Explore the beauty of Southern Italy with us, in the Historical Duchy of Apulia!
June 13, 1799 - after the battle at Magdalena bridge, forces loyal to King Ferdinand of Bourbon, entered Naples and started a massacre of Republicans and Jacobins. It was the end of Partenopean republic, and the Kingdom of Naples was restored, free from French influence.
Canosa di Puglia at night.
May 22 is a traditionally accepted date when the Relics of Saint Nicholas were brought from from Myra (back then Byzantine Empire) to Bari, Apulia in 1087.
On the painting - St. Nicholas saving three innocent men condemned to death.
Rural Apulia is often full of desolated but still beautiful places.
Ruins of old San Pietro monastery.
Ruins of the Canosa castle
Medieval tomb in the dungeons of Barletta cathedral. Those places have countless mysteries.
Spectacular landscape around Canosa di Puglia. Even cloudy sky won't ruin such a wonderful day.
February 26, 1266 - the last king of Sicily from the Swabian House, Manfred, defeated at Benevento by Charles of Anjou who took the throne of Southern Italy.
August 23, 1268 - after Conrad V, King of Sicily, was defeated in the Battle of Tagliacozzo by Charles of Anjou, House of Staufen lost its power in the Southern Italy. It started temporary French rule over the Kingdom of Sicily, including Apulia.
Beautiful olive groves near the San Leucio Archeological Park.
Once here stood a great temple of Minerva, that was later, during the 3rd century AD, rebuilt and converted to one of the first churches of Southern Italy.
August 15. 778 is a date of an event not on the Italian soil, but nevertheless of one probably the most iconic for all the Medieval history. In this grim day, Frankish troop lead by Roland, nephew of Charlemagne, was ambushed and destroyed at the battle of Roncevaux Pass in the Pyrenees by wicked Saracens of Emir of Saragosa.
Roland heroically died together with many his Paladins, the most noble Carolingian kinghts.
There are many legends about this event, the famous ballad Song of Roland was later composed about this heroic last stand.
Here you can listen to beautiful Medieval Norse song based on this ballad.
This is just a small excerpt of the 4000 lines contained with in the ballad of Roland, a Frankish nobleman and army commander returning from Iberia, where he...
History of Apulia in High Middle Ages can be divided into four very distinctive and dramatic periods. Here are they:
First period - Norman Conquests
999-1071
Times of absolute instability and of constant wars of each against others. Once strong and vigorous, the Byzantine Empire is now only trying to recapture its possessions in Italy. Imperial power is diminished by wars and corruption. Langobards, whose kingdom had shattered into separate duchies and principalities long ago, are thinking only about protecting what’s left. Their warlike stance of the past had gone. Saracens hold Sicily in their infidel hands, and raid the Italian mainland from there. And finally the Normans, step by step subduing the land with fire and sword.
Second Period - Christendom Awakes
1071-1111
In the East, ruthless conquerors Seljuk Turks are advancing rapidly. In 1071 they struck a terrible blow against the Byzantines, and now the proud emperor has to plead his former enemies - Normans and the Pope - for help. Inside the Roman Church there are serious reforms to unite it; they face fierce opposition and breed discord even in Apulia. Nevertheless, knights from throughout Europe are gathering in Southern Italy to go to the war to the Holy Land; all the region is now full of armed men, clergy and commoners from all of the Christian world, whose major desire is holy war against the infidels. Norman prince Bohemond is the first among their brave leaders. No matter at what cost - Jerusalem will be liberated.
Third Period - Discord and Peril
1111-1198
The war against the Saracen had ended with triumph; lots of treasures from the Holy Land are pouring into Apulia. Together with those, thousands of now unemployed knights and mercenaries return, for whom in the east there is no more income or glory. Ambitions of King Roger II directed their ambitions against the outer enemies - Imperials and Papacy, and on the reconquest of the old Vandal kingdom in Africa. but those very ambitions diminished the kingdom’s resources. Descendants of Roger II are trying without much success to subdue the rebellions and to fight back against Germans, Byzantines and even Crusaders. In this bloody war the Normans are losing their power in Apulia, yielding to cruel tyranny of Emperor Henry VI, but soon he dies being poisoned by his own wife, heiress of the Norman princes.
Fourth Period - A New Rise
1198-1250
Crusades are raging in the east once again but wars have started in Italy as well. Treacherous foes of young King Frederick II are trying to conquer his SIcilian throne, and because of this battles and sieges do not stop throughout Apulia. However, step by step Frederick, supported by his loyal servants including military orders of Teutonic, Templar and Hospitalier knights, restores the order on his old ancestral lands. Apulia becomes a domain of crusader knights and the rear base of the new crusade which should again reconquer lost Jerusalem.
Saint Sabinus, patron saint of Canosa. Today is his day in the city 🙏🙏
Notice the awesome uniforms of the honorary guards.
Gates opened. Ahead there was a narrow path down, lit only by a few electric torches. Without fear we followed the guide to this dungeon as he was of those who explored those undregrounds for many long hours.
He began telling us a story of this place and its unique history - centuries after centuries mixed here, in one man-made grotto. Soon we went further down by the old stairs and appeared in an extremely tall room full of remnants of the past - a former Roman water cistern, converted after the collapse of the Empire into a wine cellar.
We were going deeper and deeper by curved, slippery path towards two ancient gates on tohs sides of the corridor. Here once were buried the great lords of the Daunians, ancient nation who settled Canosa long before Greeks or Romans discovered those lands. Now they are long gone, but their heritage still impresses us.
Old wine barrels, artifacts from the last big war and wall inscriptions by the medieval crusaders are catching our attention. But even more - masonry on one of the walls looks much newer than the rest of it. Yes, it's one of yet unexplored parts of this great dungeon - where probably lies the mysterious artifacts of the Daunian kings.
There are more than 70 km (50 mi) of dungeons of this kind under the town of Canosa - and most of them were not yet explored. There are many legends about what can wait in those deep corners under the ground - like a holy artifact brought here by Prince Bohemond as he returned from the First Crusade with triumph and was welcomed here. And some local legends tell much darker stories about those places.
When we leave this dungeon and can finally feel hot and dry outdoor air, it feels like we have just returned from a trip to a very distant past.
This is what kind of experience you will have on guided tours in Canosa di Puglia, with Sandro Sardella and Michela Cianti from OmniArte.it !
And there are many more than just a dungeon!
In Middle Ages feasts of numerous Saints as well as other Christian observations were proclaimed to be holidays by the Church. In those days, if possible, nobody should have worked - only prayed and glorified the Lord. In theory. In reality however many commoners of not completely omitted from visiting a local church, spent there only a small fraction of day and then enjoyed free time with friends in games and drinking ale.
Normans of Southern Italy waged bloody civil wars among each other - on July 24, 1132 near the Nocera in Campania King Roger II of Sicily, who was a nephew of renown Robert Guiscard, was defeated by his formal vassals - Rainulf, Count of Alife, and Robert II, prince of Capua.
Rebellious barous, inspired by the military preparations and promices of help from the Holy Roman Emperor Lothar II, decisively started the campaign agaisnt their liege Roger.
At Nocera, royal forces were completely defeated, with 700 soldiers, many of whom knights, being captured.
However, Lothair II didn't bring any help, and in less than two years Roger subdued his rebellous vassals and restored the order in the Kingdom of Sicily.
2-3 centuries AD, one of the first Christian necropolis in Italy, near Canosa di Puglia.
Canosa di Puglia once endured a ten-years period of sieges and attacks! Between the middle of 1073 and June 10, 1083 it remained the only Apulian town that didn't surrender to powerful lord Robert Guiscard.
That's how it was - in 1073, while Robert Guiscard was busy with the war against the Byzantines in the Balkans, most of Apulia rebelled against him, being bribed by Byzantine silver and deceived by Langobard princes. However, Robert's brother, Roger I, Count of Sicily, sent reinforcements, and in less than two months all the resistance of Apulia was subdued. All but one great city - Canosa.
Its walls stood like mountains, and its garrison was the most decisive seen.
Like a Trojan war, this siege lasted for ten years, often being lifted by the people of Canosa during their raids agaisnt the besieging troops. However, it wasn't possible to overcome the courage and power of all the Normans, and Canosa surrendered.
But it was spared! And even more - it got such a respect from the Normans that prince Bohemond made it his unofficial capital, and when he died in 1111, he was buried there with greatest honors - you can still visit his mausoleum in the city.
Ruins of Norman castle of Garagnone. It was built by Robert Guaragna, vassal of renown Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard, and served as a base protecting old road through the Apennines from Byzantine and Saracen raiders.
Spectacular view near the mountain with the ruins of Garagnone castle, prominent Norman fortress during their war with the Byzantines in 1000's.
July 15, 1099 - Christians were able to recapture the Jerusalem during the First Crusade after a fierce and difficult siege.
In that battle, among the most courageous leaders was the Norman lord Tancred of Taranto, nephew of renowned prince Bohemond who is now buried in Canosa di Puglia.
Excalibur, the famous magic sword of King Arthur, informal symbol of Medieval England.
But few peopel know that its history is also tightly connected to Apulia!
In 1191, while on the way to Holy Land as a crusader, English King Richard the Lionheart arrived in Apulia and was warmly met there by King Tancred of Lecce, whose father put huge efforts to start organizing the crusade.
After the series of negotiations and huntings, Richard and Tancred became great friends, and the King of England gave to his new ally Excalibur.
Stories diverse here if the magic sword was granted to Tancred as a gift to symbolize the new allienace, or temporary while Richard is in the lands of Saracens, but due to dire circumstances Richard the Lionheart never came to Apulia again.
Thus, it is very possible that Excalibur is still kep somewhere in dungeons of one of Norman castles here.
Sunset in Apulia. And no big cities in sight - only beautiful rural landscapes and historic landmarks!
Cannae, ruins of the great ancient and medieval city, where once Hannibal defeated the mighty Rome.
During the middle ages, there were four more battles here, often as dramatic and massive!
Castel del Monte, the famous castle and hunting residence of Emperor Frederick II in Apulia.
What did Norman knights and Langobards in Italy do in their free time?
Played Hnefatafl!
This is a very amusing boardgame, a bit similar to chess and checkers but still very distinctive on its own.
Only since late 1100s chess gradually started to gain popularity in Europe.
But even nowadays you can play Henfatafl as the rules were preserved!
Gentle street cats are numerous here 🐈🐈⬛
On June 28, 1098, renown Norman lord from Puglia, Prince Bohemond, defeated a huge army of Seljuk Turks and liberated mostly Christian city of Antioch, where he soon was to become a ruler.
Antioch was mostly populated by Armenians who warmly welcomed Italian crusaders.
The castle of Canosa di Puglia, which is now abandoned and ruined, once was a place where fortune of all the Southern Italy was decided.
When the famous conqueror and the first Duke of Apulia and Calabria Robert Guiscard died, there was a fierce struggle among two his sons from different spouces - older one, Bohemond, and younger, Roger Borsa. It was a real war, as both sons were brave and courageous as his father, and loved war as much - but forces were roughly equal, and there was a stalemate.
Brothers decided to start negotiations, and in 1089 they met right in the castle of Canosa, and from there, after days of negotiations and feasts, they divided the lands of Southern Italy and the noble titles. Bohemond had become and independent Prince of Taranto, while Roger remained Duke of Apulia and Calabria.
And nowadays you can come to Canosa, explore places of this great event with experienced local guides and history buffs, and much more!
Nowadays the place Cannae in Apulia is known mostly as the battlefield between Carthagenians under Hannibal and Romans, but there were many great battles here in the later times.
In 1201, Walter III, Count of Brienne in central France, came to Apulia to defend his claims as the local lord against only 7 years old Frederich II.
At Cannae, army of Walter III defeated Frederich's big but poorly organized host, and Walter was recognized as a Prince of Taranto but was unable to win the war, and thus Frederich II remained the King of Sicily.
Eventually Frederick reconquered the lands of Taranto as well.
Alta Murgia national park - treasure of central Apulia, of the historical region of Murgia.
Mythology of Apulia - The Witch of Minervino.
Not many people heard the name of Eusapia Palladino but she was probably the most famous witch and a spirit summoner from Puglia.
She lived in a small house in the town of Minervino, but frequently traveled around the world to show her witchcraft, such as levitating objects and summoning spirits, to the public of Warsaw, Paris, London and New York. It is rumored that even Russian Tsar once visited her occult session.
In Minervino probably there are still people alive who remember the mysterious witch Eusapia.
Southern Italian history is full of dramatic events. On June 23, 1266, in a big naval battle near Trapani, Sicily, Venetian fleet defeated Genovese thus ending the war among those two maritime trade republics for the control of trade through Acre in the Holy Land.
Unfortunately, this was only weakened the Crusader positions in the holy land, as each fued among them did, and eventually helped the Saracens of Egypt to regain control over the Palestine.
Medieval map of the lands around Canosa di Puglia, central town of our Historical Duchy! You can see mighty castle of Canosa, lots of farms and churches around, and Locone river that disappeared after the creation of beautiful Locone lake.
Mythology of Apulia- Lu Nanni Orcu.
Since the old times there are legends of those giants living in the heart of old forests of Salentu in the south of the region.
They are ruthless and dangerous, and were said to be man-eaters too.
It's also said that fear of Nanni Orcu was so huge among the local peasants, that up until the conquest of the southern Italy by the Piemontese in 1860, all the old forests were mostly intact for centuries.
In 300's AD, Roman Emperor Diocletian divided the Empire into the diocese instead of old provinces. One of those was Apulia and Calabria, almost exactly modern region of Apulia.
Its capital became Canosa, one of the richest and prosperous cities of contemporary Italy.
Even now Canosa has lots of landmarks and artifacts from the times when she was a proud capital of the Roman diocese, and even much older!
Middle Ages was a time of great turmoils for Apulia. In 1009, Langobards and some local Greeks, led by the noble Langobard lord Melus rebelled agaisnt the Byzantine despoty in the region. They took most of Apulia, including Bari, its largest and the most prominent city, but were unable to strengthen their position.
The population of Bari of that time was almsot exclusively Greek, and had significant trade ties and loyalty to the Byzaneine Empire, and thus, on June 11, 1011, Greeks of Bari rebelled against Melus, made him flee the city, and warmly welcomed Catapan (Governor) Basil.
However, in just 30 years, Byzantines will be forced to abandon the Italy forever as the Normans will create the Catholic realms on the lands of Apulia.
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