Cantalice

Its origins?

Cantalice dates back to the late Roman era during which, following the numerous Saracen invasions, the neighboring villages joined together to form an unassailable center. Its name derives from two Latin words: Cata and Ilex that, according to tradition, refer to a holm oak born in the cleft of a rock behind the sacristy of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. In 1304, the municipality of Cantalice allied with Rieti, but this did not endure in fact, in 1457, to defend itself from the feudal lords, Cantalice allied with the Aragonese and Cittaducale, giving rise to a real war against Rieti. After strengthening the strategic alliance with Cittaducale against L'Aquila (who had allied with the Papacy), the war broke out in March 1486. Peace was reached on 11 October, when the city of L'Aquila raised the Aragonese flag. The Viceroy sent a strong army of over 7,000 men, but the siege had already been lifted when the army arrived. The victory of the war and the retreat of Rieti, exempted Cantalice from tax payments for twenty-five years, as a sign of gratitude for the loyalty shown by its people. In memory of what had happened, he ordered the motto “FORTIS CANTALICA FIDES” to be inserted in the coat of arms, together with an eagle. In 1571, under the reign of Margaret of Austria, Cantalice lived a period of peace. The 17th century Cantalice experienced a period of decline, culminating in 1655 with a general turmoil increased due to the continuous presence of brigands and the internal struggles between the families of the village.