Cremona
Encyclopedia
- Cremonese redirects here. For the football team, see U.S. CremoneseU.S. CremoneseUnione Sportiva Cremonese is an Italian football club, based in Cremona. The club was founded in 1903. Cremonese played the 2005/2006 season in Serie B, having won Serie C1/A the previous season. However, in the 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Cremonese came out twenty-first, being therefore relegated...
.
Cremona is a city and comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, situated in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, on the left bank of the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
in the middle of the Pianura Padana (Po valley). It is the capital of the province of Cremona
Province of Cremona
The Province of Cremona is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Cremona.The province has an area of 1,771 km² and in 2008 census, had a population of 358,628. There are 115 comuni...
and the seat of the local City and Province governments. The city of Cremona is especially noted for its musical history and traditions, including some of the earliest and most renowned luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
s, such as Guarneri
Giuseppe Guarneri
Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, del Gesù was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri house of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and he has been called the finest violin maker of the Amati line...
and Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
.
Ancient
Cremona is first mentioned in history as a settlement of the CenomaniCenomani (Cisalpine Gaul)
The Cenomani , was an ancient tribe of the Cisalpine Gauls, who occupied the tract north of the Padus , between the Insubres on the west and the Veneti on the east. Their territory appears to have extended from the river Addua to the Athesis...
, a Gallic
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
(Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic) tribe that arrived in the Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
valley around 400 BC. However, the name Cremona dates back (most probably) to earlier settlers and puzzled the ancients, who gave many fanciful interpretations. In 218 BC the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
s established on that spot their first military outpost (a colonia
Colonia (Roman)
A Roman colonia was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of Roman city.-History:...
) north of the Po river, and kept the old name. Cremona and nearby Placentia (modern Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
, on the south bank of the Po), were founded in the same year, as bases for penetration into what became the Roman Province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of Gallia Cisalpina (Cisalpine Gaul
Cisalpine Gaul
Cisalpine Gaul, in Latin: Gallia Cisalpina or Citerior, also called Gallia Togata, was a Roman province until 41 BC when it was merged into Roman Italy.It bore the name Gallia, because the great body of its inhabitants, after the expulsion of the Etruscans, consisted of Gauls or Celts...
). Cremona quickly grew into one of the largest towns in northern Italy, as it was on the main road connecting Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
to Aquileia
Aquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
, the Via Postumia
Via Postumia
The Via Postumia was an ancient Roman road of northern Italy constructed in 148 BC by the consul Spurius Postumius Albinus Magnus.It ran from the coast at Genua through the mountains to Dertona, Placentia and Cremona, just east of the point where it crossed the Po River...
. It supplied troops to Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
and benefited from his rule, but later supported Marcus Iunius Brutus and the Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
in their conflict with Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, who, having won, in 40 BC confiscated Cremona's land and redistributed it to his men. The famous poet Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
, who went to school in Cremona, had to forfeit his ancestral farm ("too close to wretched Cremona"), but later regained it. The city's prosperity continued to increase until 69, when it was destroyed in the Second Battle of Bedriacum
Battle of Bedriacum
The Battle of Bedriacum refers to two battles fought during the Year of the Four Emperors near the village of Bedriacum , about from the town of Cremona in northern Italy...
by the troops of Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
, fighting to install him as Emperor against his rival Vitellius
Vitellius
Vitellius , was Roman Emperor for eight months, from 16 April to 22 December 69. Vitellius was acclaimed Emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors...
. Cremona was rebuilt with the help of Vespasian himself, but it seems to have failed to regain its former prosperity as it disappeared from history until the 6th century, when it resurfaces as a military outpost of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire during the Gothic War
Gothic War
Gothic War can refer to several periods of warfare between the Roman empire and the Goths, including:*Gothic War – Greuthungs and Thervings against the Eastern Roman Empire*Gothic War – Visigoths against the Western Roman Empire...
.
Early Middle Ages
When the LombardsLombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
invaded much of Italy in the second half of 6th century, Cremona remained a Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
stronghold as part of the Exarchate of Ravenna
Exarchate of Ravenna
The Exarchate of Ravenna or of Italy was a centre of Byzantine power in Italy, from the end of the 6th century to 751, when the last exarch was put to death by the Lombards.-Introduction:...
. The city expanded towards the north-west, with the creation of a great trenched camp outside the walls. In 603, it was conquered by the Lombard king Agilulf
Agilulf
Agilulf called the Thuringian, was a duke of Turin and king of the Lombards from 591 until his death.-Biography:A relative of his predecessor Authari, he was selected king on the advice of the Christian queen and widow of Authari, Theodelinda, whom he then married...
and again destroyed. Its territory was divided between the two duchies of Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
and Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
. However, in 615 queen Theodelinda
Theodelinda
Theodelinda, queen of the Lombards, was the daughter of duke Garibald I of Bavaria.She was married first in 588 to Authari, king of the Lombards, son of king Cleph. Authari died in 590. Theodelinda was allowed to pick Agilulf as her next husband and Authari's successor in 591...
, a devout Roman Catholic intent on converting her people, had Cremona rebuilt and re-installed a bishop there. Control of the city fell increasingly to its bishop, who became a Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
vassal after Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
's conquest of Italy. In this way, Cremona increased its power and its prosperity steadily and some of its bishops had important roles between the 10th and 11th centuries. Bishop Liutprand of Cremona
Liutprand of Cremona
Liutprand, also Liudprand, Liuprand, Lioutio, Liucius, Liuzo, and Lioutsios was a Lombard historian and author, and Bishop of Cremona....
was a member of the Imperial court under the Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
dynasty and Olderic gained strong privileges for his city from emperor Otto III
Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...
. Its economy was boosted by the creation of a river port out of the former Byzantine fortress.
However, the two bishops Lambert
Lambert of Cremona
Lambert of Cremona was a medieval Bishop of the Italian City of Cremona. He was a prince-bishop, but unpopular with his people, and his ineffective reign was a cause behind the loss of secular power on the part of the bishops of Cremona....
and Ubaldo created discord with the city's people. Emperor Conrad II
Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor
Conrad II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death.The son of a mid-level nobleman in Franconia, Count Henry of Speyer and Adelaide of Alsace, he inherited the titles of count of Speyer and of Worms as an infant when Henry died at age twenty...
settled the quarrel by entering in Cremona in 1037 together with the young Pope Benedict IX
Pope Benedict IX
Pope Benedict IX , born Theophylactus of Tusculum, was Pope on three occasions between 1032 and 1048. One of the youngest popes, he was the only man to have been Pope on more than one occasion and the only man ever to have sold the papacy.-Biography:Benedict was born in Rome as Theophylactus, the...
.
Commune
Under Henry IVHenry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
, Cremona refused to pay the oppressive taxes requested by the Empire and the bishop. According to a legend, the great gonfaloniere (mayor) Giovanni Baldesio of Cremona faced the emperor himself in a duel. As Henry was knocked from his horse, the city was saved the annual payment of the 3 kg. golden ball, which, for that year, was instead given to Berta, Giovanni's girlfriend, as her dowry. The first historical news about a free Cremona is from 1093, as it entered into an anti-Empire alliance led by Mathilde of Canossa, together with Lodi, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
. The conflict ended with the defeat of Henry IV and his famous humiliation of Canossa to Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II , born Otho de Lagery , was Pope from 12 March 1088 until his death on July 29 1099...
in 1098. Cremona gained the Insula Fulcheria, the area around the nearby city of Crema, as its territory.
From this time, the new commune warred against nearby cities to enlarge its territory. In 1107, Cremona conquered Tortona
Tortona
Tortona is a comune of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines.-History:...
, but four years later its army was heavily defeated near Bressanoro. As in many northern Italian cities, the people were divided into two opposing parties, the Guelphs, who were stronger in the new city, and the Ghibellines, who had their base in the old city. The parties were so irreconcilable that the former built a second Communal Palace, the still existing Palazzo Cittanova ("new city's palace").
When Frederick Barbarossa descended into Italy to assert his authority, Cremona sided with him in order to gain his support against Crema, which had rebelled with the help of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. The subsequent victory and its loyal imperial stance earned Cremona the right to create a mint for its own coinage in 1154.
In 1162, Imperial and the Cremonese forces assaulted Milan and destroyed it. However, in 1167 the city changed side and joined the Lombard League
Lombard League
The Lombard League was an alliance formed around 1167, which at its apex included most of the cities of northern Italy , including, among others, Crema, Cremona, Mantua, Piacenza, Bergamo, Brescia, Milan, Genoa, Bologna, Padua, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Treviso, Venice, Vercelli, Vicenza, Verona,...
. Its troops were part of the army that, on May 29, 1176, defeated Barbarossa in the Battle of Legnano
Battle of Legnano
The Battle of Legnano was fought on May 29, 1176, between the forces of the Holy Roman Empire, led by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, and the Lombard League.-The Lombard League:...
. However, the Lombard League did not survive this victory for long. In 1213, at Castelleone
Castelleone
Castelleone is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 50 km southeast of Milan and about 30 km northwest of Cremona...
, the Cremonese defeated the League of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Lodi, Crema, Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
, Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
and Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
. In 1232, Cremona allied itself with Emperor Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
, who was again trying to reassert the Empire's authority over Northern Italy. In the Battle of Cortenuova
Battle of Cortenuova
The Battle of Cortenuova was fought on 27 November 1237 in the course of the Guelphs and Ghibellines Wars: in it, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II defeated the Second Lombard League.-Background:...
, the Cremonese were on the winning side. Thereafter Frederick often held his court in the city. In the Battle of Parma
Battle of Parma
The Battle of Parma was fought on February 18, 1248 between the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the Guelphs. The Guelphs attacked the Imperial camp when Frederick II was away. The Imperial forces were defeated and much of Frederick's treasure was lost.-Background:The free commune of...
, however, the Ghibellines suffered a heavy defeat and up to two thousand Cremonese were made prisoners. Some year later Cremona took its vengeance by defeating Parma's army. Its army, under the command of Umberto Pallavicino, captured Parma's carroccio
Carroccio
A Carroccio was a four-wheeled war altar, mounting a large vexillum standard, drawn by oxen, used by the medieval republics of Italy. It was a rectangular platform on which the standard of the city and an altar were erected; priests held services on the altar before the battle, and the trumpeters...
and for centuries kept the enemy's trousers hanging from the Cathedral's
Cathedral of Parma
Parma Cathedral is a cathedral church in Parma, Emilia-Romagna . It is an important Italian Romanesque cathedral: the dome, in particular, is decorated by a highly influential illusionistic fresco by Renaissance painter Antonio da Correggio....
ceiling as a sign of the rival's humiliation.
In 1301 the troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
Luchetto Gattilusio
Luchetto Gattilusio
Luchetto Gattilusio was a Genoese statesman, diplomat, and man of letters. As a Guelph he played an important role in wider Lombard politics and as a troubadour in the Occitan language he composed three poems descriptive of his times.-Poetry:...
was podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
of Cremona. During this period Cremona flourished and reached a population of up to 80,000, larger than the 69,000 of 2001.
Seignory
In 1266, Pallavicino was expelled from Cremona, and the Ghibelline rule ended after his successor Buoso da Dovara relinquished control to a consortium of citizens. In 1271 the position of Capitano del Popolo ("People's Chieftain") was created. In 1276 the signore passed to marquis Cavalcabò Cavalcabò, who in 1305 was succeeded by his son Guglielmo Cavalcabò, who held power until 1310. During this period many edifices were created or restored including the belfry of the TorrazzoTorrazzo of Cremona
The Torrazzo of Cremona is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Cremona. At 112.7 metres , it is the third tallest brickwork bell tower in the world, the first being the tower of St. Martin's Church in Landshut, Bavaria, the second being that of the Church of Our Lady in Bruges, Belgium...
, the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church of San Francis, the Cathedral's transepts and the Loggia dei Militi. Moreover, agriculture was boosted with a new network of canals. After some foreign invasions (notably that of Emperor Henry VII in 1311), the Cavalcabò lasted until November 29, 1322, when a more powerful family, the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
of Galeazzo I, came to prominence that in Cremona was to last for a century and a half. The Visconti's signore was interrupted in 1327 by Ludwig the Bavarian, in 1331 by John of Bohemia, and in 1403 by a short-lived return of the Cavalcabò. On July 25, 1406, the captain Cabrino Fondulo killed his employer Ubaldo Cavalcabò along with all the male members of his family, and assumed control over Cremona. Later, as he was revealed as unable to face the task, he ceded back the city to the Visconti for a payment of 40,000 golden florins.
Thus Filippo Maria Visconti
Filippo Maria Visconti
Filippo Maria Visconti was ruler of Milan from 1412 to 1447.-Biography:Filippo Maria Visconti, who had become nominal ruler of Pavia in 1402, succeeded his assassinated brother Gian Maria Visconti as Duke of Milan in 1412. They were the sons of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Gian Maria's predecessor, by...
made his signore hereditary. Cremona became part of the Duchy of Milan
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
, following its fate until the unification of Italy. Under the Visconti and later the Sforza Cremona underwent high cultural and religious development. In 1411 Palazzo Cittanova become the seat of the University of fustian
Fustian
Fustian is a term for a variety of heavy woven, mostly cotton fabrics, chiefly prepared for menswear. It is also used to refer to pompous, inflated or pretentious writing or speech, from at least the time of Shakespeare...
merchants. In 1441 the city hosted the marriage of Francesco I Sforza
Francesco I Sforza
Francesco I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the founder of the Sforza dynasty in Milan, Italy. He was the brother of Alessandro, with whom he often fought.-Early life:...
and Bianca Maria Visconti
Bianca Maria Visconti
Bianca Maria Visconti was Duchess of Milan from 1450 to 1468.-Early years:Born near Settimo Pavese, Bianca Maria was the illegitimate daughter of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan and last of the Visconti rulers, and Agnese del Maino, the only person the shy, secluded Filippo ever loved...
in the temple built by the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
s, which today is the church of Saint Sigismund. In that occasion a new sweet was devised, which was later turned into the famous torrone. Ludovico il Moro supported the building of several operas for the Cathedral, the church of St. Agatha and the Communal Palace.
In 1446 Cremona was encircled by the condottieri
Condottieri
thumb|Depiction of [[Farinata degli Uberti]] by [[Andrea del Castagno]], showing a 15th century condottiero's typical attire.Condottieri were the mercenary soldier leaders of the professional, military free companies contracted by the Italian city-states and the Papacy, from the late Middle Ages...
troops of Francesco Piccinino
Francesco Piccinino
260px|thumb|Latin epitaph of Francesco Piccinino.Francesco Piccinino was an Italian condottiero.He was the adoptive son of the condottiero Niccolò Piccinino and the brother of Jacopo Piccinino. At Niccolò's death , he had been already established as a gallant warrior under the Duchy of Milan and...
and Luigi dal Verme
Luigi dal Verme
Luigi dal Verme was an Italian condottiero.The son of the condottiero Jacopo dal Verme, initially he followed the latter's campaigns, then fought in the company of Muzio Attendolo in the war against Joan II of Naples. Later he was hired by the Bolognesi and then by the Republic of Venice...
. The siege was raised after the arrival of Scaramuccia da Forlì
Scaramuccia da Forlì
Scaramuccia da Forlì was an Italian condottiero active in the first half of the 15th century. In Italian his name means "skirmish". He was a native of Forlì, Romagna....
from Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
.
Foreign occupations
From 1499 to 1509 Cremona was under Venetian control. The victory of the Italian League at AgnadelloBattle of Agnadello
The Battle of Agnadello, also known as Vailà, was one of the more significant battles of the War of the League of Cambrai and one of the major battles of the Italian Wars....
gave it back to the Duchy of Milan. However, the latter was assigned to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
under the Treaty of Noyon (1513). Cremona fell to the new rulers only in 1524 when the Castle of Santa Croce surrendered. The French were finally expelled from the duchy two years later, with the Treaty of Madrid
Treaty of Madrid
Treaty of Madrid may refer to:*Treaty of Madrid , in which France renounced claims in Italy, surrendered Burgundy to Spain, and abandoned sovereignty over Flanders and Artois....
, and subsequently Cremona remained for long a foreign dominion. This did not prevent from further embellishments like the Loggia of the Cathedral's Porch by Lorenzo Trotti (1550) or the new church of San Siro and Sepolcro by Antonio Gialdini (1614).
The Spanish rule was mediocre. Unable to face the famine of 1628 and the plague of 1630, the duchy, after a short-lived French conquest in 1701 during the War of Spanish Succession, passed to Austria on April 10, 1707.
For later history, see Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
Churches
The Cathedral of Cremona and the annexed Baptistery constitutes one of the most notable sites for Romanesque-Gothic art in northern Italy.Other churches include:
- San Michele
- San Luca
- San Sigismondo
- Sant'Agostino
- Sant'Agata
- San Marcellino
- Santa Lucia
- Santa Rita
- San Pietro al Po
Buildings
- The TorrazzoTorrazzo of CremonaThe Torrazzo of Cremona is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Cremona. At 112.7 metres , it is the third tallest brickwork bell tower in the world, the first being the tower of St. Martin's Church in Landshut, Bavaria, the second being that of the Church of Our Lady in Bruges, Belgium...
, the third highest brickworkBrickworkBrickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures such as walls. Brickwork is also used to finish corners, door, and window openings, etc...
bell tower in Europe. - Loggia dei MilitiLoggia dei MilitiThe Loggia dei Militi is a historical building in Cremona, northern Italy. As reported by in scription on its façade, it was built in 1292....
- Palazzo Cittanova
- Palazzo Fodri
- Palazzo Comunale
- Teatro PonchielliTeatro PonchielliThe Teatro Communale Ponchielli, as it has been known since 1986, is an opera house located in Cremona, Italy. For more than 250 years it has been that city's primary venue for opera and other theatrical presentations....
- Museo Civico Ala PonzoneMuseo Civico Ala PonzoneMuseo Civico Ala Ponzone is a museum in Cremona, Italy . It contains the collections of Giuseppe Sigismondo Ala Ponzone-External links:*...
- Museo Stradivariano
- Museo della Civiltà Contadina
- Museo Berenziano
See also:
- Le colonie padane
Economy
The economy of Cremona is deeply linked to the agricultural production of the countryside. Food industries include salted meat, sweets (torrone), vegetable oils, grana padano, provoloneProvolone
Provolone is an Italian cheese that originated in Southern Italy, where it is still produced in various shapes as in 10 to 15 cm long pear, sausage, or cone shapes. A variant of Provolone is also produced in North America and Japan...
and "mostarda
Mostarda
Mostarda is an Italian condiment made of candied fruit and a mustard flavoured syrup. Commercially the essential oil of mustard is employed, which has the advantage of transparency; in home cooking mustard powder heated in white wine may be used.Traditionally mostarda was served with boiled meats,...
" (pickled fruit). Heavy industries include steel, oil and one electric plant. The river-port is a base for the barges transporting goods along the Po river.
Music
Cremona has a distinguished musical history. The 12th century cathedral was probably the focus of organized musical activity in the region in the late Middle AgesLate Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
. By the 16th century the town had become a famous musical centre. Nowadays there are important ensembles for Renaissance and Baroque music, i.e. Choir & Consort Costanzo Porta, and festivals which maintain Cremona as one of the most important towns in Italy for music. Composer Marc'Antonio Ingegneri taught there; Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
was his most famous student, before leaving for Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
in 1591. It was also the birthplace of Pierre-Francisque Caroubel
Pierre-Francisque Caroubel
Pierre-Francisque Caroubel was a French violinist and composer.Caroubel was born in Cremona. He lived in Paris from 1576 and collaborated with Michael Praetorius at the court of the Duke of Brunswick at Wolfenbüttel...
, a collaborator with noted German composer Michael Praetorius
Michael Praetorius
Michael Praetorius was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to make better the relationship between...
. The bishop of Cremona, Nicolò Sfondrati, a fervent supporter of the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
, became Pope Gregory XIV
Pope Gregory XIV
Pope Gregory XIV , born Niccolò Sfondrati, was Pope from 5 December 1590 until his death in 1591.- Early career :...
in 1590. Since he was an equally fervent patron of music, the renown of the town as a musical destination grew accordingly.
From the 16th century onwards, Cremona was renowned as a centre of musical instrument manufacture, beginning with the violins of the Amati
Amati
Amati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
family, and later included the products of the Guarneri
Guarneri
The Guarneri is the family name of a group of distinguished luthiers from Cremona in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose standing is considered comparable to those of the Amati and Stradivari families...
and Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
shops. To the present day, their work is widely considered to be the summit of achievement in string instrument making. Today Cremona is still renowned for producing high-quality instruments.
Cremona had a band tradition linked to the Guardia nazionale founded under Napoleonic influence. In 1864, native son, Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli was an Italian composer, largely of operas.-Biography:Born in Paderno Fasolaro, now Paderno Ponchielli, near Cremona, Ponchielli won a scholarship at the age of nine to study music at the Milan Conservatory, writing his first symphony by the time he was ten years old.Two years...
, became its leader and created what might be considered one of the greatest bands of all time. In his role as capobanda, Ponchielli founded a band school and a tradition that waned only at the onset of World War I.
Transport
Cremona railway stationCremona railway station
Cremona railway station is the main station serving the city and comune of Cremona, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy. Opened in 1863, it is the terminus of six railway lines, all of a regional nature, linking Cremona with Pavia, Mantua, Treviglio, Brescia, Piacenza and Fidenza,...
, opened in 1863, is the terminus of six railway lines, all of a regional nature, linking Cremona with Pavia
Pavia railway station
Pavia railway station serves the city and comune of Pavia, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy. Opened in 1862, it forms part of the Milan–Pavia–Voghera railway, and is also a terminus of four secondary railways, linking Pavia with Alessandria, Cremona, Vercelli and Stradella.The station is...
, Mantua, Treviglio
Treviglio railway station
Treviglio railway station , also known as Treviglio Centrale railway station is the main station serving the town and comune of Treviglio, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy...
, Brescia
Brescia railway station
Brescia railway station serves the city and comune of Brescia, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy. Opened in 1854, the station forms part of the Milan–Venice railway. It is also the terminus of secondary lines from Cremona, Bergamo and Parma, as well as the Brescia–Iseo–Edolo railway.The...
, Piacenza
Piacenza railway station
Piacenza railway station serves the city and comune of Piacenza, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. Opened in 1859, it forms part of the Milan–Bologna railway, and is also a terminus of two secondary railways, linking Piacenza with Alessandria and Cremona, respectively.The station...
and Fidenza, respectively.
Sport
Like in many other Italian cities, Cremona's favourite sport is footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. The U.S. Cremonese
U.S. Cremonese
Unione Sportiva Cremonese is an Italian football club, based in Cremona. The club was founded in 1903. Cremonese played the 2005/2006 season in Serie B, having won Serie C1/A the previous season. However, in the 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Cremonese came out twenty-first, being therefore relegated...
played for several years in Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
, its most renowned players being Aristide Guarneri
Aristide Guarneri
Aristide Guarneri is a former Italian footballer who played for Internazionale and was part of their European Cup victories in 1964 and 1965. He played for the Inter Milan team known as La Grande Inter. He was included in Italy's squad for the 1966 FIFA World Cup, playing one game and the 1968...
, Emiliano Mondonico
Emiliano Mondonico
Emiliano Mondonico is an Italian football manager. He last served as head coach of Serie B side AlbinoLeffe.-Career:...
, Antonio Cabrini
Antonio Cabrini
Antonio Cabrini is an Italian football former player. He played left-back, mainly with Juventus. He won the 1982 FIFA World Cup with the Italian national team....
and Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
- all born in or near Cremona. The brightest page in the more than one century old history of Cremonese was written in the early 1990s, when President of the team was Domenico Luzzara and the coach was Gigi Simoni
Luigi Simoni
Luigi "Gigi" Simoni is an Italian football manager, currently in office with Gubbio of Serie B, and a former player.-Biography:Luigi Simoni was born at Crevalcore ....
; the team managed to stay in Serie A for 3 consecutive years, ending one of the championship at the tenth place. On March 27, 1993, by defeating English team Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in the Final to win the Anglo-Italian Cup
Anglo-Italian Cup
The Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
, Cremonese became the second Italian team in football history to win at Wembley.
Cremona has also a first-division waterpolo club and, by the 1980s, had built a strong basketball tradition, now brought on by Gruppo Triboldi
Gruppo Triboldi Basket
Gruppo Triboldi Basket, also known for sponsorship reasons as Vanoli Soresina or Vanoli Cremona, is an Italian League professional basketball team whose legal domicile is in Soresina but plays its home games in Cremona...
, a team from Soresina
Soresina
Soresina is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km southeast of Milan and about 25 km northwest of Cremona....
which however plays usually in Cremona. There is also a century-old tradition in rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and canoe racing
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
, with three different clubs, located along the Po river, that trained many world and Olympic champions. One of its most famous sprint canoers was Oreste Perri, mayor of Cremona since 22 June 2009.
Notable people
- MinaMina (singer)Anna Maria Quaini, Grand Officer , known as Mina, is an Italian pop singer. She was a staple of Italian television variety shows and a dominant figure in Italian pop music from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s known for her three-octave vocal range, the agility of her soprano voice, and her image as an...
- SicardoSicardoSicardus of Cremona was an Italian prelate, historian and writer.Sicardo was born into a Cremonese family, probably the Casalaschi. He studied law in Bologna and Mainz, then returned to Cremona where he became a subdeacon in 1183 and bishop of Cremona in 1185...
- Alberto Somenzi
- Andrea Amati, luthierLuthierA luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
- Nicolò AmatiNicolò AmatiNiccolò Amati was an Italian luthier from Cremona.-Biography:Nicolò Amati was the fifth son of Girolamo Amati and the grandson of Andrea Amati, the founder of the Amati Family of violin makers. Of all the Amati Family violins, those of Nicolò are often considered most suitable for modern playing...
, luthierLuthierA luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc... - Gasparo AselliGasparo AselliGaspare Aselli was an Italian physician noted for the discovery of the lacteal vessels of the lymphatic system. Aselli discovered the chylous vessels, and studied systematically the significance of these vascular structures.He was born in Cremona, and became professor of anatomy and surgery at...
- Eugenio BeltramiEugenio BeltramiEugenio Beltrami was an Italian mathematician notable for his work concerning differential geometry and mathematical physics...
, mathematician - Antonio CabriniAntonio CabriniAntonio Cabrini is an Italian football former player. He played left-back, mainly with Juventus. He won the 1982 FIFA World Cup with the Italian national team....
- Massimo CapraMassimo CapraMassimo Capra is a restaurant consultant and celebrity chef based in Toronto, Canada. He is known for his appearances on City Line, and the Food Network show, Restaurant Makeover, which is seen in over sixteen countries worldwide....
- Raffaele Cesaro
- Leonida BissolatiLeonida BissolatiLeonida Bissolati was a leading exponent of the Italian socialist movement at the turn of the nineteenth century.- Biography :...
- Sergio CofferatiSergio CofferatiSergio Cofferati is an Italian politician who, after serving as mayor of Bologna for the Democrats of the Left from 2004 to 2009, and thus has been elected as Member of the European Parliament in 2009 for the Italian Democratic Party....
- Gerard of CremonaGerard of CremonaGerard of Cremona was an Italian translator of Arabic scientific works found in the abandoned Arab libraries of Toledo, Spain....
- Arcangelo GhisleriArcangelo GhisleriArcangelo Ghisleri Ghisleri was born in the comune of Persico Dosimo .A well known geographer by profession, he created numerous maps of Africa...
- Guido GrandiGuido Grandithumb|Guido GrandiDom Guido Grandi, O.S.B. Cam., was an Italian monk, priest, philosopher, mathematician, and engineer.-Life:...
- Sofonisba AnguissolaSofonisba AnguissolaSofonisba Anguissola was an Italian painter of the Renaissance.-The Anguissola family:...
lady painter of the Renaissance - Giuseppe GuarneriGiuseppe GuarneriBartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, del Gesù was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri house of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and he has been called the finest violin maker of the Amati line...
detto 'del Gesù', luthier - Saint HomobonusSaint HomobonusSaint Homobonus is the patron saint of business people, tailors, shoemakers, and clothworkers, as well as of Cremona, Italy.He was canonized in 1199 at the urgent request of the citizens of Cremona. He died on November 13, 1197 and his feast day is celebrated on November 13.He was a merchant from...
(Sant'Omobono) - Liutprand of CremonaLiutprand of CremonaLiutprand, also Liudprand, Liuprand, Lioutio, Liucius, Liuzo, and Lioutsios was a Lombard historian and author, and Bishop of Cremona....
- Filippo de LuranoFilippo de LuranoFilippo de Lurano was an Italian composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the most prolific composers of frottola after Marchetto Cara and Bartolomeo Tromboncino.-Biography:...
, early 16th century composer - Gianello Torriani (better known as Juanelo TurrianoJuanelo TurrianoJuanelo Turriano was an Italo-Spanish clockmaker, engineer and mathematician. He was born in Cremona.Called to Spain in 1529 by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, he was appointed Court Clock Master and built the Cristalino, an astronomical clock that made him famous in his time. Philip II of Spain...
) - Tarquinio MerulaTarquinio MerulaTarquinio Merula was an Italian composer, organist, and violinist of the early Baroque era. Although mainly active in Cremona, stylistically he was a member of the Venetian school...
, composer of the Baroque - Danilo Montaldi, writer and revolutionary
- Claudio MonteverdiClaudio MonteverdiClaudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
, composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras - Quartetto di CremonaQuartetto di CremonaThe Quartetto di Cremona is considered one of the best string quartets of his generation.-Story:The Quartetto di Cremona was formed in Cremona in 2000, while studying at the Walter Stauffer Academy in Cremona with Salvatore Accardo, Rocco Filippini, and Bruno Giuranna...
Italian string Quartet - Mario Mosconi
- Alessandro Magnoli BocchiAlessandro Magnoli BocchiAlessandro Magnoli Bocchi , is an Italian economist and manager.-Biography:Born in 1968 in Cremona, Italy, he graduated from Liceo Classico "Daniele Manin". In 1986 he moved to Milan, Italy to attend Bocconi University. From 1992 to 1995 he lived in Barcelona, Spain where he studied and taught at...
- Benedetto PallavicinoBenedetto PallavicinoBenedetto Pallavicino was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance. A prolific composer of madrigals, he was resident at the Gonzaga court of Mantua in the 1590s, where he was a close associate of Giaches de Wert, and a competitor of his considerably more famous contemporary...
, composer of the Renaissance - Oreste PerriOreste PerriOreste Perri is an Italian sprint canoer who competed from the early 1970s to the early 1980s.Perri was born in Castelverde, in the province of Cremona...
, sprint canoer in the 1970s and mayor since 22 June 2009 - Amilcare PonchielliAmilcare PonchielliAmilcare Ponchielli was an Italian composer, largely of operas.-Biography:Born in Paderno Fasolaro, now Paderno Ponchielli, near Cremona, Ponchielli won a scholarship at the age of nine to study music at the Milan Conservatory, writing his first symphony by the time he was ten years old.Two years...
, composer - Costanzo PortaCostanzo PortaCostanzo Porta was an Italian composer of the Renaissance, and a representative of what is known today as the Venetian School. He was highly praised throughout his life both as a composer and a teacher, and had a reputation especially as an expert contrapuntist.-Biography:Porta was born in Cremona...
, composer of the Renaissance - Aldo ProttiAldo ProttiAldo Protti was an Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory....
- Antonio StradivariAntonio StradivariAntonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
, renowned luthier - Ugo TognazziUgo TognazziUgo Tognazzi was an Italian film, TV, and theatre actor, director, and screenwriter.-Early life:Tognazzi was born in Cremona, in northern Italy but spent his youth in various localities as his father was a traveller clerk for an insurance company.After his return in the native city in 1936, he...
- Gianluca VialliGianluca VialliGianluca Vialli is an Italian football manager and former player. Since retiring, he has gone into management and punditry and is a commentator for Sky Sport Italia....
- Marco Girolamo VidaMarco Girolamo VidaMarco Girolamo Vida or Marcus Hieronymus Vida was an Italian humanist, bishop and poet. Born at Cremona, Vida joined the court of Pope Leo X and was given a prior at Frascati. He became bishop of Alba in 1532....
- Luigi Voghera
- Antonio Nicoli
- Roberto FarinacciRoberto FarinacciRoberto Farinacci was a leading Italian Fascist politician, and important member of the National Fascist Party before and during World War II, and one of its ardent anti-Semitic proponents.-Early life:...
Notable painters and architects
- Sofonisba AnguissolaSofonisba AnguissolaSofonisba Anguissola was an Italian painter of the Renaissance.-The Anguissola family:...
- BernardinoBernardino CampiBernardino Campi was an Italian Renaissance painter from Reggio Emilia, who worked in Cremona. He is known as one of the teachers of Sofonisba Anguissola and of Giovanni Battista Trotti . In Cremona, his extended family were the main artistic studios...
and Giulio CampiGiulio Campithumb|250px|Portrait of Alessandro Farnese.Giulio Campi was an Italian painter and architect. His brothers Vincenzo Campi and Antonio Campi were also renowned painters.-Biography:... - Francesco and Giuseppe DattaroDattaroFrancesco Dattaro and his son Giuseppe Dattaro , are the two principal builders of the most important family of Cremonese architects of the fifteenth century...
- Altobello Melone