Fiumefreddo Di Sicilia - History

History

On the western coast of Sicily, on the south of the river Alcantara, where the extremities of the slopes of Mount Etna spread out in plains and small hills, a little river rises from lava rocks, it flows towards the sea and for the exceptional coldness of its water is named Fiumefreddo, ("Cold River"). This river runs across a plain. Here Cluverio said Greeks founded Nasso. Although some historians had placed Naxos on Cape Schisò, ancient writers described the new town as set up between two rivers: the Onobola on the North and the Akesine on the South.

By identifying the first river with the Alcantara, the second is most likely Fiumefreddo. This theory has been borne out by Bochard, who found an etymological correspondence of the name Akesine to that of Fiumefreddo. The name of the ancient river may have been born indeed as a corruption of the word Akesine that probably derived from a Syriac word, "hassim', which means "cold river". This theory was so repeated that someone managed to see even the ancient Nasso and to describe its ruins next to the Torre Rossa (Red Tower).

Holm succeeded in discrediting this theory. He proved that Onobola is the torrent Sìrina; it flows down to the sea near Giardini railway station. He also established that the Akesine is Alcantara. Therefore the ancient Nasso was set again on Cape Schisò. But some historians did not give up on the idea of describing an old town next to the mouth of Fiumefreddo, so Carrera placed Callipoli, Nasso's colony. More accurate studies have placed this colony near Mascali, on the left side of the torrent Macchia.

It is likely that in 135 BCE, slaves led by Euno passed through this territory when, having revolting against the Romans, they were besieged by Rupilio consul at Taormina's Acropolis, and when, in 63 BCE, stirred up by Atenione, they were surrounded at Macella.

Later Sicily was conquered by the Normans who instituted a feudal system of government. Count Roger gave the enfeoffment of Fiumefireddo territory (with San Giovanni Church) to the Greek bishop Mannuges, who, after his death, gave it to Angeria, Bishop of Catania. This donation was confirmed by the bishop of Messina in 1106 and it is supported by documentary evidence in the Greek Diplomas contained in the Table that is kept in the Capitural Archives, in Catania’s main church.

During the twelfth century Catania's bishops succeeded Augerio in the Fiumefreddo Feud. After the Norman Kingdom of Sicily passed to the Swabians (the House of Hohenstaufen) and following a long struggle between Church and Empire during the reign of Frederick II (Fidiricu), the Bishop of Catania lost this territory. Immediately after the Sicilian Vespers of 1282, the Feud belonged to the Admiral Ruggero di Lauria. When Count Ruggero was charged with treason, Symon Fimmetta received this Feud, as in the census of Frederick III in 1296. It wasn't until the next century before Fiumefreddo Feud is mentioned again in Official Acts. In the census of Martin the younger (1408) the Feud appears as a Property of Zaccaria de Parisio: maybe the feud previously belonged to his brother Adario, whose inheritance was also desired by the Balsamo Family from Messina. This caused a quarrel between Balsamo and Zaccaria families. Eventually Zaccaria gave them two thirds of the property sought. After Parisio had taken control of the estate, his son Nicolò, also known as Vayro, succeeded in obtaining the Investiture by the Archbishop of Palermo in 1493. He was obliged to respect the Curia Rights and the Military Service. At that time there were still no residences but only a small castle built to signal dangers from the sea and from the neighbouring areas. Parisios maintained the Feud until the first half of the seventeenth century, but in 1666, they lost it and Francesco Maria Arezzo became the Lord of Fiumefreddo. At that time a little village was built around the castle.

In 1674, during the Revolution in Messina, the Arezzos supported the Lighthouse Town, and after the rebels were defeated, they lost the seigniory over Fiumefreddo. Felice Mancuso was then enfeoffed and he also obtained the election of Fiumefreddo in Barony. In 1726 Francesco Ferdinando Gravina, Prince of Palagonia and Baron of Calatabiano received the Investiture of the Barony of Fiumefreddo. During the time of Gravina the Church of San Giuseppe was built, which became the centre of the new built up area and some shops that were run in the Prince's interest were opened along the road. A little village was built on the southern area of the Barony and another one on the north, in the Diana area, where also was built the Church of San Vincenzo.

In 1801, Fiumefreddo had a population of 500 inhabitants, and the territory was therefore elevated to a commune. In 1813, after the abolition of vassalage, Fiumefreddo did not depend anymore on the Baron, apart from census to be paid, so the village began to prosper reaching 700 inhabitants in 1831. In 1848 a revolution against Spain arose in Palermo and it echoed even in Fiumefreddo where a certain Carrobello, backed up by other comrades blocked the coach of an Intendant who was passing through the village. He was threatening with the cry “Palermo and Santa Rosolia!". The unlucky person managed to run away only after he had denounced his rank and position.

In 1849, after the fall of Messina, Fiumefreddo was invaded by the King's troops. The chaplain Domenico Biondo told the Bourbon soldiers that he was going to Catania but he was threatened with death by a soldier because a priest had killed his brother. During the night of the 24 October 1852, King Ferdinando II passed through Fiumefreddo and stopped for few minutes at a fountain with a trough and near Morabito Palace. Here he received the delegation of the commune led by don Leonardo Puccio, who was the mayor at that time.