[Territory]

Montappone

The first written documents on the town of Montappone date back to the 13th century. The Nobili family dominated on it since its origins, being their members relative to the Brunforte family, lords of many of the surrounding towns. In 1055 Montappone results being under the dominion of the bishops of Fermo. At the beginning of the 13th century, two brothers, Folco and Ricciardo, divided their possessions among themselves, one became lord of Massa and the other lord of Montappone. These two men obtained the title of Marquis by Pope Nicolò IV in 1291. At the beginning of the 14th century, Montappone was subjected to Sir Monteverde and later it was assaulted and almost destroyed by Gentile of Mogliano. In 1331 Montappone, like Fermo, was again oppressed by the powerful mercenary Sir of Monteverde. Because of the continuous abuses and vexations, the citizens of Montappone consigned themselves to the town of Fermo. In 1371, the town was rebuilt, by licence of cardinal Pietro d’Estaing, with the clause of remaining under the dominion of Fermo. In one single year the castle was restored and in 1446, after the victories by the guelph Carlo Malatesta in 1413 and after 15 years of government by Francesco Sforza, the whole territory was again obedient to the Pope. In 1538, Pope Paolo III charged cardinal Ranuccio Farnese with the government of the State of Fermo. Like all the other castles under the dominion of Fermo, also Montappone was governed by a vicar, who represented the higher charge of the Municipality. At the end of the 18th century, the town witnessed the French invasion which culminated with the constitution of several French vassal republics. The insurrections of 1799 in Castel Clementino (now Servigliano) permitted the expulsion of the French and the return under the Pontifical State of the whole Marca of Fermo from 1800 to 1808. On the 4th and 5th of November 1860, the citizens of Montappone voted in a plebiscite for the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy, declared on March the 17th 1861. The beginning of the 20th century was characterised for Montappone by the phenomenon of emigration into nations like Brazil, Argentine and the United States, as a consequence of the conditions of misery in which those people lived at that time.