Heraldry

Coat of arms and titles

The Ruffo coat of arms is still carved today above the gate of the castle of Scilla. Alongside the shield, over the centuries the family accumulated a long list of titles in Calabria, in Sicily and at the court of Spain.

The coat of arms

Per fess indented (inchiavato) argent and sable, a chief charged with three scallop shells proper.

In plain words: the main part of the shield is divided by a line of wedges that interlock like the teeth of a key, alternating silver and black. This pattern, called inchiavato in Italian heraldry, is quite rare. The upper band, the chief, bears three shells.

The motto

OMNIA BENE

«All is well»: the motto attributed to the house.

Ancient privileges

Even before the year 1000 the family was known as the Magna Domus, the «great house», and was entitled to the style «di Calabria». The Counts of Catanzaro signed their charters with the formula Dei gratia comes Catanzarii, «by the grace of God Count of Catanzaro», a privilege usually reserved for ruling dynasties.

Principal titles

• Count of Catanzaro13th century, Pietro I
• Count of Sinopoli1333–1334, Guglielmo
• Prince of Scilla1578, Fabrizio
• Grandee of Spain of the first classwith the principality of Scilla
• Duke of Santa Cristinaline of the Princes of Scilla
• Duke of Guardia LombardaFulco's line
• Prince Ruffo di Calabria15 March 1928, Fulco

The blazon and motto follow the Wikipedia entry «Ruffo di Calabria»; the comital formula and the Magna Domus follow the writings of Giovanni Ruffo.