Mede
Welcome to Mede: a brief introduction
Hello everyone! Today we'll talk about Mede, an Italian municipality located in the southwestern Lomellina region of Lombardy. With its 6195 inhabitants, Mede is a very interesting historical and cultural center to visit.
The history of Mede
Mede was an important economic center already in Roman times, and the Novara Civic Museum preserves some artifacts that testify to its importance. During the Middle Ages, Mede was part of the Lomello Committee and was subjugated by Pavia in 1164 thanks to the intervention of Frederick Barbarossa. Among the branches of the Palatine Counts, the Counts of Mede had the wisdom to maintain solidarity among themselves, preventing the sale of feudal shares to families outside the kinship. This choice proved to be successful, as the various branches of the Counts of Mede maintained possession of the fief despite the numerous changes of power. In 1706, Mede was conquered by the Austrians on behalf of the Savoy, becoming part of the Lomellina.
The symbols of Mede
The Mede gonfalon, granted in 1977, represents the tree of freedom and the local fabric. The coat of arms, on the other hand, depicts a merloned tower in gold surmounted by a red rampant lion on a silver background. Under the tower, a twisted grapevine represents the production of Mede wine.
The ancient municipalities of Mede
In 1806, the municipalities of Tortorolo and Parzano were merged into the municipality of Mede along with the Ragnera farmhouse. In the past, Mede also had jurisdiction over Goido, a settlement of Gothic origin. Today, Goido is part of the municipality of Mede.
The Ragnera farmhouse
Ragnera takes its name from the tower of the Viscount Rainerio. In the eighteenth century, Ragnera was under the fief of Mr. Corri from Milan and was suppressed in 1759.
Parzano
Parzano already appears in the list of Pavia lands in 1250 as "Purcanum". Since 1522, the village has followed the fortunes of Sartirana Lomellina, belonging to the Arborio di Gattinara family.
Tortorolo
Tortorolo, known in the list of 1250 as "Turturolum", was part of the fiefdom of Frascarolo and Castellaro de' Giorgi. Tortorolo passed from the Birago to the Varesini, back to the Birago, and finally to the Arborio di Gattinara in 1522.
Goido
Goido was probably a settlement of Goths in the early Middle Ages. In 1250, it appears as "Goyve" in the list of Pavia lands. Goido belonged to the County of Mede and over time passed from a branch of the Counts of Mede to the Gorrani of Milan.
Conclusions
Here is the brief history of Mede, a municipality with a rich history and culture to discover. If you have the opportunity to visit the area, do not hesitate to stop in Mede to discover its beauties. Thank you for reading!
