San Pellegrinetto was an Italian comune in the Alps of Garfagnana, a historic region of Tuscany, province of Lucca. It was dependent for many years on the comune of Trassilico, time during which it adopted the name Alpe di Trassilico until the creation of its parish. When Trassilico was incorporated as a fraction of Gallicano, so was San Pellegrinetto. It was eventually incorporated into the comune of Fabbriche di Vergemoli.
Its population is of 15 inhabitants, being one of the historic Italian comunes close to extinction, a situation that is slowly trying to be reversed with the "1Є Houses" project instituted by the comune of Fabbriche di Vergemoli in 2017.
Name Before the current name of the municipality, the town had the name Alpe di Trassilico. As all mountain towns built on the Garfagnana mountains, it was also influenced by the legend of Saint Pellegrino delle Alpi who became the town's patron saint. Stories tell he was the prince of a Scottish king during the late Roman Empire who, although endowed with a great fortune, abandoned everything and sought an existence as a hermit in a cave in the mountains of Garfagnana, where he lived until he died. There his body rested until his relics were discovered along with his remains and those of his partner and converted disciple San Bianco, where the Sanctuary of San Pellegrino in Alpe was erected.
The main change in nomenclature was insurged by the city leaders in the year 1680 when they decided to raise a Parish dedicated to San Pellegrino. These leaders were the descendants of the devotees of San Pellegrino and Bianco, of the sculptor Matteo Civitali, who even built the tomb of the Sanctuary dedicated to this saint and those of the branch of the Corsi Family that had been responsible for the creation of the fief and who financed the construction of the Church through one Antonio Corsi who had been elevated first marquis of the town in 1635.
Foundation Its history dates back the pre-Roman period. The first settlement took place in the year 1400 by sheepherders. The location, which was endowed with several springs and prairies, facilitated cattle ranching, which transformed the rentals into small uncrowded residential houses, separated by several nuclei scattered in the places where the sheep stayed, bringing economic importance to the place, which attracted, among several buyers and expansionists, Antonio Corsi, who ascended as the first marquis of the city on 29 May 1635.
Coat of arms, flag and arms
The city began to adopt the Marquisate's banner as its coat of arms and embedded it centrally in its flag, which in turn was divided between the colors Royal Blue and Golden Yellow, inspired by the colors of the province of Modena, to which it belonged for many years. On the coat of arms, in the center, is a rampant fox with whitish fur, which according to Antonio "seemed to be so covered with snow that it was white, just as our hills get in winter" and with "a bluish eye that reflects our riches". Above it a crown with precious stones adorning a lion's head rampant in gold, the early symbol of the Corsi from Florence. To the left and right are grayish or white foxes that "watch attentively for dangers" and below is a loose silk sash on which are written the following sayings (originally in Latin): "Those who teach", likely alluding to Antonio's position as a member of the court of the d'Este for many years.
Marquisate and history of San Pellegrinetto Antonio Corsi lived in Palazzo dei Boni on Via dei Pecori in Florence with his wife and son. However, after a disagreement with his stepmother, Laura Corsini, about the property surrounding his father Jacopo Corsi's inheritance, he had to move out of the city in a hurry. Antonio's father-in-law, Giovanni Boni, was a long-time member of the royal house of the de' Medici Family since he had served Grand Duke Ferdinand I de' Medici, a former cardinal he had met in Rome. Because of this, he had several contacts, among which was Cesare d'Este, Duke of Modena, and brother-in-law of the Grand Duke, to whom he had served as resident ambassador on 23 June 1605. When Cesare d'Este died on 11 December 1628, it coincided with the need to hire new servants to assist his son, Alfonso III d'Este, and Giovanni Boni, who had already rendered services to the family, with the help of Ferdinand II de' Medici, indicated his son-in-law and obtained a position for him at the court of the d'Este family, specifically as chamberlain to Alfonso.
Before leaving Florence, Antonio sold the Palazzo dei Boni (his inheritance) to the Antinori family in early 1629 for 3,200 ducats. The value, below the sale parameters of other family palaces in the area, was likely due to Antonio's haste and fear of leaving Florence. The remainder of the inheritance was left to his brother Giovanni, who in turn ascended as the 2nd Marquis of Caiazzo and went on to administer the family estate in Florence.
By 12 February 1629 Antonio Corsi was out of Florence with his wife Giovanna, who was pregnant with their second child, at which time he went to the court of the d'Este family in Garfagnana as previously contracted by his father-in-law, becoming chamberlain and close friend of Alfonso III d'Este. However, Alfonso III's reign did not last long. He, who was deeply in love with his wife Isabella of Savoy, became a widower in 1626. When his father died in 1628, Alfonso III d'Este became Sovereign Duke of Modena, but he considered taking religious vows and abandoning the title. When Alfonso III abdicated the throne on 22 July 1629 at the Castle of Sassuolo - or Rocca de Sassuolo - Antonio was still present in his court and serving him. Months later, on September 8 of that same year, Alfonso III entered the Capuchin Order, wearing the habit and changing his name to Fra' Giambattista da' Modena, at which time Antonio went on to serve Alfonso III's son, the Duke of Modena Francesco I d'Este.
It is at this time that an apogee intensified and a series of improvements began to be demanded by Ferdinand II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, in the castles of Modena as preparation and consequence of the Thirty Years War, but also by the intensification of border fights against the Republic of Lucca. Among these castles, one stands out, the Castle of Trassilico - located in the municipality of Gallicano, on a hill 720 meters above sea level, behind the Apuan Alps, and which was in an advanced state of decay since the end of the 15th century. In 1524, Ludovico Ariosto, comissary of the Estesis in Garfagnana denounced the poor state of the garrison in a letter to the Duke of Este Alfonso I. Even with orders from Francesco I d'Este, the castle had too many problems and the renovation did not materialize.
Francesco I, who admired Antonio, whose family had already lived with the castle court of the d'Este family for some years, thought it a good idea to send Antonio, who was trusted, to lead the renovations in Trassilico as Podestà on 4 March 1631. He was able to concentrate his forces on rebuilding the ruins of the ancient Castle of Fiorano, which would come to fruition in 1634 with a project by the architect Bartolomeo Avanzini, who transformed the place into the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgine del Castello.
The third child of Antonio and Giovanna Boni was born in Trassilico on 8 July 1631, and as they had small children, it was appropriate for them to live in the area during Antonio's retirement when he acquired many sheep farms. Trassilico was wealthy: There were numerous mineral deposits that could be used to provide components for weapons, large watercourses that provided a source of energy for several flour and chestnut milling, and fertile land for animal husbandry and pasture. Antonio lived there until the completion of the works on 12 February 1635, when he informed Francesco I d'Este that the renovations were finished:"Most worthy Lord Sovereign Duke of Modena, esteemed and dear Francesco, I confirm that on the current day just before sunset, we completed the reconstruction of the new walls and made the castle more secure as a fortress. I confirm the expenses as equivalent to 2,700 that I have spent out of my own pocket in honor of your name and your house, whom I have always and with great honor loved and will serve. I wait in the tower where I await further directions." - Antonio CorsiThe letter, that can be found in the historical archives of the d'Este family, indicates that although Antonio had been buying property in the area, he had been living in the Castle where he had served as Podestà (medieval Italian equivalent to mayor) since 1631. Shortly thereafter, on 29 May 1635, Duke Francesco I of Modena arranged for Antonio to be declared Marquis of San Pellegrinetto by Ferdinand II of the Holy Roman Empire, and Antonio sought the document signed by both in mid-June, which was delivered by Francesco himself, on which occasion a great banquet was celebrated. This evidences an affection for Antonio, who had taken care of the family for many years. Upon his return to Trassilico, Antonio continued to serve as Podestà of the city, and on behalf of Francesco I, he invested in the creation of a convent with contributions from the d'Este family in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, a neighboring town from where he also served as Podestà. Antonio oversaw its construction until completion, which took place around 1639. Shortly thereafter, Alfonso III - for whom Antonio was also chamberlain - became ill and was transferred to this convent, coming under the constant observation of Antonio and his family.
Alfonso III died in 1644 and shortly thereafter, in 1646, Antonio ended his activities as Podestà of Trassilico and headed to San Pellegrinetto, a locality where he had property and from where he ascended as Marquis. There he had the last of his daughters, Giulia, who was born on 20 May 1650. Francesco I d'Este died on 14 October 1658, and Antonio attended his funeral's cortège. It is worth noting that by this time Antonio was already 67 years old and an elderly man, but he knew Francesco's successor, Alfonso IV d'Este from his birth, having also helped him in his short reign, which lasted until his death on 16 June 1662.
Gradually moving away from the Este's court, Antonio began to focus on his villa, which was also in need of repair. It was made up of many families, but there were also noble ones, such as the Benelli, Mancini, Battaglia, Magri, and Rossini, who were originally from Florence, like Antonio, and of equally noble backgrounds. It was the Corsi, together with these families, but essentially in the figure of Antonio, who in 1680 built the church of San Pellegrinetto and other structures crucial to the expansion of the town, such as an archive room located to the left of the parish and a cemetery centered near it, where Antonio likely already envisioned being buried in the future. It is, also at this time, that some of the city's baptismal books were inaugurated and stopped being subscribed to neighboring parishes such as Trassilico, Gallicano, and Campolemisi, on whom San Pellegrinetto seemed to be dependent when it was founded in the 14th century.
It is also worth noting that before the Marquisate was granted the town, the latter was also named Alpe de Trassilico, and that when Trassilico was incorporated as a fraction of Gallicano, so was San Pellegrinetto. It is in this core that Antonio died on 16 June 1692, at the age of 100, and his wife Giovanna Boni soon after, on 13 December 1693, at the age of 89. He was buried in the town's newly erected parish, San Pellegrino, Antonio being one of his first burials, succeeded thereafter by his four children: Maria, Antonio, Giulia, and Giovanni, the latter ascending as 2nd Marquis of San Pellegrinetto upon the death of his father.