Squillace
Encyclopedia
Squillace is an ancient seaside town and comune
, in the Province of Catanzaro
, part of Calabria
, southern Italy
, facing the Gulf of Squillace
.
Squillace is situated on the east coast of Calabria, on the shores of an extensive bay, the Gulf of Squillace , which indents the coast of Calabria on the east as deeply as that of the Gulf of Saint Eufemia (Italian: Golfo di Sant'Eufemia) does on the west, with comparatively narrow isthmus between them.
The name derives from the ancient city of Scylletium
, the principal ruins of which are located in the nearby comune of Borgia
.
The Roman statesman and writer Cassiodorus
founded a monastery called Vivarium on his family estates on the shores of the Ionian Sea in the sixth century AD. This monastery was on the site of the modern Santa Maria de Vetere near Squillace.
The modern town was founded as Byzantine
fortress during the Byzantine reconquest of Italy (6th–8th c.)
In 904 was settled by the Arabs during their conquest of Sicily and Southern Italy, becoming an independent emirate in 924.
The Byzantines managed to re-capture the city in 965 but were finally to lose it to the Normans in 1059.
Squillace prospered under Norman rule, who encouraged trade and allowed Muslim, Christian (Orthodox & Catholic) and Jew to live side by side. They enlarged the Arab/Byzantine Castle and built the Cathedral.
The city belonged, successively to the Hauteville, Montfort, Lance, Del Balzo and Marzano families and changed from a Lordship to County (ruled by a resident Count) in the 13th Century.
In 1445 it reverted to Aragonese Kings of Naples but passed by marriage to the infamous House of Borgia who ruled the city as Princes of Squillace from 1494 to 1735.
Gioffre Borgia
(1482-1516), son of Pope Alexander VI and younger brother of Cesare Borgia
and Lucrezia Borgia
married Sancia (Sancha) of Aragon
, daughter of Alfonso II of Naples
, obtaining as dowry the both the Principality of Squillace (1494) and the Duchy of Alvito
(1497).
Although Gioffre was deprived of Alvito after the death of Sancia in 1506, he managed to retain Squillace. He subsequently married Maria de Mila, and passed it on to their son Francesco Borgia.
The Borgia Princes were: Gioffre, Francesco, Giovanni, Pietro and finally Anna e Donna Antonia Borgia D’Aragona on whose death, in 1735, it passed to Bourbon Kings of the Two Sicily’s
. Living either in Naples or Spain the Borgia’s ruled their fief through governors.
Under the Bourbons Squillace was downgraded to Marquisate and granted in 1755 to the Marquis Leopoldo De Gregorio, a noble from Messina who was to be the last feudal Lord of Squillace.
has been an important part the local economy for centuries; Cassiodorus
' writings make several mentions of it. Squillace is the home of the pignatari style of ceramic artistry. The name is derived from the Italian word pignata, an earthenware container used for cooking beans over an open fire.
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 the Province of Catanzaro
Province of Catanzaro
The Province of Catanzaro is a province of the Calabria region, in Italy. The city of Catanzaro is capital both of the province and of the region.- Demographics :The following is a list of the province of Catanzaro comunes with population over 5,000:...
, part of Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, southern 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...
, facing the Gulf of Squillace
Gulf of Squillace
The Gulf of Squillace is a body of water, an inlet of the Ionian Sea along the Calabrian coast of Italy.The gulf, renowned for its natural beauty, is part of the Ionian Sea and makes up part of the east coast of the region of Calabria...
.
Squillace is situated on the east coast of Calabria, on the shores of an extensive bay, the Gulf of Squillace , which indents the coast of Calabria on the east as deeply as that of the Gulf of Saint Eufemia (Italian: Golfo di Sant'Eufemia) does on the west, with comparatively narrow isthmus between them.
History
Squillace is known today as one of Italy's most important archaeological sites as well as a popular resort.The name derives from the ancient city of Scylletium
Scylletium
Scylletium was an ancient seaside city in Calabria, southern Italy. Its ruins can be found at the frazione of Roccelletta, in the comune of Borgia, near Catanzaro, facing the Gulf of Squillace.-History:...
, the principal ruins of which are located in the nearby comune of Borgia
Borgia (CZ)
Borgia is a town and comune in the province of Catanzaro, in the Calabria region of southern Italy.The ancient city of Scylletium was located in the frazione of Roccelletta of Borgia.-References:...
.
The Roman statesman and writer Cassiodorus
Cassiodorus
Flavius Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator , commonly known as Cassiodorus, was a Roman statesman and writer, serving in the administration of Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. Senator was part of his surname, not his rank.- Life :Cassiodorus was born at Scylletium, near Catanzaro in...
founded a monastery called Vivarium on his family estates on the shores of the Ionian Sea in the sixth century AD. This monastery was on the site of the modern Santa Maria de Vetere near Squillace.
The modern town was founded as Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
fortress during the Byzantine reconquest of Italy (6th–8th c.)
In 904 was settled by the Arabs during their conquest of Sicily and Southern Italy, becoming an independent emirate in 924.
The Byzantines managed to re-capture the city in 965 but were finally to lose it to the Normans in 1059.
Squillace prospered under Norman rule, who encouraged trade and allowed Muslim, Christian (Orthodox & Catholic) and Jew to live side by side. They enlarged the Arab/Byzantine Castle and built the Cathedral.
The city belonged, successively to the Hauteville, Montfort, Lance, Del Balzo and Marzano families and changed from a Lordship to County (ruled by a resident Count) in the 13th Century.
In 1445 it reverted to Aragonese Kings of Naples but passed by marriage to the infamous House of Borgia who ruled the city as Princes of Squillace from 1494 to 1735.
Gioffre Borgia
Gioffre Borgia
Gioffre de Candia Borgia, in Italian, or Jofré Borja in Valencian, was the youngest son of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei, sibling to Lucrezia Borgia, Cesare Borgia and Giovanni Borgia....
(1482-1516), son of Pope Alexander VI and younger brother of Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
and Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
married Sancia (Sancha) of Aragon
Sancha of Aragon
Donna Sancha of Aragon , or Sancia of Aragon, was an illegitimate daughter of King Alfonso II of Naples and his mistress Trogia Gazzela. In 1494, she was married to Gioffre Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI. Upon her marriage she and her new husband were created Prince and Princess of Squillace,...
, daughter of Alfonso II of Naples
Alfonso II of Naples
Alfonso II of Naples , also called Alfonso II d'Aragon, was King of Naples from 25 January 1494 to 22 February 1495 with the title King of Naples and Jerusalem...
, obtaining as dowry the both the Principality of Squillace (1494) and the Duchy of Alvito
Duchy of Alvito
The Duchy of Alvito was a fiefdom of the Kingdom of Naples, in southern Italy.-Rule of the Cantelmo:The Cantelmo family, of French origins, had arrived in Italy in the 13th century around the time the Angevins conquered Naples...
(1497).
Although Gioffre was deprived of Alvito after the death of Sancia in 1506, he managed to retain Squillace. He subsequently married Maria de Mila, and passed it on to their son Francesco Borgia.
The Borgia Princes were: Gioffre, Francesco, Giovanni, Pietro and finally Anna e Donna Antonia Borgia D’Aragona on whose death, in 1735, it passed to Bourbon Kings of the Two Sicily’s
House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
The House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies is a cadet Italian branch of the House of Bourbon. It is thus descended from the Capetian dynasty in male line...
. Living either in Naples or Spain the Borgia’s ruled their fief through governors.
Under the Bourbons Squillace was downgraded to Marquisate and granted in 1755 to the Marquis Leopoldo De Gregorio, a noble from Messina who was to be the last feudal Lord of Squillace.
Ceramics
Production of highly prized terra cottaTerra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
has been an important part the local economy for centuries; Cassiodorus
Cassiodorus
Flavius Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator , commonly known as Cassiodorus, was a Roman statesman and writer, serving in the administration of Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. Senator was part of his surname, not his rank.- Life :Cassiodorus was born at Scylletium, near Catanzaro in...
' writings make several mentions of it. Squillace is the home of the pignatari style of ceramic artistry. The name is derived from the Italian word pignata, an earthenware container used for cooking beans over an open fire.