Duke of Galliera is a title of Italian nobility that has been created several times for members of different families. The name of the title refers to the comune of Galliera, which is located in the Province of Bologna in Emilia–Romagna.
History The title was first created in 1812 by Napoleon I for Josephine of Leuchtenberg, daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais (and granddaughter of Napoleon's first wife, Josephine). She kept the title even after she married Oscar, Crown Prince of Sweden. Napoleon had already given her the Palazzo Caprara in Bologna in 1807, which was renamed the Palazzo Galliera.
In 1837, after a decade of negotiations, Crown Prince Oscar sold properties attached to the dukedom to Marquis Raffaele de Ferrari of Genoa. The following year, the marquis received the title of Duke of Galliera from Pope Gregory XVI (Galliera was then part of the Papal States). In 1839, King Charles Albert of Sardinia confirmed the grant to the marquis and added the title of Prince of Lucedio (a former abbey).
With his wife, Maria Brignole-Sale, the new Duke of Galliera had three children, but two of them died young and childless. The third, the famous philatelist Philipp von Ferrary, renounced the title and the inheritance to which it was linked.
In 1877, after the death of her husband, Maria Brignole-Sale (a fervent Orléanist) bequeathed his Italian properties to Prince Antoine, Duke of Montpensier, the youngest son of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French. After the death of Maria Brignole-Sale in 1888, Prince Antoine received the ducal title of Galliera from King Umberto I of Italy. Since then, the title of Duke of Galliera has belonged to the Orléans branch of the Spanish royal family, although the properties attached to the dukedom were sold by Infante Antonio in 1920.
Bernadotte-Leuchtenberg dukes Name Portrait Birth Marriages Death Josephine1812–1837 14 March 1807Milaneldest daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais and Princess Augusta of Bavaria 19 June 1823Stockholmfive children 7 June 1876Stockholmaged 69 Oscar1823–1837 4 July 1799Parisonly son of Charles XIV John of Sweden and Désirée Clary 8 July 1859Stockholmaged 60
Ferrari Brignole-Sale dukes Name Portrait Birth Marriages Death Raffaele de Ferrari1838–1876 6 July 1803Genoason of Andrea de Ferrari and Livia Ignazia Pallavicino c. 1828three children 23 November 1876Genoaaged 73 Maria de Brignole-Sale1876–1888 5 April 1811Genoadaughter of Antoine Brignole-Sale, Marchese di Groppoli and Arthemisa Negrone, of Genoa 9 December 1888Genoaaged 76
Orléans dukes Name Portrait Arms Birth Marriages Death Prince Antoine1888–1890 31 July 1824Château de Neuilly, Neuilly-sur-Seinefifth son of Louis-Philippe of France and Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain10 October 1846Madridten children 4 February 1890Palacio de Orleans-Borbón, Sanlúcar de Barramedaaged 65 Infante Antonio1890–1930 23 February 1866Sevilleonly surviving son of Antoine and Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain Infanta Eulalia of Spain6 March 1886Madridthree children 24 December 1930Parisaged 64 Infante Alfonso1930–1975 12 November 1886Madrideldest son of Antonio and Infanta Eulalia of Spain Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha15 July 1909St. Augustine's Church, Coburgthree children 6 August 1975Sanlúcar de Barramedaaged 88 Infante Álvaro1975–1997 20 April 1910Coburgeldest son of Alfonso and Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Carla Parodi-Delfino10 July 1937Romefour children 22 August 1997Monte Carloaged 87 Don Alfonso1997–present 2 January 1968Santa Cruz de Tenerifeeldest son of Don Alonso de Orleans-Borbón y Parodi-Delfino and Emilia Ferrara-Pignatelli Véronique Goeders28 March 1994Paris one son living
See also Duchess of Galliera Palais Galliera
Notes and references
History of the Duchy of Galliera. Dominique Paoli, Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Princes of Orleans, 1848-1918, Artena, 2006, p. 248. 248. Duke of Galliera Escapes. Appears in Italy from Madrid, where King was his Guardian. The New York Times. September 12 1919. Franco Ardizzoni, 'Il Ducato di Galliera, Dalle terre della "bassa" all'Europa'
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