A few fragments from the history of the Petazzi family

Abstract

The article presents a part of the well-known noble Petazzi or Petač family, which appeared in written sources as early as the 13th century. Primary focus is on the family branch named after the Švarcenek Castle, which became extinct upon the death of Adelmo Petazzi in 1817. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this family branch owned a vast portion of the Karst, including the Vremska dolina valley, Sežana and Divača. The Petazzis owned castles in the eastern part of present-day Slovenia (Strmol manor near Rogatec, Poganice, Novi dvor, Žusem). The family increased its property and reputation by marrying into other noble families, which is also evident from the fact that some members performed important functions in society.  Historiographically, the Petazzi family remains fairly under-researched.