Historical figure Doria

Born in: 0  - Died in: 0
The Doria family, originally D'Oria, originally from Genoa, is one of the most important noble families in the history of Italy. The historians and documents kept in Genoa in the Abbey of San Matteo, traditionally the family's noble church, date it back to the year 941.
Not being the Dorias, like most of the Genoese noble families, of feudal origin, their roots can be traced with difficulty before the tenth century, however, losing themselves in conjectures that touch the legend. However, it is worth recalling an anecdote that, for its diffusion, could hide a fund of truth: according to the vulgate, probably born from the need to attribute illustrious and feudal origins to a family that is probably autochthonous and has come to political power and possession of lordships from the trade, the Doria would derive their origins from an Arduino Viscount of Narbonne, who, falling from Genoa to go crusading to Jerusalem, fell seriously ill. Housed in the house of a widow of the De Volta family and cared for, he fell in love with one of his two daughters, Orietta, known as Oria, who finally had a son: Ansaldo who, from the mother's name, was called son of Oria. The names with which the Genoese pointed out their sons and then the descendants are in fact Auriae and D'Oria. This genitive after the name of baptism is precisely the form that used the annalists of the City to indicate the individual characters of the family; while to indicate them collectively, as a clan, they wrote illi de Auria: those of Oria, or D'Oria. Over time, however, the contracted denomination Doria prevailed with which the family is known.

It should be noted that the term "family", in the case of the Dorias as in that of other Genoese families of the time, is intended, rather than in the narrow sense of cohabiting nucleus, rather like a large group of people, composed of various nuclei families in the modern sense, who share common origins, constraints of interests or political alignment, area of ​​residence and sometimes, as in this case, also the surname. The model of this type of association is that of the so-called "Albergo dei Nobili" typical, as well as Genoa, also of other areas of Liguria and medieval Piedmont. In this regard, consider that some genealogists identify up to 40 lines within the family, and that at the battle of Meloria in 1284 250 Doria seems to participate. Inside the Doria, however, even the blood ties were always strong, given the constant habit of contracting marriages in the family.

The first Doria of which we have certain information are Ansaldo, born at the beginning of the century. XII, and the sons, including Simone. In this period the family already had large areas in the area of ​​Piazza San Matteo in Genoa, on which its buildings will rise.

The sources already describe the early Doria as prominent protagonists of the life of the Genoese town of the time: important merchants active in various areas of the Mediterranean, men of arms ready to defend and expand their interests and politicians engaged in city magistracies, such as the consulate. In particular, the political activity of the Dorias was oriented towards two objectives: to participate in the political life of the Genoese municipality and purchase feudal domains on areas often independent of Genoa (such as in the case of the so-called imperial fiefdoms) and subject only to the Dorias themselves. Initially these fiefs were placed in Liguria, particularly in the west, then expanding into the southern part of Piedmont and Sardinia.

Doria Visited places

Villa Il Torrione

 Via Galappatoio, 20 - 10064 Pinerolo - Turin
Wedding/Convention/Concert location

Villa Il Torrione is a complex of medieval origin located in the green of one of the largest private historical parks in Piedmont. Suites and apartments obtained from the renovation of the old... see

Offered services

Apartments / Rooms for rent / Bed&Breakfast, Location for Ceremonies and Conferences, Park / Labyrinth / Pond / Garden

Time period
1600s

Where
Italy, Turin