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Historians date back to the mid-9th century the birth of the Republic and its decline in the middle of the 12th century. About three hundred years of history in which a small territory managed to compete with the other Italian Maritime Republics (Genoa, Pisa and Venice) much larger and more powerful. The borders of Amalfi extended to Cetara, to Positano, including the island of Capri and the archipelago of Li Galli, and inland, beyond the Monti Lattari, up to Gragnano, in the province of Naples.

 

 

The Duchy of Amalfiflourished between the 9 th and the 12 th century, well managing its small territory and
the fierce competition with the duchies of Venice, Genoa and pisa for the control of the maritime trade. Amalfi’s borders spanned between the bays of
Cetara and positano, the islands of Li Galli andCapri,inland covering the Mount Lattari up to the village of Gragnano.

 

The processing of wood, iron, the production of paper, fabrics and flour, required the need to have energy in large quantities. They made a virtue of necessity, the engineers of the time, building on the path of the torrents of the machines operated by the power of water that served the purpose The valley of the Ferriere and that of the Mills were industrial districts where it produced what was needed by the Republic, but also what they brought to the Mediterranean countries with their ships.

Maritime Republic of Amalfi - 839/1131

Renaissance (also meaning resurgence) is an historical era marking the beginning of a creative social and cultural revolution that mark the end of a dark period that historian call Middle age. Middle age started around the fifth century , approximately from the fall of the roman empire and lasted until the discovery of America in 1789.

Even if divided into two distinctive ages , the whole middle age era was a period described by historian as a dark age, with wars, cultural and religious turbulence, famine and pestilences which decimated the western civilization. Some of the most beautiful Cathedrals were built during middle age, an example of tribute to faith and religion but also a repress creativity ready to explode at the right time( Renaissance).

History of the place and the birth of the mills

If  the next period we called it Renaissance there will bea reason. We have a negative prejudice of the Middle Ages, which brings us to an era of cultural and social 

decadence. It was a long period of about 1,000 years and that historians start in the middle of the fifth century with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and that ends with the discovery of America. A period so long that it has been divided into two temporal areas. A period defined in this way because in short the connection between a low and a high Middle Ages. It was certainly a period of wars of oppression and that often led to tragic consequences such as famine and pestilence that decimated the populations of the time. But the Middle Ages were not only fights and famines, but also the time when they built the great Cathedrals and the mighty cities of which we still admire the aesthetic beauty. Episodes, stories and characters that characterized that time are known and have formed the political history of Europe and beyond.

(historical clarification) The Amalfitano territory, although it was deprived by the
Normans of Independence, continued to work, trade and possess possessions.
The citizens of Gragnano could enjoy the prerogatives and privileges of those of Amalfi up to 1500. The Amalfi Church had jurisdiction over that of the North side of the
Lattari with the bishopric of Lettere and Gragnano, dependent on the archbishop of Amalfi until 1819. So industry, trade, etc., did not end up with the loss of independence.
(History Note)
The Norman kingdom at some stage conquered the Duchy of Amalfi but the normans left freedom of trade and governance independence to Amalfi .Gragnano and its citizens were still ruled by the duchy of Amalfi and its Bishopric of Letter and Gragnano until 1819.

History
Unknown Track - Unknown Artist
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© 2017 by Ingenito Pietro - www.valledeimulinigragnano.it 

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