Inhabitants in 1991: 13.410
Situated
on the plains of Valle dell Ombrone, between Prato and Pistoia, the municipality
of Agliana extends for 11,64 square kilometres. A Lordly centre then
Seat of a Podesta Office in the XIII century, it became autonomous municipality
in 1913, detaching itself from the community of Montale.
Agliana, whose name is said to derive or from the river Agna (in times
gone by Alina) or from Hellana, a post on the Adrianea Cassia in Roman
times. It was feudal to the Guidi Counts at least from the X century
who, in 940, ceded the incomes from certain assets in the locality. In
1266 the Agliana community, even being part of the county of
Pistoia, had their own consuls and a certain administrative
autonomy. From 1270 Agliana was governed by a Podesta selected by Pistoia;
conquered and fortified by Castruccio Castracani in 1325 during the siege
of Pistoia, it was sacked in 1331 by the King Giovanni di Boemia’s
troops. In 1401 it finally became part of the Fiorentino State
and, in Pistoia’s general territorial revision Agliana was annexed
to the Podesta office of Montale but remained autonomous administratively,
as is shown by its 1415 statute. It saw further upsets in 1455 with the
struggle between the Cancellieri and the Panciatichi, reiterated in 1503
and 1537-39, while in 1787 together with Montale there was a revolt
against the reforms of Pietro Leopoldo. During the second world war,
shortly before the liberation, Agliana underwent many Nazi reprisals for
their partisan activities.
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |