Rulers of Biscari

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The title, Prince of Biscari, was first created by the grant of a Letters Patent from King Philip IV of Spain on 21 June 1633, and was bestowed upon the Baron of Biscari, Agatino Paternó Castello.^[1] He is known chiefly for having raised the fief of Biscari out of the marshy valleys that were plagued by the deadly malaria^[2] and for marrying the daughter of of the Baron Vincenzo Paternó Castello.^[1] Agatino did not succeed to the title of Baron or Prince. He married the heiress of Vincenzo Paternó Castello, named Maria la Restia, and accordingly for their culture and times, assumed the rank and style of the first Prince of Biscari.^[1] Their great-grandson, named Vincenzo, would become known for having restored the town, and especially the castle, after severe earthquake damage in 1693.^[2] ^[3] In 1938, the town of Biscari changed its name to Acate.^[2] The current Prince of Biscari still lives in the Palazzo Biscari in Catania in Sicily.

1 Coat of arms and heraldry
2 Princes of Biscari
3 Barons of Biscari
4 Lords of Biscari
5 Footnotes

[edit] Coat of arms and heraldry

The coat of arms for the Princes of Biscari depicted their two-towered castle supported by two dragons.^[4] To this day, the head of the Paternó Castello family represents the Order of the Collar of Saint Agatha, an order of chivalry that dates back to the 12th Century.

[edit] Princes of Biscari

(with years indicating time of investiture)

Agatino Paternó Castello - 1633 - m. Maria la Restia
Vincenzo Paternó Castello e la Restia - m. Felice Gravina Cruyllas
Ignazio Paternó Castello e Gravina - 1676 - m. Lionora Paternó e Tornambene
Vincenzo II Paternó Castello e Paternó - 1700 - m. Anna Scamacca e Bonajuto
Ignazio II Paternó Castello e Scamacca - 1750 - m. Anna Maria Morso e Bonanni

The descendents of this dynasty would hold many other titles, most prominently among them Duke of Carcaci.