Schiavi di Abruzzo is a hill town in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo, central Italy. It is located in the Apennine Mountains, in the southernmost portion of the Abruzzo region, on border with the Molise region. It is 56 km, from the Adriatic Sea, and 225 km from Rome.

Geography

The historical center of the town is situated at the highest point of a mountain peak, at 1170 m, and there are population centers or administrative divisions in the valleys on three sides of the mountain. Three quarters of the population lives in these surrounding valleys. Heavy snowfall can occur in winter months.

Language and dialect

The town has a historical Italian dialect known as Schiavese. For many centuries there have been different dialects even between towns in the same vicinity. With the advent of television, the dialects have become less prevalent.

Population

The population in 1861 was 3,657. As was the case of the rural areas of Southern Italy, the town experienced a mass immigration (Italian diaspora) to North and South America between 1861 and 1914. This immigration lead an abrupt decline of the agricultural economy. Nonetheless the population peaked in 1961 at 4,526. Since then there has been a steady decline due to residents having sought employment in the Italian cities (mostly Rome), and also throughout Europe.

History

The first written mention of the town dates back to Middle Ages, in the first half of the 11th century. Also, the name Schavis and Sclavi appeared in the Libro delle decime (tithe book) of 1309 and of 1328. It is commonly known that there was a colony of Slavs that became a fief of Roberto da Sclavo, from which the name of the town was probably derived. From 1130 the town was part of the Kingdom of Sicily, and later of Kingdom of Naples. From 1626 until 1806 the town was also a fief of the Caracciolo di SantoBuono a branch the Caracciolo clan of Naples, The Continuity of Feudal Power: The Caracciolo Di Brienza in Spanish Naples, Tommaso Astarita, Cambridge University Press (CUP), 1991. ''This book centers around a different branch of the Caracciolo family involving a set of three small towns similar to Schiavi, located in the Basilicata region, southeast of Naples. Following is a description by the publisher, CUP :'' The Continuity of Feudal Power is an analytic study of a family of the Neapolitan aristocracy during the early modern period, with particular focus on the time of Spanish rule (1503–1707). The Caracciolo marquis of Brienza were a branch of one of the oldest and most powerful clans in the kingdom of Naples, and they numbered among the hundred wealthiest feudal families throughout the early modern period. Professor Astarita reconstructs the family's patrimony, administration and revenues, the family's relationship with the rural communities over which it had jurisdiction, its marriage and alliance policies, and the relations between the aristocracy and the monarchical government. His emphasis is on the continuing importance of feudal traditions, institutions and values both in the definition of the aristocracy's status and in its success in ensuring the persistence of its wealth and power within the kingdom. The first social history of Naples under Spanish rule • Uses a detailed study of the Caracciolo Marquis of Brienza to examine the lives of the aristocracy and their maintenance of power for three centuries. Contents: 1. The Caracciolo di Brienza; 2. Structure and evolution of an aristocratic patrimony; 3. The management of an aristocratic landed patrimony; 4. The feudal lord and his vassals: between traditional paternalism and change; 5. Aristocratic strategies for the preservation of family wealth; 6. Offices, courts and taxes, the aristocracy and the Spanish rule. Read the "first pages" provided by Amazon by putting cursor over book cover here. and administered from San Buono, a town 21 mi away. From 1816 to 1861, Schiavi was part of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, then becoming part of the Kingdom of Italy, until 1946 when Italy became a republic.

People

Main sights

Transportation

There is daily bus service from Rome's Roma Termini railway station that takes about four hours. By car from Rome, it takes about three hours via the A1 tollroad (Autostrade of Italy) south, in the direction of Naples. After 146 km (60 minutes) and just past Cassino, taking the San Vittore del Lazio exit, and following the signs to Isernia for 36 km (45 minutes) on state SS85. At Isernia, following signs to Vasto, and proceeding 35 km (45 minutes) on state road SS650, to the Schiavi di Abruzzo exit. SS650 is along the Trigno river and is generally at sea level. So from the exit, the road proceeds up the mountain side 13 km (20 minutes) with a 3800 ft elevation change. To see road map, click here.