SAN MARINO
449
SANNAZARO
derberg's daughter, wife of the Prince of Bisignano,
invited thither many Albanian families who estab-
lished various colonies, spoke their own language, and
used the Greek Rite. The first mention of a bishop
is in 1179. Bisignano certainly had bishops in the
tenth century, when mention is made of Ulutto in
the life of St. Uilo di Rossano; Bishop Federico
(1331) was killed in 1339. The two sees were united
in 1818. The united dioceses are immediately sub-
ject to the Holy See, and contain 64 parishes, 256
priests, 110,000 inhabitants, some convents of re-
ligious, and a house of nuns.
Cappelletti, Le chiese d' Italia, XXI (Venice, 1857).
U. Benigni.
San Marino, an independent republic lying be- tween the Italian Provinces of Forli, Pesaro, and Ur- bino, having an area of 38 sq. miles and a poi)ulation of 10,000. Its chief resources are agriculture and the growing of vines. The government is carried on by two consuls or captains-regent, elected for six months from the members of the General Council, composed of sixty members elected for life from the nobles, the burgesses, and the rural landowners, in equal num- bers. The council has legislative powers; from its members is selected the Council of Twelve, which is the supreme court. The Kingdom of Italy, by the Acts of 22 March, 1862, recognized the i n - dependence of the republic, and has retained friendly relations with it, the Sanmarinese cur- rency being accepted in the kingdom. The territory extends over seven hills, on the highest of which, II Titano, the city of San Marino is built. There are nine communes, in- cluding the capital,
The Cathedral, San Miniato, XII-XVII Century
and as many more parishes, some of which belong to
the Diocese of Montefeltro, and the others to Rimini.
The Palace of the Sui)reme Council, containing paint-
ings by Guido Reni, is worthy of notice.
According to the legend, St. Marinus, a stone- cutter, came to the mountain about a. d. 350 to ply his trade and spread the truths of Christianity. Monte Titano belonged to Felicissima, a Riminese lady, who at her death bequeathed it to the moun- taineers, recommending them to remain always united. San Marino, however, in the Lombard age, belonged to the Duchy of Spoleto; in the tenth century the abbots of the monastery were under the civil govern- ment, but they soon freed themselves and formed a free commune. The Holy See recognized the inde- pendence of San Marino in 1291. In quick succes- sion the lords of Montefeltro, the Malatesta of Ri- mini, and the lords of Urbino attempted to conquer the little town, but without success. WTien the in- habitants aided Pius II against Sigismondo Malatesta, the pope granted the republic some castles. In 1503, but only for a few months, it formed part of the posses- sions of Cffisar Borgia. In the same century some feudatory lords attempted its hberty; the last effort being made by Cardinal Giulio Alberoni, legate of Ravenna, who in 1739, aiding certain rebels, con- trary to the orders of Clement XII, invaded the re- public, imposed a new constitution, and endeavoured to force the Sanmarinese to submit to the Government XIII.— 29
of the Pontifical States. Twice in the nineteenth cen-
tury (1825 and 1853) similar attempts were made.
The celebrated archaeologist Bartolomeo Borghesi
was a native of San Marino.
U. Benigni.
SanMartino alCimino, a prelature nullius in the territory of the Diocese of Viterbo, Province of Rome. The district is about 1840 feet above sea-level, on the western slope of Monte Fogliano in the Cimini mountains, amidst an extensive forest of chestnut trees. It is much frequented as a health resort. The principal dignitary of the collegiate chapter has the title of abbot, and his jurisdiction extends only over the commune of San Martino, which consists of only one parish . In early times it was a Benedictine abbey, first mentioned under Benedict VIII (eleventh cen- tury). In 1150 it was entrusted by Eugenius III to the Cistercians of St-Sulpice near Belley; in 1207 it came into the possession of the monks of Pontigny, who (under Abbot John, 1213-32) raised it to a state of great prosperity. After 1379 the abbots were al- ways commendatory; in 1564 it was included in the mensa of St. Peter's chapter. In 1645 the castle and the abbey buildings were acquired by Olimpia Pamphih, sister of Innocent X, who established a still- existing collegiate chapter. The Gothic church possesses architectural inter- est.
Egidi in Riv. storica benedettina (1906-7). Concerning the church see Frothingham in American Journal of ATcheology (1890). 299 sqq.
U. Benigni.
San Miniato, a city and diocese in the Province of Flor- ence, Central Italy. It is first mentioned in the eighth century as a "vicus Wallari", where there was an oratory of S. Miniato, the celebrated martyr St. Mennas. From the eleventh century the in- habitants of this town were frequently at war with those of S. Genesio, a neighbouring city, where many councils and assemblies of the nobles and cities of Tuscany were held (1074, Council of S. Peter Igneus; 1197, Treaty of S. Gene.sio between Celcstine III and the Tuscan cities). The inhabitants of San Miniato were of the imperial party and the town was frequently occupied by German soldiers; the emperors granted them many privileges. In 1248 S. Genesio was com- pletely destroyed. In 1397 the town was taken by Florence. From 1248 the chapter was transferred from S. Genesio to S. Miniato, and in 1526 the head of the chapter obtained the episcopal dignity. In 1408 the Republic of Florence wished to have it made an episcopal see, being then a suffragan of Lucca. Finally in 1622 it became a diocese. Its first bishop was Francesco Nori (1624). The diocese is a suffragan of Florence and contains 100 parishes with 240 secular and 42 regular priests; 108,0(30 souls; 5 convents of men, 13 convents of nuns, with 7 educational establishments for girls.
RoNDONi, Memorie storiche de S. Miniato al Tedesco (Venice, 1877); Cappelletti, Le chiese d' Italia, XVII (Venice, 1844),
305-47. u. Benigni.
Sannazaro, Jacopo (Latin, Actius Sincerus San- nazakius), Italian and Latin poet, b. at Naples, 28
