History of Verona facts for kids
Verona is a beautiful city in Italy with a very long and interesting history! It's known for its ancient buildings and strong connections to the past. Let's explore how Verona grew from a small settlement into the important city it is today.
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Early Days of Verona
The very first beginnings of Verona are a bit of a mystery. Some people think it was first settled by a group called the Euganei. Later, around 550 BC, another group, the Cenomani, might have taken over.
Other ideas suggest that people called the Arusnates, who might have been connected to the Etruscans, founded the city. They believe the name "Verona" could have meant "Venetian city on the river" in their language. There's even a Roman writer, Pliny the Elder, who thought the Raetian people started Verona.
No matter who founded it, Verona usually had a good relationship with Ancient Rome. In the 1st century BC, the people of Verona even fought alongside the Romans against invaders like the Teutones and Cimbri. The city was important because it had the main crossing point over the Adige River.
Verona in Roman Times
Verona became a Roman colony in 89 BCE. This meant it was a settlement for Roman citizens. By 49 BCE, it became a municipium, which was a self-governing town with Roman rights.
The old river crossing was replaced by two bridges. One of them, the Postumius Bridge, was also an aqueduct (a water channel) and could even be used to set up naval battles in the nearby Roman Theater! The city also had a forum, which was a public square, and outside the city walls, the famous Verona Arena.
Verona was very important because it was where four major Roman roads met. These roads connected places like Turin, Germany, Liguria, and Illyria.
Because of its key location in northern Italy, Verona was often involved in Roman civil wars. Many famous Roman leaders fought here, including Vespasian, Constantine the Great, and Gallienus. In 265 CE, Emperor Gallienus even made the city walls bigger to protect the Arena.
Over time, Verona slowly became a Christian city. By the time of Bishop St. Zeno, the main Christian beliefs were firmly established.
Verona in the Middle Ages
In 403, Alaric I, the king of the Visigoths, invaded northern Italy. He was defeated near Verona by the Roman general Stilicho. Later, in 452, the fearsome Hun leader Attila was stopped not far from Verona by a Roman group led by Pope Leo I.
After the Western Roman Empire fell in 476, Verona became a strong base for Odoacer, a powerful leader. He made his last stand against the Ostrogoth army, led by Theodoric the Great, right here in Verona.
When Theodoric took Verona in 489, it marked the start of Gothic rule in Italy. Theodoric even built one of his palaces in Verona. In old Germanic legends, Verona is often linked to Theodoric, who is known as Dietrich von Bern. The Goths held Verona for a long time, even during the Gothic War, until they were finally defeated in 552.
In 569, Alboin, the King of the Lombards, captured Verona. It became the second most important city in his kingdom. Sadly, Alboin was killed by his own wife in Verona in 572.
Later, in 774, Charlemagne defeated the Lombard kingdom in Verona. After this, Verona became a regular home for the kings of Italy. The city's government eventually became hereditary in the family of Count Milo.
Verona's Rise as a Free City
Medieval Verona was famous for its many towers, with forty-eight of them! As wealthy families grew more powerful, they took over from the counts. In 1135, Verona became a free commune, meaning it governed itself.
In 1164, Verona joined with other cities like Vicenza and Padua to form the Veronese League. This league then joined the larger Lombard League in 1167 to fight against the emperor Frederick I Barbarossa. They won a big victory at the Battle of Legnano in 1176. This led to peace treaties that gave the cities more freedom.
However, these events also led to political groups forming in Verona: the Guelphs and Ghibellines. In 1226, a powerful leader named Ezzelino III da Romano became the city's podestà (a chief magistrate). He managed to make this position a permanent lordship. After his death, the Great Council chose Mastino I della Scala as podestà. He turned the "signoria" (lordship) into something his family could pass down, though citizens still had some say.
When Mastino wasn't re-elected in 1262, he took control of the city by force and was named "capitano del popolo" (captain of the people), leading the city's troops. His family, known as the Scaliger, would rule Verona for 125 years!
Mastino was killed in 1277. His son, Alberto, continued to rule (1277–1302). He fought many wars against rival families. Alberto's son, Cangrande I, was a great warrior and a supporter of the arts. He helped famous artists and writers like Dante, Petrarch, and Giotto. He also expanded Verona's control over other cities like Padua and Vicenza.
Cangrande was followed by his nephews, Mastino II and Alberto II. Mastino II continued to expand their power, even buying other cities. He became one of the richest rulers of his time! But other powerful cities like Florence and Venice formed a league against him. After a three-year war, the Scaliger family's lands were reduced to just Verona and Vicenza.
Some of the later Scaliger rulers were not well-liked. Cangrande II (1351–1359) was a harsh ruler who didn't trust his own people. He was killed by his brother, Cansignorio (1359–1375). Cansignorio made Verona more beautiful with new palaces, water systems, and bridges. He also killed his other brother.
This family conflict continued when Antonio (1375–1387) killed his brother. This made the people angry, and they abandoned him when Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan attacked. Antonio fled Verona in 1387, ending the Scaliger family's rule.
Verona was then ruled by the Carraresi family from Padua for a short time. In 1404, Guglielmo, a descendant of Cangrande II, drove them out with the help of the people, but he died soon after. In 1405, Verona decided to join Venice.
Verona in the Renaissance
From 1490 to 1516, Verona was under the control of Emperor Maximilian I. He wanted to make it a capital for a new German kingdom in northern Italy. During this time, Verona also suffered from a terrible plague (1511–1512) that killed many people.
Eventually, Verona was given to Charles V of Spain, who then gave it to France. Finally, France returned Verona to Venice. Venice then built many strong fortifications around Verona, making it a very important military base.
This period of peace brought great economic, cultural, and artistic growth to Verona. Many beautiful palaces, churches, and convents were built, often designed by the famous architect Michele Sanmicheli. The city's population grew to 55,000 by 1626, but another plague in 1630 reduced it to about 20,000.
Verona in the 18th and 19th Centuries
In 1776, a special way of ringing bells, called the Veronese bellringing art, was developed in Verona.
In 1797, Napoleon took over Verona. But on Easter Monday, the people of Verona rose up and drove out the French! This event is known as the Veronese Easter. After this, Napoleon ended the Venetian Republic. Verona then became part of Austrian territory in 1797.
Verona was taken from Austria again in 1805 and became part of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy. But after Napoleon's defeat in 1814, it was returned to Austria and became part of the Austrian-controlled Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia.
In 1866, after a big battle, the Austrians left Verona. This meant Verona finally became part of the Kingdom of Italy. In 1882, a large flood hit the city. This led to the building of strong walls along the Adige River, which changed the look of the old city and removed the mills and river landings.
Verona in the 20th Century
During World War II, Verona was one of the most bombed cities in northeastern Italy. This was because it had an important railway yard and government offices. Many heavy bombings happened in 1944 and 1945. Industrial areas and areas near the railway suffered the most damage, but the city center was also badly hit. By the end of the war, about 7,000 buildings (44% of the city) were destroyed or damaged, and around 700 people died.
In April 1945, the German forces destroyed all the bridges as they fled. Verona was given a special award, the Gold Medal of Military Valor, for its support during the war.
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