Pozzolengo’s 1630 Defense Saves Village from Invading Troops

Few know that in June of 371 years ago, Pozzolengo was literally on the brink of disappearing from the scene of the Morenic hills of Garda. If this did not happen, it is thanks to a handful of brave Pozzolengo inhabitants, men and women, who for eight days – from June 1 to June 8 – barricaded themselves in the castle, resisting the attacks of Germanic soldiers who, seeing their attempts to conquer the fortress futile, eventually left.

Let’s examine the episode in detail. The year was 1630, during the war for succession to the Duchy of Mantova, as the direct line of the Gonzaga family had died out. Opposing fronts included the cadet branch of the Gonzaga of Guastalla and the French branch of the Nevers. Near Goito, the Venetians — who supported the Italian Gonzaga family — clashed with soldiers from across the Alps, who had come to Italy in support of the Nevers and were led by Count Rambaldo di Collalto, a noble from Vicenza who was in conflict with Venice.

After defeating the Venetian army, the troops arriving from the north advanced towards Garda, laying everything to waste. On June 1, they sighted Pozzolengo, where in the meantime the local population had taken refuge in the castle. Collalto’s men set the town on fire and laid siege to the castle for eight days. Eventually, the troops withdrew.

“Only one land dared oppose those barbarians: Pozzolengo,” writes Solitro, a distinguished Brescia scholar, in his History of the Magnificent Homeland. With the ducal decree of June 14, 1630, Venice’s Doge Nicolò Contarini praised the courageous inhabitants of Pozzolengo for their defense of the town, exemplifying loyalty to Venice.

Today, Pozzolengo retains its medieval appearance thanks to those heroic citizens. Yet, not a single sign or plaque commemorates this event. The only witnesses are the ancient fortress, described by scholars as a rare example of a medieval village. However, due to time’s neglect, and even more so human neglect, it is now in a state of complete ruin.

It seems, however, that the new Municipal Council intends to do something to restore to the people of Pozzolengo the symbol of their ancestors’ fight against invaders.