Montecastrilli
The history of Montecastrilli: a journey through time
Montecastrilli is a municipality located in the province of Terni, in Umbria, with a population of around 4,776. Its history dates back thousands of years and in this article, we will try to tell its story by retracing the highlights that have marked its evolution.
The first settlements
The first settlements in the territory of Montecastrilli date back to Roman times when some military contingents passed through. According to a legend, the army led by Hannibal Barca during the Second Punic War established some camps there in 217 BC. In the 1st century BC, the territory of Montecastrilli underwent centuriation by order of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus, who assigned the lands of Todi - to which Montecastrilli belonged - to some veteran soldiers.
The name Montecastrilli
There are many theories about the origin of the name Montecastrilli, but the hilly location was certainly named (Montes Carsulis) after the nearby Roman outpost of Carsulae, on the Flaminia road.
From 500 to 1000
The territory of Todi had as its extreme ramifications Configni (Acquasparta) and Castel Todino, therefore, according to some theories, Montecastrilli would have belonged to the area of influence of Carsulae, but following its destruction, it would have been subject to the control of Todi.
Otto I, Roman emperor and king of Germany (962 AD), assigned the feuds of southern Umbria to Count Arnolfo of Carinthia. During the reign of his successor Otto II of Saxony, there were conflicts in the name of dynastic authority.
An important battle
Reginardo IV of Mons and his brother Lamberto I of Leuven, sons of the deposed Reginardo III, Count of Hainaut, returned to Lotharingia in 974 to reconquer the feuds of southern Umbria belonging to Arnolfo; they were, however, defeated at the Agna river by Emperor Otto II. In 976, there was a new attempt by Reginardo IV and his brother Lamberto; the battle between Franks and Saxons took place at Monte Castrilocum.
The castle building phenomenon
The Saxons, under Arnolfo's orders, had the upper hand, and therefore, during this period, southern Umbria also witnessed the phenomenon of castle building. Hence the toponym Terre Arnolfe. The territory of Montecastrilli was, in fact, subject to the Arnolfi, who controlled the area from the mountain west of Spoleto to the territory of Narni and the borders of Amelia.
From the twelfth to the sixteenth century
With the feudal unity of the Arnolfi coming to an end, Montecastrilli came under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Todi, which already had control over the area from an ecclesiastical point of view.
Conclusion
In summary, the history of Montecastrilli has been marked by many influences, situations, and highlights that have made this municipality a special and fascinating place. Thanks to its strategic location, Montecastrilli has undergone many important events in the history of Umbria and Italy, preserving its beauty and charm over time.
