Castello di Montegufoni

History

The castle's exact creation date is unknown, but the first structure was probably built there during the 10th or 11th centuries. The first Lords of Montegufoni were the Ormannis, a noble family who built the first castle. In 1135, the Florentines attacked the castle, attempting to raze it to the ground.

The building was left in ruins until the 13th century, when it became the property of Gugliarello Acciaioli of the Acciaioli family. His descendants became enormously rich thanks to the bank they owned (Italian: Compagna di Ser Leone degli Acciaioli e de' suoi consorti) and towards the end of the 13th century, Montegufoni had been transformed into a complex comprising the central castle and seven smaller buildings, surrounded by walls: the so-called "seven old villas of the ancestral castle of Montegufoni", mentioned in an inscription in the castle.

In 1310, Niccolò Acciaiuoli was born at the castle, in a hall of the castle later transformed into a chapel. He later became Grand seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples and a dear friend of Boccaccio and Petrarch. In 1348, the King of Naples, Louis of Taranto, banished from his kingdom following the conflict with the King of Hungary, took refuge with his prime minister in Montegufoni. He used to banquet with the Bishop Angelo Acciaiuoli in the Banquet Hall (today known as "the Theatre"), which overlooks the part of the castle today called "Courtyard of the Dukes".

In 1386, Donato Acciaioli, a man who held the titles of Duke of Athens, Senator of Rome and Gonfaloniere of the Republic of Florence, built the tower that still dominates the castle today. In 1396 Donato was banished from Florence, but his assets (including Montegufoni) were saved from confiscation by his brother the cardinal. Donato's three sons resided at the Court of Athens until one of them, Agnolo di Jacopo, returned to Montegufoni with his son (Duke Francesco) and his cousin (it was probably at that time that the name "Court of the Dukes" was born). …