85-473: Louis the Blind ( c. 880 – 5 June 928) was the king of Provence from 11 January 887, king of Italy from 12 October 900, and briefly emperor between 901 and 905. His father was a Bosonid and his mother was a Carolingian . He was blinded after a failed invasion of Italy in 905. Born c. 880, Louis was the son of Boso , the usurper king of Provence, and Ermengard , a daughter of Emperor Louis II . As
170-458: A Byzantine mother. Shaun Tougher doubts they were ever married. Detractors of the theory point out that when Anna was born, however, she was the daughter of a concubine who later became empress. Her father, at the time of Charles' birth, was the reigning emperor, therefore the silence of primary sources works against this theory. In addition, Liutprand of Cremona makes no mention of this, and it would have been very interesting to him, given that he
255-600: A base at Fraxinet in 889 and had been raiding the coast of Provence, alarming the local nobility. In 900, Louis, as the grandson and heir of the Emperor Louis II, was invited into Italy by various lords, including Adalbert II, Margrave of Tuscany , who were suffering under the ravages of the Magyars and the incompetent rule of Berengar I . Louis thus marched his army across the Alps and defeated Berengar, chasing him from Pavia ,
340-461: A boy of seven, Louis succeeded to the throne of his father Boso as King of Provence upon Boso's death on 11 January 887. The kingdom Louis inherited was much smaller than his father's, as it did not include Upper Burgundy (lost to Rudolph I of Burgundy ), nor any of French Burgundy, absorbed by Richard the Justiciar , Duke of Burgundy . This meant that the kingdom of Provence was restricted to
425-791: A lack of interest in the Reconquista on their southern frontier, the Catalans turned towards their origins, the Mediterranean littoral and northwards. They coveted the region between the Cévennes and the Rhône , then under the control of Toulouse. In 1112, the count of Barcelona, Ramon Berenguer III , married the heiress of Provence, Douce , who was the daughter of the Countess Gerberga of Provence, Gévaudan , Carladais , and part of Rodez . The marriage
510-504: A major route crossing where the north–south rail line from the Brenner Pass to Rome intersects with the east–west line between Milan and Venice, giving the city rail access to most of Europe. In addition to regional and local services, the city is served by direct international trains to Zurich, Innsbruck, and Munich. ÖBB nightjet provides overnight sleeper service via Verona on its La Spezia to Wien and München lines. Verona's main station
595-554: A rare case in the architecture of the epoque. It originally straddled the main Roman road into the city, now Corso Cavour. It was demolished by French troops in 1805 and rebuilt in 1932. Nearby is the Porta Borsari , an archway at the end of Corso Porta Borsari. This is the façade of a 3rd-century gate in the original Roman city walls . The inscription is dated 245 AD and gives the city name as Colonia Verona Augusta . Corso Porta Borsari,
680-411: A second union, which would then be either his first or second marriage, by marrying Adelaide, daughter of Rudolph I of Upper Burgundy , likely mother of Rudolph, the other documented son of Louis the Blind. In December 915, his daughter, Anna of Provence , married Berengar. It has been suggested, largely for onomastic reasons, that Anna was a daughter of Louis III and his wife Anna, daughter of Leo VI
765-413: A son called Charles-Constantine , who would become Count of Vienne . Charles' mother is not named in any sources. There has been modern speculation, proposed by Previté-Orton and championed by Christian Settipani , that she was Anna, the daughter of Leo VI and Zoe Zaoutzaina , based both upon the documented betrothal, as well on the onomastic evidence, stating that Charles-Constantine's name points to
850-536: A suburb of Verona, and was created in 1929. However, they ceased to exist in 2021 due to outstanding tax payments. As of the 2021–22 season, Hellas plays in the first division of Italian football , Serie A , while Virtus Verona , the other club in the city, plays in the Serie C . The teams of Hellas and Chievo contested the Derby della Scala and shared the 38,402-seater Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi (now only home to Hellas due to
935-555: Is 43 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of Verona grew by 3.05%, while Italy as a whole grew by 3.85%. The current birth rate of Verona is 9.24 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.45 births. As of 2009 , 87% of the population was Italian . The largest immigrant group comes from other European nations (the largest coming from Romania ): 3.60%, South Asia : 2.03%, and sub-saharan Africa 1.50%. The city
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#17330860633191020-652: Is a city on the River Adige in Veneto , Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city municipality in the region and in northeastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona covers an area of 1,426 km (550.58 sq mi) and has a population of 714,310 inhabitants. It is one of the main tourist destinations in Northern Italy because of its artistic heritage and several annual fairs and shows as well as
1105-533: Is a segmental arch bridge . At the time of its completion in 1356, it was the world's largest bridge arch. It has a span length of 48.70 m (159.78 ft). The city has two professional football teams. Historically, the city's major team has been Hellas Verona . They won the Italian Serie A championship in 1984–85 and played in the European Cup the following year. Chievo Verona represented Chievo ,
1190-407: Is an open archaeological site , and the remains of the original Roman street and gateway foundations can be seen a few feet below the present street level. As can be seen from there, the gate contains a small court guarded by towers. Here, carriages and travelers were inspected before entering or leaving the city. The Santo Stefano church is dedicated to the first Christian martyr, was erected in
1275-581: Is built of alternating tracks of brick and stone, and has two cylindrical towers, housing spiral staircases to the women's galleries. The interior is sober but still quiet. The striped bands of stone and brick and the graceful arches complement the setting. Santa Maria Antica is a small Romanesque church that served as the private chapel of the Scaligeri clan, and is famous for the Gothic Scaliger Tombs . The Verona Cathedral , also known as
1360-538: Is predominantly Roman Catholic , but due to immigration now has some Orthodox Christian , and Muslim followers. Since the local government political reorganization in 1993, Verona has been governed by the City Council of Verona, which is based in Palazzo Barbieri . Voters elect directly 33 councilors and the mayor of Verona every five years. Verona is also the capital of its own province. The Provincial Council
1445-665: Is scheduled to host the 2026 Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. The precise details of Verona's early history remain a mystery along with the origin of its name. One theory is that it was a city of the Euganei , who were obliged to give it up to the Cenomani (550 BC). With the conquest of the Valley of the Po , the Veronese territory became Roman about 300 BC. Verona became a Roman colonia in 89 BC. It
1530-562: Is seated in Palazzo del Governo . The current mayor of Verona is Damiano Tommasi , elected on 26 June 2022. Verona has traditionally been a right-wing traditionalist Catholic city, reflecting its former status as one of the major cities of Italian Social Republic , and the right-wing politics of the Veneto region. In October 2018, Verona became the first city in Italy to declare itself pro-life, and hosted
1615-541: Is today Via Colombo. This marked another turning point in the escalation of violence that would only end with the final liberation by allied troops and partisans on 26 April 1945. After World War II, as Italy joined the NATO alliance, Verona once again acquired its strategic importance, due to its geographical closeness to the Iron Curtain . The city became the seat of SETAF (South European Allied Terrestrial Forces) and had during
1700-485: Is unknown if Shakespeare ever visited Verona or Italy, but his plays have lured many visitors to Verona and surrounding cities. Verona was also the birthplace of Isotta Nogarola , who is said to be the first major female humanist and one of the most important humanists of the Renaissance . In November 2000, the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its urban structure and architecture. The city
1785-622: The Battle of Legnano in 1176, and the Treaty of Venice signed in 1177 followed by the Peace of Constance in 1183. When Ezzelino III da Romano was elected podestà in 1226, he converted the office into a permanent lordship. In 1257 he caused the slaughter of 11,000 Paduans on the plain of Verona (Campi di Verona). Upon his death, the Great Council elected Mastino I della Scala as podestà, and he converted
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#17330860633191870-598: The Diet of Valence , a council of bishops and feudatories of the realm, after hearing the recommendation of the pope, and receiving notification of Charles the Fat's previous agreement to the proposition, proclaimed Louis as King of Arles , Provence, and Cisjurane Burgundy . In 894, Louis himself did homage to Arnulf. In 896, Louis waged war on the Saracens . Throughout his reign he fought with these Saracen pirates , who had established
1955-630: The Giro d'Italia annual cycling race. Verona also hosted the baseball world cup in 2009, and the Volleyball World Cup in September–October 2010. Verona is hosting the Volleyball Women's World Championship in September–October 2014. Public transit has been operated by the provincial public transport company, Azienda Trasporti Verona (ATV), since 2007. From 1884 to 1951, the city was served by
2040-614: The House of Anjou , and from 1382 to 1481 to a cadet branch of the House of Valois . It was inherited by King Louis XI of France in 1481, and definitively incorporated into the French royal domain by his son Charles VIII in 1487. During the period of the Merovingian dynasty in Gaul, Provence was a province ruled by duces (dukes), military leaders and district commanders who served as defenders of
2125-661: The Italian Social Republic . During Austrian rule Verona became of great strategic importance to the regime. Galeazzo Ciano , Benito Mussolini 's son-in-law, was accused of plotting against the republic; in a show trial staged in January 1944 by the Nazi and fascist hierarchy at Castelvecchio (the Verona trial ), Ciano was executed on the banks of the Adige with many other officers on what
2210-766: The King of France , he was the richest prince of his time. A powerful league was formed against him in 1337 – Florence , Venice , the Visconti , the Este , and the Gonzaga . After a three-year war , the Scaliger dominions were reduced to Verona and Vicenza (Mastino's daughter Regina-Beatrice della Scala married to Barnabò Visconti ). Mastino's son Cangrande II (1351–1359) was a cruel, dissolute, and suspicious tyrant; not trusting his own subjects, he surrounded himself with Brandenburgian mercenaries. He
2295-513: The Kingdom of Provence , given to Lothair's youngest son, Charles . A heritage of royal rule was thus inaugurated in Provence which, though it was often subsumed into one of its larger neighbouring kingdoms, was just as often proclaiming its own sovereigns. The kingdom of Provence was also known as Lower Burgundy (or Cisjurane Burgundy). Its capital was first Vienne then Arles . In the aftermath of
2380-518: The Paleochristian era, and houses the burials of the first bishops of Verona. Throughout the centuries Saint Stephen underwent complex architectural transformations. Particularly striking is the rare two-story ambulatory, probably built to give pilgrims visual access to the abundant collection of important relics for which the church was famous. Also to be visited is the cruciform crypt with its forest of columns, arches, and cross vaults. Saint Stephen
2465-666: The Venetian Republic . Verona became Austrian territory when Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio in October 1797. The Austrians took control of the city on 18 January 1798. It was taken from Austria by the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805 and became part of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy , but was returned to Austria following Napoleon's defeat in 1814, when it became part of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia . The Congress of Verona , which met on 20 October 1822,
2550-457: The Verona tram network [ it ] . Trolleybuses replaced the trams which were themselves replaced by buses in 1975. A new trolleybus network is currently under construction by ATV and is expected to open in 2026. An incline lift, the Verona funicular , opened in 2017 and provides access from the Ponte Pietra to the Roman theatre museum and San Pietro Castle. Verona lies at
2635-570: The marquisate dependent on the Duchy of Bavaria , however, the increasing wealth of the burgher families eclipsed the power of the counts, and in 1135 Verona was organised as a free commune. In 1164 Verona joined with Vicenza , Padua and Treviso to create the Veronese League , which was integrated with the Lombard League in 1167 to battle against Frederick I Barbarossa . Victory was achieved at
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2720-672: The opera season in the Arena , an ancient Roman amphitheater . Between the 13th and 14th centuries, the city was ruled by the della Scala family . Under the rule of the family, in particular of Cangrande I della Scala , the city experienced great prosperity, becoming rich and powerful and being surrounded by new walls. The della Scala era is preserved in numerous monuments around Verona. Two of William Shakespeare 's plays are set in Verona: Romeo and Juliet (which also features Romeo's visit to Mantua ) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona . It
2805-518: The plague , and in 1629–1633 , Italy was struck by its worst outbreak in modern times. Around 33,000 people died in Verona (over 60% of the population at the time) in 1630–1631. In 1776, a method of bellringing was developed called Veronese bellringing art . Verona was occupied by Napoleon in 1797, but on Easter Monday the populace rose and drove out the French. It was then that Napoleon made an end of
2890-423: The "signoria" into a family possession, though leaving the burghers a share in the government. Failing to be re-elected podestà in 1262, he affected a coup d'état, and was acclaimed Capitano del Popolo, with the command of the communal troops. Long internal discord took place before he succeeded in establishing this new office, to which was attached the function of confirming the podestà. In 1277, Mastino della Scala
2975-484: The 18th century Andrea Monga, a wealthy Veronese, bought all the houses that in time had been built over the theatre, demolished them, and saved the monument. Not far from it is the Ponte di Pietra ("Stone Wall Bridge"), another Roman landmark that has survived to this day. The Arco dei Gavi was built in the 1st century AD and is famous for having the name of the builder (architect Lucius Vitruvius Cordone ) engraved on it,
3060-465: The American Christian right lobby group World Congress of Families ' conference in 2019. Despite this, since the mayors became directly elected in 1994, the city has elected two left-wing mayors - Paolo Zanotto in 2002 and current mayor Damiano Tommasi in 2022, largely due to incumbent mayor Federico Sboarina 's refusal to include center-right parties in his right-wing coalition. Because of
3145-597: The Duomo, is a notable Romanesque church. Sant'Anastasia is a huge and lofty church built from 1290 to 1481 by the Dominicans to hold the massive congregations attracted by their sermons. The Pellegrini chapel houses the fresco St. George and the Princess of Trebizond by Pisanello as well as the grave of Wilhelm von Bibra . An art festival is held in the square each May. The Castelvecchio Bridge , also known as Ponte Scaligero,
3230-567: The Durance, the Rhône, the Alps , and the sea was that of the county and belonged to the house of Barcelona. Avignon , Pont de Sorgues , Caumont and Le Thor remained undivided. Internally, Provence was racked by uncertainties over rights of succession. Douce and Ramon Berenguer signed all charters jointly until her death in 1127, after which he alone appears as count in all charters until his death in 1131. At that time, Douce's younger sister, Stephanie
3315-598: The French monarchs. The only time the title was used independently afterwards was by the future Louis XVIII of France , who was known as the Comte de Provence until the death of his nephew Louis XVII in 1795, after which he claimed the throne of France. In 1790, the French Revolution definitively ended the governorship. Verona Verona ( / v ə ˈ r oʊ n ə / və- ROH -nə ; Italian: [veˈroːna] ; Venetian : Verona or Veròna )
3400-662: The Great was said to have built a palace there. It remained under the power of the Goths throughout the Gothic War (535–552) , except for a single day in 541, when the Byzantine officer Artabazes made an entrance. The defections of the Byzantine generals over the booty made it possible for the Goths to regain possession of the city. In 552 the Romans under the general Valerian vainly endeavored to enter
3485-522: The Italian nobles who were tired of Berengar's rule, this time led by Adalbert I of Ivrea , launched another attempt to invade Italy. Once again throwing Berengar out of Pavia, he marched and also succeeded in taking Verona with only a small following, after receiving the promise of support from the bishop , Adalard. Partisans of Berengar in the town soon got word to Berengar of Louis's exposed position at Verona and his limited support. Berengar returned, accompanied by Bavarian troops, and entered Verona in
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3570-551: The Jewish population was hit by the Manifesto of Race , a series of anti-Semitic laws passed in 1938, and after the invasion by Nazi Germany in 1943, deportations to Nazi concentration camps . An Austrian Fort (now a church, the Santuario della Madonna di Lourdes), was used to incarcerate and torture Allied troops , Jews and anti-fascists , especially after 1943, when Verona became part of
3655-521: The Lombard kingdom. Verona became the ordinary residence of the kings of Italy , the government of the city becoming hereditary in the family of Count Milo , progenitor of the counts of San Bonifacio . From 880 to 951 the two Berengarii resided there. Under Holy Roman and Austrian rule, Verona was alternatively known in German as Bern , Welsch-Bern or Dietrichsbern . Otto I ceded to Verona
3740-578: The Provençals maintained a unity which was reinforced when the region was made a separate kingdom during the Carolingian decline of the later ninth century. When Boso of Provence acquired the region in 879, it was known as Lower Burgundy until it was merged with Upper Burgundy in 933 to form the Kingdom of Arles . The counts of Arles began calling themselves "count of Provence"; although in name vassals, they were de facto autonomous princes. After 1032,
3825-473: The Roman forum was rebuilt by Cangrande I and Cansignorio della Scala I , lords of Verona, using material (such as marble blocks and statues) from Roman spas and villas. There is also a variety of other Roman monuments to be found in the town, such as the Roman theatre of Verona . This theatre was built in the 1st century BC, but through the ages had fallen in disuse and had been built upon to provide housing. In
3910-458: The Scaliger domination, which, however, survived in its monuments. The year 1387 is also the year of the Battle of Castagnaro , fought between Giovanni Ordelaffi for Verona and John Hawkwood for Padua . The latter emerged as the winner. Antonio's son Canfrancesco attempted in vain to recover Verona (1390). Guglielmo (1404), natural son of Cangrande II, was more fortunate; with the support of
3995-573: The Wise. In that case, she would have been betrothed to Berengar while still a child and only become his consors and imperatrix in 923. King of Provence The land of Provence has a history quite separate from that of any of the larger nations of Europe. Its independent existence has its origins in the frontier nature of the dukedom in Merovingian Gaul . In this position, influenced and affected by several different cultures on different sides,
4080-440: The church is a pleasant cloister. The church also houses the tomb of King Pippin of Italy (777–810). Piazza dei Signori is an elegant medieval square with various buildings and towers. It has a monument dedicated to Dante Alighieri . The Basilica of San Lorenzo is another Romanesque church, albeit smaller. It dates from around 1177, but was built on the site of a Paleochristian church, fragments of which remain. The church
4165-405: The church is divided into the Lower Church, occupying about ⅔ of the structure, and the Upper Church, occupying the remainder. The walls are covered with 12th and 14th century frescos and the ceiling of the nave is a magnificent example of a ship's keel ceiling. The vaulted crypt contains the tomb of St. Zeno , the first Bishop of Verona , as well as the tombs of several other saints. North of
4250-404: The cities of Treviso (1308), Vicenza (1311), and Padua (1328). At that time before the Black Death , the city was home to more than 40,000 people. Cangrande was succeeded by Mastino II (1329–1351) and Alberto, sons of Alboino. Mastino continued his uncle's policy, conquering Brescia in 1332 and carrying his power beyond the Mincio . He purchased Parma (1335) and Lucca (1339). After
4335-459: The city, but it was only when the Goths were fully overthrown that they surrendered it. In 569, it was taken by Alboin , King of the Lombards , in whose kingdom it was, in a sense, the second most important city. There, Alboin was "killed by his own people with the connivance of his wife" in 572. The dukes of Treviso often resided there. Adalgisus , son of Desiderius , in 774 made his last resistance in Verona to Charlemagne , who had destroyed
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#17330860633194420-425: The city. The current two-story façade is actually the internal support for the tiers; only a fragment of the original outer perimeter wall in white and pink limestone from Valpolicella , with three stories remains. The interior is very impressive and is virtually intact, and has remained in use even today for public events, fairs, theatre, and open-aired opera during warm summer nights. Piazza delle Erbe , near
4505-418: The county as various reigns overlap. By his marriage to Emma of Provence, daughter of Rotbold II, William III, Count of Toulouse inherited lands and castles in Provence. Emma inherited the title Margrave of Provence upon her elder brother's death in 1037. Her son Pons by William III did not survive her, but her grandson did and claimed her title in opposition to the younger line of counts of Provence. With
4590-430: The county was part of the Holy Roman Empire . In the eleventh century, Provence became disputed between the traditional line and the counts of Toulouse , who claimed the title of "Margrave of Provence". In the High Middle Ages , the title of Count of Provence belonged to local families of Frankish origin, from 1112 to 1245 to the House of Barcelona (a cadet branch of the House of Aragón ), from 1245 to 1382 to
4675-485: The court of Charles' successor, Arnulf , to make a new submission, while at the same time seeking the blessing of Pope Stephen V . The short work, Visio Karoli Grossi , may have been written shortly after Charles' death to support Louis's claim. If so, Louis must have had the support of Fulk the Venerable , Archbishop of Reims . On the other hand, the Visio may have been written later, circa 901, to celebrate (and support) Louis's imperial coronation. In August 890, at
4760-415: The dead of night. Louis sought sanctuary at the church of St Peter, but he was captured. On 21 July 905, Louis had his eyes put out (for breaking his oath) and was forced to relinquish his royal Italian and imperial crowns. Later, Berengar became emperor. After this last attempt to restore his power over Italy, Louis continued to rule Provence for over twenty years, though his cousin Hugh , count of Arles ,
4845-433: The death of Louis the Blind , Provence began to be ruled by local counts placed under the authority of a margrave. Firstly, Hugh of Arles served as duke and regent during Louis' long blindness. Secondly, Hugh gave the march of Vienne and duchy of Provence to Rudolf II of Burgundy in a treaty of 933. Rudolf was never recognised by the nobles of the country and appointed Hugh, Duke of Burgundy , as its first margrave. At
4930-444: The early medieval era. The Roman military settlement in what is now the center of the city was to expand through the cardines and decumani that intersect at right angles. This structure has been kept to the present day and is clearly visible from the air. Further development has not reshaped the original map. Though the Roman city with its basalt-paved roads is mostly hidden from view it stands virtually intact about 6 m below
5015-418: The environs of Vienne . The Provençal barons elected Ermengard to act as his regent , with the support of Louis's uncle, Richard the Justiciar . In May, Ermengard traveled with Louis to the court of her relative, the emperor Charles the Fat , and received his recognition of the young Louis as king. Charles adopted Louis as his son and put both mother and son under his protection. In May 889, she traveled to
5100-442: The fold of Chievo), which was used as a venue at the 1990 FIFA World Cup . Verona is home to the volleyball team Verona Volley (now in Serie A1), the rugby team Franklin and Marshall Cus Verona Rugby (now in Serie A1), and the basketball team Scaligera Basket (now in Legadue). The city has twice hosted the UCI Road World Championships , in 1999 (with Treviso as co-host) and in 2004 . The city also regularly hosts stages of
5185-431: The frontiers of the kingdom and ruled over vast territories as opposed to the comites (counts), who ruled the cities and their environs. Provence was usually a part of the division of the Frankish realm known as the Kingdom of Burgundy , which was treated as its own kingdom. Their title sometimes appears as rector Provinciae . This is an incomplete list of the known Merovingian-appointed dukes of Provence. Provence
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#17330860633195270-432: The large square, and is flanked with a 72-meter-tall bell tower , which is mentioned by Dante in Canto 18 of Purgatory in the Divine Comedy . The weathered Veronese stone gives a warm golden glow, and the restrained lines of the pillars, columns, and cornices, and the gallery with its double windows, give the façade an air of harmonious elegance. The huge rose window is decorated as a Wheel of Fortune . The lintels above
5355-401: The longstanding claims of the count of Toulouse, in 1125, Raymond's heir, Alfonso Jordan , signed a treaty whereby his family's traditional claim to the title of "Margrave of Provence" was recognised and the march of Provence was defined as the region north of the lower Durance and on the right of the Rhône, including the castles of Beaucaire , Vallabrègues , and Argence . The region between
5440-579: The old Lombard capital, where, in the church of San Michele , he was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy on 12 October 900. He travelled onwards to Rome , where, in 901, he was crowned emperor by Pope Benedict IV . However, his inability to stem the Magyar incursions and impose any meaningful control over northern Italy saw the Italian nobles quickly abandon his cause and once again align themselves with Berengar. In 902, Berengar defeated Louis's armies and forced him to flee to Provence and promise never to return. In 905, Louis, after again listening to
5525-431: The only reason why René Poupardin made him a bastard of Louis III was a passage by Richerius claiming that "Charles Constantine (...) was from a royal race, but which nobility had been vilified by a bastard ancestry remounting to his great-great-grandfather", proving nothing about Charles-Constantine's mother. Such a union would also account for the mention of Greek merchants in Louis’ privilege of 921. In 914, Louis entered
5610-414: The people and the Carraresi , he drove out the Milanese , but he died ten days after. After a period of Cararrese rule, Verona submitted to Venice (1405). The last representatives of the Scaligeri lived at the imperial court and repeatedly attempted to recover Verona by the aid of popular risings. From 1508 to 1517, the city was in the power of the Emperor Maximilian I . There were numerous outbreaks of
5695-433: The phenomenon has become less and less frequent in recent years. In 2009, 265,368 people were residing in Verona, located in the province of Verona, Veneto , of whom 47.6% were male and 52.4% were female. Minors (children aged 0–17) totaled 16.05% of the population compared to pensioners who numbered 22.36%. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06% (minors) and 19.94% (pensioners). The average age of Verona residents
5780-452: The portal have carvings of the months of the year. Each side of the doorway is embellished with 18 bas-relief panels of biblical scenes, and the inner bronze door panels have 48 primitive but forceful depictions of Biblical scenes and episodes from the life of St Zeno. The meaning of some of the scenes is now unknown, but the extraordinarily vivid energy of the figures is a superb blend of traditional and Ottonian influences. The interior of
5865-412: The road passing through the gate is the original Via Sacra of the Roman city. Today, it is lined with several Renaissance palazzi and the ancient Church of Santi Apostoli , a few meters from Piazza delle Erbe. Porta Leoni is the 1st century BC ruin of what was once part of the Roman city gate . A substantial portion is still standing as part of the wall of a medieval building. The street itself
5950-600: The surface. Most palazzi and houses have cellars built on Roman structures that are rarely accessible to visitors. Verona is famous for its Roman amphitheater , the Arena , found in the city's largest piazza, the Piazza Bra . Completed around 30 AD, it is the third-largest in Italy after Rome's Colosseum and the Amphitheatre of Capua . It measures 139 meters long and 110 meters wide, and could seat some 25,000 spectators in its 44 tiers of marble seats. The ludi (shows and gladiator games) performed within its walls were so famous that they attracted spectators from far beyond
6035-404: The time, the premier counts in the region were the counts of Arles and those of Avignon . Those who would first bear the title comes Provinciae or "count of Provence" descended from one Rotbold of Arles. William I and Rotbold I did not divide their father's domains and this indivisibility was maintained by their respective descendants. It is thus impossible to ascertain who succeeded whom in
6120-478: The value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Verona preserved many ancient Roman monuments (including the magnificent Arena ) in the early Middle Ages , but many of its early medieval edifices were destroyed or heavily damaged by the earthquake of 3 January 1117 , which led to a massive Romanesque rebuilding. The Carolingian period Versus de Verona contains an important description of Verona in
6205-509: The whole duration of the Cold War period a strong military presence, especially American, which has since decreased. Verona has a humid subtropical climate characteristic of Northern Italy's inland plains, with hot summers and cool, humid winters, even though Lake Garda has a partial influence on the city. The relative humidity is high throughout the year, especially in winter when it causes fog , mainly from dusk until late morning, although
6290-490: Was a first cousin of Bertha and who was blinded on 21 July 905. This betrothal occurred shortly before the fall of Taormina to the Arabs , and was part of extended diplomatic activities meant to strengthen Byzantine alliances with the western powers to preserve Byzantine territory in southern Italy. The question of whether the betrothal was ever followed up by an actual marriage is still a matter of some controversy. Louis fathered
6375-493: Was a thorough gossip, had been ambassador to Constantinople and devoted several chapters to the misadventures of Louis in Italy with no mention of these Byzantine connections. René Poupardin believed that Constantine was not a baptismal name, but Settipani disagrees. Richer specifically stated that Charles' ancestry was tainted with illegitimacy and mentioned nothing of his mother's supposed illustrious Byzantine parentage. Christian Settipani challenges that theory by stating that
6460-518: Was classified as a municipium in 49 BC, when its citizens were ascribed to the Roman tribe Poblilia or Publicia . The city became important because it was at the intersection of several roads. Stilicho , a military commander in the Roman army , defeated Alaric and his Visigoths here in 402. Later, Verona was conquered by the Ostrogoths in 489, and the Gothic domination of Italy began. Theoderic
6545-577: Was killed by his brother Cansignorio (1359–1375), who beautified the city with palaces, provided it with aqueducts and bridges, and founded the state treasury. He also killed his other brother, Paolo Alboino. Fratricide seems to have become a family custom, for Antonio (1375–1387), Cansignorio's natural brother, slew his brother Bartolomeo, thereby arousing the indignation of the people, who deserted him when Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan made war on him. Having exhausted all his resources, he fled from Verona at midnight on 19 October 1387, thus putting an end to
6630-529: Was killed by the faction of the nobles. The reign of his son Alberto della Scala as capitano (1277–1302) was a time of incessant war against the counts of San Bonifacio, who were aided by the House of Este. Of his sons, Bartolomeo, Alboino and Cangrande I della Scala (1291–1329), only the last shared the government (1308); he was great as warrior, prince, and patron of the arts; he protected Dante , Petrarch , and Giotto . By war or treaty, he brought under his control
6715-418: Was married to Raymond of Baux , who promptly laid claim to the inheritance of her mother, even though Provence had peacefully passed into the hands of her nephew, Berenguer Ramon I . Upon his death, the heirless Charles du Maine bequeathed the counties of Provence-Forcalquier to King Louis XI of France . From that point forward, the title of Count of Provence simply became one of the many hereditary titles of
6800-527: Was part of the series of international conferences or congresses , opening with the Congress of Vienna in 1814–1815, that marked the continuing enforcement of the " Concert of Europe ". In 1866, following the Third Italian War of Independence , Verona, along with the rest of Venetia, became part of a united Italy. The advent of fascism added another dark chapter to the annals of Verona. Throughout Italy,
6885-496: Was probably taken at the urging of the church, which was then in conflict with the House of Toulouse. In 1076, Count Raymond IV was excommunicated, but he still lent his support to Aicard , the deposed archbishop of Arles (since 1080). With the count away on the First Crusade , the church took the opportunity to seize the balance of power in the region. This marriage effectively put Provence under Catalan control. To accommodate
6970-524: Was ruled by a poorly known series of dukes during the period of general Carolingian unity until the Treaty of Verdun (843). After the division of the Carolingian Empire by the Treaty of Verdun (843), the first of the fraternal rulers of the three kingdoms to die was Lothair I , who divided his middle kingdom in accordance with the custom of the Franks among his three sons. Out of this division came
7055-479: Was succeeded by his brother-in-law in 928. In 899, Louis III was betrothed to Anna of Constantinople, the daughter of Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Wise and his second wife, Zoe Zaoutzaina . The evidence for this is a letter by Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos in which he testifies that Leo VI had united his daughter to a Frank prince, a cousin of Bertha , to whom came later a great misfortune. That unfortunate prince could only be Louis III, whose mother Irmingardis
7140-419: Was the dominant figure in the territory. Louis returned to Vienne , his capital, and by 911, he had put most of the royal powers in the hands of Hugh. Hugh was made Margrave of Provence and Marquis of Vienne and moved the capital to Arles . As regent, Hugh married Louis's sister Willa. Louis lived out his days until his death in obscurity, and through his life he continued to style himself as Roman emperor. He
7225-556: Was the first Christian martyr and, according to the Acts of the Apostles, was stoned just outside Jerusalem, in a place still remembered today, near the so-called " Porta Leoni ". The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is a Romanesque style church, the third such structure on its site, built from 1123 to 1135, over the 4th-century shrine to Verona's patron saint , St. Zeno (bishop of Verona from 362 to 380 when he died). The façade dominates
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