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Valle d'Aosta - History
HistoryThe great history of the Valle d'Aosta. discover what are the main facts and events in the history of Valle d'Aosta from ancient times to present day
Welcome to the page of the Valle d'Aosta.
Here is a list of all the best Valle d'Aosta wineries producing excellent wines DOC and IGT mostly under the name Valle d'Aosta DOC or Vallée d'Aoste DOC
A brief introduction to the region, its history and key tourist destinations, then all the wine producers from Valle d'Aosta.
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Valle d'Aosta
History
The first inhabitants of the Aosta Valley were Celts and Ligurian, whose language is still found today in some local placenames.
Rome conquered the region from local tribes of Salassi around 25 BC and founded Augusta Praetoria (Aosta) to control the strategic mountain passes, leading to the construction of many bridges and roads.
After Rome the high valley preserved traditions of autonomy, reinforced by its seasonal isolation, although it was dominated in turn by the Goths and Lombards, then by the kings of Burgundy in the fifth century, followed by the Franks, who invaded the kingdom in 534.
With the division between the heirs of Charlemagne in 870, the Valle d'Aosta became part of the Lorraine Kingdom of Italy, and a decade later became part of the Kingdom of Upper Burgundy, which joined the Kingdom of Arles, even if people do not saw much effect.
In 1031-1032 Umberto Biancamano, the founder of the House of Savoy, was awarded with the title of Count of Aosta by Conrad II, emperor of the Franconian line and built a fortification of command at Bard.
The region was divided between fortified castles, and in 1191 Thomas I of Savoy granted municipalities the Charter of the exemptions and granting them a wide autonomy staunchly defended until 1770, when it was withdrawn in order to tie Aosta more closely to Piedmont and repeatedly requested during the post-Napoleonic era.
During the Middle Ages, the region remained strongly feudal, so that many castles, like those of the family Challant in the Valley of Gressoney, still dot the landscape.
The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exception of the short French occupation of 1539-1563.
As part of the Kingdom of Sardinia became part of the new Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
Under Mussolini, a program of forced Italianisation, which provided, inter alia, the transfer of the population of Valle d'Aosta in Piedmont and the Italian-speaking workers in Aosta, has favored large movements towards separatism.
Today, the region has a statute that grants special autonomy.
