Francesco Zurolo Explained

Francesco Zurolo
Commander:Otranto garrison
Ranks:Rank of captain
Native Name:Francesco Zurolo
Country:Kingdom of Naples
History:Francesco Zurolo (or Zurlo) was an Italian feudal lord, baron and Italian leader. He descended from one of the most important Neapolitan families from which he owned various lands/feuds in the Kingdom of Naples, the Zurolo (or Zurlo). He fought as a captain and was a leader until his death, which occurred during the early stages of the war of the Ottoman conquest of Otranto, of the same. Founder (posthumously – after his death in 1480 and by his will, when he was still alive, he appointed his daughter Caterina Zurolo executor) of the religious complex, consisting of the Convent of Santa Maria del Gesù known as Sant'Antonio ad Oppido Lucano, in 1482.
Commander Title:Captain

Francesco Zurolo also called Francesco Zurulo (in some historical documents of the time) or more commonly Francesco Zurlo (first half of the 15th century  - 11 August 1480) was an Italian feudal lord, baron and leader.

He defended the city of Otrantina from the siege of the Ottoman Turks during the early stages of Ottoman conquest of Otranto, he died heroically in Otranto with his soldiers during the early stages of the siege.

By his will, he was the posthumous founder of the convent complex of Santa Maria del Gesù known as Sant'Antonino in Oppido Lucano and also thanks and by will of one of his daughters, Caterina Zurolo, who fulfilled the wishes of her father who died in battle. The complex saw its construction in 1482.

Biography

Francesco Zurolo was the son of Giacomo Zurolo and Francesca Brancaccio. He had brothers and sisters, among whom we remember: Caterina, Ettore, Beatrice, Pietro, Elisabetta and Lucrezia.[1]

He married Cassandra Caracciolo with whom he had daughters: Lucrezia, Caterina and Ughetta.[2]

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 Campania, Apulia, Salento (Apulia), Basilicata, and Molise.[3]

The Battle of Otranto

The Turkish invasion

In anticipation of the Turkish invasion of Apulia, Zurolo was appointed by Ferrante of Aragon (commonly called Ferdinand I of Naples) as commander of the square (or of the garrison) of Otranto city, together with another captain, Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi, with whom he led the heroic but desperate defense of the city. It was attacked by about 18000 Turks, led by Gedik Ahmed Pasha, with some ninety galleys, fifteen maones, and forty schooners, supported by the aga of the janissaries, the bailiff of Negroponte, and the berjebei of Thrace.[4] He thus became one of the two leaders of the city, remaining to defend it with only 400 armed men. There were also some horses with them.

Ahmet Pasha demanded surrender from the defenders of Otranto once an emissary was sent to the city, the commander Zurlo rejected the proposal of all the citizens, the emissary was sent away, and the captain replied that he would fight to the death for the defense of the city. Another intermediary was sent by Pascia to make the inhabitants surrender without a fight but the latter was killed, after which the Turks began to bombard the city walls with their naval artillery for 14 days.

On Friday 11 July the Turks destroyed the remaining walls with their battery and opened a passage through them and on the day of the last battle, when the invaders managed to open a breach in the walls, despite having been seriously wounded in the arm during an assault the previous day, Francis rushed armed together with his son and other brave men in an attempt to repel the invaders, dying in a short time.[5] Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi died the following day, still in defense of the city.[6] [7]

The fate of the city

In August 1480 archbishop Stefano Pendinelli, the priests and 800 citizens of Otranto, when the Turks arrived, did not surrender and did not renounce their faith in Christ, for this reason they were taken to the Minerva hill and killed. In the year 1721 they were proclaimed Patrons of the City and Archdiocese of Otranto and canonized by Pope Francis on Sunday 12 May 2013 in St. Peter's Square in Rome.[8] [9]

According to another version, the archbishop, knowing that the resistance of the two captains had failed against the invaders, died of a heart attack after hearing this news.

Various versions about his death and that of his son

There are several versions of hisdeath:in one, he was captured by the Turks and sawn in two;[10] [11] he dies fighting in the defense of the walls probably mutilated, a fact that would have given rise to the first version.[12] [13]

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.[14] [15] [16]

The reprisal was particularly bloody: 813 people were beheaded after 15 days of resistance: commander Zurlo fell almost immediately after opening a breach in the city, on the bastions of the walls during the enemy's last assault.[17]

Even on the fate of the son the sources disagree: according to some he fell heroically together with his father,[18] according to others he was taken prisoner to Turkey, where they made him deny Christ.[19]

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;[20] [21] the aforementioned works began in 1482 as denoted by the foundation stone: "MCCCCLXXXII | FRANCISCO ZVRVLO | FECIT".[22]

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

See also

Notes

  1. Book: Gennaro Zurolo . L'Assedio di Otranto del 1480 e i suoi prodi capitani: Francesco Zurolo detto Zurlo e Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi . December 2021 . 2021 . 53 . IT . The Siege of Otranto in 1480 and its brave captains: Francesco Zurolo known as Zurlo and Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi . See the cited family tree represented by the author in his text..
  2. Book: Gennaro Zurolo . L'Assedio di Otranto del 1480 e i suoi prodi capitani: Francesco Zurolo detto Zurlo e Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi . December 2021 . Nola (NA) . 53, 55 and 56 . IT . The Siege of Otranto in 1480 and its brave captains: Francesco Zurolo known as Zurlo and Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi . The geanology of Francesco Zurolo (extrapolated from 3 pages of text)..
  3. Book: Conte [[Berardo Candida Gonzaga]] . Memorie delle famiglie nobili delle province meridionali d'Italia, volume secondo . Factory typ. of the Cav. G. de Angelis and son . 1875 . 219 and 220 . IT . Memoirs of the noble families of the southern provinces of Italy, second volume . (pages 219 and 220) The author mentions all the fiefdoms owned by the Zurolo family in southern Italy (Kingdom of Naples) at the time of their dominion..
  4. Web site: Staff of historiaregni . 14 April 2020 . SUD-I turchi ad Otranto . SOUTH-The Turks in Otranto . 11 April 2024 . historiaregni . IT . The Turk set up a powerful fleet of 90 galleys, 15 maones and 40 schooners with 18,000 men placed under the command of Agomat Keduti Pasha, supported by the agà of the Janissaries, the bailiff of Negroponte and the berjebei of Thrace. They had set sail from Vlora and the Aragonese, as soon as he learned of it, had a thousand soldiers and four hundred infantry brought to Otranto, entrusting them to the command of Francesco Zurlo and Giovanni Antonio Falconi..
  5. Book: Count [[Berardo Candida-Gonzaga]] . Memorie delle famiglie nobili delle province meridionali d'Italia, volume secondo . Factory typ. of the Cav. G. de Angelis and son . Francis was sent by King Ferdinand I of Aragon to Otranto together with the other captain Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi, to preside over the city, knowing that Muhammad II was sending an army to invade the Kingdom of Naples. When the first Turkish emissary arrived to establish the surrender, Captain Zurlo refused it and told him that he would fight until his death. With the arrival of the second emissary he had him arrested and killed, then immediately afterwards the Turks used their battery of warships to hit the walls of Otranto, for 14 days the city of Otranto was besieged by warships, on the 11th on a Friday in August, the walls were largely destroyed and the invaders opened a breach. From there the enemy soldiers entered and quickly faced Captain Francesco who died almost immediately fighting together with his son. . 1875 . second . 223 . IT . Memoirs of the noble families of the southern provinces of Italy, second volume.
  6. Book: Grazio Gianfreda . Otranto nella storia . With a handful of brave men, Captain Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi arrived at the Turks and faced them and found his death along with his companions. . 1973 . Editrice salentina . 256 and 257 . IT . Otranto in history.
  7. Book: L. Gualdo Rosa . Gli umanisti e la guerra otrantina-testi dei secoli XV e XVI . Isabella Nuovo . Lucia Gualdo Rosa . Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi with 400 armed men or soldiers had to preside over the garrison of Otranto, then finding himself during a possible invasion facing an enemy of overwhelming numerical superiority, who could have attacked at any time. . 1982 . 9788822060051 . Edizioni Dedalo . 176 . Edizioni Dedalo . IT . The humanists and the Otranto war - texts from the 15th and 16th centuries.
  8. News: 11 February 2013 . CONCISTORO. Canonizzazione degli 800 martiri di Otranto . CONSISTORY. Canonization of the 800 martyrs of Otranto . 11 April 2024 . Avvenire.it . IT . According to tradition, his decapitated body remained standing in front of Gedik Ahamed Pasha. About five hundred years later, with the public consistory that the Pope will hold this morning, the canonization of Antonio Primaldo and his 800 companions, the martyrs of Otranto, killed on 14 August 1480 by the Ottomans for having refused to deny one's God..
  9. Web site: Staff of the site . All'apostolo Pietro si deve la nascita della comunità cristiana a Otranto. L'Arcidiocesi di Otranto . The birth of the Christian community in Otranto is due to the apostle Peter. The Archdiocese of Otranto . 11 April 2024 . www.diocesiotranto.it . 26 April 2019 . In August 1480 Archbishop Stefano Pendinelli (1451–1480) was massacred by the Turks in the cathedral together with priests and religious, while eight hundred people from Otranto faced martyrdom for Christ on the Minerva hill. The Martyrs, who have always and uninterruptedly been venerated by the Church of Otranto, in the year 1721 were proclaimed Patrons of the City and of the Archdiocese of Otranto and canonized by Pope Francis on Sunday 12 May 2013 in St. Peter's Square in Rome..
  10. Book: Jakov Lukarević (Luccari) . Copioso ristretto de gli annali di Ravsa . National Library of the Czech Republic . ... cut Francesco Zurlo, the governor of the garrison, into pieces... . 1605 . Ad instantia di Antonio Leonardi . 3 . 111 . IT . Copious summary of the annals of Ravsa.
  11. Book: Matteo di Giovanni . Cronaca di una strage dipinta . Cecilia Alessi . Alessandro Bagnoli . Ali . 2006 . 9788888769134 . Alessandro Bagnoli, Cecilia Alessi . IT . Chronicle of a painted massacre . Siena: La memoria di Pio 11 . Siena: The memory of Pius 11 . After being captured and disarmed, it was cut into two parts..
  12. Book: Lucia Gualdo Rosa, Isabella Nuovo and Domenico Defilippis, Francesco Tateo . Gli umanisti e la guerra otrantina-testi dei secoli XV e XVI . 1682 . Bari (BA) . 35 . 9788822060051 . IT . The humanists and the Otranto war - texts from the 15th and 16th centuries . Francesco Zurlo after being captured by the Ottoman invaders was cut into two parts..
  13. Book: L. Gualdo . Rosa . Gli umanisti e la guerra otrantina. Testi dei secoli XV e XVI . I. . Nuovo . D. . Defilippis . Edizioni Dedalo (editor) . 1982 . IT . The humanists and the Otranto war. Texts from the 15th and 16th centuries.
  14. Book: Momčilo Spremić . Dubrovnik e gli Aragonesi (1442–1495) . Francesco Zurlo was killed almost immediately after a breach was opened in the walls of Otranto. . 1987 . 193 . CR . Ragusa between the Aragonese of Naples and the Turks . RAGUSA TRA GLI ARAGONESI DI NAPOLI E I TURCHI . RAGUSA AMONG THE ARAGONIANS OF NAPLES AND THE TURKS.
  15. Web site: Staff of STORIA MODERNA . 14 December 2014 . I MARTIRI DI OTRANTO . THE MARTYRS OF OTRANTO . 6 March 2024 . I MARTIRI DI OTRANTO-Un'operazione storiografica strumentale . Meanwhile, however, in Otranto the commander of the city, Francesco Zurlo, instead of surrendering in the face of the overwhelming force of the Turks (18,000 soldiers against 6,000 citizens), began hanging some of their emissaries, impaling some of their prisoners and even shooting a bombardment against Gedik himself, who had approached the port with a vessel to speak..
  16. Marco Ottanelli . June 2014 . Buon compleanno Galileo! . Happy birthday Galileo! . L'Ateo . IT . UAAR . 97 . 11 . 27 March 2024.
  17. Book: Grasso, Francesco . La poesia delle Calabrie (The poetry of Calabria) . QUALECULTURA-Jaca Book . 1994 . 8816900512 . 1 . Vibo Valentia (VV) . 133 . IT.
  18. Book: Quintino Gianfreda . I santi martiri di Otranto . 2015 . 9788869940019 . EDIZIONI GRIFO . 12nd . Lecce (LE) . 45 . IT . The holy martyrs of Otranto . Francesco Zurlo, with his son at his side and at the head of his brave men, fought like a lion and massacred the enemy, repeating Leonidas' gesture at the Pass of Thermopylae. The resistance was tenacious: the ground was ceded inch by inch, until, overwhelmed by the pressing storm, he fell heroically together with his son and all his warriors. . 27 March 2024.
  19. Book: L. Gualdo Rosa . Gli umanisti e la guerra otrantina. Testi dei secoli XV e XVI . I. Nuovo . D. Defilippis . Dedalo Edizioni (editor) . 1982 . The humanists and the Otranto war. Texts from the 15th and 16th centuries.
  20. Web site: IL CONVENTO DI S. MARIA DEL GESU' (detto di S. ANTONIO) . THE CONVENT OF S. MARIA DEL GESU' (known as S. ANTONIO) . 28 March 2024 . IT . The founders of the convent were Francesco Zurlo and Caterina Zurlo, lords of Oppido Lucano..
  21. Web site: Oppido – Convento di Sant' Antonio . Oppido – Convent of Sant 'Antonio . 28 March 2024 . IT . The founders of the convent were Francesco Zurlo and Caterina Zurlo, lords of Oppido Lucano..
  22. Book: Gennaro Zurolo . L'Assedio di Otranto del 1480 e i suoi prodi capitani: Francesco Zurolo detto Zurlo e Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi . December 2021 . Nola (NA) . 55 to 61 . IT . 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..
  23. Book: Gennaro Zurolo . Casata Zurolo. Origini e sviluppo di una famiglia feudale del Meridione d'Italia . 2024 . 174 . IT . Zurolo House. Origins and development of a feudal family from Southern Italy . Capitolo V, parte I . Chapter V, part I . The fresco representing Francesco Zurolo known as Zurlo, wearing early medieval armour, present in one of the internal rooms of the convent of Oppido Lucano..
  24. Book: Gennaro Zurolo . L'Assedio di Otranto del 1480 e i suoi prodi capitani: Francesco Zurolo detto Zurlo e Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi . 2021 . Nola (NA) . 62 . IT . The Siege of Otranto in 1480 and its brave captains: Francesco Zurolo known as Zurlo and Giovanni Antonio Delli Falconi . Il capitano Francesco Zurolo detto Zurlo . Captain Francesco Zurolo known as Zurlo . The road plaque in memory of Francesco Zurolo known as Zurlo, retranscribed by the municipality of Otranto as Francesco Zurlo, located in a similar street and near the cathedral..

Bibliography

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