Carafa or Caraffa is the name of an old and influential
Neapolitan aristocratic family of
Italian nobles,
clergy, and men of arts, known from the 12th century.[1][2]
History
The House of Carafa is a cadet branch of the noble
House of Caracciolo, one of the most prominent families of the
Neapolitan nobility. The family rose to prominence in the
Kingdom of Naples during the 14th century and established itself as one of the leading noble families of
southern Italy in the 15th century. Across the time, the family split in many lines, the most important being the Princes of Roccella, the Dukes of
Andria and Counts of
Ruvo, the Princes of Stigliano, the Dukes of Maddaloni, the Dukes of Nocera and the Dukes of Noja. The family gave sixteen
cardinals to the
Catholic Church, including one pope,
Paul IV.[3][4]
Fabrizio Carafa (died 1590), Duke of
Andria; murdered by composer
Carlo Gesualdo (1566–1613), Prince of
Venosa and Count of
Conza, for having an affair with Gesualdo's wife
Girolamo Caraffa (1564–1633), Marquis of Montenegro, a general in Spanish and Imperial service
Giuseppe Carafa (died 1647), Neapolitan aristocrat who was killed in July 1647 during the early stages of the
Revolt of Masaniello against Spanish Habsburg rule
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