Prince of Biscari () is a title in the Kingdom of Sicily, held by the head of one branch of the House of Paternò, a major Sicilian noble family, originally a cadet branch of the House of Barcelona.
The title was created by the grant of a Letters Patent from King Philip IV of Spain on 21 June 1633, which was bestowed upon the Baron of Biscari, Don Agatino Paternó Castello.Gaetani, Francesco Maria Emanuele, Marquis of Villa Bianca, Of Noble Sicily, Palermo, 1754, Book 1, Part 2 Of Noble Sicily
He is known chiefly for having raised the fief of Biscari out of the marshy valleys subject to deadly malariaHistory of Acate and for marrying the daughter of the Baron Vincenzo Paternó Castello.
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.
Their great-grandson, named Vincenzo, would become known for having restored the town, and especially the castle, after severe earthquake damage in 1693.
In 1938, the town of Biscari changed its name to Acate.
Coat of arms The coat of arms displayed by the princes of Biscari is: Royal arms of Aragon differenced by a bendlet azure (Or, four pallets gules overall a bendlet azure) (House of Paternò), impaling the canting arms of Castello: Azure, a castle double-towered argent supported by two dragons.Castles in Sicily
Lords of Biscari Matteo Mazzone – 1408 (creation) Bernardo Caprera – 1410 Antonio del Castello – 1416 Corrado – 1453 Gutierrez – 1465 Guglielmo – 1479 Giovanello (grandson of) – 1528 Vincenzo – 1555 Ferdinando – 1566
Lords of Biscari (House of Paternò), 1578 Orazio Paternó Castello (son of Giovanello and Francesca del Castello) – 1578
Barons of Biscari (House of Paternò), 1604 Francesco Paternó Castello – 1604 Vincenzo Paternó Castello – 1609
Princes of Biscari (House of Paternò), 1633
Agatino Paternò-Castello, 1st prince of Biscari since 1633 (1594–1675) Vincenzo Paternò-Castello, 2nd prince of Biscari (1630–1675) Ignazio Paternò-Castello, 3rd prince of Biscari (1651–1700) Vincenzo Paternò-Castello, 4th prince of (1685–1749) Ignazio Paternò-Castello, 5th prince of Biscari (1719–1786) Vincenzo Paternò-Castello, 6th prince of Biscari (1743–1813) Ignazio Paternò-Castello, 7th prince of Biscari (1781–1844) Roberto Vincenzo Paternò-Castello, 8th prince of Biscari (1790–1857) Francesco Vincenzo Paternò-Castello, 9th prince of Biscari (1816–1867) Roberto Vincenzo Paternò-Castello, 10th prince of Biscari (1860–1930) Roberto Vincenzo Paternò-Castello, 11th prince of Biscari (1872–1947)He was the homonymous cousin of his predecessor. Giuseppe Paternò-Castello, 12th prince of Biscari (1908–19??) Ignazio Paternò-Castello, 13th prince of Biscari (1913–1965) Roberto Paternò-Castello, 14th prince of Biscari (1945–2023) Ignazio Paternò-Castello, 15th prince of Biscari (2023 – present)
Footnotes