The history of Il Castello di Montegualandro

The "Castello di Montegualandro" (Castle of Montegualandro) is situated on a hill at Tuoro sul Trasimeno (Perugia district), overlooking the Lake Trasimeno on the Tuscany-Umbria border in Italy. The castle is surrounded by pine and oak woods, cypress trees and olive groves. Various hypothesis exist concerning the origin of the name of Mons Galandrius. The greek term "gala" (milk) could refer to the grazing of sheep herds on the hill, and "gualdo" meant woods to the longobard tribes. But, most likely, the name originates from the 'guala" or typical fishing net used on lake Trasimeno. The Castle's strategic position on the Tuscany-Umbria border has given it an important military role throughout the centuries, traced by several sources back to the Etruscans. Thus Perugia's National Archeological Museum displays the famous "Montegualandro Stele" found on the hill. Subsequent Roman records indicate that Hannibal set up camp and part ofhis cavalry at Gualandro before assaulting the troops of Consul Caio Flaminio in the historic battle of Trasimeno (217 B.C.). Charlemagne later donated the fortress to Ariberto, Lord of Monte S.ta Maria, in 802 A.D. In 917 A.D. it belonged to the Marquis Uguccione 11 Bourbon and later, in 1 165, Federico Barbarossa conquered it and gave it to the Ranieri family. Other manuscripts in the State Archives document the submission of Montegualandro on 29 May 1202 to the City of Perugia by the Marquises Uguccione and Guido Ranieri. In 1238 Pope Gregorio lX, vested the property rights of the Castle in Andrea di Giacomo Montemelino, Podestà of Perugia. The Montemelino family, of German origin, retained possession of Montegualandro till 1678 inspite of losing it several times by conquest. The Castle was destroyed on 13 March 1247 by Perugia because of Montemelino's support and hospitality to Emperor Frederic 11; the family was banished and the property confiscated. Pope Urbano 1V then gave it back to the owners and signed a settlement with Perugia allowing the raising of toll fees by Montegualandro. In 1326 the Montemelinos intended to sell the Castle requesting an estimate by the famous lawyer Cino da Pistoia. However, for the moment, the sale was not realized. The Castle was conquered in 1334 by Piersaccone dé Tarlati, Lord of Arezzo, in his fight with Perugia. From 1379 till 1383 the young Braccio Fortebraccio da Montone lived here with his mother Giacoma Montemelino. In 1383 her father, Tivieri, sold Montegualandro for 400 gold "fiorini" to the Casali, lords of Cortona, who continued to hold it thanks to Pope Bonifacio lX who officially signed it over to them in 1393. The Casali hold this until 1443 when Florentine forces conquered it and, in August of the same year, the Montemelinos retook possession of it. B ecause of all this the fortress was greatly damaged and the Mayors of Peru- gia, knowing its importance, granted some funds to restore it to Nicolo and Francesco Montemelino. Unfortunately the next year Bernardino Fortebracci da Montone captured Monte Gualandro, but the Pope sent some troops who reconquered the fortress giving it back to Perugia. In 1 5 1 7 the Castle was occupied by Giampaolo Baglioni, lord of Perugia, with his son Malatesta. The dispute was solved again by the Pope and Giampaolo Baglioni was beheaded in 1520 when Pope Leone X then annexed Perugia to the Papal State. The Castle was then returned to the Montemelinos who in 1544 obtained the Papal Delegate's (Cardinal Crispo) recognition of Montegualandro county as a feudal property with its own jurisdiction and its own prison still identifiable to this day. In 1643 Ferdinando de Medici, Duke of Tuscany, occupied the Castle with his army, during the invasion of the "Stato Pontificio". Then, finally, in 1676, after Count Adriano Montemelino's death, the whole county was sold by Pope Innocenzo XI and bought, in 1678, by Ruggero Ranieri for 13000 "scudi". From this date Montegualandro follows the history of the Church States with its final fortress situated on the border of the "Granducato di Toscana". For this reason a Customs office was established there. In 1798 after the French Revo- lution and the proclamation of the Roman Republic, it became a fortress under the Trasimeno district and later (1809) , under the same district, which was con- trolled directly by the Napoleonic Empire. With the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 the Castle returned to the Pope who was to leave it in 1851 after the convention with "Granduchy of Tuscany". After the annexation of Perugia to the Italian Kingdom (1860) the "Montegualandro Azienda Agricola" was set up here and its wine production became famous. In 1953 Giovanni Ranieri di Sorbello completely restored the main building. Montegualandro Castle has thus defied the events of the centuries and can still be admired today, situated on its hill like a "falcon surveying its prey" as the poet Carducci described it in 1877. Fifteen years ago the property came in possesion of the Marti family. They started a program to restore the decayed castle, firstly to make it their home and secondly to give it a cultural destination in the area. Next to the house there is a big hall where symposiums can be held, the chapel of San Nicolò is to be used for concerts and weddings and there are built 4 guest appartments of which we occupied one during our vacation in Mai 1999.