Canossa Castle

Canossa Castle

The Castle of Canossa is a castle in Canossa, province of Reggio Emilia, northern Italy.

It is especially known as the seat of the Walk of Canossa, the meeting of Emperor Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy (1077).

History

The castle was built around 940 by Adalberto Atto, son of Sigifredo of Lucca, a Lombard prince, on the summit of a rocky hill. Apart from Adalberto's residence, it included a convent with 12 Benedictine monks and the church of Sant'Apollonio. It was protected by a triple line of walls; between the two lower lines were the barracks and the residence of the servants.

During the Middle Ages, it was one of the most impregnable castles in Italy. Here in 950 Adelaide of Italy, the widow of King Lothair II, took refuge ; Berengar II of Ivrea besieged her for three years, but in vain.

The next most relevant episode is the famous reconciliation between Henry IV and Gregory VII, who was a friend of Matilda of Tuscany, who had inherited the castle. Matilda has established that her lands would be assigned to the Church after her death (1115), but her heirs did not accept it.

In 1255 the men of Reggio destroyed the castle and the church. Later it was returned to the Canossa family. After the death of Giberto da Correggio in 1321, it was again a possession of Reggio until 1402, when Simone, Guido and Alberto Canossa gained it back; in 1409, however, they ceded it to the Este, who (apart a short period under Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma in 1557) held it until 1796.

In 1502 Ercole I d'Este named the poet Ludovico Ariosto castellan. He resided here for six months. In 1593 Canossa was assigned as fief to the Counts Rondinelli. In 1642 Duke Francesco I entrusted it to the Valentini. The latter were ousted in 1796 by the rebellious local population, who joined the Republic of Reggio.

After being returned to the Valentini, in 1878 the Castle was acquired by the Italian State, being declared a national monument.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Canossa — Not to be confused with Canosa in southern Italy. Canossa   Comune   Comune di Canossa …   Wikipedia

  • Canossa — • A former castle of Matilda, Countess of Tuscany, in the foothills of the Apennines Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Canossa     Canossa      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Canossa — /keuh nos euh/; It. /kah naws sah/, n. 1. a ruined castle in N Italy: scene of the penance of Emperor Henry IV of the Holy Roman Empire before Pope Gregory VII in 1077. 2. go to Canossa, to humble oneself. * * * ▪ historical site, Italy… …   Universalium

  • canossa — kəˈnäsə, ˈȯ noun ( s) Usage: usually capitalized Etymology: from Canossa, village in northern Italy where Emperor Henry IV made humble submission to Pope Gregory VII in 1077 : a place or occasion of submission, humiliation, or penance often used …   Useful english dictionary

  • CANOSSA —    a town NW. of Bologna, in the courtyard of the castle of which the Emperor Henry IV. stood three days in the cold, in January 1077, bareheaded and barefooted, waiting for Pope Gregory VII. to remove from him the sentence of excommunication …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Canossa — n. village in north central Italy in the Apennines; ruined castle in Italy where Emperor Henry IV went to humble himself before Pope Gregory VII in 1077 …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Canossa — /kəˈnɒsə/ (say kuh nosuh) noun a ruined castle in northern Italy; scene of the penance of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV before Pope Gregory VII in 1077 …  

  • Matilda of Canossa — Italian Matilde known as Matilda the Great Countess born 1046, Lucca, Tuscany died July 24, 1115, Bondeno, Romagna Countess of Tuscany. A close friend of Pope Gregory VII, she backed him in his struggle against King Henry IV (see Investiture… …   Universalium

  • Count of Canossa — The counts of Canossa were a family of Italian lords holding the castle of Canossa, which they built, from the early tenth to the early twelfth century. Of a family from Lucca, Sigifred I built the castle at Canossa around 940. The lords were… …   Wikipedia

  • Matilda of Canossa — • Countess of Tuscany, daughter and heiress of the Marquess Boniface of Tuscany, and Beatrice, daughter of Frederick of Lorraine, b. 1046; d. 24 July, 1114 Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Matilda of Canossa     Matilda …   Catholic encyclopedia

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