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My journey to San Miniato and a visit to this medieval, hilltop village.

In medieval times, San Miniato was on the via Francigena, which was the main connecting route between northern Europe and Rome. It also sits at the intersection of the FlorencePisa and the LuccaSiena roads. Over the centuries San Miniato was therefore exposed to a constant flow of friendly and hostile armies, traders in all manner of goods and services, and other travelers from near and far.

Archaeological evidence indicates that the site of the city and surrounding area has been settled since at least the paleolithic era. It would have been wellknown to the Etruscans, and certainly to the Romans, for whom it was a military post called "Quarto".

The first mention in historical documents is of a small village organized around a chapel dedicated to San Miniato built by the Lombards in 783. By the end of the 10th century San Miniato boasted a sizeable population enclosed behind a moat and protected by a castle built by Otto I, from which an Imperial Vicar ruled all of Tuscany.

The first walls, with defensive towers, were thrown up in the 12th century during the time that Italy was dominated by Frederick Barbarossa. Under his grandson, Frederick II, the town was further fortified with expanded walls and other defensive works, including the Rocca and its tower.

During the latter years of the 13th century and the entire 14th century, San Miniato was drawn into the ongoing conflict between the Ghibelline and Guelph forces. Initially Ghibelline, it had become a Guelph city by 1291, allied with Florence and, in 1307, fought with other members of the Guelph league against the Ghibelline Arezzo.

By 1347 San Miniato was under Florentine control, where it remained, but for a brief period from 13671370 when, instigated by Pisa, it rebelled against Florence, and for another brief period between 1777 and 1779. It was still part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany when the Duchy was absorbed into the newlyformed Kingdom of Italy in 1860.

My channel on you tube : http://www.youtube.comalanheath is one of the most prolific from Poland. I have produced a number of films, most in English but also in Polish, French, Italian, Spanish and the occassional hint of German and Hebrew. My big interest in life is travel and history but I have also placed films on other subjects

There are a number of films here on the packaging industry. This is because I am the publisher of Central and Eastern European Packaging http://www.ceepackaging.com'>http://www.ceepackaging.com'>http://www.ceepackaging.com'>http://www.ceepackaging.com the international platform for the packaging industry in this region focussing on the latest innovations, trends, design, branding, legislation and environmental issues with indepth profiles of major industry achievers. Most people may think packaging pretty boring but it possibly effects your life more than you really imagine!

In 1997 I founded Polish Business News http://www.pbn.com.pl'>http://www.pbn.com.pl'>http://www.pbn.com.pl'>http://www.pbn.com.pl .There are a number of business related films here and I intend to do many more on CRM (customer relations management).

My blog can be found via http://www.ceepackaging.com'>http://www.ceepackaging.com'>http://www.ceepackaging.com'>http://www.ceepackaging.com and http://www.pbn.com.pl'>http://www.pbn.com.pl'>http://www.pbn.com.pl'>http://www.pbn.com.pl and contains background information and more details of many of my films. This information is in English.