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90-406: The city sits in low-lying country, its center being at about 90 metres (300 ft) above sea level . Geologically, its soil is quaternary (with sand and clay, fossils, and marine in origin). Its territory decreases in elevation from the west 125 metres (410 ft) to the east 26 metres (85 ft), gradually changing from minor ripples in the western hills to a more regular plain in the east at

180-447: A harvest yield of 14 tonnes/ha throughout the 2,000 ha (5000 acre) production zone. The red and rose wines are made from 70-100% Montepulciano with Sangiovese permitted by up to 30%. The white and spumante wines are produced with 40-60% Bombino bianco , 40-60% Trebbiano and up to 20% Verdeca . San Severo is famous for its yearly festival held on the third Sunday of May. Called "La Festa del Soccorso" (The Festival of Help/Aid), it

270-556: A 12th-century baptismal font and paintings by eighteenth-century painters such as D'Elia, Primavera, and Solimena ). The Church of San Giovanni Battista has paintings by Nicola Menzel . The cupola of the church of Santa Maria del Carmine was frescoed by Mario Borgoni . The Teatro Comunale , dedicated to Verdi , is the largest theater building in Capitanata , premiered in 1937. It has a large public garden with century old avenues that converge on an artificial mound called Montagnella, and

360-667: A Spanish army during the War of the Polish Succession in 1734, and Charles, Duke of Parma , a younger son of King Philip V of Spain , the first member of the French House of Bourbon to rule in Spain, was installed as King of Naples and Sicily from 1735. When Charles inherited the Spanish throne from his older half-brother in 1759, he left Naples and Sicily to his younger son, Ferdinand IV . Despite

450-409: A knight holding a bright sword in his right hand and a red flag in his left, and fled in fear. The next morning some people, unaware of the miracle, found some of the imperials asleep near the monastery of San Bernardino. The soldiers told the events of the night before, and the people agreed that their patron saint, San Severino, had personally defended them. The people then found that the altar cloth in

540-607: A number of monasteries, including three Benedictine monasteries (now the seat of the Court), a Celestine monastery (which became the town hall in 1813) and a Franciscans monastery (now the seat of the Municipal Library and Museum). At the center of the town is the Romanesque church of San Severino, dedicated to the patron of the city. The cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, has undergone many reconstructions. The interior has

630-521: A platform with bronze statues and a large round stage for concerts. A number of small monuments are dispersed throughout the flower beds, including the marble bust (1837) of Matteo Tondi by Tito Angelini . After the earthquake of 1627 and the gradual removal of walls, the town expanded with the creation of new districts. To contain the damage caused by frequent earthquakes, most of the buildings do not exceed two floors (and often were reduced to low ground floors and whitewashed gable roofs). The expansion of

720-652: A real typical mask, however, a more widespread traditional outfit requires that men wear flashy clothes. In recent years, the old Grape Festival celebrates one of the main products of the Sanseveresi, during the Feast of St. Martin , (or Festival of New Wine) which is held in the historic heart of the city for several days around November 11, with exhibition of local products, wine tasting and local cuisine and various cultural performances (concerts, exhibitions, folklore shows, etc.). The preservation and promotion of artistic heritage,

810-499: A third of the military expenditures accruing to the Spanish controlled Duchy of Milan and paid for the Spanish garrisons in Tuscany. This cost the kingdom 800,000 ducats annually, or about a third of the kingdom's revenues; moreover, the public debt also had a military origin, and interest payments on it devoured 40 percent of all tax income. Naples was rich enough to redeem the debt and pay an attractive ten percent in full to lenders. While

900-545: Is Mediterranean , with relatively mild winters (snow is rare) and very hot summers. High wind gusts are quite common. According to legend, a city called Castrum Drionis (Casteldrione) was founded by the Greek king Diomedes . San Severo is said to be one of the last towns in Italy to remain pagan , and only in 536 did Saint Laurence of Siponto , bishop of Siponto , convert the town's inhabitants to Christianity . He also required that

990-460: Is a measure of a location's vertical distance ( height , elevation or altitude ) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level . In geodesy , it is formalized as orthometric height . The zero level varies in different countries due to different reference points and historic measurement periods. Climate change and other forces can cause sea levels and elevations to vary over time. Elevation or altitude above sea level

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1080-567: Is a standard measurement for: Elevation or altitude is generally expressed as " metres above mean sea level" in the metric system , or " feet above mean sea level" in United States customary and imperial units . Common abbreviations in English are: For elevations or altitudes, often just the abbreviation MSL is used, e.g., Mount Everest (8849 m MSL), or the reference to sea level is omitted completely, e.g., Mount Everest (8849 m). Altimetry

1170-518: Is for young males to run along the firecrackers as they explode down the street (an analogue tradition, called " Correfoc ", exists in Spain). These people are called "fuejentes" (people who enjoy running through the fireworks). For this reason San Severo is called "the city of fireworks". Among the many traditions are the rites of the Holy Week . At dawn on Good Friday , a procession starts simultaneously from

1260-492: Is held in honor of the patron saints of San Severo, "La Madonna del Soccorso" (The Madonna of Help/Aid), Saint Severinus Abbot , and Saint Severus Bishop . During this festival, San Severo features nighttime and daytime fireworks in order to celebrate the Madonna; the daytime fireworks are a major attraction. Extremely loud firecracker chains are placed along the city streets. In many cases they extend for kilometers. A common practice

1350-552: Is the measurement of altitude or elevation above sea level. Common techniques are: Accurate measurement of historical mean sea levels is complex. Land mass subsidence (as occurs naturally in some regions) can give the appearance of rising sea levels . Conversely, markings on land masses that are uplifted (due to geological processes) can suggest a relative lowering of mean sea level. Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( Latin : Regnum Neapolitanum ; Italian : Regno di Napoli ; Neapolitan : Regno 'e Napule )

1440-420: Is very rich, noble, civilized and filled with people, and is so wealthy that he envied any other in this region." The town also established ecclesiastical organizations, with four wealthy parishes, several hospitals, some religious confraternities and nine religious institutes. In 1579, at the height of its prestige but suffocated in debt, the city was sold to Duke Gian Francesco di Sangro, who won for his heirs

1530-589: The Church State over the Kingdom. After Constance, Queen of Sicily married Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor , the region was inherited by their son Frederick II , as King of Sicily. The region that later became the separate Kingdom of Naples under the Angevins formed part of the Kingdom of Sicily, which included the island of Sicily and Apulia . Following the rebellion in 1282, King Charles I of Sicily (Charles of Anjou)

1620-624: The Italian Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, San Severo was presented two bills (respectively 6472 and 4370) for the establishment of the province of San Severo, comprising 22 municipalities in Tavoliere delle Puglie north of Gargano and Subappennino Dauno . Between October 31 and November 2, 2002, a violent earthquake , known as the Molise earthquake, damaged many buildings in the old village and caused

1710-619: The Second World War , on September 9, 1943, a group of Italian soldiers were involved in an episode of resistance, refusing to surrender to the Germans. By September 28, the Germans blew up the telephone exchange, the Casillo mill and several bridges, including that of the railway. During World War II, San Severo was the home of a US Airfield for the Fifteenth Air Force . P-51 fighters of

1800-557: The Strait of Messina . The peninsular kingdom was known as Sicily citra Farum or al di qua del Faro ('on this side of Faro'), and the island kingdom was known as Sicily ultra Farum or di la del Faro (on the other side of Faro). When both kingdoms came under the rule of Alfonso the Magnanimous in 1442, this usage became official, although Ferdinand I (1458–94) preferred the simple title King of Sicily ( Rex Sicilie ). In

1890-426: The "Regime of Forty" unfolded. This was an era of decline for the city, despite the promotion of the city to Episcopal seat in 1580. On July 30, 1627, a catastrophic earthquake almost razed the town to the ground and killed eight hundred inhabitants and an unspecified number of foreigners. Reconstruction was slow, and hindered by the plague epidemic of 1656 and 1657 (during which nearly three thousand people died). In

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1980-640: The 11th century around a small church built by the Benedictine monks from Montecassino . It rapidly developed as a trade town. In 1053, it was the scene of the historical victory of Robert Guiscard over the papal troops under Pope Leo IX (see Battle of Civitate ). In the eleventh century, San Severo was the route of the Via Sacra Langobardorum and a primitive church arose dedicated to Saint Severino, from which continued an influx of pilgrims to Monte Sant'Angelo and movement of people and goods. The town

2070-471: The 18th century, the Neapolitan intellectual Giuseppe Maria Galanti argued that Apulia was the true "national" name of the kingdom. By the time of Alfonso the Magnanimous, the two kingdoms were sufficiently distinct that they were no longer seen as divisions of a single kingdom. Despite being repeatedly in personal union , they remained administratively separate. In 1816, the two kingdoms finally merged to form

2160-470: The 31st Fighter Brigade lead armed escorts and support operations from San Severo on April 2, 1944 to March 3, 1945. On March 23, 1950, San Severo workers rioted against police, raising barricades and storming the armory and the headquarters of the Italian Social Movement . The clashes caused one death and wounded forty civilians and soldiers and army tanks occupied the main streets of the city. In

2250-551: The Angevin family competed for the Kingdom of Naples in the late 14th century, which resulted in the death of Joanna I by Charles III of Naples . Charles' daughter Joanna II adopted King Alfonso V of Aragon as heir, who would then unite Naples into his Aragonese dominions in 1442. As part of the Italian Wars , France briefly ruled the territory in 1494 and at the beginning of the 16th century; it then went to war with Spain over

2340-701: The Austrian Habsburgs. However, Naples and Sicily were conquered by Charles, Duke of Parma (of the Spanish Bourbons) during the War of the Polish Succession in 1734, he was then installed as King of Naples and Sicily from 1735. In 1816, Naples formally unified with the island of Sicily to form the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . The Kingdom of Naples was one of the largest and most important Italian states throughout all its history. Its territory corresponded to

2430-612: The Austrians was short, ending with a decisive victory for the Austrian forces at the Battle of Tolentino . Murat was forced to flee, and Ferdinand IV was restored to the throne of Naples. Murat would attempt to regain his throne but was quickly captured and executed by firing squad in Pizzo, Calabria . The next year, 1816, finally saw the formal union of the Kingdom of Naples with the Kingdom of Sicily into

2520-566: The Candelaro basin. In addition to the Candelaro river, other waterways include the Triolo and Salsola torrents and Radicosa, Venola, Ferrante, Santa Maria and Potes channels . The scarcity of rain in the summer causes the groundwater to become brackish , especially in the subsoil of the city. The lands surrounding the city are studded with farms, characterized primarily by ordered groves and vineyards , as well as fields of wheat . The climate

2610-639: The Decurionate (1750 ca.), the Real Bourbon (1819), and the Teatro Verdi (designed by Cesare Bazzani in 1937). Throughout each year, alongside a full season of concerts curated by the Friends of Music, performances such as Verdi operas , a series of shows of prose (in collaboration with the consortium Teatro Pubblico Pugliese ) and evenings at the ballet are featured. Concerts of sacred music are held regularly in

2700-477: The Ferdinandea Civic Library. In 1860, San Severo contributed many young people to increase the ranks of the anti Bourbon-militias, when Francis II was still on the throne, and was among the first cities to proclaim allegiance to the Kingdom of Italy and to hoist the tricolor Flag of Italy . On October 21 the same year, the Sanseveresi voted unanimously for a united Italy. From 1862 to 1864, during

2790-466: The Field Stadium. The Ricciardelli was recently renovated with synthetic grass. The other teams are GS Apocalypse, which was formed by Michele Pazienza , and Pol Sanseveresi, founded in 2008. The men's team San Severo Volleyball and women's GS Intrepid Volleyball (colors: blue) play on the field of PalaMarconi. San Severo is twinned with: Above mean sea level Height above mean sea level

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2880-624: The French by the Treaty of Florence , which reinforced France's position as the dominant power in mainland Italy. Ferdinand's decision to ally with the Third Coalition against Napoleon in 1805 proved more damaging. In 1806, following decisive victories over the allied armies at Austerlitz and over the Neapolitans at Campo Tenese , Napoleon installed his brother, Joseph as King of Naples, he conferred

2970-400: The French general, who then promptly died. The town now feared retribution by the imperial army, who were at the walls. In order to avoid a long siege, the imperial soldiers feigned a withdrawal, intending to storm the town by surprise the next night. Legend holds that when the imperial troops returned the next night, before the walls of San Severo, they came upon a huge army under the command of

3060-651: The Immaculate Conception (December 8). There are also the feasts of St. Lucy (December 13) and Saint Anthony Abbot (January 17), the latter with the historic blessing of the animals. The patron saints are, respectively, Severino and Severo, and are celebrated on September 25 and the Saturday before the fourth Sunday in October. Moreover, the solemn ceremony of the vote in San Severino is celebrated annually on January 8 by

3150-738: The Istituto commercial Fraccacreta Angel, while courses on agriculture will be held at the Michele di Sangro Agricultural Institute. There are five primary schools , four middle schools , and eight high schools (the Gymnasium High School, Liceo Scientifico, Istituto Tecnico Agrario, Commercial Technical Institute, Institute Industrial Technical Professional Institute, Institute for Teaching and Technical Institute for Surveyors). The city has several different local newspapers (Il Corriere di San Severo, San Severo Il Giornale, La Gazzetta di San Severo, and

3240-588: The Kingdom of Naples. As the most populous holding of the Spanish Empire outside of Castile itself (with 3 million inhabitants in 1600), Naples remained an important source of economic and military power for the Spanish. Heavy taxation was levied upon the kingdom to pay for Spain's wars, especially after 1580. Beyond dispatching troops to fight the Eighty Years' War in the Low Countries, Naples also disbursed

3330-529: The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Naples, which was the capital of the Duchy of Naples since the 7th century , surrendered to Roger II of Sicily in 1137, and was annexed to the Kingdom of Sicily . The Normans were the first to bring political unity to southern Italy in the centuries after the failure of the Byzantine effort to reconquer Italy. The Normans established a kingdom that included southern mainland Italy and

3420-542: The Municipal Administration, during which it remembers the apparition of the patron saint. During the time of the annual carnival, it is customary to prepare awkward puppets that are arranged in comical sitting positions on small chairs by the doors of houses. On Shrove Tuesday , at dusk, the people celebrate the colorful "funeral" of the puppets, which ends with the burning of the puppets, which are sometimes stuffed with firecrackers. The city does not seem to have

3510-658: The Sanseveresi wine became the first in Apulia to obtain the Designation of Origin Control. The varieties are white San Severo, San Severo sparkling white, red, and Rosé San Severo. San Severo is also noted for its production of Peranzana (Dauno) olives, which have received the Protected Designation of Origin designation (PDO). The Vase Sanseveresi is a centuries-old traditional method of pruning olive trees like inverted cones, with

3600-690: The ancient Piazza del Castello, where the statues proceed towards each other, but the embrace of the Mother and the Son is blocked by the Cross, which arises suddenly between them. Other festivals with processions include the Lady of Mount Carmel festival (July 16), San Rocco (August 16) and the Madonna del Rosario (the third Sunday in October), as well as the recurrence of Concetta, namely

3690-445: The bell tower), and the broadcaster Tele Radio San Severo, which produces Sansevero television and radio broadcastings. San Severo is at the forefront in the world for the production and marketing of wine, but also produces large quantities of high quality grain, grapes, and olives. Large agricultural resources have generated a lively system of small and medium-sized industrial products grown and exported to international markets. In 1968

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3780-401: The church had large hoofprints, a sign of their saintly defenders. On his feast day, each year, the town donates a hundred pounds of wax to the patron saint, proclaimed Defensor Patriae. From thence, the town's civic emblem is San Severino riding with a red flag in his right hand. The city derives its name from the patron saint San Severino , the owner of the church around which the castellum

3870-427: The churches of the historic center. The iconic Cantina D'Araprì features many music performances, including jazz shows. San Severo's University of Foggia has active courses in nursing, business, viticulture and enology (the science and technology of winemaking). At the former "Pascoli" school building a citadel that will host economics courses is under construction; these courses are currently held temporarily in

3960-580: The city and inaugurated the school building "Principe di Piemonte". In 1929, the municipal sports field was inaugurated. On October 27, 1931, the Minister of Communications, Costanzo Ciano , dedicated the Ferrovie del Gargano, linking the station of San Severo to a number of places on the Gargano- Peschici line. On December 9, 1937, the curtain of the new Municipal theater was opened for the first time. During

4050-498: The city continued into the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Because of its geographic location, San Severo has had direct contact for centuries with the dialects of Gargano , northern Apulia , Molise , and Campania . As a result, the Sanseverese dialect is overall very close to that of Naples . Among the various dialects of Apulia, it differs somewhat from that of nearby Foggia and has little relationship with that of

4140-482: The city of Bari . As an example, the sentence, "The dog bites the bottom," in standard Italian would be " Il cane morde lo straccione ," whereas in Sanseverese it would be " U chen mòccëchë 'u straccet ," and in the Foggian dialect it would be " U chen muccichèjë 'u stracce ." The Italian wine DOC around San Severo produces red, white and rose wines, as well as the occasional sparkling spumante. Grapes are limited to

4230-561: The city rebelled against Frederick II of Hohenstaufen who ceded it to the Knights Templar . After the suppression of the Templars, by 1312, the city was refortified with a wall, and ceded to Robert d'Anjou and his wife Sancha. In 1317, Sancha sold it to Count Peter Pippin, Lord of Vico . The resistance of the citizens denied him the possession of his acquisition, and resistance only stopped when they gained some degree of independence under

4320-481: The city with terrible violence. The victims, between citizens and soldiers, were about four hundred and fifty. Feudalism was abolished in 1806 and San Severo was the sixth largest city of the kingdom by number of inhabitants. It became the capital of one of the three districts and then sub-prefecture. In 1819, the ancient palace Decurionate inaugurated in the Teatro Real de Bourbon , the first Italian district and one of

4410-645: The city's books, and periodicals are the raison d'être of a number of important public and private institutions that promote the cultural development of San Severo and its surroundings. Exhibitions of various kinds (archeology, painting, photography etc.) are more or less regularly staged at the Museum, the Diocesan Museum and the Gallery of Modern Art in Palazzo San Lorenzo. The city is home to three public theaters:

4500-456: The closure of some of its historic churches. According to legend, the apparition of St Severino has appeared to the relief of his city on two occasions. In 1522, along with the apparition of St Sebastian, he appeared to warn about a looming army of mercenaries. Six years later, his apparition is credited with driving away the imperial army. During the War of Lautrec, San Severo was besieged and seized by

4590-487: The current Italian regions of Campania , Calabria , Apulia , Basilicata , Abruzzo , Molise , and also included some areas of today's southern and eastern Lazio . The term "Kingdom of Naples" is in near-universal use among historians, but it was not used officially by the government. Since the Angevins remained in power on the Italian peninsula, they kept the original name of the Kingdom of Sicily ( Regnum Siciliae ). At

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4680-534: The deal quickly fall through, and Aragon and France resumed their war over the kingdom in 1502. The Spanish troops occupying Calabria and Apulia , led by Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordova , invaded and expelled all Frenchmen from the area. The resulting Aragonese victory left Ferdinand in full control of the kingdom by 1504 and Naples became a constituent kingdom of the Crown of Aragon . The peace treaties that continued were never definitive, but they established at least that

4770-606: The eighteenth century, the city was rebuilt with a markedly Baroque appearance. On April 16, 1797, Ferdinand IV visited San Severo and there he reviewed the Regina regiment. On April 25, Prince Francis I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Maria Carolina , came there to visit and attended a solemn mass in the cathedral. In February 1799, following a fierce reaction to the proclamation of the Jacobin republic, French troops, commanded by Generals Guillaume Philibert Duhesme and La Foret plundered

4860-567: The end of the War of the Vespers, the Peace of Caltabellotta (1302) provided that the name of the kingdom would be the Kingdom of Sicily Citra Farum had become known colloquially as the Kingdom of Naples ( Regnum Neapolitanum or Regno di Napoli ). In the late Middle Ages, it was common to distinguish the two Sicilies by noting its location relative to the rest of Italy and the Punta del Faro , i.e.,

4950-470: The fifteenth century, the city also minted its own coins. In 1521, Charles V sold the city to the Duke of Termoli , Ferdinand of Capua, but Mayor Tiberio Solis was able to redeem it by paying 42,000 ducats to the Emperor by collecting contributions from private citizens. The king then granted the city of San Severo the perpetual right to self-government. According to tradition, in January 1536, Charles V also ennobled twenty-four local families, establishing

5040-414: The first in the south. After the French occupation, the city became a key stronghold of the Carbonari , so that Giuseppe Mazzini long dreamed of making San Severo the starting point of the riots of 1820. In 1826, the monumental cemetery was opened. On May 18, 1847, Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies visited the city. The large public gardens were dedicated in 1854, while in 1858, there was the dedication of

5130-487: The focus on horizontal rather than height-based arrangement. San Severo railway station is a relatively important station of the Adriatic railway , and is the western terminus of the San Severo–Peschici line . The town is served by the A14 motorway Bologna - Taranto at the homonymous exit, and is crossed by the national highways SS16, SS89 and SS272. San Severo is home to several different sports teams. There are two basketball teams, currently active and playing on

5220-435: The following days, an armed insurrection was raised against the powers of the state; people were arrested, acquitted, and a year later released after the trial. Pope John Paul II visited the city on May 25, 1987. In 1996, by special decree, the President of the Republic, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro , confirmed for San Severo the title of city, historically acquired in 1580, and the establishment of the Sanseveresi diocese. In 1999, at

5310-402: The island of Sicily, which was primarily ruled from Palermo. The title of King of Sicily was established by the Antipope Anacletus II as early as 1130 and subsequently legitimized, in 1139, by Pope Innocent II . Since the royal titles over the State had been assigned to the Normans by Innocent II, the popes, in particular Pope Innocent III and Pope Innocent IV , claimed the feudal rights of

5400-401: The junior Angevin line, and he succeeded her in 1435. René of Anjou temporarily united the claims of junior and senior Angevin lines. In 1442, Alfonso V conquered the Kingdom of Naples and unified Sicily and Naples once again as dependencies of Aragon . At his death in 1458, the War of the Neapolitan Succession (1458–1462) erupted, after which the kingdom was again separated and Naples

5490-463: The kingdom in 1502, a conflict that ended in a victory for Ferdinand II , who was in full control of the kingdom by 1504. The Spanish held control of Naples throughout the 17th century where it remained an important source of economic and military power for the Spanish Crown. After the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 18th century, the possession of the kingdom again changed hands; the 1714 Treaty of Rastatt saw Naples given to Charles VI of

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5580-402: The next several decades, but French efforts to gain control of it became feebler as Habsburg power grew, and never genuinely endangered Spanish control. The French finally abandoned their claims to Naples by the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in 1559. In the Treaty of London (1557), five cities on the coast of Tuscany were designated the Stato dei Presidi ( State of the Presidi ), and part of

5670-482: The other powers, particularly Britain, hostile towards him and dependent on the uncertain support of Austria, Murat's position became less and less secure. Therefore, when Napoleon returned to France for the Hundred Days in 1815, Murat once again sided with him. Realising the Austrians would soon attempt to remove him, Murat gave the Rimini Proclamation hoping to save his kingdom by allying himself with Italian nationalists. The ensuing Neapolitan War between Murat and

5760-526: The parquet floor of Palasport "Falcone e Borsellino" (4000 seats). The Basketball Association, founded in 1966, boasts a notable list of players of the past, including the pivot Walter Magnifico . Its colors are yellow and black, but for fans of the team the standard color is simply black. The team plays in the Lega A2 event in 2010/2011. Another amateur club is the San Severo Marvin School club. There are three city soccer teams. The historic U.S.D. San Severo , founded in 1922 (colors: yellow-grenade), competes at

5850-517: The people of Naples rose in revolt in 1647, forming the Neapolitan Republic with French assistance. The revolt was suppressed later that year by Spanish troops. After the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 18th century, possession of the kingdom again changed hands. Under the terms of the Treaty of Rastatt in 1714, Naples was given to Charles VI , the Holy Roman Emperor . He also gained control of Sicily in 1720, but Austrian rule did not last long. Both Naples and Sicily were conquered by

5940-570: The public debt quintupled, and 57 percent of the kingdom's revenue was devoted to interest payments. Spain's wars crushed the Neapolitan economy. Furthermore, 90 percent of taxes were collected by state creditors, meaning the state paid an effective interest rate of 70 percent annually on the money it borrowed to fight the war. The kingdom started selling state assets to anyone willing to buy them, which usually ended up being barons; these assets included prisons, forests, buildings, and even royal fortresses, as well as titles. Due to this excessive taxation

6030-448: The remainder of the war but despite the Kingdom of Sicily nominally being part of the Fourth , Fifth and Sixth Coalitions against Napoleon, Ferdinand and the British were unable to ever challenge French control of the Italian mainland. After Napoleon's defeat in 1814, Murat reached an agreement with Austria and was allowed to retain the throne of Naples, despite the lobbying efforts of Ferdinand and his supporters. However, with most of

6120-399: The riots, the city was the seat of the 49th Regiment unit, who distinguished itself in the suppression. After the unit built the railway station in 1863, and created the high school and technical schools in 1864, they also started two major bands, the "White" in 1879 and "Red" in 1883, who obtained several international awards. On April 29, 1923, the Crown Prince Umberto I of Italy visited

6210-450: The royal authority of Naples . San Severo was then declared a royal city in perpetuity. It became the capital of Giustizierato (province) of Capitanata , whose jurisdiction also included Molise . The city was the seat of provincial officials and the court of the Royal Audience. After Queen Joan I of Naples stayed there, many Neapolitan monarchs followed in her presence, including Alfonso I of Aragon and Ferdinand I of Naples . In

6300-466: The same time by Castile , which had a population twice the size. Naples provided and paid for 10,000 troops and 1,000 horses annually from 1630 to 1643, on top of a 1 million ducat annual subsidy for the war effort and more funds and soldiers for the kingdom's garrisons and navy. The kingdom was increasingly forced to revert to borrowing to finance the war as it went on, which it could do due to its good credit. From 1612 to 1646, Neapolitan taxes tripled and

6390-651: The senior line. This led to Joan I's murder at the hands of the Prince of Durazzo in 1382, and his seizing of the throne as Charles III of Naples . The two competing Angevin lines contested each other for the possession of the Kingdom of Naples over the following decades. In 1389 Louis II of Anjou son of Louis I managed to seize the throne from Ladislas of Naples son of Charles III, but was expelled by Ladislas in 1399. Charles III's daughter Joanna II (r. 1414–1435) adopted Alfonso V of Aragon (whom she later repudiated) and Louis III of Anjou as heirs alternately, finally settling succession on Louis' brother René of Anjou of

6480-471: The soldiers of Naples were under the command of the Spanish viceroy, Neapolitan nobles enjoyed ascendancy in the assemblies and committees that financed and administered the army. The kingdom suffered a heavy burden from the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) . From 1631 to 1636 alone, Naples sent 53,500 soldiers and 3.5 million scudi to support the Spanish king. This was actually more than was raised in

6570-528: The spelling "San Severo", having been taken from the dictionary compiled by the United Town's Central Institute of Statistics (The situation is analogous to that of Sanremo ). The change of the name was accepted with little to no resistance, so that today it is used almost universally. An exception is made by Trenitalia and the Autostrade , which represents the city by writing "S. Severe". On February 2, 2006,

6660-652: The three churches. From the Church of the Pieta, the procession carries the eighteenth-century statue of Our Lady of Sorrows (confraternity of prayer and death); from the Trinity Church, the procession carries a wooden effigy of Christ bound to the column (Arch-confraternity of the rosary ), and from the Church of St. Augustine a procession of hooded penitents carries the heavy cross of Simon of Cyrene on their shoulders (confraternity of help). The three sacred processions converge in

6750-428: The title "Prince of Naples" to be hereditary on his children and grandchildren. When Joseph was sent off to Spain two years later, he was replaced by Napoleon's sister Caroline and his brother-in-law Marshal Joachim Murat , as King of the Two Sicilies . Meanwhile, Ferdinand had fled to Sicily, where he retained his throne, despite successive attempts by Murat to invade the island. The British would defend Sicily for

6840-409: The title of King of Naples was reserved for Ferdinand's grandson, the future Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor . Ferdinand nevertheless continued in possession of the kingdom, being considered the legitimate heir of his uncle Alfonso I of Naples (Alfonso V of Aragon) and also to the former Kingdom of Sicily ( Regnum Utriusque Siciliae ). The kingdom continued to be disputed between France and Spain for

6930-411: The title of Prince of Sansevero. Consequently, it lost its rank as capital, which passed to Lucera , and the governor of the province and the court was transferred. Accustomed to self-government, the citizens chafed under the tyranny of their new feudal lords. Many families of the old Sanseveresi aristocracy immediately chose to leave the city and those who remained watched helplessly as the era known as

7020-448: The town received recognition as an art city. The center retains its medieval labyrinthine street grids, and was once delimited by a perimeter wall punctuated by seven gates. The medieval town suffered from the earthquake of July 30, 1627. It is rich in Baroque palaces (including those of de Petris, del Sordo, de Lucretiis, Fraccacreta, Mascia, Recca, de Ambrosio, Pozzo, and Summantico). It had

7110-592: The town's oligarchic regime. San Severo became the most populous city in Capitanata in the 16th century. The rich commerce, cultural vitality and self-government made it one of the major centers of the south, due to the presence of a large Venetian warehouse. Directly connected to the Fortore river was an important link between the Venetians and the Kingdom of Naples . Leandro Alberti (1550) writes of San Severo "this castle

7200-484: The transition from Latin to Italian: Sanctus Severinus> Sanseverinus> Sansevero, especially since no saint named Severus was revered in the city before the end of the seventeenth century. Uncoincidentally, the official name "Sansevero" - acknowledging the uncommon variants San Severo and S. Severo - was always in the univerbata form. In 1931 the municipality, at the request of the Ministry of Interior, officially adopted

7290-634: The two Kingdoms being in a personal union under the Habsburg and Bourbon dynasties, they remained constitutionally separate. Being a member of the House of Bourbon , Ferdinand IV was a natural opponent of the French Revolution and Napoleon . On 29 November 1798, he effectively started the War of the Second Coalition by briefly occupying Rome, but was expelled from it by French Revolutionary forces within

7380-556: The village be renamed after governor Severus. San Severo lies on the Daunia , and various Neolithic settlements have been detected. In the early Middle Ages , the area was not inhabited or defined. Between the Lombards and the Byzantine ages, the Benedictine monastery at Cassino was established, and with it, the cult of the apostle of Saint Severinus of Noricum . San Severo was founded in

7470-413: The year and safely returned home. Soon afterwards, on 23 December 1798, Ferdinand fled Naples to Palermo as a French army closed in. In January 1799, the French armies installed a Parthenopaean Republic , but this proved short-lived, and a peasant counter-revolution inspired by the clergy allowed Ferdinand to return to his capital. However, in 1801 Ferdinand was compelled to make important concessions to

7560-605: Was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was established by the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282–1302), when the island of Sicily revolted and was conquered by the Crown of Aragon , becoming a separate kingdom also called the Kingdom of Sicily . This left the Neapolitan mainland under the possession of Charles of Anjou . Later, two competing lines of

7650-560: Was contested by Louis the Great , the Angevin King of Hungary , who captured the kingdom several times (1348–1352) . Queen Joan I also played a part in the ultimate demise of the first Kingdom of Naples. As she was childless, she adopted Louis I, Duke of Anjou , as her heir, in spite of the claims of her cousin, the Prince of Durazzo, effectively setting up a junior Angevin line in competition with

7740-478: Was forced to leave the island of Sicily by Peter III of Aragon 's troops. Charles, however, maintained his possessions on the mainland, customarily known as the "Kingdom of Naples ", after its capital city. Charles and his Angevin successors maintained a claim to Sicily, warring against the Aragonese until 1373, when Queen Joan I of Naples formally renounced the claim by the Treaty of Villeneuve . Joan's reign

7830-485: Was formed. The original "Sanctus Severinus" appeared in seven papers written between 1116 and 1266. "Sanctus Severus", however, is first attested in a document dated 1134, also known only in dubious modern transcription. In some documents, the header is read in Latin with the original spelling and the one derived in the text in the vernacular; this suggests that the change is due to ancient agiotoponimo syncope, withdrawal common in

7920-429: Was inherited by Ferdinand I , Alfonso's illegitimate son. When Ferdinand I died in 1494, Charles VIII of France invaded Italy, using as a pretext the Angevin claim to the throne of Naples, which his father had inherited in 1481 on the will of Charles IV of Anjou , nephew and heir of King René who had no surviving son. This began the Italian Wars . Charles VIII expelled Alfonso II of Naples from Naples in 1495, but

8010-541: Was soon forced to withdraw due to the support of Ferdinand II of Aragon for his cousin, Alfonso II's son Ferrantino . Ferrantino was restored to the throne but died in 1496 and was succeeded by his uncle, Frederick IV . Charles VIII's successor, Louis XII reiterated the French claim. In 1501, he occupied Naples and partitioned the kingdom with Ferdinand of Aragon, who abandoned his cousin King Frederick. However, disputes over ownership of key Neapolitan territories made

8100-497: Was therefore called Castellum Sancti Severini ("Fortified Town of San Severo"). The conurbation developed rapidly due to its favorable position for trade, and soon took on considerable importance; it became the seat of Venetian , Florentine , Saracens and Jewish merchants. Subject to the abbots of the Benedictine monastery of San Pietro di Torremaggiore (in 1116 the abbot gave the famous Adenulfo Libertatis Charta), in 1230,

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