Noceto
Noceto, the story of an ancient Italian municipality
Hello friends, today I will tell you about Noceto, an Italian municipality located in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna, whose name in Parmigiano dialect is "Nozèjj".
Prehistory
The territory of Noceto was inhabited in prehistoric times when the receding waters allowed for the first settlements, but the main civilization was that of the terramare, who built organized villages.
Roman and Medieval Era
The area was occupied by the Romans presumably at the same time as the occupation of Parma in 183 BC. The first evidence of Noceto as a community dates back to 835 when Queen Cunegonda of Laon, wife of the Lombard king Bernardo d'Italia, donated the village’s properties to the Benedictine nuns of the Church of Sant'Alessandro (Parma). This lasted until 1077 when Noceto became a property of the Este family, who had the arduous task of defending the village from the growing expansion of the Pallavicino family. It was during this period that Noceto transformed into a fortified city. In the following years, there were struggles for the dominion of the village until 1266 when the village was heavily attacked by the Guelfs.
Modern Era
In 1345, Noceto fell into the hands of the Sanvitale family until 1416, when there was a continuous succession of ruling seignories. Only the Rossi family of Parma succeeded in wresting the predominance of Noceto from the Pallavicino family in 1447. In 1481, the Rossis strengthened the Sanvitale Fortress (Noceto) to resist an imminent invasion by the Sforzas, who were called to help the Sanvitale. They besieged Noceto on April 26 of the following year, forcing Pier Maria II de' Rossi to surrender after a strenuous resistance. He was left without allies and was thus forced to give up the village to the Sanvitale again. With the creation of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza in 1545, Pope Paul III entrusted the lands of Parma to his son Pier Luigi Farnese, who saw his dominions threatened by the Gonzaga family. Only thanks to a new intervention by the Pope, who made an agreement with the King of France, did the battles and their consequences come to an end in the Parma lands. In 1574, Ottavio Farnese entrusted Luigi Sanvitale with the territories of Noceto and Fontanellato, thus confirming the dominance of the Sanvitale family. In the spring of 1611, Alfonso Sanvitale, Count of Fontanellato was arrested, and Onofrio Martani revealed, under torture, a possible conspiracy against the Duke of Parma, Ranuccio I Farnese. Members of Alfonso's family were arrested the following year and sentenced to death, and the territories of the Parma region, including Noceto, were partly ceded to the Dalla Rosa Prati marquises and partly remained with the Sanvitale family. With the transition of the Duchy of Parma to the Bourbons following the death of Antonio Farnese without heirs, the territory saw a period of prosperity. The first canal networks were built, and the village slowly lost its function as a military fortress. In a typical modern and no longer medieval atmosphere, the municipality of Noceto was born in 1795.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Noceto is a municipality rich in history, evidence of the presence of ancient civilizations and different eras, contested and governed by different noble families. The passage of time has transformed the village from a military fortress to a place of peace and prosperity. Today, it is a pleasant place to visit for tourists who want to learn about the culture and history of the province of Parma.
