This ' that in the pages that follow the reader it will find ', it represents the synthesis of a search lasted around two years. Many surely more titled and eminent 's have deepened the history lunigianese, but yet anybody actually to she had now faced a specific search and contemplated on the circumstances of Gragnola and the Castle in the Aquila, from the origins, to the medioevo, up to the rinascimento. This and ' motive that has pushed me to seek, to gather and to appraise those whole news that can not only define the history of Gragnola and of his Castle but the history of a whole community ' between the valleys of the Polish and the Aulella. Today this territory is found economic and cultural centers to border of the principal, but in past and ' been to the center of the history and culture. Speaking of Gragnola means to speak of a people, people Lunigianese, that draws his origins from very distant, departing from that mysterious men that 's in prehistoric epoch already knew the stars, they adored the moon and they left each other as warning and testimony of her famous and mysterious “Statues Stele”, disappearing mysteriously then and leaving the place to the people of the Liguri-Apuanis, of the Romans, of the Longobardis, of the Malaspinas up to come to our days.

She could seem anachronistic to speak, in the century of internet and the globalizzazione, of the history of a country, Gragnola, that counts a few more 's of six hundred inhabitants and that on the geographical papers it represents a fraction of the Commune of Fivizzano simply, but to my notice, to the of her of the love that I try for this earth and that she has pushed me to complete such search, I think that our history, our culture, and our roots should be kept mostly in consideration, above all today, really to not forget what the Lunigiana and ' been in its past, and with the purpose to understand and proper impernearne its future on the that big historical patrimony, cultural and paesaggistico that this earth she/he offers.

I devote this search of mine on Gragnola, earth between the valleys of the Polish and the Aulella, to the people of Lunigiana, and particularly to my father that has known to infuse the love to me for that that today more 's that it would be never important to consider like “our earth.”

Giovanni Junior POLESCHI

GRAGNOLA

(Structure And Architectural Development)

(view of the Suburb with the two towers. From a fresco XVIII sec. ) (view of street Shiny Suburb)

The country of Gragnola is situated in the alluvial plan given birth to from the Shiny stream and from the stream Aulella, it is therefore an installation of fondovalle. She has developed like florid center of merchant commerce especially in epoch madioevale. The same toponimo “Gragnola” it seems to draw origin from the commerce of the wheat that ivi in epoch medioevale had found a mercanto very developed.

It is ' it deigns of note, to suffrage of the hypothesis of the importance of the grains and theirs intense present commerce in the zone, as brought in some texts, the presence, yet ever confirmed by archaeological recoveries, of a mill to water really in the valley of the Polish, that could also go up again to the epoch I delay imperial Roman. Such hypothesis and ' however born from the fact that the invention of the mill to water (Marc BLOCH “advent and conquests of the mill to water”) it goes up again to the antecedent period to the birth of Christ and you/he/she was also introduced in Italy in Roman epoch, understood the Val of Thin and in general the Lunigiana, where yet it had real and testified diffusion in epoch medioevale, as she is confirmed by the presence, attested by a document of 1259, of a hydraulic mill on the stream Harness some, tributary of the Aulella of ownership ' of the “nobiles Actocanes de Bibula.”

The presence of many other mills, in the zone, (not and ' yet clear if you/they were operated by animals or they exploited hydraulic strength) and ' confirmed by an action, contained in the code Pelavicino (Kind Wolf) with which the emperor Brass The, gave in 963 it reinstates to the Bishop of Luni of the privileges granted by his predecessors, in which action the is also quoted “molendinis”(mugnai). Subsequently certain news and archaeological confirmations of varied mills exist to water built along the principal raced of water lunigianesi. You has therefore the confirmation of the importance of the commerce of the wheat and his by-products, that I represent ' certainly for the Lunigiana and also for Gragnola, in epoch medioevale, the principal economic resource.

The true origin and the dating of the foundation of the country it results yet enough mysterious and in a certain atypical way also in comparison to the typologies of installation lunigianesi, above all if we consider some elements what the proximity to the Castle in the Aquila, that also overhanging the country, yet she has not given place, as contrarily she has happened in the greatest part of the Lunigiana, to an adjoining development of the country and to the consequent inglobazione of the Castle in the inhabited center (Verrucola, Terrarossa, Bagnone, Viano, Casola, Soliera, Fosdinovo, etc.). Other element to consider, is the proximity to a series of place characterized from toponimi of probable origin ligure (cà, court, vico, pays): Cortila, Ca ' brusà, Cà of Marchetto, Pays, that don't have however anything to that to do with the toponimo Gragnola, forcing us therefore to discard the possible origin of it. She must be similarly excluded the origin longobarda of the installation, in how much sets in fondovalle and not in altitude like instead it results typical of the installations lunigianesi of such origin. From these considerations if you/he/she could hypothesize a Roman origin of it, and perhaps Gragnola could have been the ancient one “Forum Clodii” whose location has not been ever defined with precision (the hypotheses besides Gragnola concern Castelnuovo, Plaza to the Serchio and Fivizzano). Such installation was almost with certainty situated along the street Clodia that came up to Lucca, and really from the Forum Clodi, others two roads were branched out: in a direction through the Carpinellis, Fivizzano, Licciana and the footstep of the Linaris it came in Parma, and in a second ramification came up to Luni (passing probably for Minucciano, Parish of S. Lorenzo, Codiponte, Casciana, Equitable, Monzone, Colognola, Viano and Cecina) unfortunately we remain in a purely hypothetical field, since to now any archaeological recovery she can bear such hypothesis. The only verified datum and ' wealth and importance that this installation dresses again ' in Roman epoch as I centers merchant of the Lunigiana.

The first certain news of the existence of Gragnola is had under the dominion of the White ones of Erberia having been found again numerous actions celebrated in “Hole Gragnolae” proper risalenti to this epoch.

The nucleus of the country seems to develop around the proper suburb and to the church of S. Ippolito and Cassiano. The residences more ancient 's, seem to go up again at 1200 o'clock from a first analysis of the constructive typology - 1300.

The big development of Gragnola as suburb and commercial center he had in slow epoch around 1400, in concomitance to the ascent to the power of the family of the Malaspinas and the consolidation of their political and economic centers in this part of the Lunigiana; this is testified from the presence of numerous shops distributed interior shot the country, especially in the street Shiny Suburb, and from the invoice of some buildings in which characteristic elements are found like windows bifore with columns marmoreal and beautiful portals in boulder worked elegantly that they testify the presence of very wealthy families or however wealthy.

(some examples of windows bifore and present monofore in the characteristic residences in the Suburb)

Other very important element with the purpose to frame and appraising Gragnola and his development in epoch medioevale, is given by the presence of numerous “short inside” and caravan menageries. This shows unequivocally that Gragnola was a center of passage very frequented, in which can be entertained and lodged merchants, wandering with relative household implements and livestock.

(some examples of portals in boulder you introduce in the characteristic residences in the Suburb)

The structure of the country seems to have maintained its aboriginal imprint enough faithfully, defined and documented enough minutely, for the first time, in the second relationship of the census that in 1639 the Granduca in Tuscany commissioned with the purpose to have an account detailed on the own possessions. In such fit Gragnola you/he/she is described like it follows: “she is set in plain, Aulella, is surrounded from boundaries with three doors along the river, it has roads well right and good tenements, it made fires (housing unity) 33 and inhabitants 200.” Analyzing the news brought in this document minutely, can make some interesting considerations: Gragnola was walled earth and this is still testified from the presence of the most preserved rests of the themselves boundaries along the whole perimeter of the country (constituting a right-angled ideal), to exclusion of the side (south) toward Monzone, where the defensive function was assured from the residences same mails to defense of the suburb. To underline the presence in discreet state of maintenance of the rests of a tower sets to the angle north-east of the surrounded building toward the river Aulella, to represent therefore the extreme defensive point toward the valley of the Aulella.

(particular of the defensive tower posts in the angle north-east of the surrounded building)

The fact then that Gragnola was described like built along the river Aulella and not along the Shiny stream like today it appears, you/he/she can derive or from a topographical error or, if we consider truthful as affirmed in the description of the document succitato, we can give justification to you considering that, from 1639 to today Gragnola she has suffered two very important events, besides the innumerable earthquakes and to the river esondazionis, that have conditioned the structure and the modern architectural development or the construction of the railroad and the provincial road that they have forced to put in safety with embankments and boundaries of containment the river Aulella modifying partly the original river bed of it, that she probably would be passed incontestably of it where now the part of the country most recent construction rises, in the zone of plaza Game. This could be also also confirmed by the fact that such zone it results completely external to the ancient surrounded building. As far as it concerns the roads “well right”, the roads still seem to trace the original road trace, excluding the zone of the provincial road only in direction Monzone that from the intersection with street Shiny Suburb and Street Castel in the Aquila didn't exist, but it existed in the inside part to the country only with the toponimo of “street Piazzuolo” up to the presumed door south of the country sets to a trentina of meters from the intersection with street S.Nicola. The other of the three doors quoted surely was situated in direction West toward the inhabited area of Cortila, mail at the end of street Shiny Suburb, before the bridge that crosses the homonym stream. As far as it concerns the location of the third door, she could have been positioned in direction east, toward the Castle in the Aquila on the street of communication with the same castle and the tall valley of the Aulella, that it lay on the opposite side of the stream Aulella in past, in comparison to the actual ss.445, along the slopes of the hill where the Castle in the Aquila rises.

To complete the architectural considerations on Gragnola, can make reference to some particular elements that are found in that that she today is defined as street of the Ditch.

(Ditch some images of portals, arcs and times drowned clearly in the ground)

From a deepened evaluation it seems to take value the hypothesis that in this zone, the quota of the ground, pits more low 's than at least two or three meters and this ' is testified from the presence of times seeds filled by deposits but still well identifiable and at least two portals drowned now in the ground but well recognizable and visible in the boundaries perimetrali of the residences of this zone. The same bridge on the Shiny stream, sights his proportions you/he/she would have had the tallest spans of the actual ones, above all comparing it with another situated bridge in place ' Pian of Grinds (along the ancient street of communication that from Gragnola it went up again the valley of the Polish) entirely similar in the constructive typology but with the tall span around twenty meters, in comparison to the bridge of Gragnola that results drowned now in the bed of the stream.

These considerations, are confirmed over that from the memory of the popular memory (above all as far as it concerns the height of the spans of the bridge), from the consideration that Gragnola like the whole Lunigiana it is and she has been a zone highly seismic and possible earthquakes in past epoches, united to the frequent esondazionis of the courses of acqua(valutando a period of time of around 1000 years) you/they would have been able to bring to reconstruct the damaged buildings on the rests and the rubbles of the preceding installations made inagibilis, resulting for matters of functionality and practice, very more easy to level rather more aloft the ground that to free it from the ruins to return to the original quotas. To hold in consideration it would be besides the toponimo “Ditch” that undoubtedly it draws ditch origin, and it would not be therefore to exclude a possible presence of a course of water I intern to the boundaries, perhaps a gora for a mill or simply a channel for the drainage of deriving waters from the hill of the Castle in the Aquila, naturally such considerations must be subsequently you deepen purely above all from evaluations of architectural character.

Other worthy element of note, that yet it maintains the considerations on a purely hypothetical plan, you/he/she is constituted from the presumed presence of a House Tower situated in the zone South of the country, really where the houses act from surrounded defensive, along the by Shiny suburb; this hypothesis for she is now born only by what it appears in a fresco where risalente to the XVIII century in a beautiful foreshortening of the country seen by the zone dictates of Banishes it (from North to South) besides the bell tower, another very elevated construction is recognized easily and clearly recognizable like a tower.

In last it is not able ' to not be signalled the presence of a fountain in marble, of beautiful invoice, and for some verses only in the local territory denominated “silver cannonzin”, mail in the center of the suburb and risalente at 1647 o'clock like she is underlined by the notation waits for in a beautiful marmoreal headstone” IACOBVS MALASPINA FOSDENOVO MARCHIO, POST ADEPTAM GRAGNOLA POSSESSIONEM, COMMODITATI PVBLICA EXTRVCTO FONTE, CONSVLVIT. A. DNI. MDCXLVII. INTER AQVAS PHOENIX, IACOBI MUNERE SVLVAS DESERO, ET EXVRGENS, FONS REDIVIVVS ERO. ” that currently it results mutilated in his superior part that was completed presumably from the heraldic coat of arms of the family malaspina of the branch of I bone it in bloom (probably from the arme of Iacopo Marchese of Fosdinovo that governed Gragnola, Castel in the Aquila, Cortila and Viano, incorporating them in the proper feud from the 23 March of the year 1645) like it results from the presence in the superior part of the same one of a portion of the aboriginal coat of arms and in the fattispecie the three roots that they normally constitute the inferior termination of the coats of arms malaspiniani.

Giovanni Junior POLESCHI

FORUM GRAGNOLAE ET CASTRUM AGUILLE

(The History - From the First Documents To the Renaissance)

The classical historiography, identifies where in the basin of the Mediterranean the place the same history and European culture they have had origin. The Italian peninsula, can not be where ideally the place and the ideal theater to the center of the Mediterranean you/they can have origin and to develop the most important cultural movements.

The Lunigiana occupies interior shot the Italian peninsula a detail geographical position, a pseudo-region, between Tuscany, Liguria and Emilia that also being an earth of passage, or of border, as from many you/he/she has been then defined, she has maintained an own historical identity and she has developed an own culture and own traditions. The oneness of people lunigianese, is to seek really in its origins or in the sincretismo of different cultures and the different customs of people and the etnies that they have crossed it during the history, or in every case they have practiced you power.

The social and economic political history of the Lunigiana has been by circumstance, conditioned and determined from its configuration and from its disposition geographical interior shot the peninsular territory, and particularly such situation resulted in the Middle Ages fundamental for its same evolution.

Through his mountains, along his valleys and the courses of his streams, important streets of communication were disentangled that, from the Roman epoch, and for the whole medioevo they have constituted for hundreds of years the most important connection between the countries of oltralpe (France, Germany, Austria) and the Italian peninsula with particular reference to the connection with the valley Padana, the Liguria, Tuscany and the same Rome.

These roads already 's in Roman epoch were of notable importance, a lot of of which were paved (stratae) or you gravel (glareatae); the more 's notes and you traffic they were the street Aurelia, the Lucca-Luni and the Lucca–Parma (street Clodia) with their varied ramifications that 's already ploughed in such epoch big part of the Lunigiana.

This favorable strategic position gave an immense importance to the Lunigiana, making it a desirable loot from his bordering (Pisani, Genoese, Lombardi, Lucchesi and Florentines).

For this motive, the Lunigiana I cross his passes appenninici it was a real crossroad of men, commodities, moneys and militias.

Already ' in Roman epoch, even if the news is very little and a little clear, the presence of very important installations is testified. Besides the city ' and to the I bring of Luni, he speaks of a place besides ' “Forum Clodi”, as already ' previously enunciated, which precise location not and ' yet confirmed, but that certainly it resulted to be one important center of commerce between the zones of the shore and the hinterland, some researchers they think, between the varied hypotheses, that can be straight along the valleys of the Polish or the Aulella and this ' you/he/she could find a hypothetical confirmation then in the notable development that in epoch medioevale had the “Forum Gragnolae” and its market, important above all for the commerce of the wheat, of salt and the craftsmanship, with interesting and meaningful testimonies of ferraioli, blacksmiths and carpenters.

The valleys of the Polish and the Aulella, finding morphologically they were to the center of the territory therefore and in Roman epoch, as previously mentioned, and in epoch medioevale with their walled suburbs, the Castles and Small fortress, witness and theater of the history lunigianese.

The suburb of Gragnola, place in the alluvial plan originated from the streams Polish and Aulella and the Castle in the Aquila to it impending, they lie to the intersection of the homonym valleys, and they resulted strategically for this important and economically for the one that she can boast of the possession of it.

Says ' to this we give to consider the Castle in the Aquila, whose toponimo doesn't have a clear origin yet, and this would result of particular interest if you/he/she was defined, above all to determine the epoch of foundation of it. To my notice it would be to discard the origin tied up toponomastica to the word Latin eagle, rapacious bird, but rather she could be of it appraised instead the origin connected to the Roman last name of the gens Aquilia, but yet such evaluations stay alone hypothesis since ' a possible Roman origin should be born by archaeological recoveries that don't find some comparison to the actual state.

The Castle in the Aquila is an imposing strengthened structure, castled on a hill between the valleys of the Polish and the Aulella. She was built perhaps from ancient local noble between the IX and the X century, and perhaps she was built in the proximities of an installation more ancient 's, perhaps of Roman epoch, yet the first documents in which it results named such ”Castrum” they go up again to around half 1300.

During the centuries its architectural structure came continually modified and integrated; the four towers can still be distinguished to square base and part of the big tower englobed now in an only construction.

(the rests of the tower before the definitive collapse)

We can hypothesize only that also the Castle in the Aquila like the suburb of Gragnola, of which we instead find clear mention, pits ownership or quantomeno under the dominion, of the family of the White ones of Erberia.

This results documented by varied actions celebrated in “Hole Gragnolae” from the “Podestà” of the “Earths Blancorum” risalenti to the centuries 1200 and 1300.

(Heraldic coat of arms of the family of the White ones)

(Gold Bandato and of blue to the silver band)

To enter to full title interior shot the circumstances that have characterized Gragnola and the Castle in the Aquila, will result now necessary to define and to give a connotation, how much less than general character, to the White Family of Erberia, above all with reference to their possessions Lunigianesi having had on big part of this territory, for more than two centuries, influence or in every strong way and radicals affairs.

The territory on which the White ones practiced own influence, can be defined departing from the right shore of the stream Harness of it, that flowing between Cecina and Marciaso finds in the country of Viano a true fortress and a mighty strengthened center, coming then up to the slopes of the Alps Apuane passing from Wins, continuing up to they Reign and licking up the Verrrucola and the actual Fivizzano from which following the course of the stream Rosaro came up to Soliera.

Interior shot this territory we find therefore to full title also Gragnola and for antonomasia we can hypothesize only, since any document doesn't exist where it came, in effects mentioned, the Castel in the Aquila.

Map of the possessions of the White ones of Erberia Earths Blancorum

The faction of the White ones and ' to consider between the noblest and important families on which the diocese of Luni had subjection.

The last name of Erberia seems has origin from the fact that such family it was holder of some situated feuds in the zone of the actual Rubiera, that in the documents medioevali was called with the toponimo of Herberia.

Already from 1188, with Guido of the it was Gerardo Bianco, the family of the White ones of Erberia resulted to have a clear organization, definable like “Podesteria” straight line note from a “Podestà” rigorously belonging to one of the varied branches of the family between which was chosen to turn. The chief town of the podesteria was the country of Gragnola.

The first document that attest the presence of the White ones of Erberia in Lunigiana goes up again to half the XI century, around in the year 1055 if we consider belonging to such family Rodolfo of Casola, which promising Fidelity and alliance to the Bishop of Luni against all unless against Beatrice in Tuscany and the proper child it also gave own availability to incastellare, to maintain and protecting the hill where was the Parish of Soliera, getting it therefore in possession.

As far as Rodolfo concerns from Casola, he doesn't have some testimony of documents that defines the origin of it, but they know the names of some descendants of his as Guido, Uguccione and Gerardo contrarily. These nephews of his are named together with the children of Boso, (in which the Bosis of the Verrucola are identified) since 1105 were presented to the Cardinal Bernard from now on to refer in the year that the church of S. Michele of the Mountain (Mountain of the White ones), of which held the patronage, she had remained in abandonment and, therefore they asked that she was returned to statum ordinis monarchorum (to a religious order). This done results of extreme interest, since from this she can be deduced that the White ones of Erberia is really Rodolfo's descendants from Casola.

To the goals of a global evaluation, and above all to frame the historical period, the social and territorial situation in which the faction of the White ones was been, results very interesting to consider some and to appraise some the relationships with the “Vescovato of Luni.”

Such relationships are always not clear and of easy reading. We sometimes find accords of collaboration and straight relationships of condominiato on varied castles.

It will be really this interlacement of powers and competences to give place to frequent quarrel, that often flowed in real wars, that represented the principal characteristic of the relationships then between the varied Dominuses and Episcopalian power.

Already in 1214 with the action of subjugation that, of fact it relegated the White ones in a position of pseudo-vassalage towards the bishop of Luni, undersigned on February 26 from Bernardino and Palmerino you give birth of the it was Guido of Erberia and from Henry Bianco of the it was Arduino of Erberia from a part and Mazzucco Vescovo of Luni from the other, you/they are put in evidence and exemplified such relationships.

We find in this document the expression of the political wish of the Bishop of Luni, contemplated to an expansion egemonica on the Lunigiana, time to the constitution of a real ecclesiastical principality. With such fit, in fact, the Erberias surrendered omnes to the Bishop of Luni suas munitiones, menia et castrates que et quas habebant ab alpibus citra versus epiacopatum lunensem, that is all their possessions hocking him besides to defend if necessary the territories and the possessions on which the Bishop of Luni had jurisdiction.

The family of the White ones remained yet subdued to the vescovato of alone Luni to theoretical level nearly, since she can act in almost complete autonomy up to the whole second destination of the XIII century.

We can understand therefore like the Lunigiana she/he remained fragmented and uniform between varied families or straight between different branches of a same. A real homogeneous control never existing on the territory, didn't succeed in even not getting an organic development for the centers urbanized already.

The vescovato of Luni, and the family of the Malaspinas they tried to give an unitary organization to the Lunigiana, but either the first ones either the seconds never succeeded in their intent.

The causes are go sought in scarce and ineffable power that the varied dominuses they succeeded concretely to practice, and this was determined is from the ineptitude of the administrators, is from the frequent quarrel for private affairs between the members of a same faction, is, and this represents the principal motivation, from the same morphological situation of the territory and the distribution on the same of the urban centers and the principal castrums, giving place hardly to niches and knapsacks of convertible power and conglobabili in an unitary context.

We now return to the family of the White ones of Erberia, which like already says, they acted in almost complete autonomy maintaining their power up to the second destination of the XIII century, when around the 1275 many of their possessions you/they were surrendered, in manner yet not entirely clear, to the family of the Malaspinas of the branch of Filattiera.

From this moment the power of the White ones went gradually dissipate him up to that the same family had the own traces lost to half 1300 around already, when the ancient fortress of Viano also resulted to be under the dominion of Spinet Malaspina.

After having faced this long excursus we return to the specific circumstances of Gragnola and the Castle in the Aquila, for which it doesn't result clear if they also reentered between you acquire facts to him from the Malaspinas of Filattiera, of which one is first spoken, but some is that the castle and its subjections passed to Spinet “The Great one” in the period that coincided with its expansion to a large extent from the oriental Lunigiana, or from 1327 around to the 1352 date of its death.

Where the document is mentioned for the first time the name of “Castle in the Aquila” it is the will of the Marquis Anthony of the it was William Malaspina of Fosdinovo of the year 1374 in which a legacy of ten florins is brought of the in favor “porter” of this castle.

The family of the Malaspinas had origin from a branch of the Obertenghis, descending that is from Oberto named Count of Luni in 945 from the emperor Brass The (for the services resigli in the war against Berengario II in 961, in such occasion it got the faculty besides ' to beat coin) and Marquis of Liguria in 951.

Such “brand” she was founded from the emperor Brass The to the purpose to defend the own dominoes from the Saracens.

The Obertenghis seem to come down from a probable survivor of the family of the Marquises in fought Tuscany and destroyed from Ugo king of Italy. The studious Baudi of Vesme you go up again ' actually to duke of Spoleto she/he Supposes in the year 814 and it sustained that to the stock of the Supponidis the Accounts of Arezzo, the Marquises of S. Maria, the Accounts of Blackboard and the Viscounts in Genoa also belonged.

To the death of Oberto they were him successors his two children Adalberto and Oberto II.

From the first one (Adalberto) after following ramifications, the Palodis Marchesi of Mass, the Pelavicinos, the Marquises of Mass-Corsica, the Marquises of Gavi and the Cavalcabos came down; from the second (Oberto II) the Estensis, the Brunswiches and the Malaspinas came down.

The first one to appear with the name of Malaspina was Alberto II, as it results from an action of 1124 where reference is made to a division of good happened in the X century between the Obertenghis. It was therefore really from Alberto II that it originated the stock of that Malaspinas that for centuries you/they dominated, in good and in the evil, the whole Lunigiana.

The Malaspinas got the investiture and the possessions officially in Lunigiana, of the emperor Fred Barbarossa, already from 1164 with diploma of on September 29. They were yet the Estensis that for first you/they had the predominance on the Lunigiana and they held it in practice up to 1202, when having consolidated their power and having found great fortunes elsewhere, cedettero to the Malaspinas their laws and dominoes. It owes to be annotated then that the coastal band didn't enter to belong to the possessions Malaspiniani since she was granted from the emperor Brass II, in the oriental part, to the Marquises of Mass, and in the western part, to the Bishops of Luni.

The geographical Lunigiana resulted therefore politically and administratively, since the beginning I begin, divided in at least three different zones.

Consequently to this situation, not existing true and precise confinements between Marquises and Bishops, and arrogating him the one the laws of the others quarrel, conflicts and real wars that constituted the base of the history political Lunigianese, sprang.

The fate of her “brand” Longobarde, that imposed the succession and division of good between all the legitimate males, was marked on being born of the Malaspinas like that of all the other tied up families to the laws and traditions, bringing as a result directed a disposition breakup of power between more persons, that it transformed the Malaspinas in simple Feudal Lords during the generations.

(Heraldic coat of arms of the Malaspinas of I Bone it In bloom) (heraldic Coat of arms of the Malaspinas of I Bone it Dry)

The biggest division between the Malaspinas happened with agreement to Parma in the year 1221 on August 24 and it was the result of the new historical-town situation of the whole northern part of our peninsula.

Such division distinguished the Malaspinas between “I Bone Dry” and “I Bone In bloom.” To Conrad I give birth of Obizzone, they touch the possessions to the right of the Thin river: Mulazzo, Villafranca, Giovagallo, Tresana, Lusuolos, Enjoy (I Bone Dry); to Obizzino they touched the possessions to the left of the Thin river: Olivola, Verrucola, Gragnola, Fortress Sigillina, Castiglione of the Terziere, Malgrate, Bagnone, Treschietto, (Inclined In bloom). This division, was thought is from Conrad and is from Obizzino as an important movement politics, in how much while Conrad (I Bone Dry) ghibellino was declared, to the meantime Obizzino (I bone in bloom) guelfo was declared, giving way to both to be able to manage very better the relationships with theirs bordering and, where possible to draw advantage of it.

Subsequently, after this big division, if they had others of it, also however of notable political thickness, which, to the goals of a better comprehension and description of the panorama Lunigianese in the centuries XII and XIII deserve mention.

In 1266 the Malaspinas of I Bone it Dry, successors of Conrad, were divided in four small feuds: Mulazzo, Giovagallo, Val of it Threshes and Villafranca, but of them we won't go to treat over.

In the 1275 buttocks to the left of the Thin one (I Bone In bloom) he had a division that in substance it trisected the old feud of Obizzino giving origin to the feuds of: Filattiera (with attached Bagnones, Treschietto, Iera, Collesino, Corvarola and Castiglione of the Terziere); Olivola (with attached Aullas, Terrarossa, Bigliolo, Pallerone, Quotation mark, Mountains, Licciana, Agnino, Bastia, Knot S.Pietros, Launch, Fornoli, Comano); Fivizzano-Verrucola, held up by Gabriele and Azzolino you give birth of Isnardo (comprendente all the possessions in Castiglione of the Brooms, in Fivizzano, in the Verrucola and in the Earths of the White ones, between which presumably, also the Castle in the Aquila and Gragnola). To notice that in the Verrucola the Malaspinas had some laws only and they practiced their power in condominiato with the families of the Castle and the From him (descending from the Bosis, ancient gentlemen of the Verrucola and appartenenti to the same stock of the White ones of Erberia). Castle you give life to taking the Earth, then city of Fivizzano, that initially had been of it the suburb and the market with the toponimo of Forum Verrucolae.

Toward the end of 1200 we find the Lunigiana to interior shot a new power, that tried to expand, and it opposed, of fact, wish egemonizzatrice of the Vescovato of Luni and the Malaspinas, the Commune of Lucca.

The inclined lucchese on the Lunigiana, resulted so strong to the point that practically they had almost some the total control, succeeding to acquire the feuds to interior shot Malaspiniani you launch territories and sending a big number of officials to you, so that, the vicars, the notaries, the judges and the podestàs, of the Lunigiana of the epoch they result to be almost all Lucchesi.

This type of politics, Lucca, adopts also it towards the vescovato lunense, succeeding in reducing the same to a simple feud of the Common lucchese.

The proof of wish and the strength of penetration lucchese was had in concrete in 1299 when Bucello, Simonello, Saladdo and other noble appartenentis to the ancient family of the From the concessero to the Common lucchese the fortitude of the Verrucola, the relative court and with it other villages and terrestrial interior shot the feud malaspiniano (the Castle of Camporaghena, the villa of Torsana, the small fortress of Climb on her, the castle and small fortress of Montefiore with earth and the Commune of Rensa, with earth and fortitude of Ghiddino of the it was messer Subboglione). Similarly the Common lucchese returned ' to title of feud aforesaid acquired earths forcing to lend oath of fidelity to the commune same that he forced to defend them against whoever.

This was the cause scatenante of the war that she/he saw contrasted in Marquis Azzolino and Lucca.

The lucchesis succeeded in occupying the Castle of Castiglione of the Brooms and they forced the Marquis Azzolino to shelter interior shot the fortitude of the Verrucola and to negotiate with the aggressors, which succeeded however to maintain the privileges gotten by the Lords at the end of the argument than From him.

Risen analogous it also touched to the feud of Fosdinovo, and the situation nearly remained unchanged up to 1310 with the arrival in Italy of the emperor Arrigo VII which succeeded only in avoiding that Lucca conquered the whole Lunigiana. In such occasion the Marquis Spinet of the Verrucola, getting the favors and the support of the emperor Arrigo VII, changed the own political convictions from guelfe in ghibelline. Setting him to the service of the emperor, Spinet succeeded in recovering the castle of the Verrucola the eight April of 1312, but up to 1327 she was besieged during the following years, taken back and lost, with a real war fought between Spinet same and Castruccio Castracani. And alone at the end of the argument, Spinet, succeeded in unifying under of if everybody the Lunigiana Orientale.

We now return to Gragnola and his castle. As quoted in precedence, the first news of the Castle in the Aquila was had in the will of the Marquis Anthony, after death of which, the Castrum and all its subjections (Loranos, Gas, Gallona, Colognola, Mountain of the White ones, Vezzanello, Pian of Grinds, Corsano, Tenerano, Island, Monzone, Wins, Equitable, Aiola, Ugliano, Montefiores, Claw, Codiponte, Sercognano) they passed like legitimate to Leonardo of the it was Jailbird being with the brother Spinet the only heirs remained of the same Anthony and of the marquises William, Jailbird and Gabriele. Such division came ufficializzata the 7 February of 1393 in the city of Pavia.

As far as the marquis concerns Leonardo and his mistakes, from the a lot of news that they am reached there, we can remember it like brave soldier and admirable man of arme. From 1386 at 1387 o'clock it was first Captain of War to the twenty-five year-old young age and subsequently Senator near the commune in Siena. In 1387 it was between the bravest that, to the succession of Giovan-Galeazzo Visconti they entered to Verona and the Scaligeris sent away, giving in this way I ransom to an one man show revenge in their comparisons, having been from the same, in 1381, bandit and sent away by Verona. In 1396 it was to the head of the militias Pisane, together to Alberico Conte from Barbiano, in the war against Lucca.

When to the prince Giovan-Galeazzo Visconti succedette the child Giovan-Maria, Leonardo still got more consideration and it had the opportunity to show the proper value in more than an occasion, above all when together with Facino Cane you/he/she was commanded and envoy to the defense in Bologna, succeeding in sending away the militias pontificie that from the boundaries you/they had succeeded in storming in the city and this action, as you/he/she is almost brought in legendary manner from the Flocks, you/he/she was conducted with such impetus that, “cut those that had entered asunder”, they dissuaded ulterior break-ins.

The Marquis Leonardo was subsequently sent as defender, to the purpose to take care of the affairs of the Viscounts, in the varied cities, between which Vicenza, Cividale, Felt and Padua for then to return in Bologna again and to defend it from the ulterior siege of the pontifical army and the allied Marquis of Este, and ivi found the 13 July of 1403 to death to the 41 year-old age around. His bare were buried, with all the reserved honors to a big commander, in the church of S.Domenico.

Because of his devotion to the weapons, the Marquis Leonardo never had to that to take an interest some possessions Lunigianesi, which were left in custody to vicars and vicedomini, of which yet doesn't exist some mention or some document that you remember activity of it, leaving therefore an empty temporal of about ten years on the circumstances of the Castle of the Aquila and the attached Brand.

To his death she left as heir the child first-born Leonardo II that since small of age had as guardian and manageress the mother Caterina gives birth of Bertrando Red Count of St. Secondo in Parma. Besides Leonardo II I leave ' other three legitimate children quoted in will: Jailbird, Bianca and Caterina and two illegitimate Anthony and Argentina, which yet you/they are not named in the will.

The testamentary wills towards Leonardo II were never respected, since the investiture in its comparisons ufficializzata never came, but the feudal laws on the Castel in the Aquila, passed rather to both the children virile Leonardos II and Jailbird, which got them in equal measure, even if in effects the Marquis Jailbird was not never almost present in Lunigiana almost always staying to Venice and Verona.

Their inherited dominoes, were in 1412 increased by the possessions of the Marquises of Olivola that gave extinction to the first branch of their descent. For this motive Pallerone, Bigliolo and Magliano entered in the possessions of Castel in the Aquila.

Only official action of their government on Castel in the Aquila, was a whole laws calls “Statute” you publish the 22 January of 1410 with the approval of the University and Court of Gragnola, of which we know that she was composed by 167 chapters of which the first 35 concern the election of the “Vicar, of the Massaro, of the Mayors of the soprastantis, of the Advisers, and of the Consuls”, with attached their duties and their attributions. They don't have each other yet news more you detail.

You/they governed the proper Feud of commune accord but their politics and theirs operated will be remembered above all for their cruelty and for their desire of expansion that I don't even save up ' the own kinsmen, coming to the point to do slaughter her, from some good ones, the whole family of the Marquises of Verrucola and Fivizzano to the purpose to appropriate of their Feud. In such circumstance, to attribute to Leonardo mainly (really for his ambitious character and his education gotten to the court of the Viscounts), perpetrated in the June of 1418, all the appartenentis were killed to the family of the Marquises of the Verrucola, between which the old Marquis Niccolo ', the child Bartholomew and its wife, pregnant, and some them you give birth in young age, saving up, to abduct it, the young Giovanna to the purpose to give it in bride to Jailbird so ' to have the pretext to occupy the feud legally fivizzanese. Such marriage would have owed to unwind like enacted and established between the varied inside pacts to the accords of September 7 th 1415 that they defined peace between the varied branches of the family Malaspina that was undersigned between other gi from the same marquis Niccolo ' of the Verrucola. For what cause then this marriage didn't go ' to good end, not and given ' to know it but surely this ' induced Leonardo and Jailbird to complete Giovanna's abduction and the consequent slaughter of the Marquises of Verrucola.

To this villainous action, survivor the young brother of Giovanna named Spinet remained miraculously, towards which the Florentine Republic known the facts, taking the defenses.

Florence, can not refuse to take the defenses of it, in how much with public action of the 6 September of 1404 the Marquis Nicolo ' of the Verrucola, after the warlike circumstances needed towards the Viscounts, it was forced to I handed under the Florentine protection.

Subsequently to these circumstances, the usurpers showing him indifferent to the Florentine injunctions, movements in the person of Felice Brancacci, that came in Lunigiana to such purpose, were forced with strength to return all the possessions and the territories that had usurped and besides those that had gotten legitimately. In such occasion the Republic Florentine dispatch a real army constituted from around 1200 infantrymen and from a whip of cavalry, with to the head the above-mentioned Fred Brancacci, that I shortly occupy the castles and the possessions of Leonardo and Jailbird, inclusive those that held up permissibly inclusive the same Castle in the Aquila, envoy under siege, forcing the same Marquises to shelter elsewhere, perhaps in theirs possessions in Lombardy.

To have faced this military country, the Florentine Commune held as debt of war, taking the direct administration, varied grounds and possessions of it: Wins, Monzone, Ajola, Equitable, Sercognano, Codiponte, Lawn Alebbio and Cassana (Casciana).

Other possessions also came granted to the Marquis Anthony Alberico of Fosdinovo which had given aid and support to the Florentine army: Tenerano, Ugliano, Ghisolano (Island), Vianos, Gas, Olivola, Pallerone and Bigliolo; the same got in wife then Giovanna, because of which the slaughter would have been completed.

To the little boy survivor, Marquis Spinet of Verrucola, that was envoy to the practice of the weapons under the Florentine protection, the possessions you/they were returned usurped inclusive Ormetas (Rometta) and Magliano.

Such situation remained substantially unchanged up to 1423, year when Leonardo II and Jailbird returned in possession of their dominoes, really for concession of the same Florentine republic that previously removed them from him, with which, on February 15 they stipulated the old alliance, that was also reinstated then in 1428 on May 7 again alliance of decennial duration.

The restitution of the Feud of Castel in the Aquila to the Marquises Leonardo II and Jailbird, happened presumably since at 1423 o'clock the Florentine Republic considered satisfied of the incomes gotten during the period of government declaring therefore extinguished the debt of war. Everything this would seem rather strange, but we must not forget that the political situation of the epoch was tangled rather and the struggle between party Guelfo and Ghibellino it was always sour, and for this motive the Florentine affairs in the Lunigiana were extremely strong, for which was of primary importance, for the same republic, to maintain however possible peace and possibly own influence on the whole feudal Lunigianesis, considering besides that before the slaughter of the Verrucola she am the Castel in the Aquila that the Feud of the Verrucola was both bottom the protection and in relationship of vassalage with Florence.

Other fact of relief happened during the dominion of Leonardo II and Jailbird, that it underlines their restrictive politics subsequently and sometimes villainous towards the own subjects it happened in 1438, when the small Common of Wins on August 12 it asked and it got to undergo to the Florentine control directly really to escape to the “dominazio” oppressive of the Castel in the Aquila.

Leonardo II marries ' Ginevra it gives birth of the it was Bernabo' Visconti, Mr. of Milan it had a daughter only named Argentina which I marry George Marchese of the Wheelbarrow. Dark Leonardo II in 1441 leaving the feud to the brother Jailbird. The Marquis Jailbird like already said ' lived where big part of own life in the city of Venice bridegroom ' Samaritana, daughter of Francis Foscari, from which had like only daughter Isabetta (Elizabeth) that then bridegroom in first wedding Andrew's Mauroceno Pietro (Morosini), and in seconds wedding Mark of Christmas Donato. After the death of the wife Samaritana in 1426, Jailbird contracted marriage with a second woman, Mattea of Francis Bevilacqua in Verona, from which had four daughters: Bianca that was bride of Gabriele Malaspina Marquis of Fosdinovo, Paola that dark in young age, Caterina that I marry ' Lazzaro the Marquis Malaspina I give birth of Anthony Alberico of Fosdinovo, which became Marquis of Castel of the Aqila and Iacopa then, of which yet they don't have clear news.

Jailbird dark ill 's to Venice where the 26 October of the 1443 said ' his last will to the notary Ser Pasio of Prosdocimo de Bertapalla in Padua. His bare were buried, as from testamentary wills, in the church of S.Giovanni Batista of the Sack in Verona where she had to be erected in his honor and of the father an ark, leaving to such elegant “duorum quiquaginta auri” and the possession of some terrestrial ones with the income of which to be able to maintain a priest.

To the wife Mattea I leave ' 2500 dukedoms and all the golds and jewels in his possession, I leave ' besides order to free and to free the slaves that for ten years near of they had lent service, or they were paid with 25 dukedoms every if she was not spent this period to the moment of his death.

The Feud and all the remainders possessions were left in ' it inherits to the five daughters. Happened presumably after a few years from the succitato will after his death in such way, the Castel in the Aquila I pass ' to the Marquis Anthony Alberico of Fosdinovo, which dead in 1445 I leave it ', undivided, to the children Bartholomew, Iacopo, Lazzaro, Gabriele, Spinet, Francis and Taddeo-Nicolo, which held it together with the other fatherly dominoes, in committee up to 1462-63, years when died, without descent, Taddeo-Nicolo and Bartholomew.

To the death of Taddeo-Nicolo ' and Bartholomew, the ownerships ' was divided and the Castel in the Aquila, with his pertinences (Gragnola, Casola and the respective villages, fortresses and castles to them annexed) and the fourth part of good possessed in Verona, Vicenza, Lunigiana and Tuscany, was given besides to Leonardo III and for him, in how much small you/he/she was named as administrator and administrator uncle Gabriele.

With Leonardo III, Castel in the Aquila I pass ' therefore under the domination of the second branch of Fosdinovo. The marquis Leonardo III and remembered ', as it brings the Flocks, of generous and pugnacious character, but she/he remained yet respectful and subordinate toward the mother and the administrator his uncle, the marquis Gabriele. It also maintained this attitude when it reached the greatest age ', to such point that the wife also had occasion to criticize the behavior of it, mourning him more 's turned with the sister of like him nothing would never have done without the explicit complaisance of the mother.

After death in the 1478 of the Marquis Spinet of Verrucola, Leonardo III, perhaps under the influence of uncle Gabriele, claim ' in quality ' of presumed heir, in 1481, to the Florentine Republic, the ownership of the Feud of the Verrucola (to which had been left in ' it inherits from the same Spinet), and having some the possession of a part and the relative Commissaria from the Florentine Republic, is rebelled also to the same Republic in 1494 on the occasion of the passage in Italy of Charles VIII which yet, after brief time, abandonment ' Leonardo to the commodity ' in Florence, the qual Republic for revenge I strip ' Leonardo of all his possessions understood Gragnola, that therefore in the autumn of 1495 it resulted in the Florentine hands. Only more 's slow Gragnolas I return ' to Leonardo III. To the Headed of Fivizzano like it conquers of war she was returned, Lusignano, Castiglioncellos, Reign, Ponzanello and Mountain de ' Bianchi.

Leonardo, as said ', was influenced already a lot from uncle Gabriele and from the mother, to which, in practice I leave ' the guide of the Feud, to cause above all of varied private business and military countries that often brought it away from the Lunigiana seeing it prioritily in that of Verona.

Of the Marquis Leonardo III, and very important ' to remember the bond that tightened it to Florence and above all to Lawrence de ' Medici, having in wife of it, up to 1476, the sister-in-law Aurante Orsini, widow of Giovan-Lodovivo Pious Mr. of it Snatched, beheaded to Ferrara in 1469.

With this marriage, Leonardo III besides to tie to Lawrence de ' Medici, is been ' to be the uncle of the Pope Leo X.

Heraldic coat of arms that celebrates the marriage Malaspina-Orsini

Found again to Gragnola carved on the lintel of two fireplaces situated in the two residences

in the street shiny Suburb (proprieta' Molini), in the street Castle del'Aqiuila (proprieta' Poleschi)

Concluded Leonardo own life to Verona where the 28 June of 1505 to the presence of the notary Angel was George Sismondi of S. Giorgio in Verona, said ' his last will. With this will, Leonardo I leave ' in equal parts own good to all the virile children.

Leonardo to his death I leave ', Lazzaro, Giovanni, Iacopo, Jailbird, Teodosia and Maddalena. Teodosia I am married ' with the Marquis Lawrence of Gabriele Malaspina of Fosdinovo, Maddalena I am married ' with the Marquis Spinet I give birth some homonym Marquis Malaspina of the Bastia.

To want of Leonardo III, as already said ', the Feud of Castel in the Aquila was inherited in egual it measures from the four virile children. The first-born Lazzaro dark 's a little afterwards the father and of him therefore a lot of news doesn't remain. The remainders three children, Giovanni, Iacopo and Jailbird, maintained and the feud for many years in the condominium.

One of the first actions that concerns the “triunvirato” of Giovanni, Iacopo and Jailbird it was ' the accomandiglia stipulated with the Florentine Republic February 15 th 1523, of decennial duration. Besides the normal character of accomandiglia you/he/she was enacted that if the three brothers were incurred in quarrel or they had among them you oppose, you/they were recognized like competent judges, him “Otto of Practice in Florence”, enacting towards the Republic a kind of subjugation or vassalage that of norm would have been of competence only some emperor.

Having also stipulated this accomandiglia, Florence didn't maintain you faith, denying the help to the Feud of Castel in the Aquila on the occasion of the arrival in Lunigiana in the summer of the 1524 of Giovanni de ' Medici says “of the Black Gangs” with to the succession 1200 riders to the penny of the King of France. Such denial from the Florentines, cost ' to Castel in the Aquila 2500 gold shields to pay to Giovanni of the Black Gangs to avoid the assaults of it and therefore the same end of other Marquises Malaspina to which were occupied and destroyed varied castles.

The Imperial investiture of the Feud to the Marquises Jailbird, Giovanni and Iacopo, were granted from Charles V in the 26 August of the year 1529.

Died in young age ' the first-born Lazzaro, the Marquis Jailbird, second-born of Leonardo you follow ' the father in the military practices, getting near the Republic Florentine charges of relief.

It had in bride Isabella of Giovanni Maggi and she/he lived in Lunigiana the own youth ' and the last years of life, spending the remainder period to Verona. Dark 's to Viano in 1545, killed from such a Pierino of Petrognano and from such a Coral from Silano, perhaps on order, straight, of the brother Iacopo. I leave ' two children, Leona that was wife of man Capitan Beghino and Conrad which it was heir only.

The Marquis Giovanni spent big part of own life away from the Lunigiana, above all to Verona where Head of the academy was Filarmonica. I leave ' the management of the Feud to the brothers, from which pretensions only the economic incomes. Bridegroom ' Teodorina gives birth some Marquis Thomas Malaspina of Villafranca. It was father of two males, Leonardo and Leo, and of five female, Caterina, Clarice, Taddea, Teodorina, Mattea and Laura (illegitimate). The children virile Leonardos and Leo, held the studies to Padua from 1520 at 1530 o'clock. Leonardo I am graduated ' in jurisprudence and after having esercitato,per some time, the charge of guardian, together with uncle Iacopo, Giovan-spinet of Villafranca he, gave to the religion becoming of the Marquis Canonical to Regulate of the Divin Salvatore in Rome, where devoting he to the literary studies, wrote intitolato:”Leonardi to a worthy text of mention Malaspinae in aepistolas M.Tulli Ciceronis to Atticum Brutum et Q. fratrem commendationes ac suspiciones”che was stamped in Venice in 1564.

Leo, the second male, was well little considered by the father, to the point that disinherit him ' leaving him only a pension in its will of the 14 April of 1543.

As far as it concerns the five daughters, Caterina I marry ', with a dowry of 1000 dukedoms, the Marquis Morello Malaspina of Mulazzo, Clarice I marry ' Domenico Bonaventura of Francis Martelli, Taddea I marry ' Giovan-Battista from Rizzolo or de ' Selvatico in Piacenza, Mattea I marry ' Scipione Between Beaver in Verona, Laura I marry ' Niccolo ' it was Anthony Olivieri of Mountains and Teodorina it became a nun in the monastery of S.Giuseppe in Verona.

The 06 August of 1544, the Marquis Giovanni, recognized the legitimation of the natural children of the brother Iacopo, Facetious and Ottavio, leaving to them in ' everything this ' inherits that to him and the own heirs you/he/she would have been up to. The Marquis Giovanni I find death to ' to Verona in the year 1550. To the his died the own feudal laws they passed Leo to the child.

Last child male of Leonardo III was ' Iacopo. It gave eclesiastica to life becoming priest and gravitating around the Pope Leo X of which was cousin. It got from the same Pope the Protonotaro Apostolico and the Rettoria of the Church of Mountain de ' Bianchi.

Because of his excesses and of dissolute life that, even if man of church, conducted, ' was not able to become Cardinal, and you owe straight rather to abandon the Urbe to retire in Lunigiana around 1520.

Taken abode in the Castel in the Aquila taking care of some him same the management, and also getting some in lease the third part spettante to the brother Giovanni. Gestures ' so ' carefully the entrances of the feud, also for account of the brother, that for thankfulness of the same, in 1544 it recognized him as you legitimate the Facetious natural children and Ottavio and to it made gift of the own part of ' it inherits.

Iacopo besides Facetious, had around the year 1515 from a nun (this was one of the causes for which must leave Rome), and Ottavio, had by a farmer (conjugated), it also had a female Zenobia, of which maternity ' yet there and ignored '.

Iacopo, as already said ', takes care of ' in particolar way the economic management of the Feud, but I risks ' to lose some the laws forgetting him to make the investiture occurred again, as the routine foresaw, when to the emperor Charles V succedette Ferdinando I.

Iacopo and the brothers got, after varied supplications, the new investiture with diploma of Ferdinando I the 3 January of 1529.

Of notable importance they were the Statutes that Iacopo together with the nephew Leo, child of Giovanni, commissioned to the doctor in law Messer Matteo Toccoli of Cremona. Such Statutes were published the 28 April of 1543 and substantially they traced with some changes the old Statutes of 1410 that thin to then you/they had remained in vigor.

Iacopo I try ' varied times to let the own children legitimate, is from the emperor that from the Gran Bretagna Duke in Tuscany, which setting term to the controversies, names ' like I umpire the proper Captain of Fivizzano, Anthony Guidoni that stable 's, with an action published l’11 August of the year 1559, that the feud of Castel in the Aquila was dismembered and divided in three parts identified from: Gragnola, Cortila and Viano. With election to fate layings as regents: Giovan-Baptist (child of Conrad of Jailbird) of Cortila, Leo (Giovanni's child) of Gragnola and Iacopo of Viano, to every of which they touched a portion of the Castle in the Aquila.

From this moment in then, in other vicissitudes they incurred the varied Dominoes of Gragnola and Castel in the Aquila; the feud after the trisection, sara ' reconstituted also like unitary (even if subdued to Fosdinovo), but ' will gradually lose importance and with it the political weight of the Malaspinas ' will gradually degrade up to make them simple local squires.

The Renaissance, that has represented the period of the grade in Italy and in Europe I develop some sciences, she/he saw in Lunigiana contrarily of the arts and of the economy and, above all for the feud of the Castle in the Aquila for Gragnola and her almost totality ' of the countries and Suburbs of the zone the loss of their centralita ' and of their economic power in favor of other centers that will have the opportunity to develop and to change in the city ', attracting besides the economic affairs, the same inhabitants of the valleys and the suburbs that went gradually to depopulate being changed him in simple outskirtses.

The history of Gragnola and the Castel in the Aquila doesn't finish however between 1500 and 1600, but to horse of these two centuries, concluded ' will see a cycle that thin to then she had seen a gradual but constant development. Unfortunately such development doesn't have more 's found thin to today conditions to be repeated, but if today given ' the correct relief will come to ours big historical and cultural patrimony, that our earth offers us, we can set the bases to develop some the future aiming its past really above.

Giovanni Junior POLESCHI

Bibliographical sources

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·      M. Nobili “Famiglie signorili in Lunigiana tra Vescovi e Marchesi (sec. XII e XIII) in “Ceti dirigenti dell’eta’ comunale nei secoli XII e XIII. Atti del II convegno di Firenze 14-15 Dicembre, Pisa, Pacini.

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