List of rulers of Montferrat

See Also: List of consorts of Montferrat.

The Marquisate of Montferrat (in brick red) in the context of late 15th century Italy.

Arms of Montferrat (House of Aleramo): Argent a chief gules.

The Arms of the Marquisate during the Palaeologi Dynasty.

The Marquises and Dukes of Montferrat^[1] were the rulers of a territory in Piedmont south of the Po and east of Turin called Montferrat. The March of Montferrat was created by Berengar II of Italy in 950 during a redistribution of power in the northwest of his kingdom. It was originally named after and held by the Aleramici. In 1574, Montferrat was raised to a Duchy by Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor (see Duchy of Montferrat).

[edit] Marquesses

William I (d. before 933)
Aleramo (933-967)
- William II, son and co-ruler
Otto I (967-991), son
William III (991-bef.1042), son
Otho II (bef.1042-c.1084), son
- Henry (d.1045), brother and co-ruler
William IV (c.1084-c.1100), son
Rainier (c.1100-c.1136), son
William V (c.1136-1191), son
Conrad (1191-1192), son
Boniface I (1192-1207), brother
William VI (1207-1225), son
Boniface II (1225-1253/55), son
William VII (1253/55-1292), son
John I (1292-1305), son

Main article: Palaiologos

Theodore I (1306-1338), nephew of John
John II (1338-1372), son
Otto III (1372-1378), son
John III (1378-1381), brother
Theodore II (1381-1418), brother
John Jacob (1418-1445), son
John IV (1445-1464), son
William VIII (1464-1483), brother
Boniface III (1483-1494), brother
William IX (1494-1518), son. (Father-in-law to Federico II, Duke of Mantua.)
Boniface IV (1518-1530), son, under the regency of his mother Anne of Alençon
John George (1530-1533), uncle
- Spanish occupation until 1536.

In 1536 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor granted the marquisate, despite competing claims from Savoy and from the Marquis of Saluzzo, to the Gonzagas. This was confirmed in 1559 by the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis.^[2]

Frederick Gonzaga (1536-1540), Duke of Mantua. Married to Margaret of Montferrat, daughter of William IX and Anne of Alençon, and Marchioness of Montferrat in her own right.
Francis I (1540-1550), Duke of Mantua, Marquess of Montferrat. Son of Margaret of Montferrat and Frederick Gonzaga.
William X (1550-1587), Duke of Mantua, Marquess, then (from 1574) Duke of Montferrat. Son of Margaret of Montferrat and Frederick Gonzaga
Vincent I (1587-1612), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of William X
Francis II (1612), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of Vincent I
Ferdinand I (1612-26), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of Vincent I.
Vincent II (1626-27), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Son of Vincent I.
War of the Mantuan Succession (1627-1631) - a portion was lost to Duchy of Savoy
Maria, Duchess of Montferrat 1612-61, also Duchess of Mantua 1627-1631. Daughter of Francis II.
Charles I, called "of Nevers", Duke of Montferrat (1627-1637), also Duke of Mantua and Nevers. Father-in-law of Maria, co-ruler with Maria and his son, Charles II.
Charles II, Duke of Montferrat (1627-1631), also Duke of Mantua and Nevers. Husband of Maria, son of and co-ruler with Charles I.
Charles III (1637-1665). Also Duke of Nevers until 1659. Son of Maria, grandson of both Charles I and Francis II.
Charles IV (1665-1708), Duke of Montferrat and Mantua. Son of Charles III.

^ "Marquess" (now normally "Marquis" for titles outside the British Isles) may also be rendered by the Germanic equivalent, Markgraf Margrave, the Latin Marchio and the Italian Marchese. Montferrat is also called Monferrato.
^ Fabbri, Paolo; Carter, Tim (1994), Monteverdi, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521351332, http://books.google.com/books?id=5zx7lsONuu8C&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23