Camporaghena in the Middle Ages: fiefs, castles and mountain life
What we know about Camporaghena between 1200 and 1500: the link with the Malaspina, the castle, daily life in an Apennine village.
The first documented traces
The first documented traces of Camporaghena date back to the Middle Ages, probably around 1200–1300. The village was part of the fiefs of the Malaspina, the powerful family that controlled the whole of Lunigiana through a network of castles and fortifications.
The name "Camporaghena" may derive from "campo" (field) and a Lombard or Latin personal name. Not verified: specific sources needed. Its position at 845 metres, on a ridge between the Taverone valley and the Apennines, made it a strategic control point.
The Castle of Camporaghena
Along trail 108 leading to Torsana are the ruins of the Castle of Camporaghena. Today only a few traces remain: stone walls covered by vegetation. We have no certain information about the date of construction or its specific history.
The castle was part of the Malaspina defensive system that controlled the Taverone valley and the passes towards the Apennines.
Daily life in the Middle Ages
Life in Camporaghena in the Middle Ages was hard. Subsistence farming (chestnuts, potatoes, barley), sheep and goat herding, total isolation in winter when snow blocked the paths for weeks.
The village was self-sufficient: mill, communal oven, church. The population was probably a few dozen families.
The Malaspina and Lunigiana
The Malaspina were the dominant family in Lunigiana from the 12th to the 18th century. Divided into two main branches (Malaspina dello Spino Secco and Malaspina dello Spino Fiorito), they controlled a territory stretching from the Apuan Alps to the Parma Apennines.
Camporaghena fell under the Spino Fiorito branch, centred on Fivizzano and Fosdinovo.
Sources and missing data
Not verified:
- Exact date of the first documented mention of Camporaghena
- Certain origin of the name
- Date of construction of the castle
- Number of inhabitants in medieval times
Sources to consult: State Archives of Massa, Estimo di Lunigiana (1470–1471), publications by Giulivo Ricci.