Ambrogio Santapau was a 16th-century Sicilian nobleman. Originally, marquis of Licodia, a title he inherited from his father Porzio, in 1563 King Philip II of Spain granted him the first title of a prince in Sicily as prince of Butera. He had loyally served the royal interests in Sicily as maestro giustiziere, Captain General, and President of Sicily (1546-1548). He was inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1548. As stratigotus of Messina, he vigorously defended Torre Faro against a pillaging expedition by Hayreddin Barbarossa. He had no offspring and was succeeded by his brother Francesco Santapau.[1]
It is likely the Santapau family descended from the branch that included the Catalan admiral Ponce or Ponzio de Santapau.
References
edit- ^ Della Sicilia nobile, Volume 1, by Francesco Maria Emanuele e Gaetani marchese di Villabianca, Carlo Crispo Moncada, Antonino Mango di Casalgerardo; 1754, page 15.