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The history
The fortunes of the Montecuccoli family were inextricably linked to the village of Montese and determined its history.
In 1212, Emperor Otto IV gave these lands in fiefdom to the Montecuccoli family, marking the beginning of a saga that was to continue until the 17th century. When Lancillotto Montecuccoli drowned himself in the Chiozzo ford in 1408, Gaspare ordered his sons to be killed, therefore becoming undisputed lord of the land. In 1445, he was succeeded by his son Cesare, who ruled Montese until 1506. On Cesare’s death, his sons Frignano, Lodovico and Bersanino divided the fiefdom, and Montese, along with Ranocchio and San Martino were given to Bersanino. In 1530, a struggle broke out between the Montecuccoli and Tanari families, culminating at Sassane where the Tanari were defeated and their leaders, Castagnino and Vanino, were killed. In 1538, Bersanino’s four sons divided the fiefdom: Ranocchio and San Martino were given to Cesare; Riva and Montespecchio to Alfonso; Monteforte, together with Maserno and Iola, to Camillo; and Montese and Salto to Girolamo. It was Girolamo that distinguished himself: diplomat and soldier in the service of the Este family, he established the weekly market and restored the fortress of Montese. After the death of his father Cesare in 1574, Francesco moved to Ranocchio, where the tomb he had built for himself still stands next to the main altar in the church. Before his death in 1615, his son, Don Ercole, ordered the establishment of a partly-free school in San Martino for the inhabitants of the area. In 1695, Duke Ferrante, burdened with debts, ceded the fiefdom of Montese to the Este family.
Traces of this long period of rule by the Montecuccoli family can still be seen in the Fortress of Montese, the hamlet of San Martino and the parish of San Giacomo.
The itinerary
The itinerary starts from Montecuccoli Castle in the hamlet of Montecuccolo and then leads down to the Parish Church of Renno, continuing towards the Fortress of Gaiato and onwards to the village church. From here there are wonderful views over the valley of the river Panaro and the Montese side of the river, with the Fortress of Montese standing in the distance.
From the church, the itinerary then runs alongside the Lerna stream, carrying on to the Chiozzo bridge; crossing the bridge over the Panaro, you will leave behind the territory belonging to Pavullo and enter the territory of Montese, rich in historical evidence relating to the Montecuccoli family.
The itinerary will lead you to discover traces of the past in the parishes of San Giacomo and San Martino, and as far as the Fortress of Montese, where the ‘Montecuccoli Road’ ends.
