Giovanni Carlo Tramontano, Count of Matera

The Baron Giovanni Carlo Tramontano of Sorrento was on October 1, 1497, given the city of Matera in the Southern Italy region of Basilicata as his county by the King in Naples, Ferdinand II of Aragon.

King Ferdinand II did announce on October 9, 1506, that he intended to remove counties and baronies from several counts and barons in the kingdom because he wanted to give them to a group of Spanish noblemen.

In hope of being able to keep his county Count Giovanni Carlo and his wife Countess Elisabetta Restigliano went to the royal court in Naples where the Countess gave the Queen a gold necklace with 25 very valuable pearls worth 700 ducats.

As a result, the King permitted Count Gian Carlo Tramontano of Matera to keep his county.

The King in Naples considered the murder of Count Gian Carlo a political assassination and a way to hit the throne.