The Delle Piane family is an old Genoese noble family first recorded in Polcevera in 1121.M. BERALDO, Casate liguri: Dellepiane, in "La Voce della Collegiata di N.S del Rimedio", Genova 1991, a. XLII, n. 2, p. 8. Over the past ten centuries it has produced many distinguished government officials, clerics, diplomats, soldiers and patrons.G. PALLAVICINO, Raccolto dalle famiglie genovesi, posti insieme da Giulio di Agostino Pallavicino che li ha riportati secondo gli anni per non cagionare confusioni et mormorationi, Genova 1634, B.C.B.G, m.., vol. III, p. 464, ad vocem "Piano", ID., altra copia in A.S.G.
The members of the house were part of the Genoese patrician class and of the ruling orders in Genoa and its dominions in the various institutional set-ups that succeeded one another over the centuries.
First, they became part of the civic nobility that played a leading role in the fortunes of the Commune of Genoa and in the creation of a "colonial empire" based on monopolies and trading bases dotted all over the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. Formerly supporters of the Ghibelline faction,G. ASCHERI, Notizie storiche intorno alla riunione delle famiglie in Alberghi, Genova 1846, p. 17; A. AGOSTO, Nobili e popolari, cit., p. 112. the Delle Piane family held government posts reserved for its political faction and engaged in trade and international finance in the Mediterranean and Europe.
Later, when constitutional reforms in 1528 gave rise to the aristocratic Republic of Genoa and the ancient factions were formally abolished, the Delle Piane family were included in the Liber Nobilitatis. From then, generation after generation through to the fall of the Republic, they were part of a "sovereign aristocracy" occupying positions at the top levels of economic and political power.
The most eminent branch of the family, which originated in Polcevera, still flourishes today, and continues to produce prominent entrepreneurs both in the socioeconomic life of Genoa and in a broader international context. In 2022, the Delle Piane family sold Rimorchiatori Mediterranei, the world's second-largest maritime towing companies, to MSC Group for €1 billion.
Medieval origins
The Delle Piane surname derives from a place called Planum in the Ceranesi area, attested in the diocesan curia of Morego,L.T. BELGRANO, Registrum Curiae, in Atti S.L.S.P., Genova 1862, vol. I, p. 28. later called ChianneL. TACCHELLA, I cavalieri di Malta in Liguria, Genova 1977, p. 115. and subsequently Piane di Polcevera in the medieval vernacular, and from Campum Planum, east of the city of Genoa.L.T. BELGRANO, cit., vol. II, pp. 272, 275, 681.
Dai più antichi documenti ecclesiastici e dagli atti notarili risulta per alcuni soggetti, proprietari di beni in Polcevera ed in Bisagno, l'uso indistinto dei cognomi de Plano e de Campo Plano (quest'ultimo destinato a cadere in disuso nel corso del XIII secolo), per cui non è da escludere una comune origine consortile legata a proprietà indivise
Cited in medieval documents as de Plano, de Campo Plano and de Planis, the members of the family had allodial and emphyteutic holdings in the three podestà jurisdictions outside the city walls – those of Voltri, Polcevera and Bisagno.L.T. BELGRANO, cit., vol. II, pp. 125, 264–265; ID., ll secondo registro della curia arcivescovile, in Atti S.L.S.P., Genova 1887, vol. XVIII, p. 22. Multiple family members occupied consular posts from 1197 onwards.A.S.G., ms. 102, c. 95; G. CIPOLLINA, Regesti di val Polcevera, Genova 1912, vol. I, p. 219.
As early as the 12th century there is mention of the Delle Piane family with regard to the rural Vassalage of the Bishop of Genoa, to whom they paid land tax, and around whom they gravitated. Oberto and Fulco de Planis de Pulcifera are recorded in 1254 in official deeds of the curia and documents dating to 1255 attest to their presence alongside Archbishop Gualtiero.L.T. BELGRANO, Il secondo registro, cit., pp. 407, 409, 411, 413. In the same period, they received land in Polcevera in emphyteusis from the Order of Malta.A.S.G., Notaio Corrado de Compagnono, c. 40v.; G. CIPOLLINA, cit., vol. Il-ILI, p. 272.
The genealogists recognize Oberto as the founder of the Polcevera line. The first member to hold significant posts in the government of the Republic was Oberto's son, Matteo, who is cited in official documents relating to the foundation of the church of San Nicolosio in Genoa (1305).
Various historic documents between the 12th and 13th centuries reveal that many members of the family held public office or devoted themselves to an ecclesiastical or military career, while for a long time also engaging in mercantile activities. Many are also cited as being overseas in the 13th–14th centuries: OttolinoF. FEDERICI, ibidem; G. PARODI, Annali storici di Sestri Ponente e delle sue famiglie, in Atti S.L.S.P., vol. XXXIV, Genova 1932, pp. 158–159, 163;L. BALLETTO, Notai genovesi in Oltremare, in "Collana storica di fonti e studi" diretta da G. PISTARINO, Università di Genova, Genova 1989, passim. (1277) a Laiazzo, an important port in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia; Matteo (1298) an official in Gazaria, a Genoese colony in the Crimea, and in Bonifacio in Corsica, etc.
The age of the lifetime Doges From 1339, the year in which Simone Boccanegra took power and was proclaimed the first lifetime Doge of Genoa and its dominions, the emerging populares faction acquired a predominant public role, occupying the majority of government posts and reserving the office of doge for its representatives alone. For this reason, many members of the family served on the Magnificent Council of Elders, the leading government magistracy flanking the doges or, during periods of foreign rule, the royal or ducal governors.
The descendant of Oberto I,G. GISCARDI, Origine e fasti delle nobili famiglie genovesi, Genova 1774, ms. vol. IV, p. 1642, B.U.G;A.M.G. SCORZA, Genealogia della famiglia Delle Piane di Novi Ligure originaria di Polcevera, Genova 1953, ms., tav. I, pp. 1–2 (doc.) Chiavari Biblioteca della Società Economica, fondo Scorza. known as Obertaccio, was Oberto II,G. CIPOLLINA, cit., vol. I, pp. 258–259.GB. DI CROLLALANZA, Dizionario storico blasonico delle famiglie nobili e notabili italiane, Pisa 1886, vol. III, p. 277;B. D'ANJOU DURAZZO, Elenco di tutte le famiglie patrizie esistenti e estinte di Genova, in "Rivista Araldica", Roma 1932, p. 49. who served on the Council of Elders for three consecutive mandates (1374–1404). He was then elected Knight of the Doge together with Giuliano di Savignone;C. CATTANEO, I politici, cit., p. 179.A.S.G., Diversorum Registri, reg. I, atto 240.F. FEDERICI, Famiglie che sono state in Genova e nel Genovesato prima dell'anno 1528 con molte altre delle Due Riviere, ms. prima metà XVII sec., vol. II, p. 541, Fondo Graberg, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Firenze; he then became commander of the army defending the ducal palace, where he resided permanently by virtue of his thirty-year mandate.G.L. BARNI, La divisione, cit., pp. 129, 132, 135;G. PETTI BALBI, Simone Boccanegra, cit., pp. 78–93. Dominus Dux lanuensium etc., et Consilium Antianorum, volentes procedere ad ellectionem faciendam de duobus probis millitum prefati Domini Ducis pro anno futuro, confisi si quidem de sufficentia et probitate Iuliani de Savignone et Obercacii de Planis de Pulcifera, ipsos et utrumque ipsorum ellegerunt et constituerunt in millites et pro millitibus dicti Domini Ducis pro anno uno proximo venturo in Kalendis mensis presentis Iulii inchoatoA.S.G., Diversorum Registri, reg. I, atto 240;During military operations against Bernabò and Galeazzo Visconti,G. CIPOLLINA, cit., vol. I, p. 204; A.S.G., Cartularium stipendiorum, n. 277; Obertaccio was taken prisoner near Rossiglione and ransomed by his brother, who obtained a loan from Gabriele Pallavicino and Adamo Spinola.A.S.G., notaio Gregorio Labaino, f. 7, atto 13;
Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the members of the family did not just hold prominent posts in the government of the Republic, and in the upper echelons of the military, but also continued trading and entrepreneurial activities, both in the dominions and overseas. Oberto, who had close ties with Doge Antoniotto Adorno, handled Genoa's diplomatic relations with the Duke of Orleans in 1394 in relation to the Convention of Savona. Later he agreed to cede some Genoese territories near Constantinople to the Turks, who had effectively already taken control of them.Acta Italica, raccolta di documenti sull'amministrazione pubblica in Italia, Fondazione per la storia amministrativa diretta da G.F. MIGLIO, Genova – Comune (sec. XI-1528), pp. 292–293.
Other members of the family, like Giacobo and Raimondo, forged ties with the Spain of John II of Aragon at the dawn of the 15th century. Antonio, during the French governorship of marshal Jean II Le Meingre, was elected Abbot of the People of the Podesteria of Voltri (1404),G. PARODI, Annali storici di Sestri Ponente e delle sue famiglie, in Atti S.L.SP., Genova 1904, vol. XXXIV, p. 279.A.S.G., Massaria Communis Ianuae, L.C., pp. 44, 46.G.B. CABELLA, Pagine voltresi, contributo per la storia medievale e moderna, Genova 1908, p. 29. an important post that entailed, among other things, making representations on the Podesteria's behalf to the central government, and guaranteeing the security and allegiance of the area.A.M. SALONE, Cogoleto. Nove secoli di storia, Cogoleto 1991, p. 29; He was summoned by Adorno regarding the refusal of the Duke of Milan to negotiate on the sovereignty of Genoa.A.S.G., notaio Cristoforo Revellino, a. 1384, f. 2, n. 414; Soon afterwards, in front of his brothers Battista, Pantaleo, Giacomo, Andrea, Pietro and Leonardo, he swore allegiance to the heir of the duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Sforza.G. CIPOLLINA, cit, vol. I, p. 305, vol. II, pp. 47, 68, 74.
It is well known that the Genoese noble families were accustomed to band together in Alberghi dei Nobili, private family groupings of noble blood that were, however, recognised by the law. Similar to clans, the members were united by common political and economic interests and used their cohesion to exert greater influence in public life and in the main trading bases. During the 15th century, in a Genoa wracked by increasingly bitter factional conflict, the family under Antonio banded together with other aristocratic and old Genoese families to form the Albergo degli Honesti (1378).
The aristocratic Republic of Genoa
In 1528 Andrea Doria completed institutional reforms that led to the founding of the aristocratic Republic of Genoa. Twenty-eight new alberghi ( ; family groupings inspired by the medieval ones, but in this case established by the government) were set up, and the members of the Genoese nobility included in the , the only people with the right to hold government office up to and including the post of doge, were distributed among them.E. GRENDI, I Balbi, una famiglia genovese tra Francia ed Impero, Torino 1997, pp. 4–5.