From this very old and renowned family from Genoa came, just to mention a few, Bernardo, who commanded a galley during the war of Rapallo against the French; Antonio, governor of Corsica in 1520; Niccolò, Captain of Pieve di Teco in 1581-1582; and Tommaso, governor of La Spezia in 1734-1735.  Many of the Rovereto were also Senators of the Genoese Republic.

            In 1805, following the annexation of Liguria to Napoleon’s empire, Luigi Rovereto became one of Bonaperte’s barons, a lieutenant of the French cuirassiers, and a member of the Legion d’Honneur -the latter decoration exchanged for the Ordine Militare di Savoia after the fall of Napoleon and the incorporation of Liguria in the Kingdom of Sardinia, which Luigi served as a cavalry officer, and later as member of the Council of State.   His kinsman Francesco entered, also an officer (in this case of the Carabinieri), later became a Jesuit. Luigi’s son Carlo, a second lieutenant of the Granatieri di Sardegna, fell at the battle of Goito, 30 May 1848.  Apart from the armed forces, the Rovereto distinguished themselves as public administrators and as scholars.

            To another branch of the family belonged Antonio, initially a revolutionary and follower of the Italian patriot Giuseppe Mazzini.  In 1833 he fled to France after receiving a death sentence for conspiring against the Savoyard state, but was eventually pardoned and served as member of the Parlamento Subalpino (February-March 1849).  From the same branch came Pietro, one of Napoleon’s a cavalry officers and a veteran of the 1812 Russian campaign.  After 1814 he transferred to the King of Sardinia’s household guards.  One Antonio Rovereto was instead part of Genoa’s military garrison and active during the cholera epidemic of 1834.

            Today the Marquises Rovereto of Rivanazzano are very present in the Oltrepò, participating in many useful and prestigious initiatives.

castello di Nazzano di proprietà dei marchesi Rovereto