After the death of Skanderberg in 1468, the Turks were able to regain control of the region, although the Arberesh continued to stage numerous small rebellions and refused to pay taxes, serve in the Turkish army, or surrender their arms.  Many of the Arberesh army fled to Sicily.  Thinking that the Arberesh would be less defiant if they were converted from Christianity to Islam, the Turks pressured the Arberesh to convert under penalty of death, and about two thirds of the population did convert. 

The Flight to Sicily, and a Misnomer

A Turkish attack on the Himare area of Albania about 1485 forced a number of Arberesh families to the Adriatic coast, where they were able to escape the Turks by hiring ships from Venice to take them to Northern Sicily.  At first they were housed in temporary camps somewhere near the city of Palermo, but on August 30, 1488, a number of the Arberesh received permission from Cardinal Giovanni Borgia  (a nephew of Pope Alexander IV) to establish a permanent settlement near Palermo.  At first, the settlement was known simply as Hora, the Town, but later the settlement came to be known by the misnomer, Piana dei Greci, the Plain of the Greeks.  In 1941, Musolini  corrected the name of the village to Piana degli Albanesi, the Plain of the Albanians, to better reflect its history.

Matrangas in Piana dei Greci

The first Matranga recorded in Piana dei Greci appears in 1562, and Matranga remains a common surname in the village.

Damiano Matranga  is the first Matranga who can be linked directly to “”our” Matrangas.  He was born in Piana dei Greci about 1720.  He married Dominica Mandala , also born ca. 1720, and Giovanni Matranga  was among their children.

Giovanni Matranga, son of Damiano Matranga  and Dominica Mandala,  was born ca. 1754 in Piana dei Greci, and he married Caterina Manduci , born ca. 1760 in Piana dei Greci.  Damiano Dominico Matranga  was among their children.  Giovanni Matranga  died November 5, 1834, in Piana dei Greci. 

Damiano Dominico Matranga, son of Giovanni Matranga and Caterina Manduci,  was from Piana dei Greci, born January 18, 1784.  He married Maria Pinelli , who was born ca. 1789 , and Giovanni Matranga  was their son.  Maria Pinelli died April 10, 1829, and Damiano Dominico Matranga died March 11, 1865.

Maria Pinelli (aborve) was the daughter of Giacomo Pinelli  (born ca. 1750) and Maria Pillora  (ca. 1756 – March 15, 1826).  Maria Pillora was the daughter of Antonino Pillora  (born ca. 1730) and Margherita Vitanza  (born ca. 1735).  All were from Piana dei Greci.

Giovanni Matranga , son of Damiano Dominico Matranga and Maria Pinelli, was born ca. 1806 in Piana dei Greci.  He married Maria Riolo  (born May 25, 1825 in Piana dei Greci) on February 4, 1844.  They were the parents of Damiano Matranga .  Giovanni Matranga  died September 8, 1884.  Maria Riolo was the daughter of Giuseppe Riolo  and Maria Pulizzotto .

Giuseppe Riolo (above) was born ca. 1781and Maria Pulizzotto  was born ca. 1794.  Giuseppe Riolo died December 7, 1836, and his wife Maria Pulizzotto  died February 13, 1874.  Giuseppe Riolo was the son of Venazio Riolo  (ca. 1737 – April 6, 1823) and Anna Schiro  (ca. 1740 – before April, 1823).  Venazio Riolo was the son of Savirio Riolo  (born ca. 1720) and Rosaria Lipare (born ca. 1720).  Maria Pulizzotto  was the daughter of Antonino Pulizzotto  (born ca. 1750) and Anna Maria Barca  (also born ca. 1750.)  All were from Piana dei Greci, Sicily.  Giovanni Schiro  was one of the original settlers who received land grants from Cardinal Borgia in 1488.  The first recorded Riolo in Piana dei Greci is in 1599.

Damiano Matranga, son of Giovanni Matranga and Maria Riolo ,  was born ca. 1849 in Piana dei Greci, Sicily.  He married Anna Leotha (or Lota) , on October 25, 1868 in Piana dei Greci, and their children were:

Anna Lota (above) was born December 14, 1847, in Piana dei Greci, Sicily.  She was the daughter of Giuseppe Lota  and Rosalia Geraci .  Giuseppe Lota was born ca. 1808 in Piana dei Greci, and he died there on February 25, 1887.  He was the son of Antonino Lota  (born ca. 1770) and Maria Casa  (ca. 1780 – June 17, 1848).  Rosalia Geraci was born about 1814 in Piana dei Greci.  She was the daughter of Pietro Geraci  (ca. 1787 – August 17, 1837) and Anna d’Andrea (ca. 1790 – January 26, 1855).  Pietro Geraci was the son of Giorgio Geraci  (ca. 1740 – February 7, 1813) and Biaggia Cusimano (born ca. 1740).  Giorgio Geraci was the son of Antonino Geraci  (born ca. 1710) and Angela -----  (also born ca. 1710).  Giuseppe Lota and Rosalia Geraci were married in Piana dei Greci on December 6, 1831.  Anna d’Andrea  was the daughter of Antonio d’Andrea  (born ca. 1760) and Rosa Salerno  (born ca. 1760).

Maria Casa (above) was the daughter of Rosario Casa  (ca. 1745 – October 11, 1825) and Antonina d’Alia  (ca. 1751 – February 21, 1822).  Rosario Casa was the son of Nicolo Casa  (born ca. 1720) and Rosalia -----  (also born ca. 1720).  Antonina d’Alia was the daughter of Marco d’Alia  ( born ca. 1730) and Caterina Manduci  (also born ca. 1730).