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Inhabitants in 1991: 9.807
 The
municipal territory of Montale extends for 32,02 square kilometres in
the Valle dell’Ombrone, in plains, hills and medium mountains.
A fortified centre, then Podesta office, and finally the Seat of the Community
in 1775, it reached its present day aspect in 1913 with the detachment
of the district of Angliana which was constituted in autonomous municipality,
and after the beginning of the 1800s when the territory of Cantagallo
was taken from its territory and also made into autonomous community.
Montale was erected at the beginning of the XIII century in a
strategic position as fortified centre when Pistoia, battling with the
Guidi Counts for predominance in the area, wanted to provide the hills
of Vigliano with defences, also to protect itself from the facing castle
of Montemurlo owned by the Guidi, which was about to be ceded to the Firenze
republic. So in that ancient feudal location belonging to the Counts Guidi,
a rural community dependent on Pistoia was constituted, and the cities
magnate family of the Cancellieri became the most powerful proprietors
of Montale. In 1303, during the war which set the Firenze “nera”
against the Pistoia “bianca” the Fiorentini took over the
castle by “treatise” that is paying the sum of 3,000 florins
to whoever had the job of defending it, proceeding then to destroy
the walls. The ancient fortified settlement was not reconstructed,
but the underlying village progressively developed, and its inhabitants
subjugated to Firenze in 1351, Montale became Seat of an important Podesta
office, a role confirmed and augmented in 1402 with the profound administrative
reform of the Pistoia county. The centre was also involved in bloodshed
and turmoil caused by the civil battles between the forces of the Panciatichi
and the Cancellieri (which continued to be major proprietors of the area)
in 1455, 1503, 1537 and finally in 1539 the last act of the centuries
old feud; after which the history of Montale did not see any particularly
important events, if not that of being the Seat of a vast Podesta office
in modern times, which extended to include a part of the Pratese Appennino.
It is the home of the historian and man of letters Atto Vannucci
(1810-1883).
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
