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in Amalfi > Hotel Residenza del Duca - Amalfi HOTEL RESIDENZA DEL DUCA - Amalfi >> Bookmark this result  |
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WELCOME TO RESIDENZA DEL DUCA! The Residenza del Duca is located in an ancient palace which, already in 954, was part of a "hospitium domorum", that is a group of palaces owned by a single aristoctatic family. The main entrance of such "hospitium domorum" is in Via Mastalo II, the name of the first and unlucky Duke of the Amalfi Republic. The first two floors of this palace show some traces of the ancient Medieval architecture (XIII century); the upper floors are instead of Renaissance style: here is the location of the Residenza del Duca. Restoration works have been carried out carefully, keeping the typical XVII and XVIII century architecture represented respectively by the chestnut wood beaming ceiling and cloister and vaulted ceiling. Each room has a balcony looking on a small square, the unique example of Medieval urban architecture in Amalfi. This square was previously called "Platea Fabrorum" (Blacksmiths' Square), because there was the blacksmiths' corporation and many craftsmen's shops. Even if today it is called Piazza dei Dogi, in honour of the dukes that ruled the Marine Republic from 957 to 1131, the old people of Amalfi still call it "Piazza de' Ferrari". In 1398 in Piazza dei Dogi there was the palace of the feudatory Dukes of Amalfi: the Duchess Giovanna d'Aragona Piccolomini fell desperately in love with her servant Antonio Bologna. Their love story inspired a tale by Brandello and theatre plays by Lope de Vega and Webster. |
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In 953, being still a minor, he succeeded his uncle Mastalo I, after 50 years of Patrician government. In 957 he came of age and was elected first Duke of Amalfi by the "Aristocrazia Comitale Amalfitana". He rose to a high rank, the same than that of the Duke of Naples and of the Doge of Venice.
In 958, still very young, he was a victim of an attempt made on "Monte di Scala". This attempt was organized by Sergio, the descendant of the Musco Comite family, who started a new ruling dynasty lasting 115 years.
He was the son of Sergio, who belonged to the Musco Comite dynasty. He succeeded his father in 966 and kept the rule of the government for 46 years, showing rare military and political skills. He is considered the most important ruler in the history of Amalfi.
Under his government the Amalfi Republic became rich and prosperous, ready to hold supremacy in the economic and diplomatic life of the Mediterranean area.
The Arab traveller IBN HOVQAL visited the city in 1977; here follows a description of the city as he found it: "the most prosperous Longobard town, the noblest for its origins, the most renowned for its conditions, the most rich and wealthy of all." Mansone I had some of the most important churches of Amalfi built at his expenses, such as the new Cathedral "S. Andrea Apostolo".
The daughter of the Prince of Capua, she got married in 999 with Sergio III, the grand-son of Mansone I, but this was only a marriage of convenience and political interests.
Maria was very interested in the political facts of the region and, in order to back up her brother's wish of territorial expansion, she organized a coup d'état in 1028 against her husband, who voluntary chose exile in Byzantium. As a consequence, Maria proclaimed herself "Ducissa e Patricissa", and ruled together with her son Mansone II. After a few months the other son Giovanni, who, on the other hand, already ruled alongside with his father, thinking that he was entitled to have the dukedom, started a long fratricide war.
Therefore Maria came to an agreement with Giovanni.
Mansone was blinded and shut in a tower (Torre del Gallo Lungo). Such a cruel act against Mansone touched the feelings of Amalfi people who, filled with indignation, rebelled against the perpetrators of the crime.
Nothing else is known about Maria, who almost disappeared in the darkness of history.
In March 1088 the Amalfi people elected the skilful ruler and strategist Gisulfo II as their prince, in order to defend themselves from the invasion of Roberto il Guiscardo.
But things did not go well between Gisulfo, who was the Prince of Salerno, and Amalfi people: in fact Gisulfo could not forgive the people of Amalfi because in 1052 they had laid a plot against his father, the great prince Guaimario, who eventually died.
The hate and the thirst for revenge, but also the opportunist reconciliation between them characterized the reign of Gisulfo.
He belonged to the dynasty of the Dukes of Naples and to the noble Amalfi family of Capuano: he was a talented strategist and was elected Duke in 1096.
After the victory obtained over the Normans headed by Boemondo, Marino Sebaste made the Amalfi Republic independent again, by improving the defensive works and reinforcing the fleet with 20.000 Saracens. Moreover, he reorganized the Dukedom government and the public Court of Justice ("Ordo Curialium").
He authorized the autonomy of government for the people of Amalfi and encouraged them to make their own political choise. The famous poet Samuel Rogers, talking about the people of Amalfi, wrote: "always assaulted, never subjugated." Between 1100 and 1110 some Amalfi aristocrats formed an alliance with the Normans headed by Ruggero, and this led to the defeat of Marino. |
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