The Malaspina of Fosdinovo
The first Malaspina on record, was Alberto, direct descendant of Oberto, founder of the noble and distinguished family of Obertenghi (945 AD). The origin of the name is the subject of many theories and legends. One, shown in a painting in the the castle, traces the origin to 540 AD when the young noble Accino Marzio revenged the death of his father by surprising the sleeping King of the Franks, Teodoboerto, by slashing his throat with a thorn. The desperate cry of the King "Ah! Mala Spina (bad thorn) " gave rise to the surname and then the family motto " Sum bona spina malis sum mala spina bonis”.
The son of Alberto, marquis Obizzo, was one of the most famous in the days of Federico Barbarossa. He was the first to fight against Frederico Barbrossa, with the help of surrounding rebel towns, then, when Frederico took the upper hand, supporting and fighting against Milan (1157).
In 1221 the family was divided into two branches, the Malaspina dello Spino Secco and the Malaspina dello Spino Fiorito. The latter was assigned, among others, the feudal estate of Fosdinovo.
The formal transfer of all land, districts and jurisdictions by the Nobles of Fosdinovo to Spinetta Malaspina didn’t occur until 1340.
Another famous resident of Fosdinovo was the grandson Galeotto, the son of his brother Azzolino, who married Argentina Grimaldi and later became a famous jurist. His Tomb is without a doubt the most important work of art kept inside the Church of San Remigio.
The Malaspina of Spino Fiorito then ruled the prestigious feudal estate of Fosdinovo without interruption for nearly five centuries. Only the events of the French Revolution put an end to their domination, ending with the annexation by Francy, of the Cisalpine Republic, a portion of Northern Italy. It was to be only a brief pause in the history of Fosdinovo.
As a result of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, the former Malaspina feudal territories were incorporated in the Duchy Estense-Modenese. After the revolution of 1848, Fosdinovo was under a first provisional government. But the following year the new Austrian government restored Estenses which lasted until 1859. Fosdinovo then fell under the second interim government, which lasted until the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
With the death of Carlo Emanuele, the property passed to Marquis Giuseppe Azzolino who tried to sell it to a notary. It would certainly have been demolished, if it had not been for the intervention of the house duke of Modena who, substituting the buyer, prevented the destruction of one of the most beautiful castles in the Lunigiana. It was then bought by the hospital of Fosdinovo. In 1866 it was finally and permanently, regained by the Marquis Carlo, the son of Torquato, who returned it to the family who had kept it for nearly a millennium. At his death, Fosdinovo was inherited by his brother Alfonso, who, not having children, left it to his nephew Alessandro, son of his sister Cristina, who was married to Filippo Torrigiani, senator of the kingdom. Along with goods Alessandro it acquired the surname. Alessandro was succeeded by his son Carlo Filippo Torrigiani Malaspina. He was responsible for all the restoration work that lasted from 1960 to 1965, returning the castle to its original splendor after the devastating bombing of the Second World War.
Fosdinovo’s current owner, The Marquis Vieri Torrigiani Malaspina, has continued the restoration begun by his father with inexhaustible passion and loving care in the maintenance of his castle.
Driven by the same passion, his children Vanni and Pietro Torrigiani Malaspina have now formed an association in order to continute the work done by their father. They aim to maintain the structure, tradition and history of the castle as well as opening it to events and initiatives of cultural interest, ensuring Fosdinovo will always remain one of the most important and fascinating places in all of Tuscany.
