Montecchio Vesponi
Encyclopedia
Montecchio Vesponi is a small village part of the municipality
of Castiglion Fiorentino
, province of Arezzo
. Located 4 km south of Castiglion Fiorentino, lies in a hill at the bottom of Chio valley, 364 m above sea level, there resides 1200 inhabitants.
abbey. Other related feudals where the Orselli and Panzoni of Cortona
or the Da Vitiano.
At the beginning of 13th century
became allied of the municipality of Arezzo with the castles of Mammi and Monticello.
Around 1234 it was bought by the municipality of Arezzo which settled there more people, made it a municipality under its influence and a stronghold agains Castiglion Fiorentino and Cortona.
On 1281 Arezzo enlarged the castle walls completing the fortress which is visible today, making it is similar to Montecolognola and Monteriggioni
, and settled families on the interior.
On 1289 after the defeat suffered by Arezzo in the battle of Campaldino
it passed to Florence
. It switched back to Arezzo on 1303 and at the beginning of the 14th century
was a stronghold against Perugia
.
Around 1383, Arezzo military being weak and without control of its territory, the castle was occupied by John Hawkwood
, known in Italy
as "Giovanni Acuto", which settled there. Upon his death (1394) Montecchio become again property of the municipality of Florence and was used by florentine administrators.
It was mede part of Castiglion Fiorentino municipality in 1774 with administrative reform of Leopold II
, Duch of Tuscany
.
In the 19th century
the castle, formerly subdivided in many small properties, was bought by Servadio banker which started restoration works. It was later sold to Budini and Gattai family which restored the tower and continued consolidating the walls. It was then abandoned. It become property of cont Orietta Floridi.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Castiglion Fiorentino
Castiglion Fiorentino
Castiglion Fiorentino is a small, walled city in eastern Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Arezzo, between the cities of Arezzo and Cortona. It is well known for its annual festivals and Etruscan archeological site.-Geography:...
, province of Arezzo
Province of Arezzo
The Province of Arezzo or Arretium is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Arezzo.It has an area of 3,232 km², and a total population of 323,288 in 39 comuni . At June 30, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :...
. Located 4 km south of Castiglion Fiorentino, lies in a hill at the bottom of Chio valley, 364 m above sea level, there resides 1200 inhabitants.
History
The first dwellings in Montecchio hill dates back to etrush-roman era, a pagan sactuary might have been built there. Around 9th century the castle was built, part of the fee of Marchiones family and related to FarnetaFarneta
Farneta is a town and frazione of the comune of Montefiorino, Italy, located in the Apennines of the province of Modena.Located between the two hamlets of Gusciola and Romanoro Farneta is a town and frazione of the comune of Montefiorino, Italy, located in the Apennines of the province of...
abbey. Other related feudals where the Orselli and Panzoni of Cortona
Cortona
Cortona is a town and comune in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. It is the main cultural and artistic center of the Val di Chiana after Arezzo.-History:...
or the Da Vitiano.
At the beginning of 13th century
13th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 through 1300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era...
became allied of the municipality of Arezzo with the castles of Mammi and Monticello.
Around 1234 it was bought by the municipality of Arezzo which settled there more people, made it a municipality under its influence and a stronghold agains Castiglion Fiorentino and Cortona.
On 1281 Arezzo enlarged the castle walls completing the fortress which is visible today, making it is similar to Montecolognola and Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany. It borders on the communes of Casole d'Elsa, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Poggibonsi, Siena and Sovicille...
, and settled families on the interior.
On 1289 after the defeat suffered by Arezzo in the battle of Campaldino
Battle of Campaldino
The Battle of Campaldino was a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines on 11 June 1289. Mixed bands of pro-papal Guelf forces of Florence and allies, Pistoia, Lucca, Siena and Prato, all loosely commanded by the paid condottiero Amerigo di Narbona with his own professional following, met a...
it passed to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. It switched back to Arezzo on 1303 and at the beginning of the 14th century
14th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was the century which lasted from January 1, 1301 to December 31, 1400.-Events:* The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age....
was a stronghold against Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
.
Around 1383, Arezzo military being weak and without control of its territory, the castle was occupied by John Hawkwood
John Hawkwood
Sir John Hawkwood was an English mercenary or condottiero who was active in 14th century Italy. The French chronicler Jean Froissart knew him as Jean Haccoude and Italians as Giovanni Acuto...
, known in 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...
as "Giovanni Acuto", which settled there. Upon his death (1394) Montecchio become again property of the municipality of Florence and was used by florentine administrators.
It was mede part of Castiglion Fiorentino municipality in 1774 with administrative reform of Leopold II
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa...
, Duch of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
.
In the 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
the castle, formerly subdivided in many small properties, was bought by Servadio banker which started restoration works. It was later sold to Budini and Gattai family which restored the tower and continued consolidating the walls. It was then abandoned. It become property of cont Orietta Floridi.
Bibliografia
- Giuseppe Ghizzi, Cenni storici sopra il Castello di Montecchio Vesponi e suo Comune, Castiglion Fiorentino, 1874.
- Santino Gallorini, Montecchio Vesponi, un territorio, un castello e una comunità, Cortona, Calosci, 1993.