Historical signs
The origins and the Roman period
Capua was founded by the Etruschis in the 800 a.C; risen not too far the river
Volturno, that served from connection with the sea and neighbor to the Greek
colonies of the midday, potette to easily deal his/her products and consequently
to economically develop himself/herself/themselves and politically. In the
524 a.C. the antagonism started with Cuma its bordering, that culminated in
429a.C.con the occupation of this last and the territory flegreo. Toward the
380 a.C. the first relationships started with Rome. An essay of alliance was
stipulated between Rome and the Etruschis of Campania, that meanwhile they
were made to call Campani, analogous to that between Rome and the Sannitis.
The Campanis however to damage of such essay they participated in the Latin
league against Rome. Beaten in the battle of Veseris, near the Vesuvius and
in that of Trifano among Sinuessa, Minturno and Vescia they lost the territory
Falerino from the Massico to the Volturno.Nel 338 a.Cs. peace was stipulated
and renewed the essay of alliance. During the Latin war the Sannitis had respected
the essay of alliance and in virtue of this they had from Rome the viatico
to occupy the territory of the Sedicinis (Teano). Campani, fearing the to
expand himself/herself/themselves of the Sannitis, they intervened in help
of the Sedicini.Is Sanniti they turned then the weapons against Capua and
this invoked, in strength of the essay, the intervention in Rome; what it
intervened in help of the Campanis worried by the expansionism of the Sannitis.
The relationships between Capua and Rome were more and more from that epoch
cordial; it was wide to the Campanis the Roman citizen while Capua maintained
his/her oligarchical government with to head the Medixtuticus (highest judge),
that lasted reigning one year and it governed with 70 senators. Entered the
orbit of the politics in Rome, Capua flourished more always and in different
occasions the Campanis sustained militarily the Roman army. The good relationship
with Rome interrupts him in the the summer of the 216 a.C. after the defeat
of the Roman weapons to Reeds (June 216 a.Cs.) during the second war punica.Le
consequences of the defeat were serious, almost all the people of southern
Italy, lost the trust in the protection in Rome, sided for the vincitore.Così
Capua, ambitious and it emulates of Rome, it tightened with Annibale a pact
of alliance and these it hocked him to defend her/it against Roma.Nell'estate
of the 216 a.C. Annibale set to Capua his/her field to north of the city on
the slopes of the Tifata mountain. Annibale remained to Capua two seasons
and a winter waiting for reinforcements coming from Spain and from Cartagine.Sono
these the famous idleness of Capua.Nel 211 a.Cs. Rome, with three armies commanded
by Fulvio Flacco, Appio Claudio and Claudio Nerone it encircled of siege Capua.
Returned to Capua Annibale it tried to break the siege but he/she didn't succeed
you; then it pushed him up to Rome, trying to recall with such threat the
busy Roman army in the siege, but not having enough means to continue the
military action surrendered Capua to his/her destiny and it withdrew him in
the peninsula Salentina. After long siege Capua was conquered by the Romans
and the commander Fulvio Flacco it brutally ransacked her/it. Capua perdette
its independence was abolished the oligarchical government, the Senate, the
Town hall and the government you/he/she was submitted to the military magistrates:
the first one was the same Fulvio Flacco. To the military magistrates they
followed those togatis sent from Rome of year in anno.Fini to the 86 a.C.
Capua didn't serve anything else other than to sustain with the products of
his/her territory the Roman armies that simultaneously operated in Africa,
in the East and in Europe. In the 86 a.C. it started for Capua a new phase
of life in fact Mark Bruto it made to vote the law that allowed alone to a
formed colony Roman citizens to take office himself/herself/themselves to
Capua. It was so that Capua started to govern him with the Duumviris, chosen
among the same farmers. In the 82 and 81 a.Cs., become Silla autocrat of Rome,
it made to abolish the colony of Mark Bruto and it made to install one colony
of his that said instead "Felix", from the assistant appellative
to his/her name, colony that had long and prosperous esistenza.Al 73 a.Cs.
it goes up again the rebellion of the enslaved Spartaco, "a Trace of
the tribe of the Maiadis, gifted not only of strength physics and great courage
but also of notable intelligenza.Egli, with other gladiatorial settantaquattro
of the school directed by Lelio Barbato to Capua where kept were confined,
he rebelled and it started to ransack suburbs and to ransom the surrounding
populations, while his/her line they were thickened of slaves, herdsmen and
of criminals common to the such point that was necessary to invoke the intervention
of Roma.Così the consul Clodio Glabrio was sent to repress the strong
revolt of a succession of three thousand uomini.Is you rebel pursued by the
soldiers they mended in Lucania where the army of Crass them decimò;seimila
survivors came crucifixes to the sides of the street Appia. In the 63 a.C.
Pubblio Rullo tried to make to pass a law to install in Capua a new colonia,ma
the attempt you/he/she was opposed by Cicero. To nothing worth however the
resistance of the same Cicero when in the 59 a.C., consuls C.G.Cesare and
M.Calpurnio you/he/she was installed to Capua the colony, that he/she took
the name of Iulia from Caesar and it called "Julia-Felice", remaining
so the names of the founders of the two colonie.Cons this colony, Capua repurchased
his/her autonomy, it stopped being Pretura and he/she returned municipio,coi
duumviri, the questors, the Building ones and a proper erario. With Ottaviano
in the 42-41 a.C. they start in Capua the military colonies, giving himself/herself/itself
the territory in prize to the legionari.L'autonomias and the importance of
Capua, started with the colony Julia, it grew with those military. Its duumviris
were joined of Caesar, its lawyer it was Cicero, to which Capua, thankful
to have defended her/it against Catilina, it raised as Rome, a gilded statue
with the writing "Pater Urbis". In 42 AD it is of passage for Capua
the apostle Pietro, legionary from Antiochia.Egli it consecrates bishop of
Capua Prisco disciple of Christ, that had entertained the Teacher and its
disciples for the last supper in its house. And when in 313, with the edict
in Milan, Costantino proclaims the Catholic religion that official of the
Impero,in Capua it will be held AD in 389 or according to others in 392 AD,
the great Complete council among the bishops of West presided by Ambrogio
bishop of Milan.
The period longobardo
Meanwhile also for Capua it begins the era of the Barbarians. In fact Capua,
suffered a first looting from the Goths, as he/she is deduced by the pardon
of Onorio, general of the empire, that in 413 AD wide to Campania the exemption
of the tributes. In 455 AD Capua was again devastated and plundered by Genserico
king of the Vandals. In the following years Capua became theater of the struggles
among the general of the empire and the Barbarians and went decaying more
and more. In 568 AD head Alboino of the teams longobarde invades Italy. From
the mass they were detached some groups that for inside streets they reached
Umbria, establishing himself/herself/itself to Spoleto, and the Sannio establishing
himself/herself/itself to Benevento. This way they had origin the two famous
dukedoms longobardi of Spoleto and Benevento. Capua and its region became
a dependent castaldato from the dukedom of Benevento and the Castaldis of
Capua they had the title of first Conti.Il it was Audoaldo, around the first
halves 600 AD, the second was Trasemondo and the bystander it was the count
Mittola, brave and faithful that together with its people it defeated AD in
663 the Greek driven then by the emperor Costante.Segue a deprived period
of historical memory. It is had to wait AD for 786 when Charles Magno ridiscese
in Italia,richiamato from the pope, to demolish the dukedom of Benevento.Carlo
Magno stopped him to Capua and Arechi,duca of Benevento, it declared him of
him vassal. To the death of Arechi the Beneventanis complained near Charles
the restitution of his/her/their child Grimoaldo held in proper ostaggio.Fu
Grimoaldo to emancipate the dukedom from king Pipino's dependence, and Capua
returned to belong to the dukedom of Benevento. In the 817 AD the duke of
Benevento Sicone named castaldo of Capua Landone which is the founder of the
series of the accounts and principles longobardi of Capua. First action of
Landone was the construction of a castle that him in honor of Sicone he/she
called Sicopoli; the castle was found on the hill of Triflisco he/she almost
dictates Palombara to the border between the dukedom of Benevento and the
castaldato of Capua. After the death of Sicone,avvenuta nell 834, happen his
child Sicardo,crudele and violento.Questi you/he/she was killed in the 839,e
to his/her death duke Radelchi you/he/she was elected. Nell' 841 AD, following
the conflict instigated him for the division of the Principality of Benevento,
the Saracens called by Radelchi to fight the count Landone they reduced in
ash the ancient Capua. Landone, impotent to defend Capua, with the Magnates
and Judges, with the Bishop of the Church Capuana S.Paolino, with the Clergy
and with the painful people, it was sheltered on the strong Sicopoli, that
was magnified in the departed years. This exodus of the whole CIVITAS CAPUANA
happened that is AD in the 841 1641 years after its foundation.
The New Capua
Destroyed that was also Sicopoli from a fire, the today's Capua you/he/she
was reconstructed AD in the year 856 using boulders, columns, busts you mutilate
of statues and capitals coming from Capua Vetere.La city it is of almost rectangular
form, with ample towered boundaries and introduces four porte.Aglis debuts
of the social life we find as figure of I detach the count Landolfo; what
not only dall was' 852 AD the first bishop capuano of the dynasty longobarda
but also the first one that dall' 863 AD to the 879 AD it also picked up the
civil power: bishop and count of Capua. Following the raids of the Saracens
that plundered the monastic complexes of S.Benedetto to Montecassino and of
S. Vincenzo to the sources of the Volturno, the religious of these spiritual
centers they mended in Capua, founding two monasteries with the name of those
abbandonati.Questis two centers they became elements catalysts of the political-diplomatic
and cultural influence capuana and also when the Benedictine central organization
will return in the historical centers, political-diplomatic activity will
continue, even though in smaller tone, through the court of the principles
and the curia vescovile.Una testimony of the Benedictine activity is represented
by the rotulo of the Exultet, currently preserved in the treasure of the cathedral
of Capua, that is a datum of the art of the miniature developed him in that
part of southern Italy that was identified with the principality of Benevento.
Toward halves the century X the city-fortitude reached the peak of the prestige
and the power with Pandolfo Capodiferro (961-981) d.C.. Him in fact it not
only gathered in an only principality Benevento, Salerno and Capua but the
wide ones, for the Brass investiture The, up to understand you the dukedom
of Spoleto and the brand of Camerino from Osimo to Pescara. And its first
church among all those of the south of Italy was raised to metropolitan center
by the pope Giovanni XIII.
The Norman period
The Norman ones in 1030, had founded their first dominion in the city of Aversa
with Rainulfo Drengot and subsequently, with the count Riccardo I. In such
period begins the Norman pressure on the territory of Capua. In 1057, taking
advantage of the inside crisis determined by the death of Pandolfo V, Riccardo
I forced Capua to surrender himself/herself/themselves that you/he/she refused
to deliver the towers and the castles along the boundaries. Riccardo decided
then to also conquer the fortitudes of the city. The resistance longobarda
was heroic but to nothing worth and in fact the surrender without conditions
happened later in 1062.Solo few years Capua it again results a sure city that
darkens for importance Aversa.Ad Anfuso, child of Ruggiero II of Sicily, the
Principality of Capua is conferred from the pope Innocenzo II following the
alliance among Papacy and Norman already enacted in 1059 with the council
of Melfi and this involves the definitive inglobamento of the Principality
in the Norman kingdom. The citizens are governed from a regal baiulo and for
the penal, civil and administrative subjects by a judge or stratigoto.Nella
Plaza of the Judges it had center the Bagliva with juridical functions and
amministrative.Al first Norman archbishop, Erveo (1072-1086) they are owed
the rearrangement of the cathedral and the bell tower. To the time of his/her
government it goes up again the famous column of the Easter candle in Greek
marble adorned of mosaic: monument the most ancient in his/her kind and rich
of historical motives, liturgical and connected misterici to the Easter theme.
To underline the prominence of Capua inside the kingdom is to the prince of
Capua Roberto II that Roger, for his/her crowning in 1130 to Palermo of the
new monarchy, he/she wanted the right it was up to impose him on the head
the crown as only potentate that in the southern provinces it equalized him
in dominion. It is to Capua in 1143 they assembled in general meeting all
the Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Accounts and Barons of the Kingdom with
to the head Ruggiero and his/her children Tancredi, Anfuso and William for
"the happy regiment of the state and of he/she asked her some kingdom."
The period Swabian
It is with Fred II that Capua rises to the role of noble city of the kingdom,
with the privilege to prepare, to his/her expenses, of a court of five judges
and eight notaries. The edicts from him promulgated to Capua and completed
by the Constitutions of Melfi "they put once and for all elegant to the
sovereignty of the single vassals and they set the juridical bases for an
administration centralized of the State". Adviser, man of trust, friend,
spokesman of emperor Federico II's thought is the capuano Pier of the Vigne.Quest'ultimos
in the first Two hundred you/he/she was a figure of prominent importance;
scholar and judge, philosopher and artist, diplomat and man of court, ambassador
and negotiator, also as warrior served the his/her his/her tall signore.Il
cultural magistero you/he/she will also be expounded near the athenaeum in
Naples founded in 1224 by Fred II. His sudden and resounding fall, follows
to the accusation of betrayal, you/he/she is still wound by the mystery. Pier
of the Vineyards he committed suicide after having been blinded to S. Miniato
in Tuscany in April of the 1249.Del period Swabian they remain to Capua the
vestigias of the arc of Triumph, notes as towers of Fred, made to have built
from the emperor since 1234 to 1239 with defensive intents near the Bridge
restored Romano. The monumental D'Arco of Triumph consisted of two towers
to base polygonal and circular in the summit connected by thick boundaries
that welcomed an apartment reserved to the emperor. The arc was demolished
by the Count of Saint Flora, Spanish Viceroy of Naples in 1557 "to be
able you giuocare the gun."
The period Angioino
Crowned for order of Clemente IV, January 6 th 1265 in the basilica Vaticana,
King of Sicily and Puglia, Charles of Angiò, defeated Manfredi in the
battle of Benevento, you/he/she brought him in Capua.Carlo II entered Naples
in 1289 you/he/she brought him to Capua the following year to build a church
in honor of S. Maria Maddalena followed then by the construction of the Church
of S. Antonio Abbot and that of S. Eligio with attached hospital of the Pilgrims.
He/she esteemed to the point Bartholomew de Capua that Viceroy of Naples named
him/it. Giovanna I confirmed and increased the privileges of which Capua already
enjoyed. Charles III concerned Capua as "the pupil of his/her eyes"
while Giovanna II the granted ones a statute and told the government the perugino
Ram Arm that promoted works of embellishment of the city paving the road net
and decorating public and private buildings. To the Capua angioina is tied
up the memory of S. Tommaso of Aquino, descending of the longobardis of Aquino
of Capua. Back from the Sorbona and before assuming the desk of theology in
the university in Naples, called you by Charles of Angiò, it sojourned
to Capua. On the occasion of his/her permanence it was erect the church of
S. Domenico while Thomas's sister, Marotta, convinced by him to make himself/herself/themselves
religious it became Benedictine nun and it was also abbess of the convent
of Saint Maria (says some Dames Nuns) of Capua in 1254 for order written of
the pope Innocenzo IV.
The Aragonese period
On June 2 1442 Alfonso in Aragon took possession him of Naples and reserved
a treatment of extraordinary to Capua favor for the help from this not only
furnished to the conquest of the regno.Infatti it confirmed to the city capuanis
the ancient privileges but it allowed that they was city in the whole kingdom
and they was exempt from every excise, footsteps and payments simili.Ferdinando
The said to the city of Capua the circle privilege of "to beat his own
copper coin and of silver". Granted besides in the city the drinkable
water of S. Angelo in Formis giving the order that the relative public fountains
were built. Capua enjoyed of such privileges in how much its vital function
was recognized in the economic life, cultural, civil as well as to the military
defense of the kingdom. And from the attitude of depended Capua more times
the fate of the Kingdom. When the French of Charles VIII lowered to the conquest
in Naples, to Capua, key of the kingdom had to concentrate the defense; but
the commander Trivulzio negotiated the surrender of the important fortitude
to him submitted and so Charles VIII from Capua marched on Naples and occupied
her/it. Returned the Aragonese ones, after the departure of Charles VIII,
they tried to tie even more the city to itself; in the cathedral of Capua
it made him crown king of Naples Fred III in Aragon the 10 August of 1497.
To this event it is tied up one of the most terrible and memorable pages of
his/her history. On the occasion of king Fred's solemn crowning, in Capua,
for hand of the cardinal says Caesar Borgia the Valentine, this last him invaghì
of king Carlotta's daughter "woman of unusual beauty, of a politeness
and of an inexpressible majesty". The Borgia then definite to ask Carlotta
in bride to the king Fred insieme to a dowry represented by the Principalities
in Capua and Taranto. It was the 10 August of 1497. Returned in Rome and gotten
the dispensation by the dignity cardinalizia it sent an ambassador to the
king Federico manifesting him so his/her desire. The king Federico answered
not to be able to grant him/it because Carlotta had already been promised
and you/he/she could not give him in dowry Capua in how much "principal
gem of the crown" it was "only employed to the King". The capuanis
also them "inviperiti against the question" they participated some
refusal. Meanwhile Luigi XII was prepared to conquer the kingdom in Naples
and Borgia you it allied him to complete fierce revenge. To reach Naples was
necessary to conquer the fortitude of Capua, the fortress most important of
the kingdom and bottom his/her boundaries the 12 July of 1501 they camped
him the French army, strong of ventitremila men and dodicimila armigeri of
the duke Valentino coming from the Abruzzo. Á. to defend Capua there
were only three thousand soldiers commanded by the captain Fabrizio Colonna.
Following the learning of the threat, represented by the Neapolitan barons
that threatened his/her army together with the Turks, the king Federico asked
for letter to the capuanis to surrender himself/herself/themselves and that
Fabrizio Colonna saved him with his/her soldati.Ils Senate capuano you/he/she
treated then the surrender; on July 24 while negotiations were in progress
in such sense the Valentine it declared the city "rebellious to the King"
and therefore convict to have put to iron and fire. This way it was, the revenge
for a long time meditated went off inexorable; the city was devastated and
they lost the life city quattromila. To this tragic event it is tied up the
constitution of the Brotherhood of S. Maria of the Graces or the Santella
"to lend a hand to the more paupers and unlucky persons, in the indelible
memory of the sorrowful days lived from the city of Capua". Still to
the Aragonese period it is tied up the figure of Ettore Fieramosca; been born
to Capua in 1476. He is the protagonist of the famous challenge of Barletta
happened among thirteen Italian riders and as many French been born for defending
the honor "warlike" of the italic people offended by the French
rider her Motta.
From the period Spanish viceregnale all`unità
of Italy
During the Spanish viceregno the city of Capua changed image exasperating,
for reasons for State, its character of city rampart. In this optics, the
most imposing work is certainly the "strong" or Charles' V castle
on the Volturno. It occupies a surface of mq. 7500 around and it is of plant
contained square within four bastions of pentagonal form on the vertici.Uns
awakening of religious life it was had for worth of the Jesuits, introduced
to Capua by St. Roberto Bellarmino and by the Teatinis. Up to the '700 were
active the hospitals, attached to the convents of the Announced, of S. Eligio,
of S. Antonio and of S. Lazzaro. In the 1536 Charles V it visited Capua triumphally
welcomed and splendidly entertained for some days in the building of Azzia.
From Phillip II the capuanis got in 1559 the confirmation of the precedents
privileges and particularly that Capua and his/her Casali were dominion of
the crown without possibility to be sold or alienated. After the long and
oppressive Spanish dominion, Capua was taken and ransacked July 12 th 1707,
during the war of succession of Spain, from the troops of the count Daun;
it passed so under the Austrian dominion. The war of Polish succession, that
said the independence in Italy of the South, freed also Capua, and in the
1734 Charles III of Borbone, to open the street on Naples did her/it besiege
and after eight months of siege the city capitulated. Also the Borbones considered
Capua as the principal fortitude of the kingdom. The 12 January of 1799 the
besieged city surrendered him to the French armies that then occupied the
Neapolitan. The city was taken back by the Borbones the 28 July of the same
year. Reoccupied by French the 12 February of 1806 it entered to make part
of the Neapolitan Kingdom that was before Joseph Bonaparte and then of Gioacchino
Murat. Fallen Napoleone and failure the attempt of the Murat to preserve the
kingdom in Naples, the 20 May of the 1815 Capua returns under the influence
borbonica of the king Ferdinando IV. The Thousand consignment, with the victory
of Garibaldi to the Volturno the 1 October of 1860, decided the fates of Capua
and the whole Midday. Also nevertheless the fortitude resistette still one
month for then to surrender himself/herself/themselves on November 2. Since
then the history of Capua is identified with that of whole Italy.