The Roma family was founded by active aristocrats that dated from the thirteenth century in Crete and Venice. One of the first relations to Greek politics is given by Count Giorgio-Candiano II, who presided the Legislative Assembly of the Ionian Islands since 1850, as well as the Senate, becoming the main legal responsible for Ionian Islands Republic. Since then, the relation of the Roma family members to this kind of positions continued along time and covered many aspects.
Their political activity goes from being part of the Parliament to getting married to different personalities belonging to the royal class. The daughter of Count Giorgio-Cardiano II, Contessa Diamantina Roma is an example of the latter, although she also had a true interest in using their power in order to make some positive changes for those who could not reach an aristocratic position.
A few years after getting married to Sir George Bowen in 1856, he became first governor of Queensland. One of the first movements of Sir Bowen was to declare this state independent. So Diamantina assumed his position and took advantage of it in order to create and promote some entities destined to serve the popular class, like orphanages and hospitals, for which she has been remembered and appreciated.
Another outstanding member of the Roma family was Alexander Roma, who was President of the Greek Parliament. One of his most transcendent facts was his fight for the independence of Ioannina, for which he created the “Greek Red T-shirt” division. Therefore, his action range was taken beyond politics and implicated also some important military movements. He is remembered as a distinctive personality of Modern Greek politics and militarism.
Regarding the famous mansion of the Roma family, it is the one bought by the same Alexander in 1880, which was destined for the English government during the stage of English domination. Although this period went from 1816 to 1864, the mansion had been built by an English Vice Consul in charge of Zakynthos some time before, in 1660.Currently, the mansion of the Roma family has became a museum.
Although the earthquake in 1953 destroyed all the other elegant mansions and buildings, the Roma family mansion passed through that catastrophe, being just partly rebuilt. Because of that, it constitutes one of the few original remaining icons of the ancient Zakynthos architecture along with some churches, like Áyios Nikólaos, Áyios Dionysios and the charming chapel of Kyra ton Angelon.
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