House of Sanseverino

The House of Sanseverino (also known as San Severino) was an Italian noble family that played a prominent role in the Kingdom of Sicily (prior to the War of the Sicilian Vespers) and were one of the seven great families in the Kingdom of Naples. The Marcellinara branch of this family continues to the present day.

History
The Sanseverino family originates from the Norman knight Turgisio of Arnes, an alleged descendant of the House of Normandy, who was invested with the county of Rota by Robert Guiscard in 1061. The name Sanseverino originates from the castle in Mercato San Severino which Turgisio adopted as his surname.

The family owned 300 fiefs, 40 counties, nine marquisates, twelve duchies and ten principalities, primarily located in Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, and Apulia. From this family emerged cardinals, viceroys, marshals and condottieri.