Gamalero: sights, history and trails

The origin of the name Gamalero is very uncertain; it probably passed from an original Scamilaria to Camilaria, Gamelerium, Gamalerio.

The etymology of the name is also ignored; the most convincing hypothesis is that which refers to the concept of "gobba"; in fact Gamalero is located on two close hills. On the date of Roman conquest 109 BC. there had already been a sighting settlement to defend the road to Acqui Terme. The first verifiable information is found in a diploma from Otto I of Saxony, given in 967, with which the fiefdoms "in comitatu aquensi" are confirmed in Aleramo of the Monferrato.

In 978 the country passed to Benedict Bishop of Acqui and joined his diocese. Although the diocese of Acqui Terme was dismembered to create that of Alessandria, it seems that Gamalero remained, as a parish church, under Acqui Terme until 1405.

Also subjected to the authority of the bishops of Acqui Terme, Gamalero, as "community", followed the fate of Alessandria, because of its adjoining position. From the historical point of life there are few chronic references on Gamalero, demonstrating the poverty and poor importance of the settlement, consisting of few and rare farmhouses between the region "La Rocca" and San Lorenzo. In 1240 Frederick II of Svevia removed his jurisdiction to Alessandria to infect him with the marquises Occimiano.

In 1315 the Ghibelline, allies of Marco Visconti, lord of Milan, took possession of Alessandria conquering also Gamalero, who came to be part of the Duchy of Milan.

In 1403 the country returned to the Guelphs and was burned by the Ghibellines of Facino Cane. On May 28, 1438 Philip Maria Visconti infeuded Gamalero to Simonino Ghilini, his secretary, granting him the rights to all taxes, the salt gabelle and tolls for the transit of goods. In 1447, the date of the death of Filippo Maria Visconti, who left no legitimate heirs, Francesco Sforza, natural son of Muzio Attendolo Sforza, Count of Cotignola, married his only natural daughter, Bianca Maria and, having made agreements with William VIII of Monferrato, obtained the Duchy of Milan granting the latter the lordship of Alessandria including, among others, the location of Gamalero.

The Sforza's attempt to recover the land granted led the two contenders to measure, in 1450, on the war plane. In 1462 Gamalero was infeuded to the brothers of Simonino, Giovanni and Giuliano Ghilini. Two years later, Francesco Sforza, because the Ghilini brothers had passed from the Monferrato side, defended the country to Gentile Simonetta. In 1477 Gian Galeazzo Sforza reconfirmed the rights on Gamalero to Pietro Francesco and Chichino Simonetta.

In 1480 the fief returned to the Ducal Chamber.

In 1498 Ludovico il Moro after confirming the Lordship of Brignano Gera d'Adda, donated the fiefs of Gamalero (Gamalerio) and Sforzesca di Vigevano, infeudating the Ducal Councillor (since 1484), Francesco Bernardino Visconti (+1504), already Captain of Cavalleria. In 1504, the Duke joined Gamalero to the fief of Sezzadio in favor of Francesco Bernardino Visconti who was married to Maddalena Pallavicino of the Marchesi of the Pallavicino State. In 1505 also the fief of Gamalero, passed to his son Bernabò.

In 1551 the fief passed to the son of Bernabò, Ottone. In 1575 the parish of San Lorenzo was founded and in 1593, at the death of Ottone Visconti, the fief went in succession to his twelve sons.

In 1621 the fief was divided only more between the two brothers Bartholomew and Ottavio. In 1625 he succeeded Bartholomew his son Alberto, who assigned him in 1673 to the three sons Bartolomeo Maria, Ottavio and Marcantonio. In 1693 the latter remained the only feudal lord.

In the 1707 Gamalero, following the fate of Alessandria, joined the Sabaudo State and, in 1717At the death of Marcantonio Visconti, he returned to Regio. With declaratory of the House of Accounts 21 September 1721 the fief was placed for sale and 6 April 1726 purchased, along with the fief of Sezzadio, for 32,000 Piedmontese lire from the Marquis Tommaso Ghilini with the right of transmission to his male heirs.

Only in 1748 the General Intendent of the province of Alessandria and he sent out Regulations for the Community of Gamalero, divided into seven parts concerning: the Council, the Tanteo, the Expenses and Mandates, the Vacati, the Litigation, the Tax Collectors and the Chancellor. In 1745 the feudal lord Tommaso Ghilini approved the first rural notices divided into 149 chapters.

In 1776 the son of Thomas, Vittorio Amedeo, a feudal lord of Gamalero from 1752, succeeded the son of this last Ambrogio Maria Ghilini under the protection, as a minor, of his mother Gabriella Dal Pozzo della Cisterna.

These were the last feudatario and, with the abolition of the Old Regime, sold the castle, the last emblem of feudal rights, in 1802, to two peasants possessed, Giangiacomo Mascherpa and Carl'Antonio Piccino, who dismantled it to reuse its materials.

Marquis Ambrogio Maria Ghilini died in 1832.

In the coat of arms of the municipality of Gamalero, granted by decree of the President of the Republic of 9 October 2002, is depicted the castle called Castelmerlino.^[4]

Previously the coat of arms had been granted by the Royal Decree of 30 March 1931^[5] and he was blasphemed: of blue, to the silver castle, torricellato of two pieces, put on the Ghibelline, founded on three narrow hills and accompanied in head by a golden star.

The gonfalone is a yellow drape.

In the last hundred years, starting from 1921, the resident population It's halved..

Inhabitants registered^[6]

• Literary Festival of San Lorenzo, curated by "Friends of the San Lorenzo Literary Festival", Municipality and Pro loco. July, August, September.^[7]
• Agnolotto festival with wild boar sauce: curated by Comune and Pro loco, on August 10, day of San Lorenzo.