House of Gravina


The House of Gravina was a noble family of Norman origins, with roots stretching back to Rollo, the first ruler of Normandy.

History

The house was founded by Silvano, owner of the land of Gravina in modern-day Apulia, from which he and his descendants took the name. King Martin I of Sicily, on 20 November 1405, formally recognised the family's noble Norman origins by issuing a diploma upon Giacomo of Gravina. Following the charter, Giacomo chose to relocate the family to Sicily, where the King allowed him and his descendants to be buried in the Royal Chapel of Catania, now known as Basilica della Collegiata.

Heraldry

The house's coat of arms is emblazoned as "Azure, two bends Or, a mullet of ten points in sinister chief Argent". Its motto was "Spero", which translates to "I hope" from Italian.