The Princes of Mesolcina and Dukes of Alvito: Dynastic Succession of the House of Gonzaga Trivulzio Galli — Heraldry, Sovereignty, and Nobility from the 15th to the 21st Century

 

It is with great pleasure that the Princely House of Mesolcina, on behalf of His Serene Highness Prince Andrea III Gonzaga Trivulzio Galli, 18th Prince of Mesolcina, Mesocco, and the Holy Roman Empire, 21st Duke of Alvito, presents to everyone the book *The Princes of Mesolcina and Dukes of Alvito: Dynastic Succession of the House of Gonzaga Trivulzio Galli — Heraldry, Sovereignty, and Nobility from the 15th to the 21st Century.

The work of Professor Agostino Borromeo, Count of Arona, who left it virtually finished, but unfinished at the time of his death in 2023, has been revisited, revised, and now published by Professor Dr. John D. Charmley, PhD in History.
This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the dynastic history, succession, and international recognition of the Princely and Ducal House of Gonzaga Trivulzio Galli of Mesolcina and Alvito. Tracing its origins from the Trivulzio family of Milan, through the dynastic settlement of 1681 (Bulla Ferrea) confirmed by Emperor Leopold I, to its continuation under the Capetian-descended Galli of Alvito, the work reconstructs five centuries of sovereignty, heraldry, and nobility.
Drawing upon archival sources, imperial decrees, papal briefs, European nobility almanacs (including the Annuaire de la Noblesse de France), and dynastic law, the book demonstrates the legitimacy of succession from the Trivulzio line to the Gonzaga Trivulzio Galli heirs. Particular attention is given to the legal frameworks of dynastic adoption, the status of immediate imperial fiefs within the Holy Roman Empire, and the recognition of the family’s sovereign status by the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
The volume includes critical biographies of each Prince of Mesolcina (1480–present), extensive footnotes, and appendices reproducing key historical documents such as the 1681 Imperial Decree, the 1880 Austrian recognition of extraterritorial rights, and the 1920 Royal Decree of Yugoslavia.
This work contributes to the fields of dynastic studies, heraldry, and European legal history, while also addressing modern misconceptions spread in non-academic contexts. It affirms the House of Gonzaga Trivulzio Galli as a legitimate sovereign dynasty with uninterrupted continuity from the 15th century to the present day.