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The coat of arms of the Zevallos familyAt the Beginning of Cathedral street, Ostuni |
19th of August of 1558, Ostuni is sold to the marquis of Trevico, FerdinandoLoffredo, for 55,000 ducati.In 1559, are poured 40,000 ducati for the redeem, comes declared of Regal Federal property joining Ficazzano, Chiobbica and San Salvatore fiefs.It comes also sanctioned that "nothing would have been sold or cessioned or made what would carry the citizens opposing with weapons, without incurring in famous wicked of “Lesa maestà".Once again this privilege has short life, seen that on the 14th of December 1639 Giovanni Zevallos takes the control upon the city for60 Ducati for “fire” (for each family).
The Zevallos family is the emblem of the more absolute tyranny, having overwhelmed the ostunesi, from 1639 to 1815.
In particular Giovanni is described as "plunder and selfishness example, prototype of the century corruption , one of the Spanish misgovernment gifts".
One said that the history is repeated.
In fact Giovanni Zevallos, of Iberian origins, starting with nothing particular and, thanks to often illicit tradings, create an enormous wealth, buying also the title of Duca ( well...nowadays is not so different! ).
He begins to introduced himself since the first year, with misdeeds towards the University,to which remove the “Mastrodattia “of the three defense, Chiobbica, Saint Salvatore and Ficazzano and the proceeds of the court of the Captain.
He inflicts several curtailments to the Camerlengo offices and to Bagliva judges.
He see back to his favor the Vettovaglie tenth , the bonatenenza taxof the University of Cisternino and take possession of the masseria of Ponticelli and the Siccoda palace .
Through notary publics and corrupted mayors , he tears and it destroys all the writings of the city, especially those ones of the great Archives.
He weaken so much Ostuni , to render nearly impossible the claiming right of Perpetual the Regal Federal property .
Duca Giovanni makesconstruct in Naples a so sumptuous palace to provoke the jealousy of the Vicere, Duca d’Arcos.
But That palace, comes plundered and then burned in 1647, by the infuriated people, yearning to vent his hatred for the usurper, which had become rich with the blood of poor people.
They report said that "the same duca would have taken his archibugio(gun) or capestro, if he had not been sheltered in time in the New Castel in Naples. After this revolt his transactions go to rack and ruin; come embezzled him values for about one hundred thousand Shield ".
Succeeded to Giovanni Zevallos, Francisco who governed from 1657 to 1694; Bartolomeo from 1694 to 1752; Francisco from 1752 aI 1784; this last one was forced to abdicate in favor of the Carmela daughter, with whom( having notmale heirs), the Zevallos family extinguished itself.
So quote the reports of the time: "With the last one, Carmela, was ended the wealth and power of their family, badly accumulated, was badly ended, not for an unexpected and violent backchange of luck, but under the repeated and powerful blows of a punisher and inexorable justice"
Maria Carmela, last descendant of the Zevallos, dies poor in 1815 and with her one of the most execrable pages of Ostuni history get closed.
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Ferdinando I |
Freedoms, brotherhood, equality, are the passwords of the French revolution that make feel his own positive influences just in 1799, during Zevallos tyrannybut, defeated Napoleone in Waterloo, for the effect of the intentional partition wanted by the conference of Vienna, our territory get assigned again to Ferdinand IV, that returns on the throne with the name of Ferdinand I. The dominion of the Borboni last until 21 February 1860, when Francisco II (‘Franceschiello’), ishunted by Garibaldi. The continuous occupations which Ostuni has been subordinate in the course of the centuries, probable represent the reason for which, also during the dominion of Borboni, Ostuni is the center of decisive conspiracies against the further overbearingness. The ostunesi, in conclusion, really seem to have caught up every reasonable endurance limit , therefore in 1820 come constituted one ‘Sale’ carbonara, to which belong sixty citizens pertaining to every social rank.
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Francesco II |
Heading of the patriots, Antonio Maresca who, as ademonstration of the unanimous popular consent and for the common unstoppable emancipation desire, takes advantage also of the precious collaboration of clergymen like, for example, Vito Oronzo Anglani, Francesco Greco and Pasquale Melpignano.
In 1833 is founded a division of the Giovine Italia, thanks to Giovanni Calcagni,Carmelitan prior, an then joined the division Giuseppe Cibaria and Francisco Trinchera Senior.
The groups of plotters are born spontaneous and, nearly at the same time of GiovanniCalcagni one, is constituted an other Carbonara cell , wanted by don Angel Oronzo Tamburini, charismatic personage not just for the ostunesi, which becomes the point of reference for all the actions against the Borboni. On the 26 june 1860, Ostuni was the first city in Puglia that pulled down the borbonici coats of arms.
Colonel Camillo Boldoni constitutes national temporary government in the name of Vittorio Emanuele II and Giuseppe Garibaldi and also Ostuni proclaim its local temporary government, coordinated by the patriots Ferdinand Ayroldi, Giovanni Calcagni and Giuseppe Orlando.
The last freedom battle, was fought when the ostunesi faced ,defeating it, the Borbonic army coming from Bari.
After disheartening centuries of submissions, Ostuni was finally free!
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Garibaldi |
| Vittorio Emanuele II |
This summary has merely instructive value. |
