House of Cotoner
The House of Cotoner is a noble house distinguished in the service of the Spanish Monarchy until the 20th century. History. Italian origins. The house's origins go back to the Italian city state of Republic of Siena (Italy), also known as """". When the Cotoner family grew in numbers, some of its members left Tuscany and established branches in various other places. Some went to Ascoli, where they founded and built the in Sicily, where they held the principality of Castelnuovo and Santa Caterina, keeping the memory of their Signoria del Cotoné in the Republic of Siena . One of those branches was to become one of the so-called "Nou Cases" (meaning Nine Houses) in the Kingdom of Majorca, for there were nine ""nobilis et Antique familiae'"". These nine families were also incorporated into the Nobility governing and legislative bodies, like all the other houses, of the Kingdom but differed by the quality of their lineage. Settlement in Majorca. "Bernardo Cotoner" is first documented in the Kingdom of Majorca when setting up a ""beneficio"" for the Parish of Santa Eulalia and the again on 1363, acquiring a farmhouse (""alqueria"") in Valldemossa. On July 23, 1370 Letters patent  were issued by Peter IV of Aragon confirming tax exception as well as their nobility for them participants in the conquest and his successors. His son Nicolas Cotoner y Genovard had three sons: Nicolas, Bernardo y Gabriel Cotoner y Saguals, setting up three distinct branches. "Bernardo Cotoner y Saguals" earned on July 18, 1463, for his merits and services, privilege for perpetuity in the ""braç militar"" of the Kingdom of Mallorca. It will be however, the great-grandson of "Nicolas Cotoner y Saguals", Antonio Cotoner y Vallobar who will effectively consolidate the influence of the family. "Antonio" had been acting  in the Res publica of his country, having demonstrated special talents and deserving the trust of the sworn representatives of the city and the Kingdom of Majorca to perform an important commission. Perpetual privilege was issued in October 18, 1569 effectively knighted 1572 by Philip II of Spain. Of special relevance, is the historic and close relationship of this family with the Knights Hospitaller also known as Order of Malta with the ascension of Raphael and Nicolas Cotoner to the sovereign dignity of Grand Masters.