I never new about my Calabrian roots until a few years ago. We have so many posts on Calabria that we decided to put them all in one place. You’ll also find some links to great books on Amazon, including mine “Farmers and Nobles” Bookmark us so that you can some back whenever you like.

By F l a n k e r (optimized by Blackcat – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,  Piedmont, Italian Piemonte, regione(region), northwestern Italy, comprising the province(provinces) of Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Torino, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, and Vercelli. Piedmont Village near Vinadio, Cuneo province, Piedmont, Italy.© paokun/Shutterstock.com To the south, west, and north Piedmont is surrounded by the vast arc of the Ligurian Apennines and the Maritime, Cottian, Graian, and PennineAlps. The core of Piedmont is the Po River valley, which lies open to the east and consists of some of the best farmlands in Italy. The name piedmont(“at the foot of a mountain”) has become a term generally applied to such a region. South of the Po River are the low and intensively cultivated hills of Monferrato and of Langhe. In the foothills of the Alps are Lakes Maggiore and Orta. The Po and its tributaries, the Dora Baltea, Dora Riparia, Sesia, Tanaro, and Scrivia, provide the area with ample water for agriculture. In Roman times Piedmont was important because its passes connected Italy with the transalpine provinces of Gaul. After periods of Lombard and Frankish rule, the house of Savoy emerged as the most important feudatory of northwestern Italy. This dynasty first became powerful as successor to the marquesses of Ivrea and of Turin, but after 1400 Savoy’s control of both slopes of the Alps, ruling over what is now French Savoie and over Piedmont, gave it undisputed sovereignty over much of the region. After 1700 practically all of Piedmont passed under Savoyard domination, and the addition of Sardiniaand its territories provided still wider interests. During the Risorgimento(movement for Italian independence), Piedmont led the attempts of 1848, 1859, and 1866 to unite all of Italy, and Victor Emmanuel II, originally king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became modern Italy’s first king in 1861. The Alpine arc of Piedmont plays a vital part in the power production of the region and of northern Italy as a whole; the region’s hydroelectric plants supply energy for industry, transportation, and domestic use. The forests provide lumber, and the Alpine and sub-Alpine meadows afford excellent pasture for cattle as the base of a prosperous dairy industry. The lowlands produce wheat and rice, vegetables and fruit, and milk and cheese. The hills south of the Po River are noted for the production of some of Italy’s highest-quality wines, both of the sparkling (Asti) and still (Barbera) varieties. (The historic vineyard landscape of Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage sitein 2014.) Piedmont forms part of the great industrial triangle of northern Italy (Turin-Genoa-Milan), and its manufactures are widely diversified. Turin—the capital, largest city, and leading industrial centre—is the site of one of the largest automobile plants in Europe, as well as of printing, textile, and machine industries. Ivrea, northeast of Turin, is the headquarters of one of Europe’s leading makers of office machinery. Textiles, chemicals, and glass are among the other important Piedmontese industries. The principal rail connection between France and Italy, the Turin–Col du Mont Cenis (Mount Cenis Tunnel)–Paris line, passes through Piedmont, while to the north the Simplon Tunnel leads to Switzerland. An excellent network of roads and expressways ties all parts of the region closely together. Genoa, easily reached from Piedmont, is the region’s port. Developments in the late 20th century included an all-weather road between France and Italy, passing through a 7.3-mile (11.7-km) tunnel under Mont Blanc and thence through the Valle d’Aostato Turin and Milan. Area 9,807 square miles (25,399 square km). Pop. (2011) 4,363,916. This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen, Corrections Manager. Citation InformationArticle Title:PiedmontWebsite Name:Encyclopaedia BritannicaPublisher:Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Date Published:19 March 2015URL:https://www.britannica.com/place/Piedmont-region-ItalyAccess Date:June 15, 2019 Click here to Join Italian Genealogy on Facebook Piedmont was inhabited in early historic times by Celtic–Ligurian tribes such as the Tauriniand the Salassi. They were later subdued by the Romans(c. 220 BC), who founded several colonies there including Augusta Taurinorum (Turin) and Eporedia(Ivrea). After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the region was successively invaded by the Burgundians, the Ostrogoths (5th century), East Romans, Lombards (6th century), and Franks(773). In the 9th–10th centuries there were further incursions by the Magyars and Saracens.[citation needed]At the time Piedmont, as part of the Kingdom of Italy within the Holy Roman Empire, was subdivided into several marches and counties. The Kingdom of Sardinia in 1856. In 1046, Oddo of Savoy added Piedmont to their main territory of Savoy, with a capital at Chambéry (now in France). Other areas remained independent, such as the powerful comuni(municipalities) of Asti and Alessandriaand the marquisates of Saluzzo and Montferrat. The County of Savoy was elevated to a duchy in 1416, and Duke Emanuele Filiberto moved the seat to Turin in 1563. In 1720, the Duke of Savoy became King of Sardinia, founding what evolved into the Kingdom of Sardiniaand increasing Turin’s importance as a European capital. The Republic of Alba was created in 1796 as a French client republic in Piedmont. A new client republic, the Piedmontese Republic, existed between 1798 and 1799 before it was reoccupied by Austrian and Russian troops. In June 1800 a third client republic, the Subalpine Republic, was established in Piedmont. It fell under full French control in 1801 and it was annexed by France in September 1802. In the congress of Vienna, the Kingdom of Sardinia was restored, and furthermore received the Republic of Genoa to strengthen it as a barrier against France. Piedmont was a springboard for Italy’s unification in 1859–1861, following earlier unsuccessful wars against the Austrian Empire in 1820–1821[citation needed]and 1848–1849. This process is sometimes referred to as Piedmontisation.[6]However, the efforts were later countered by the efforts of rural farmers.[7][8] The House of Savoy became Kings of Italy, and Turin briefly became the capital of Italy. However, when the Italian capital was moved to Florence, and then to Rome, the administrative and institutional importance of Piedmont was deeply reduced and the only remaining recognition to Piedmont’s historical role was that the crown prince of Italy was known as the Prince of Piedmont. After Italian unification, Piedmont was one of the most important regions in the first Italian industrialization.[9] From Wikipedia

Phil Apollo interviews author, podcaster and blogger Bob Sorrentino about his new book “Farmers and Nobles”. Farmers and Nobles traces the research path of blogger and podcast host Bob Sorrentino. Bob began researching his family roots in 2008 beginning with his great-grandfather’s calling card brought from Italy by his paternal grandmother Maria Luigia Piromallo. In 2018, he decided to share his experiences in a blog and in 2020 created his podcast Italian Roots and Genealogy. ​Bob firmly believes that our ancestors want to be found and shares fascinating stories from others who believe the same. ​Bob gives us glimpse into his two Italian-American families and how their lives in America were very similar, although centuries ago the families came from two very different socio-economic classes in Italy. ​While his mother came from farmers from Toritto, Bari, his father came from gentry and nobility from Naples. Bob traces back these noble roots to the kings and queens of Western Europe. While it is true that millions can trace back, Bob explains how one small piece of evidence can open up the door to centuries of family history. ​Farmers and Nobles has stories from both families, culminating with a “rooting trip” to Italy in 2022. Farmers and Nobles traces the research path of blogger and podcast host Bob Sorrentino. Bob began researching his family roots in 2008 beginning with his great-grandfather’s calling card brought from Italy by his paternal grandmother Maria Luigia Piromallo. https://www.italiangenealogy.blog/farmers-and-nobles/ Visit Our Shop Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Abruzzo(UK: /æˈbrʊtsoʊ/,[5]US: /ɑːˈbruːtsoʊ, əˈ-/,[6][7]Italian: [aˈbruttso]; Aquilano: Abbrùzzu) or Abruzziis a regionof Southern Italywith an area of 10,763 square km (4,156 sq mi) and a population of 1.2 million. It is divided into four provinces: L’Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, and Chieti. Its western border lies 80 km (50 mi) east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marcheto the north, Lazioto the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Seato the east. Geographically, Abruzzo is divided into a mountainous area in the west, which includes the Gran Sasso d’Italia, and a coastal area in the east with beaches on the Adriatic Sea. Abruzzo is considered a region of Southern Italy in terms of its culture, language, history and economy, although geographically it may also be considered central.[8]The Italian Statistical Authority (ISTAT) deems it to be part of Southern Italy, partly because of Abruzzo’s historic association with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.[8] Abruzzo is known as “the greenest region in Europe” as almost half of its territory, the largest in Europe,[9]is set aside as national parks and protected nature reserves. There are three national parks, one regional park, and 38 protected nature reserves. These ensure the survival of 75% of Europe’s living species, including rare species such as the small wading dotterel, the golden eagle, the Abruzzo (or Abruzzese) chamois, the Apennine wolfand the Marsican brown bear.[10]Abruzzo is also home to Calderone, Europe’s southernmost glacier.[11] Human settlements in Abruzzo have existed since at least the Neolithictimes. A skeleton from Lama dei Peligni in the province of Chietidates back to 6,540 BC under radiometric dating.[13]The name Abruzzo appears to be derivative of the Latin word “Aprutium“. In Roman times, the region was known as Picenum, Sabina et Samnium, Flaminia et Picenum, and Campania et Samnium.[14]The region was known as Aprutium in the Middle Ages, arising from four possible sources: it is a combination of Praetutium, or rather of the name of the people Praetutii, applied to their chief city, Interamnia, the old Teramo.[15] Many cities in Abruzzo date back to ancient times. Corfinio was known as Corfinium when it was the chief city of the Paeligni, and later was renamed Pentima by the Romans. Chieti is built on the site of the ancient city of Teate, Atriwas known as Adria. Teramo, known variously in ancient times as Interamnia and Teramne, has Roman ruins which attract tourists. After the fall of the Roman Empire, there were a string of invasions and rulers in the region, including the Lombards, Byzantines, Muslims, and Hungarians. Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the region was dominated by the popes. Subsequently, the Normans took over, and Abruzzo became part of the Kingdom of Sicily, later the Kingdom of Naples. Spainruled the kingdom from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The FrenchBourbon dynasty took over in 1815, establishing the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and ruled until Italian unification(also known as the Risorgimento[16]) in 1860.[17] Until 1963, Abruzzo was part of the Abruzziregion with Molise. The term Abruzzi(plural of Abruzzo) derives from the time when the region was part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The territory was administered as Abruzzo Citeriore(nearer Abruzzo) and Abruzzo UlterioreI and II (farther Abruzzo I and II) from Naples, the capital of the kingdom.[14]Abruzzo Citeriore is now Chieti province. Teramo and Pescara provinces now comprise what was Abruzzo Ulteriore I. Abruzzo Ulteriore II is now the province of L’Aquila. In the twentieth century, war had a great impact on the region. During the Second World War, Abruzzo was on the Gustav Line, part of the German’s Winter Line. One of the most brutal battles was the Battle of Ortona. Abruzzo was the location of two prisoner of war camps, Campo 21 in Chieti,[18]and Campo 78 in Sulmona. The Sulmona camp also served as a POW camp in World War 1; much of the facility is still intact and attracts tourists interested in military history. From Wikipedia Click to join Italian Genealogy on Facebook Abruzzo: its cities, lands and economy The regional capital of Abruzzo is L’Aquila. There are four provinces in Abruzzo: Pescara, Chieti, Teramo, and L’Aquila. The first persons to settle in Abruzzo belonged to an Italic tribe called the Picenians. Early settlers formed small communities based mainly on agriculture and fishing. Little in the way of trade or commerce flowed through Abruzzo for quite some time because the nearby sea was difficult to negotiate. The economy of Abruzzo is still largely based on agriculture and animal husbandry. Chief crops include carrots, potatoes, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, figs and plums.  Map of Abruzzi There is a significant amount of olives andtable grapefarming but less wine production than what seems appropriate for the area. Sheep herding and rearing in its traditional migratory form (transumanza) is still practiced, however it is becoming less and less common as sheep are being replaced by cattle in many areas. Fishing is still widely practiced. Though Abruzzo has dense forests there is little logging conducted because there are few tall trees. There are industries in selected areas including engineering, electrotechnicals, chemicals, paper, textiles, clothing, building materials, glass, tanning, and foodstuffs. The Abruzzo economy is fairly modest at present but is expanding due to the addition of hydroelectric power and modern road and rail systems post WWII and current improvements in communication and information technologies. The agricultural industry is also noticing a shift from small privately owned farms to larger farming cooperatives. This change, as well as improvements in production technologies has lead to an increase in revenues generated from agriculture in the region. Tourism in Abruzzo is also increasing as people are discovering its old world charms.  Abruzzo Landscape Ph. flickr/lorenzaccio The beauties of the region Abruzzo is picturesque in its scenery. Many old villages were abandoned and remain largely intact and the country side is rich with historic sites. It is often said that Abruzzo has as many castles as it does sheep. Most of this sleepy region has remained lock in medieval times making Abruzzo the first stop for those seeking to take a glance at the past or a chance to see nature as it was hundreds of years ago, unspoiled and perfect. The region can be divided into two parts. The western part of the region is mountainous; the eastern portion of the region consists mostly of rolling foothills slowly sloping down to long stretches of wide, sandy coastline. The three main rivers in Abruzzo, the Aterno-Pescara, the Sangro and the Vomano flow from the mountains down to the Adriatic Sea carving deep gorges into the country side. Because of the proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea the mountains endure heavy rain and snowfall and low temperatures all year round. There is excellent skiing in the region. The Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo The Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, an impressive national park founded in 1922, is host to every variety plant and animal imaginable and considered the most important park in Italy. No other park in Italy is better developed for camping and recreational activities. Great stands of beech, oak, and birch can be found in the park along with beautiful wild flowers of every color and design. The brown bear of the region along with wolves, eagles, and large wild cats find refuge in the park, making Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo a haven for vanishing species.  Abruzzo S. Stefano in Sessanio Abruzzo: from snow to sand, without forgetting castles and fortresses While Abruzzo is well known for its wonderful ski resorts it also hosts many lavish beach resorts on its many sandy beaches. Tourists can be delighted by any number of adventurous activites. Local restaurants serve only the best in fresh caught fish and mollusks prepared in every imaginable way. Those who wish to avoid well developed holiday resort areas will find solace in any number of small attractive towns scattered throughout the region. Modern roads have made it possible for tourists to enjoy all the sites and visit any of the gorgeous stone castles dotting the country side. Medieval fortresses built for the protection of the village inhabitants have remain untouched and unchanged for many generations making them an important link to Abruzzo’s past. Small chapels are also sprinkled over the land, each one home to stunning architecture and beautiful religious relics. It is amazing that in Abruzzo one can see Italy as it was during the height of the Renaissance area.  Rocca Calascio, Abruzzo Ph. flickr/luigi alesiFrom Life in Italy  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0SZtXXbu64

Robert talks about his family from Colliano that settled in NJ and Pennsylvania and his grandfather’s murder in the early 1900’s. And meeting Zio Ernesto playing cards in Italy. Robert has made over 30 trips to Italy.   Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video