Monte San Giovanni Campano
Encyclopedia
Monte San Giovanni Campano is a comune
(municipality) of c. 12,800 inhabitants in the province of Frosinone
in the Italian
region Lazio, located about 90 km southeast of Rome
and about 14 km east of Frosinone
.
Monte San Giovanni is home to an 11th century fortress, the Castello di Monte San Giovanni Campano
. It is best known as the place where Thomas Aquinas
was imprisoned by his family for two years. It is also the first fortification ever to be breached and captured using a bombardment from portable field artillery
.
Monte San Giovanni was also a summer residence of Pope Adrian IV
starting in 1155, and where sojourned the poet Vittoria Colonna
. It was a strategic stronghold until 1494, when it was stormed by the French troops of Charles VIII of France
during his conquest of Naples. St. Thomas' cell now houses a 16th century triptych of the Neapolitan School.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) of c. 12,800 inhabitants in the province of Frosinone
Province of Frosinone
The Province of Frosinone is a province in the Lazio region of Italy, with 91 comuni . Its capital is the city of Frosinone. It has an area of 3,244 km², and a total population of 489,042 .The Province was established by Royal Decree on 6 December 1926 with territories belonging to Lazio...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Lazio, located about 90 km southeast of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and about 14 km east of Frosinone
Frosinone
Frosinone is a town and comune in Lazio, central Italy, the administrative seat of the Province of Frosinone. It is located about 75 km south-east of Rome close to the Rome-Naples Autostrada A1...
.
Monte San Giovanni is home to an 11th century fortress, the Castello di Monte San Giovanni Campano
Castello di Monte San Giovanni Campano
The Castle of Monte San Giovanni is a medieval fortress built in the 11th century. The castle is best known as the place where Thomas Aquinas was imprisoned by his family ca. 1240 to 1242 in an attempt to dissuade him from joining the Dominican Order...
. It is best known as the place where Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
was imprisoned by his family for two years. It is also the first fortification ever to be breached and captured using a bombardment from portable field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
.
Monte San Giovanni was also a summer residence of Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV , born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159.Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair...
starting in 1155, and where sojourned the poet Vittoria Colonna
Vittoria Colonna
Vittoria Colonna , marchioness of Pescara, was an Italian noblewoman and poet.-Biography:The daughter of Fabrizio Colonna, grand constable of the kingdom of Naples, and of Agnese da Montefeltro, Vittoria Colonna was born at Marinoa fief of the Colonna family in the Alban Hills near Rome.Betrothed...
. It was a strategic stronghold until 1494, when it was stormed by the French troops of Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
during his conquest of Naples. St. Thomas' cell now houses a 16th century triptych of the Neapolitan School.