The historical origins and events

On the origins of Peschici, up to now the only one that has written is an erudite of the ' 600, Sarnelli, which ago to go back to the 970 and work of the Schiavoni, Slavs whom the emperor Brass of Sassonia hires in order to free the garganic coasts from the Saraceni, " dividendoli in two colonies one said Vico and the other Peschici ". Even if some source, many facts is not cited, indications and coincidences make to more think than probable the Slavic origin of Peschici. In the first place some words remained in the dialetto local, of clear Slavic derivation and indicating primitive concepts like plants and animals (and probably also the same name of Peschici, to connect to the root pes- " sand "). Then the cult of S. Elia and the Madonna di Loreto, of origin oriental, could here be joint through populations of the other side of the Adriatic. Finally the continuous ones and documented raids of Saraceni and Turchi (remained in the toponimi of Torre Saracina, then Gusmai, and of the Cove of the Turk), and the expansionistic Brass sights towards Southern Italy and the Puglia, from always natural bridge between the Peninsula and the East. The first famous document in which Peschici appears is of the 1053: three inhabitants of the Pesclizzo castle donate to the abbey of Tremiti the church of Calenella from they built up. The small center alive to the shadow of the abbey of Calena, but its natural port had somewhat to be important if an exemption of XIII the century, between ships of Ragusa (current Dubrovnik) and the main pugliesi ports, numbers also this port of call and if from XIV the century it is nearly always present in the Mediterranean nautical papers and cited in various portolani of the XV and XVI century. In the 1561 Peschici is taxed, for before the time, with 13 fires (families): one sexty of inhabitants hardly.

That what has reduced the population to the minimums you are finish not documented: but strangers did not have to be the Turkish incursions. if between the 1564 and '94 Spanish they fortified the southern coasts of sight towers. To the Commanded one ne they touched 25 very, nearly all anchor in feet: on the peschiciana coast the Monte towers Pucci, to the west, of Calalunga, Usmai and Sfinale, to east. Of the 1679 it is the directed testimony of the same Sarnelli: " This is situated in eminent place that enjoys the view of the sea. A time was numerous of families ", but then it counted 493 inhabitants and it was the center by far more small of the Gargano. From 1735 it is the lapide, mail to the entrance of the Baronial Fencing, that it attests the belongings of Peschici to the feudi of the prince of Ischitella. To first of the 800 the Carboneria is disseminated thanks to the Libetta family: Joseph, commander of the first Italian ship to vapor (1818), was dismissed why liberal and then elect in the ' 48 to the Parment Sabaudo. After the unit of Italy and the end of brigandage, the constant demographic increase seems to indicate a period of relative tranquillity if of true well-being (does not export frumento, carob beans, coal, animals from slaughter house, latticini and above all oil). But antichi problems like that deadly one of the malaria remain, for persisting of the swamps of Usmai, Sfinale and of the Marsh. Also the new phenomenon of the emigration is present and will return in the years after the Second World War to farces acute, in order to stop to half of years ' 70, when by now the tourism has changed completely the local economy.