History of Perugia

Perugia is located in Umbria, central Italy, on a hill on the right of the Tiber. The Gothic cathedral is of the 14 C, but its façade is still unfinished. The cathedral contains paintings by Baroccio, Manni and Signorelli. It houses a marble sarcophagus containing the remains of Urban IV and Martin IV. An onyx ring is preserved, traditionally the marriage ring of Mary, in the chapel del Santo Anello. This ring was venerated first at Chiusi, whence it was stolen in the 15 C and taken to Perugia. In the chapter library a 6 C codex of the Gospel of St. Luke is preserved. Other churches in Perugia are: San Pietro dei Cassinesi, the church of a monastery founded by St. Peter Vincioli about 1000; San Ercolano, the high altar of which is made of an ancient sarcophagus; Sant' Angelo, a round building, dating from the sixth century; the Madonna della Luce, a graceful little temple by Galeazzo Alessio; San Francesco del Prato, now the seat of the Accademia of fine arts. The university, founded in 1320, has three faculties, and contains a museum of Etruscan, Roman and Christian antiquities, with many sculptures and inscriptions. Among the latter is the "Tabulæ Perusinæ", discovered in 1822. The most notable ancient monuments of the town are the Porta Augusta, the tomb of the Volumnii, which was discovered in 1840 by Vermiglioli, and the Etruscan walls.

Perugia from the Etruscans to Middle Ages

Perugia was among the most important cities of the Etruscans, with whom it took part in the wars against Rome in 310 and 295 B.C., and also in the Samnite War. The Perugian War (41 B.C.) is famous - the troops of Anthony were besieged and compelled to surrender. During the Gothic War, Perugia suffered various sieges - by the Byzantines in 537 and 552, and by the Goths in 546 and 548. The Lombards had taken possession of the city at the time of their first incursion, but in 592 it again came under Byzantine rule and was made the seat of a dux. In 749, it was besieged by the Lombard King Rachis, who, however, was persuaded by Pope Zacharias to raise the siege. Pepin gave the city to the Holy See. From the beginning of the 11 C, Perugia was established as a free commune and was periodically involved in conflicts with the neighbouring cities of Umbria and of Tuscany (Chiusi, 1012; Cortona, 1049; Assisi, 1054; Todi, 1056; Foligno, 1080 and 1090). It was governed by consuls who were later by the priori delle arti in 1303. After 1174, there was a podestà, and later a capitano del popolo.

Perugia and the Papacy

Perugia was friendly to Florence and faithful to the Holy See, and was essentially a Guelph city. In the 13 C, the popes established their residence here for a long time. Four of them were elected here (Honorius III, Honorius IV, Celestine V, and Clement V). On the other hand, continuing its wars with neighbouring cities (Spoleto, from 1324, was besieged for two years), Perugia extended its sovereignty over the greater portion of Umbria, and over a part of Tuscany. In 1375 it was among the first cities that revolted against Gregory IX at the instance of the Florentines. Meanwhile,  two parties had been formed: the Raspanti (the popular party) and the Beccarini (the party of the nobles), and between them they had made it possible for Biondo Michelotti to become lord of the city in 1390. He, however, was killed in 1393, and then Gian Galeazzo Visconti took possession of the town, but in 1403 it became subject to Boniface IX. Afterwards it fell into the power of Ladislao di Napoli. In 1416 the city was taken by Braccio da Montone, who was recognized as lord of Perugia by Martin V. At his death in 1424, the nobles came into power, but contention soon developed among them, and eventually the Baglioni made away with the Oddi family. Finally, Gian Paolo Baglione became a tyrant of the city, making himself detested by his cruelty and dissolute habits. He was brought under control in 1506 by Julius II, but fresh cruelties against his own relations led to his decapitation by order of Leo X in 1520. Perugia then became once more an immediate dependency of the Holy See.

Modern Perugia

In 1534, Rodolfo Baglione set fire to the Apostolic palace, and the vice-legate was slain. No sooner had order been established after these events, than a rebellion broke out on account of the tax on salt, which Paul III had increased in 1540. Perugia declared itself a "city of Christ", and confided its keys to the care of a crucifix. On 5 July, however, it was compelled to surrender to the troops of Pierluigi Farnese and lost its freedom. Paul III built a fortress to prevent further revolts by the Perugians, while Julius III restored to them the greater part of their privileges. In the rebellion of 1848, the first act of the Perugians was to demolish the tower of Paul III. In 1859, a provisional Government established, but the Pontifical troops soon took possession of the city. Finally, in 1860 General de Sonnaz took possession of the town in the name of the King of Sardinia.

Famous Perugian Ecclesiasticals

Blessed John of Perugia, one of the first companions of St. Francis, died in 1230. In the martyrologies, the names of the martyrs Constantius (Constantinus, whom some believe to have been a bishop), Florentius and Felicissimus, who died at Perugia, are found. Under Decius, one Decentius was bishop, according to the tradition, but the first bishop of whom there is any certain knowledge was St. Herculanus, killed by King Totila in 546. There is traditional evidence that there were two bishops and saints of this name, of whom the first is said to have died either in one of the great persecutions or under Julian the Apostate (Cappelletti).

St. Herculanus was succeeded by Joannes, who consecrated Pope Pelagius I (566); Aventius (591); Laurentius (649); Benenatus (679); St. Aselepiodorus (about 700), whose relics were later taken to Metz; Conon (998) and Andreas (1033), who had various controversies with the abbots of San Pietro; Joannes (1105), who consecrated the monastery of Monte Corona; Vivianus, who was present at the council of 1179; Giovanni (1206), who gave a convent to St. Francis; Salvio de' Salvi (1231), a pious and learned prelate, who restored San Stefano, the ancient cathedral; Francesco Poggi, O. Min. (1312), who built S. Domenico nuovo; Andrea Bontempi (1339), a cardinal, and legate general of Umbria; Andrea Giovanni Baglione (1434), who filled several convents with reformed religious; Dionisio Vannucci (1482), who erected the altar of the chapel del Sacro Anello; Giovanni Lopez (1492), a cardinal who enjoyed influence under Alexander VI; Trilo Baglione (1501), deposed by Alexander VI for having taken up arms against Cæsar Borgia and restored to his see by Julius II; Antonio Ferreri (1506), who, under suspicion of Julius II, died in the Castle of S. Angelo in 1508; Cardinal Agostino Spinola (1510), under whom the canons of the cathedral, who since the twelfth century had lived according to the Rule of St. Augustine, were relieved of that rule; Jacop Soimonetti (1535), a cardinal; Fulvio Corneo (1550), reformer of the diocese and founder of the seminary; Ippolito Corneo (1553), who established a house of reform, and a monastery for poor young men; Giulio Oradini (1562), who founded a college for clerks; Napoleone Comitoli (1591), the founder of other charitable institutions; M. Ant. Ausidei (1726), who embellished the cathedral; Alessandro M. Odoardi (1776), a zealous prelate, who discovered the body of St. Costanzo; Camillo Campanelli (1804), who took the oath of allegiance to Napoleon; Carlo Filesio Cittadini (1818), who distinguished himself by his firmness and prudence against the Provisional Government of 1831, and by his generosity saved the city from pillage at that time; Gioacchino Pecci (1846), who became Leo XIII, and who made Perugia an archdiocese without suffragans.