When the Cotoner family grew in numbers, some of its members left
Tuscany and established
branches in various other places. Some went to
Ascoli, where they founded and built the
Castle of Monte Pastillo [
it] in
Sicily, where they held the principality of Castelnuovo and Santa Caterina, keeping the memory of their
Signoria del Cotoné in the Republic of Siena.[2][3][4][5]
One of those branches was to become one of the so-called "Nou Cases" (meaning Nine Houses)[6] in the
Kingdom of Majorca, for there were nine "nobilis et Antique familiae'". These nine families were also incorporated into the
Nobility governing and legislative bodies, like all the other houses, of the Kingdom but differed by the quality of their
lineage.[7]
Settlement in Majorca
Bernardo Cotoner is first documented in the
Kingdom of Majorca when setting up a "beneficio" for the
Parish of Santa Eulalia and then again on
1363, acquiring a farmhouse ("alqueria") in
Valldemossa. On July 23, 1370
Letters patent were issued by
Peter IV of Aragon confirming tax exception as well as their nobility for them participants in the conquest and his successors.[1]
His son Nicolas Cotoner y Genovard had three sons: Nicolas, Bernardo y Gabriel Cotoner y Saguals, setting up three distinct branches.[8]Bernardo Cotoner y Saguals earned on July 18, 1463, for his merits and services, privilege for perpetuity in the "braç militar" of the Kingdom of Mallorca.[9]
It will be however, the great-grandson of Nicolas Cotoner y Saguals, Antonio Cotoner y Vallobar who will effectively consolidate the influence of the family. Antonio had been acting in the
Res publica of his country, having demonstrated special talents and deserving the trust of the sworn
representatives of the
city and the Kingdom of Majorca to perform an important
commission.[10]Perpetual privilege was issued in October 18, 1569 effectively knighted 1572 by
Philip II of Spain.[1]
Of special relevance, is the historic and close relationship of this family with the
Knights Hospitaller also known as
Order of Malta with the ascension of Raphael and Nicolas Cotoner to the
sovereign dignity of Grand Masters.[11]
^Mango di Casalgerardo, Antonino (1915).
Il Nobiliario di Sicilia, Volume 2 (in Italian). Forni. pp. 54, 244 y 299.
ISBN0341643203.
9780341643203. Retrieved 15 April 2019. Godette nobiltà in Messina ed in Palermo. Possedette i principati di Castelnuovo e di Villermosa, i marchesati di Altamira e di Analista, le contee di Bavuso e di Naso, le baronie di Linguaglossa, Rapani, Fiumefreddo, San Basile, Lauro, Giardinello ecc.
^"Scansano" (in Italian). Siena: Toscana.info. Le prime notizie del Castello e Corte di Montorgiali si hanno in una bolla di
Clemente III dell'anno 1188 diretta al Vescovo di Grosseto. Il Castello, di aspetto possente data la sua struttura a facciavista, fu costruito in vetta ad un poggio e presenta ancora oggi importanti finestre ad arco e mensole di piombatoi ormai spariti. Il Castello ed il Borgo seguirono le vicissitudini derivanti dalle ostilità fra gli Aldobrandeschi del ramo di Santa Fiora e la Repubblica di Siena. I Conti di Montorgiali, dapprima Vassalli degli Aldobrandeschi, nel 1224 si schierarono con Siena e sostennero costose guerre che li costrinsero, per fronteggiare le spese, a cedere diritti di alcuni beni fra i quali Castiglioncello e relativo distretto. Nell'anno 1378 Montorgiali fu venduto alla Repubblica di Siena.