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THE ORIGINS OF ITS NAME

Prior to the VIII century the land of Montegallo was called “Sanctae Maria in Lapide”. The reason for this name was based on the nature of the place where the main church of the locality stood and still stands today, which was called “S. Maria in Lapide” because of a large tufa mass overhanging the church that catches the eye of the passer-by: or because near this church stood the milestone of a detour of the ancient consular road.Under the name of “S. Maria in Lapide” however only the locality and the hamlets that now make up the parish of the same name were included.

Only later on in the VIII century, as desired by Andrea Bacci, Quinto of Quintodecimo, Bonfini, the two Marcuccis and others, would Charlemagne, passing though Ascoli, send a vicario (an official of high rank) to govern this ancient land, called Marchio (mark) Gallo (gallus).  He would build the castle that would take his name “mons Sanctae Mariae in Gallo”.  However, notwithstanding this new name, our land continued to be called with its earlier name.  In fact, in the peace treaty with the inhabitants of Montelparo in the XIV century it is called “terra Sanctae Mariae in Lapide”, in the Costituzioni Egidiani of 1357 it bears the names “Mons Sanctae Mariae in Gallo” and in the frontispiece of the Statute “Terra Montis Sanctae Mariae in Lapide, alias Montis Gallorum”.

PREHISTORIC MONTEGALLO

No prehistoric traces exist. According to Speranza, the Umbrians turned towards the Adriatic or passed from Olumbria into Vilumbria, which included the eastern side of the Piceno Apennine and so on…. And the path they kept to would have been that which, passing via the upland plain of Castelluccio then drops down, either along the route of the Via Salaria, or for Montegallo.We also learn that 806 years before Rome a certain Asi, leader of a tribe of Pelasgi, settled on the Mounts of the Vettore and then gradually occupied a good part of the Tronto valley, founding the capital of his state, Ascoli, there.Driven out by the Tirreni (1400 B.C.) inhabitants returned under the leadership of Pico (1412-1333 B.C.), the leader of a tribe of young Sabini, who had immigrated here from Sabina under a vow of sacred spring (ver sacrum).The Sabini, passing through our mountains, from Pico got the name Picentes.The names of our towns and rivers in the Apennines are a sure testimony to the presence of the Sabini in our districts, for example Drisago (Trisungo), Arli, Arquata, Lambro; still present in the way of dressing, in the rules of agriculture and from superstitions the same name of Monte Sibilla derives from Sabini, that is, “followers, learned”.

MONTEGALLO DURING THE ROMAN PERIOD

Nothing precise has been tracked down of the Piceno campaign in this period.Yet the acorn missiles and the arrow tips found in our lands lead us to believe that in that epoch not only were the lands lived in but battles were also fought.In fact, history has us note that in 665 of Roman time, during the Italic war and before the taking of Ascoli, the Marsi, who had come to help Ascoli, were beaten in the surroundings of Marsia and were pursued from their dwellings near lake Fucino as far as the peaks of Vettore in the winter of 665.According to Professor Castelli, an important detour of the Via Salaria, the consular road, passed through Montegallo, leading directly to Fermo, as set out in the Tavola Peutingeriana.

Another reason for the importance of Montegallo in the Roman epoch is given by the fact that the first rural plebane (parish) churches rose in these places (Santa Maria in Pantano and Santa Maria in Lapide).

 

MONTEGALLO AND FARFA In the dark centuries that followed the barbaric invasions the countryside of the Piceno became horrible areas of brushwood and it was the monks of Farfa that started to work the land which was then given in emphyteusis to the poor inhabitants.In the VIII century whilst the Longobards and the Francs were warring against one another, the Benedictines penetrated our lands. Tradition has it that in this time the fortified towns of Capradosso, Casalena, Montalto, Montedinove, Patrignone, Pietrata, Spelonca, Montegallo and others grew up.It is not known in which period these monks came into our land but the Cronicon Farfense of 945 is referred to when the abbot of Farfa Campone gave as an endowment, under the pretext of making a change, the Court of S. Marotto in the territory of M. Leone, and took in exchange many sterile lands in the mountains at Propezzano.Around 1039, Montegallo passed under the jurisdiction of Farfa, from which it was removed only in 1572. 

MONTEGALLO A REPUBLICAN TOWN

The majority of towns surrounding Montegallo are no more than a continuation of the Roman rural districts. The rural district, in roman times, was simply a rural administrative and religious area, with its own configuration, governed by powerful protectors and local magistrates who had the power to legislate. A group of people, elected to universal suffrage, administered the district, a council, this too elected by the people, moderated the power of the first; a mayor (Podestà) administered justice; a code in which the local practices were registered which had become laws and regulated the different daily activities and social relations.

Montegallo was subject to the Monks of Farfa from 1039 to 1572 and then it joined the Presidiato Sistino.  The government was republican in form and was made up of the following bodies:

  • The General Parliament, in which all the fathers of families took part. It had the highest authority;
  • The General Council formed of 96 members who held office for two years and were elected by their predecessors, assembled in council;
  • Priors who correspond to our present-day councillors; there were 8 of them, two for each neighbourhood and they held office for two months;
  • The Podestà (mayor/castellan) who held office for 6 months and had several powers;
  • The Sindaco who held the office of governing, administrating, protecting, conserving and defending the things, the goods, the rights, the privileges and the immunities of the Town;
  • the Camerlengo (Chamberlain) who was the cashier of the Town;
  • The Concilio di Credenza which numbered 16 members in addition to the priors in office; it was a group of advisors who discussed the proposals to be made to the General Council and to the Parliament.
In 1250 it obtained citizenship of Ascoli, being obliged with the act of 10th July to receive as castellan or Podestà a citizen of Ascoli, to help in times of war and to offer each year the Omaggio del Palio for the feast of S. Emidius, the patron saint of Ascoli. In 1290 however it was exonerated from these obligations by Pope Nicolò IV who came from the Ascoli area himself.In 1306 we find Montegallo allied with Amandola against Monsamartino: in 1337 it took part in a war against Montalto and in 1354 it fought against the people of Norcia, who had usurped Accumuli and all the lands of Arquata from Ascoli.In the autumn of 1352 Malatesta damaged the fortified towns of Luco, Vitreo, Fonditore, San Pietro, Santa Maria in Lapide and Montepasillo.In vendetta the barbaric Lord had the four dynasties involved in the plot quartered, but the cry of revolt, starting in the mountains, found echo in the town of Ascoli and its first fruit was had in the complete slaughter of the presidents left there by Malatesta and ended with the tyrant’s expulsion.In the meantime Pope Innocenzo VI sent Cardinal Egidio Albornz to the Marche to bring peace and papal obedience to our towns and to approve the Costituzioni Egidiani. In these Montegallo is called: Mons Sanctae Mariae in Gallo and is classified among the towns of the third order of the Marche.In 1387 the Montelparesi destroyed Montegallo, which is proved by a parchment in which the peace treaty is drawn up.Let us jump more than half a century and pass to the siege of Aquila. The city was besieged by Braccio di Fortebraccio. The Vicario of Ascoli sent an army with nine captains, among who was Count Chiaro de Marchio, known as Capitano del Fonditore, the father of Blessed Marco of Montegallo.In 1482 Pope Sisto IV granted Ascoli republican liberty with his Bull of 19th July and Montegallo reassumed its obligation to send the palio for the feast of Saint Emidius.Around this time the phenomenon of banditry began and some of our churches were assigned to giving the signal “ad repellendos bannitos” to repulse the bandits.In 1573, 13 families still lived on the old fortified site where the Town Hall was seated and the Prevost of Santa Maria in Lapide. In the year 1596 the foundation of the Fund of Piety took place as is read in the documents recording the visit of Cardinal Berberi.Around 1039, Montegallo passed under the jurisdiction of Farfa, from which it was removed only in 1572.

THE FRANCH INVASION

In 1798, the French invasion that had brought so much disarray and immeasurable damage to all the Piceno also disturbed the peace of our residents. In the provisional government of the 1830-1831 revolution the soldiers of the rebuilt government were commanded by Taliani and Porfidi of Montegallo and by Piccioni of Montecalvo. The famous year of 49 came: with the overturn of the pontifical government, our mountain dwellers wanted to give it their last proof of loyalty.In April 1849 Piccioni of Montecalvo and the Priest Domenico Taliani of Montegallo raised their heads and on 11th April of the same year presented themselves at the gates of the city of Ascoli asking it to raise the pontifical coat of arms that had been brought down. They were driven back after several hours of fire by General Roselli, sent by Garibaldi. The General also occupied Montegallo, where he set fire to the town archive and sent hostages to Ascoli. Roselli was recalled to Rome to defend the Roman Republic, but events precipitated.  The republic fell but in 1860 the figure of Pio IX waned and in 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed. 

MONTEGALLO AFTER 1861

The most important events that happened after 1861 were:

  • The construction of two sections of road, that of Galluccio and that of the Fluvione;
  • The construction of the fountain in Piazza Annibal Caro, the work of Cardinal Taliani;
  • The sale of Vettore in 1875 to the Silj brothers.

 

Bibliography:

  • Arcangelo Rossi Brunori “Memorie di Montegallo” 1903.
 
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