Sebastiano Nicola Buonaparte

Nobile Sebastiano Nicola Buonaparte or Sebastiano Nicola di Buonaparte (September 29, 1683, Ajaccio – bef. November 1720 or November 24, 1760, Ajaccio) was the father of Giuseppe Maria Buonaparte, grandfather of Carlo Buonaparte, great-grandfather of Louis Bonaparte and of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Family and ancestry

He was a son of a senior Giuseppe Maria Buonaparte (1663–1703) and Maria Colonna di Bozzi (c. 1668–October 16, 1704). His father had served as an Elder of the council of Ajaccio.

His paternal grandparents were Carlo Maria Buonaparte (1637–1692), also an Elder, and his wife Virginia Odone. Carlo had served as an Elder of the council of Ajaccio for various terms from 1666 to his death. Virginia was a daughter of merchant Pietro Odone by noble Constanza Pozzo di Borgo.

His maternal grandparents were Antonio Colonna di Bozzi, Signori dell Altu Taravu and his wife Giustina Lomellini. Whether they had any relation to the Colonna family, of which Pope Martin V was a member, is uncertain.

His namesake great-grandfather Sebastiano Buonaparte (1603–1642/1643) had served as Elder in the council from 1620. He became a Chancellor of Ajaccio in 1633. His great-grandmother was Maria Rastelli, daughter of Domenico Rastelli.

Sebastiano was a son of Francesco Buonaparte (c. 1570–1633) and Camilla Catacciolo. Francesco has served as an officer in the military forces of the Republic of Genoa. He was appointed a "Colonel Commander" of his own Regiment in Corsica. His rank was the equivalent of a Brigadier.

Francesco was a son of politician Geronimo Buonaparte (c. 1550–1650) and his wife Pellegrina Calvari. A centenarian at his time of death, Francesco had served in various positions in the council of Ajaccio and the Senate of Ajaccio throughout his life. He became the Head of the Council in 1594.

Geronimo was a son of Gabriele Buonaparte (d. 1589) and Francesca Montano, a Patrician.

Gabriele was a son of a senior Francesco Buonaparte (d. 1540), nicknamed "il Moro" (the Moor) and his wife Caterina da Castelletto. Francesco was a nobleman from Sarzana and had served as a mercenary horse arbalester in the army of the Banco di S. Giorgio. He was assigned to Corsica in 1490 and married his wife there a year later. She was a daughter of Guido da Castelletto, the local representative of San Giorgio. Francesco retired in the 1510s and settled permanently in Corsica, becoming the founder of the Corsican line of Buonapartes.

The Buonapartes were a branch of the Cadolingi di Borgonuovo family, lords of Fucecchio in Tuscany from the 10th century onwards. Their line had settled in Sarzana since before 1264.

Life

Sebastiano was named an Elder (Anziano) of the Council of the City of Ajaccio on 20 April 1720.

On 17 December 1708 at Ajaccio, Sebastiano married Nobile Maria-Anna Tusoli (1690, Bocognano – 17 September 1760, Ajaccio), daughter of Nobile Carlo Tusoli and Isabella N. They had six children:

• Nobile Paola Maria Buonaparte (25 August 1710, Ajaccio – ?). Married first at Ajaccio, 29 June 1737 Pietro Ternano (? – bef. 1750); second in 1750 Nobile Michele Angelo Durazzo-Fozzani, General of the Independent Army of Corsica (1698, Fozzano – ca 1755); thirdly at Ajaccio, 14 January 1756 Gaetano Alata (August, 1735 – ?)
• Nobile Maddalena Buonaparte (ca 1712, Zigliara – ?). Married in 1736 Frederick (de) Drost Freiherr von Moersbruck, relative of Theodor Stephan Freiherr von Neuhoff, King Elected of Corsica
• Nobile Giuseppe Maria Buonaparte (31 May 1713, Ajaccio – 13 December 1763).
• Nobile Napoleone Buonaparte (ca 1717 – 17 August 1767/1768). Married in 1743 Maria Rosa da Bozzi (9 July 1725, Ajaccio – ?). Chief of the Council of Elders of Ajaccio since 1764. Killed in battle against the invading French forces attempting to capture Corsica.
• Nobile Monsignor Luciano Buonaparte (8 January 1718, Ajaccio – 15 October 1791, Ajaccio). Archdeacon of the Cathedral of the Diocese of Ajaccio in 1771 and Canon of the Cathedral of the Diocese of Ajaccio.
• Nobile Carlo Sebastiano Buonaparte (posthumously, 19 October 1720, Ajaccio – 20 October 1720, Ajaccio).