Belforte del Chienti – Historical notes
– Belforte del Chienti is a quiet village situated on top of a steep hill and it is typical for its web of little cobbled streets, along which you can find ancient buildings made of stone or brick.
– The area has been inhabited since the Roman period, as the first century BC - second century AD gravestone found in Colli locality attests. Nowadays it is kept inside the Town Hall.
– The archaeological finds (coins, spear points, helmets, etc.) found during excavations in the area of Fornaci, Torricella and San Salvatore date back to the Roman period, too. Because of the ignorance of people who found them, these finds were neglected.
– The first documents attesting human settlements date back to the twelfth century.
– The Chienti valley is a suitable place for the settlement of farmers, artisans and traders, thanks to its strategic position and rich soil.
– In 1207 Camerino comes to an agreement with the “Bel Forte”, enabling to defend the village against Tolentino.
– The Castle is surrounded with walls and fortified.
– For many years the Castle is contended by the cities of Camerino and Tolentino, having to suffer some raids. After a long period of alliance with Camerino, in 1255 Belforte gives the keys of the Castle to the mayor of Tolentino.
• In the following period Belforte is contented by Tolentino, Camerino and the Papal States.
– In the Middle Ages Belforte has to defend itself against the incursion of mercenary companies and the village is helped by its strategic position.
– During the fifteenth century the cities and the villages of the Marca are under the Sforza domination. This Signoria has conquered a sizeable part of the territory of the Papal States and in 1440 also Belforte is under this domination. Thanks to the mercenary recruited by the Pope and to the King's intervention, in 1443 the Sforza have to move back, leaving again the territories of the Marca to the papal domination.
– During the papal domination there is a period of prosperity. Indeed, in this period the most prestigious works of the village are created, such as the Polyptych, the brick portal of the church of S. Sebastiano, the bell tower of the main church, the frescoes by A. De Magistris in the church of S. Giovanni and maybe of S. Sebastiano.
– In the nineteenth century there is the French domination of Napoleon and the imposition of laws inspired to centralized and lay rules.
– After the fall of Napoleon Belforte is under the papal domination again.
– After the Napoleonic domination Belforte goes through a difficult period because of a terrible famine (1816-1817).
– The coming of the Kingdom of Italy causes big changes in the village. The terrible fights beginning with the Africa War in 1896 and ending with the Second World War leave deep traces of devastation and death.
The Belforte Statutes
– The Belforte Statutes date back to the fifteenth century, the period when Belforte becomes a commune.
– The Statutes are divided into 6 books:
1. organization of the Commune;
2. main corporate bodies regulating the Administration and civil proceedings;
3. crimes and their sentences;
4. compensation and punishment for damages to agriculture by people or animals;
5. rules about social life with reference to health, hygiene, police, etc.
6. road network of the area, bridges, fountains, wells, etc.
– The Statutes are in force until the administrative re-organisation occurred after the Italian unification.
– The transcription on paper of the rules, till now orally handed on, make the citizens safer and more confident.
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