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GHERARDINI

This Florentine family was a branch of Ferrara-Modena of the House d'Este

[GHER281] Cosimo Gherardini m. ?
. [GHER291] Mathias Gherardini m. ?
. . [GHER301] Lord Othoer of Tuscany m. ?
. . . [GHER311] Gherardine m. ?
. . . . [GHER321] Dominus Other m. ?
. . . . . [WIND331] Walter FitzOther of Windsor m1. Beatrice

35.  [GHER281] Cosimo Gherardini (born c.870).

34.  [GHER291] Mathias Gherardini (born c.900).

33.  [GHER301] Othoer, Baron of Gherardini (born at Gherardini, c.934), Baron of Gherardini, Lord of Tuscany. Possibly died 996.

32.  [GHER311] Gherado Gherardini (born at Florence, c.985), Baron of Gherardini, Lord of Tuscany.

31.  [GHER321] Other/Otho (born at Florence, c.1010), Dominus, Lord of Tuscany, Lord of Windsor. He is believed to have joined King Cnut's retinue in Florence on its was back from Rome having had an audience with Pope, and returned with him as far as Normandy, later moving on to Britain. Cnut first visited Rome (1027) to attend the coronation of EMPEROR CONRAD II (whose son Heinrich the black subsequently married [29th June 1036] Cnut's daughter Gunhilda).

30.  [WIND331] Walter FitzOther (born in Britain, c.1037, son of Otto), is described under WINDSOR.

According to an Italian web-site, www.geraldini.com, there is the possibility this origin was a fabrication on the part of an Irish priest of this family (possibly Maurice FitzGerald), who visited Florence (1143) and returned with this history. According to this web-site, three brothers, Tommaso, Gherardo and Maurizio Gherardini, left Florence because of discords in the city, and accompanied the King of England to assist with the conquest [?actually colonisation] of Ireland. The name Otho had been altered later to Other to give it a more Italian sound to it. It also comments on the name Gherardini, stating that Gerald of Wales (grandson of Walter FitzOther) spelled it Giraldidae in its Latin form. In other words, Gerald and not Gerard, but suggests that Walter FitzOther may have considered “Geraldini” as being the same as “Gherardini”.