San Leo Castle history
The first settlement of San Leo dates back to the VIII
century B.C. with the population of the "Umbro-Sabelli". Then came the Etrurians
followed by the Gauls and finally by the Romans.
The name Montefeltro dates back to the Roman
time, the name San Leo appears only in the tenth century after a San Leone
Dalmata who had lived there at the end of the third century.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476)
because of its military importance San Leo is contended by Goths and Greeks
(535-553), Longobards and Francs (749-772). Later San Leo passes under the papal rule
and, thanks to the Carolingian donations, it becomes the center of a wide
diocese whose territory begins to be named Montefeltro.
In
962 Berengario II retires there after the defeat of Pavia and makes it the
capital of Italy. In 963 Montefeltro surrenders to Ottone I, the German emperor.
In 1155 Frederich I Barbarossa gives the town to
Montefeltrano I Carpegna, giving birth to the noble house of Montefeltro.
In 1213 Saint Francis of Assisi pays a visit to
the town. His figure is today on the arms-of coat of the Town of San Leo.
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