MELFI, a city of Italy, in the province of Potenza, 30 miles N. of Potenza, on the road and railway between that city and Foggia, is built on a small hill on the lower slopes of Monte Voiture. The castle was originally erected by Robert Guiscard, but as it now stands it is mainly the work of the Doria family, who have possessed it since the time of Charles V.; and the noble cathedral which was founded in 1155 by Robert’s son and successor, Roger, has had to be subjected to a modern restoration inconsequence of the earthquake of 1851. In 1871 the city had 10,945 inhabitants; the commune had 98G3 in 1861 and 12 657 in 1881....
Melfi is of doubtful origin, but appears to have existed at least as early as the 4th century. By the Normans it was made the capital of Apulia in 1041, and provided with fortifications. The Council held by Nicholas I. in 1059, that of Urban II. in 1090, the rebellion against Roger in 1133 and the subsequent punishment, the plunder of the town by Barbarossa in 1167, the attack by Richard, count of Acerra in 1190, and the parliament of 1223, in which Frederick II. established the constitution of the kingdom of Naples, form the principal points of interest in the annals of Melfi during the more eventful period of its history. In 1348 Joanna I. of Naples bestowed the city on Niccolo Acciajuoli; but it was shortly afterwards captured, after a six months’ siege, by the king of Hungary, who transferred it to Conrad the Wolf. In 1392 Goffredo Marzano was made count of Melfi; but Joanna II. granted the lordship to the Caracciolo family, and they retained it for one hundred and seven years till the time of Charles V. An obstinate resistance was offered by the city to Lautrec de Foix in 1528; and his entrance within its walls was followed by the massacre, it is said, of 18,000 of its citizens. As a bishopric Melfi is directly dependent on the Holy See.
[347 words — estimated reading time: 2 minutes]