TARANTO
Conquered by the Normans
of Roberto il Guiscardo (1063), it became the main centre
of a huge principality. The principality of Taranto, rebuilt
by the Emperor Federico II for his own natural son Manfredi
(1240), becoming an appanage of Filippo, son of Carlo II of
Angiò, in 1294.
After a svain attempt to give itself
to the Venetians (1496), the City was subjected to a siege
by Consalvo of Cordova in 1501, during the French-Spanish
conflict for the throne of Naples. Defended by the hereditary
Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria, Taranto became a stronghold
only in 1502. Fortified by the Spanish, attacked numerous
times by the Turks (in particular around the end of the 17th
Century), the City made its mark during the anti-Spanish revolts
of 1647-1648, rising against the local nobility. Conquered
by the French in 1801, it was once again fortified by Napoleon,
who made it an armed, naval base against the Anglo-Russians.
Joined with Puglia to be part of the reign of Italy (1861),
Taranto saw the revaluation of her natural, favourable and
strategic position, with the creation of a military arsenal
(begun in 1883 on the re-scheduled plans of Admiral Saint-Bon).
During the First World War, it was the main base of the Italian
Fleet. At the beginning of the Second World conflict, in November
1940, the naval base was suddenly attacked by the English
Air fleets. On 9th of September 1943, the English division
of the 8th Army corps, made a surprise embarkation. On 23rd
September in Taranto, an agreement was signed between the
Italian Admiral De Courten and the English Admiral Cunningham,
stating that the Italian Naval forces, under the control of
Governor Badoglio, would enter in line, side by side with
the Alliance.
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