Narni, during his millenary history, is remembered for giving the birth to several and important personalities of any age.
The illustrious characters of Narni.
Nequinum, Narnia, three names for the same town which, during the centuries, has seen born in its territory some important characters of the history of Italy.
The Emperor Cocceius Nerva.
Marcus Cocceius Nerva (31-98) was a political man with great virtue, valiant jurist and emperor for a short time.
With the death of Domiziano in 96, Nerva was hailed emperor in the Senate from all classes who agreed on his name.
Their hopes weren’t disappointed: in fact, following Tacito, in his short kingdom merged the ideas of empire, freedom and peace, starting a century , considered after gold.
As soon as he was elected, he put an end to the persecution of Christians, allowed the exiles to return to Rome, abolished the trial of lese majesty, reinstated the Senate in its prerogatives, and lavished its lands and money to help the poor. Nevertheless, he was very hard on the informers.
During its kingdom, short but significant, made a big change: that of the adopted principality. This reform required that the incumbent emperor at that time should decide, before his death, his successor in the Senate; this made the senators responsible.
Nerva chose Marcus Ulpius Traianus – Trajan, general of the legions in defense of the Terni border, who on his death, after two years of empire, inherited meekness and prudence.
The Captain of fortune Erasmo from Narni called Il Gattamelata.
Erasmo da Narni (Narni 1370 – Padova 1443) born in Narni and became, in the Middle Age, one of most acclaimed captains of venture in Italy.
He still followed his inclination to military art and the spirit of adventure. Educated at the school of Braccio da Montone, he was then at the service of Pope Martin V until 1434. In 1435 he went to the service of the Republic of Venice which he led in the war against the Visconti and in 1439 he became captain general of the Serenissima.
At his death was buried in the cathedral of Sant’Antonio in Padova, where in his memory was made the famous equestrian statue of Donatello, that is among others the most beautiful Renaissance sculptures.
In the Eroli Palace there is a room entirely dedicated to him
The Berardo Cardinal Eroli
Berardo Eroli (1409 – 1479) was born to Ludovico of the Marquis Eroli of Narni.
He graduated in law. On November 13, 1448 was elected in the episcopal see of Spoleto, and later became cardinal for Umbria.
He built the Convent and the Church of San Girolamo where he commissioned the masterpiece of the Coronation of the Virgin by Domenico Ghirlandaio – today in the art gallery of Eroli Palace – also donated the wood chorus which today is located in the apse of the Cathedral of San Giovenale.
Galeotto Marzio.
Galeotto Marzio (1427-1497) was born in Narni by the noble family of Marzi, of which tower dwelling you can still admire in Via Mazzini.
He was a humanist, doctor, astronomer and philosopher. After studying in Ferrara was called, at only 23 years old, to teach literature at the university of Padova and after that at the university of Bologna. Invited by the hungarian humanistics Janus Pannonius e János Vitéz, he moved to the court of the king Mattia Corvino in Hungary, welcomed as a friend and advisor.
For the new doctrines he tried to affirm he was accused of heresy and tried by the Venetian Inquisition, but not condemned thanks to his great friendship with Lorenzo the Magnificent and with King Matthias Corvinus to whom he also dedicated books.
The Giuseppe Cardinal Sacripante.
Giuseppe Sacripante (1642-1727) was a valiant jurist, of great commitment and great virtue; was honored by the estimee and the trust of the popes which made the church in the second half of 1600 and entrusted important offices calling him to be part of different Congregations.
Established a hospice for the young, entrusting it to the Scolopi Fathers and one for girls, entrusting it to the Pie Venerini Teachers.
She sponsored the cult of Blessed Lucia and had the rich chapel dedicated to her built in the Cathedral.
Caterina Franceschi Ferrucci.
Caterina Franceschi Ferrucci (1803-1887) was a fine literate narnese appreciated even by Leopardi and Gioberti.
She was the first woman to enter the famous Academy “Della Crusca” of Florence.
Giovanni Eroli.
Giovanni Eroli (1813 – 1904) was born to Francesco of the Marquise Eroli from Narni and to Luisa Tani of Cannara.
He studied in the seminar-boarding school of Senigallia, where he stayed for several years, enjoying the paternal and affectionate protection of the bishop of that city, cardinal Sceberras-Testaferrata. There, he was a fellow-disciple of Gioacchino Pecci, the future Pope Leo XIII, who as pope awarded him a gold medal for cultural merit. He dedicated many studies to the town and thanks to his books (The churches of Narni, The Historical Miscellany of Narni) he made it known in Italy and abroad.
Was the first director of the Library of Narni which today is dedicated to him.
Other illustrious people.
Other illustrious characters are:
- the Blessed Lucia Broccadelli (1476-1544);
- Antonio Mancini (1852-1930) painter of the XIX century who loved portraits and self-portraits. In 1920 the Biennial of Venezia dedicated an exhibition to him on his death. He died in 1930.
What to know about Narni.
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