his sister Beatrice, mother of the writer
Giuseppe Tomasi, 11th Prince of Lampedusa, 12th Duke of Palma, belonged to this branch. == Notable members ==