Francesco Zurolo
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Francesco Zurolo | |
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| Born | 15th century |
| Died | 11 August 1480 |
| Nationality | Italian |
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Francesco Zurolo or Zurlo (first half of the 15th century - Otranto, 11 August 1480) was an Italian feudal lord, baron and italian leader.
He defended the city of Otrantina from the siege of the Ottoman Turks during the early stages of the war, he died heroically with his soldiers during the early stages of the siege.
Biography
Francesco Zurolo (or Zurlo) feudal lord and baron of Pietragalla, Casalaspro and Oppido Lucano, descended from one of the most important Neapolitan families from which he owned various lands/feuds in the Kingdom of Naples. The chronicle of the family has been recorded since the earliest times and has enjoyed, with varying fortunes, nobility in the Kingdom and in particular in Salento, Basilicata, Molise, etc.
The Battle of Otranto
In anticipation of the Turkish invasion of Puglia, he was appointed by Ferrante of Aragon as commander of the square (or of the garrison) of Otranto together with the other captain: Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi with whom he led the heroic but desperate defense of the city attacked by about 16000 Turks.[1][2]
On the day of the last battle, when the Turks managed to open a breach in the walls, despite having been seriously wounded in the arm in an assault the previous day, Francesco rushed armed together with his son and other brave men in an attempt to repel the invaders.[3][4]
Various versions about his death and that of his son
There are several versions of his death: in one, he was captured by the Turks and sawn in two; in the other, more accredited, he dies fighting in the defense of the walls probably mutilated, a fact that would have given rise to the first version.
According to another version, in Otranto the commander of the city, Francesco Zurolo, instead of surrendering in the face of the overwhelming force of the Turks (18000 soldiers were against 6000 citizens), began to hang some of their emissaries, impale some of their prisoners and even to fire a bombard at Gedik himself, who had approached the port with a boat to parley.
The retaliation was particularly bloody: 813 people were beheaded after 15 days of resistance: the commander Zurlo fell on the ramparts of the walls during the last assault by the enemy, while the elderly bishop died of a heart attack.[2]
Even on the fate of the son the sources disagree: according to some he fell heroically together with his father, according to others he was taken prisoner to Turkey, where they made him deny Christ.[5]
Posthumous sponsor
He was founder, posthumously - after his death in 1480, who when he was still alive made a will and, among other things, issued a testamentary disposition, naming his daughter Caterina Zurolo (baroness of Oppido Lucano and lady of other lands), to execute after his death the construction work in Oppido Lucano, currently in Tolve, a hamlet of the town, of a religious complex, consisting of a convent (now known as Santa Maria del Gesù, then of Sant'Antonio) with the annexed church of Sant' Antonio to Oppido Lucano;[6][7] the aforementioned works began in 1482 as denoted by the foundation stone: " MCCCCLXXXII | FRANCISCO ZVRVLO | FECIT".[8]
Burial
In the church of Santa Caterina a Formiello in Naples there are two display cases containing some mortal remains-skulls of the heroic defenders of Otranto, including those of the two brave captains who were recovered and transferred (from Otranto to Naples) by will of Alfonso II d 'Aragon.
Dedications
- In the historic center of Otranto, near the Romanesque cathedral, the streets are almost all dedicated to the heroes of the Battle of Otranto. Among these there is also one dedicated to "Francesco Zurlo - captain 1480".
Quotes
Francesco Tateo (1984), "il Turco mandò ambasciatori al signor Giovanne Antonio Delli Falconi e al segnor Francesco Zurulo con proposta che si volessero rendere, e da loro li fu risposto, che volessero combattere di fuora, che loro si difenderanno da valorosi da dentro in servizio di Dio e del serenissimo loro signore e che morranno tutti." [the Turk sent ambassadors to Signor Giovanne Antonio Delli Falconi and to Signor Francesco Zurulo with a proposal that they wanted to surrender, and they replied to him that they wanted to fight outside, that they will defend themselves from brave men from within in the service of God and the Most Serene their lord and that they will all die.], Chierici e feudatari del Mezzogiorno (Clerics and feudal lords of the South), Biblioteca di Cultura Moderna (in italiano), p. 899, ISBN 8842023949
Rosa Lucia Gualdo, Francesco Zurulo si è trovato poi tutto armato, sotto certi muri et repari ruinati, morto; et questa è la verità, licet che de lui variamente se sia dicto. [Francesco Zurulo then found himself all armed, under certain ruined walls and shelters, dead; and this is the truth, since it is said variously about him.], p. 256
Notes
- ↑ "Martiri di Otranto". Otrantonelsalento.it (To make sure of these good intentions, the king sent to Otranto as protection, fifty knights led by Baron Francesco Zurlo and four hundred infantry, led by the Barons Giovanni Tarantino and Antonio Delli Falconi.) (in italiano). September 8, 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Grasso, Francesco (1994). La poesia delle Calabrie (The poetry of Calabria) (in italiano). Vol. 1. QUALECULTURA-Jaca Book. p. 133. ISBN 8816900512.
- ↑ Rosa, L. Gualdo; Nuovo, I.; Defilippis, D. (1982). Gli umanisti e la guerra otrantina. Testi dei secoli XV e XVI [The humanists and the Otranto war. Texts from the 15th and 16th centuries] (in italiano). Edizioni Dedalo (editor).
- ↑ Grazio Gianfreda (1 March 1997). Otranto nella storia [Otranto in history] (in italiano) (6nd ed.). Edizioni del Grifo (editor). ISBN 8872611121.
- ↑ L. Gualdo Rosa; I. Nuovo; D. Defilippis (1982). Gli umanisti e la guerra otrantina. Testi dei secoli XV e XVI [The humanists and the Otranto war. Texts from the 15th and 16th centuries]. Dedalo Edizioni (editor).
- ↑ "IL CONVENTO DI S. MARIA DEL GESU' (detto di S. ANTONIO)" [THE CONVENT OF S. MARIA DEL GESU' (known as S. ANTONIO)] (The founders of the convent were Francesco Zurlo and Caterina Zurlo, lords of Oppido Lucano.) (in italiano).
- ↑ "Oppido – Convento di Sant' Antonio" [Oppido – Convent of Sant 'Antonio] (The founders of the convent were Francesco Zurlo and Caterina Zurlo, lords of Oppido Lucano.) (in italiano).
- ↑ Gennaro Zurolo (December 2021). L'Assedio di Otranto del 1480 e i suoi prodi capitani: Francesco Zurolo detto Zurlo e Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi [The Siege of Otranto in 1480 and its brave captains: Francesco Zurolo known as Zurlo and Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi] (Religious complex located near the inhabited center, it stands in its entirety equipped with large entrance portals (see infra), one of which bears: the oblong plaque or stone of foundation and consecration of the temple with epigraph-FRANCESCO ZVRVLO I FECIT below is the religious emblem of the Conventual Order of Santa Maria del Gesù with a sculpted monogram depicting a radiant disc charged by the cross in the center and by two letters VM placed at the bottom on either side; the other portal, on the other hand, bears the date of foundation - MCCCCLXXXII carved with the coat of arms of the family - Zurulo seu Zurolo, as can be seen above all from both this inscription and the archival documents and the oldest armorial bearings of the founder. This large convent structure was erected by virtue of a testamentary disposition of Francesco Zurolo - who died two years before the aforementioned date of erection - to whom he presumably appointed his only daughter Caterina as heir and executor.) (in italiano). pp. 55 to 61.
Bibliography
- Maria Corti (2012). L'ora di tutto [Everyone's time] (in italiano). Bompiani. p. 368. ISBN 9788858753187.
References
External links
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