Gerberto: Archbishop of Capua (r 977-981).
Germanus, S.: (fl. 1st part of the 6th century). Ecclesiastic. Bishop of Capua (rAD 516-540). In AD 519, he was among the legates sent by Pope Hormisdas to Constantinople.
Gerocarne (VV): A commune in the province of Vibo Valentia.
Gervasius (1): (fl. mid 4th century). Ecclesiastic. He is listed as the first known bishop of Bari and was present at the council of Sardica in AD 347.
Gervasius (2): (fl. 2nd part of the 7th century). Ecclesiastic. He was bishop of Taranto in AD 659.
Gessopalena (CH): A commune in the province of Chieti. Population: 1,624 (2006e).
Gesualdo (AV): A commune in the province of Avellino. Population: 3,691 (2007e); 3,760 (2006e).
Gesualdo, Carlo: b. Mar. 8, 1566, Venosa. d. Sept. 8, 1613. Nobleman and composer. The Prince of Venosa, he is best known for being involved in a grisly scandal. Having discovered his wife in bed with the Duke of Anzio, he had the latter killed by his henchmen. He then savagely murdered his wife with his own hand, disemboweling her and slitting her throat. The guilt he suffered from this act eventually drove him insane. He died of blood-poisoning caused by chronic constipation. Despite his sordid personal life, he was a brilliant composer of 6 madrigal books, 2 sacrae cantiones and 1 libro di responsorial.
Ghibellines (Ghibellini): the pro-imperial faction during the secular power struggle between the Holy Roman Emperors and the papacy. They were powerful supporters of the Swabian rulers in Naples/Sicily but concentrated mostly in northern Italy after the conquest of the Regno by Charles I of Anjou. Their opponents were the pro-papal Guelfs (Guelfi). Their name derives from the German Waiblingen, a castle in SW Germany belonging to the Hohenstaufens.
Giano Vetusto (CE): A commune in the province of Caserta. Population: 649 (2006e).
Giaquinto, Corrado: (b. 1703, Molfetta; d. 1765, Naples). Painter. A pupil of F. Solimena in Naples, he moved to Rome in 1723. Most of his subsequent career was spent there except for visits to Turin and Madrid (1753-1762). In Spain he was an official painter of Ferdinand VI and a director of the Royal Academy of Painting. He returned to Naples in 1765 and died shortly after. Principal Works: Capella Ruffo [S. Lorenzo in Damaso, Rome, 1734].Villa della Regina [near Turin, 1733, 1739-40].San Giovanni Calibita [Rome, 1740-41].Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Rome, 1744-1745).Palazzo Reale [Madrid, 1755].Palazzo Reale [Aranjuez, Spain].
Giardinello (Sic. Jardineddu)(PA): A commune in the province of Palermo.
Giardini Naxos (ME): A commune in the province of Messina. It was from here, on August 9, 1860, that Garibaldi embarked for his invasion of the Italian mainland.
Giarratana (RG): A commune in the province of Ragusa.
Giarre (CT): A commune in the province of Catania. Population: 26,932 (2006e).
Gibellina (TP): A commune in the province of Trapani.
Giffone (RC): A commune in the province of Reggio Calabria.
Giffoni Sei Casali (SA): A commune in the province of Salerno.
Giffoni Valle Piana (SA): A commune in the province of Salerno.
Gildone (CB): A commune in the province of Campobasso. Population: 845 (2006e).
Gimigliano (CZ): A commune in the province of Catanzaro. Population: 3,389 (2006e).
Ginestra (PZ): A commune in the province of Potenza.
Ginestra degli Schiavoni (BN): A commune in the province of Benevento. Population: 565 (2006e).
Ginosa (TA): A commune in the province of Taranto.
Gioi (SA): A commune in the province of Salerno.
Gioia dei Marsi (AQ): A commune in the province of L‘Aquila. Population: 2,288 (2006e).
Gioia del Colle (BA): A commune in the province of Bari. Population: 27,736 (2006e).
Gioia Sannitica (CE): A commune in the province of Caserta. Population: 3,611 (2006e).
Gioia Tauro (RC): A commune in the province of Reggio Calabria.
Gioiosa Ionica (RC): A commune in the province of Reggio Calabria.
Gioiosa Marea (ME): A commune in the province of Messina.
Gioja, Flavio: (b. Amalfi, Naples, or Positano; fl. 1302). Inventor and marine pilot. He is credited with perfecting the sailor’s compass by suspending a magnetized needle over a fleur-de-lis design. The needle was enclosed in a small box with a glass cover. The compass had already been in use in the Mediterranean for some time before Gioja. Marco Polo is sometimes credited with bringing the compass back from China. While the Chinese did indeed develop a compass, there is evidence that a primitive device based on a lodestone was used by the ancient Greek mariners. Gioja’s decision to use the French fleur-de-lis design for his compass to win the support of the king of Naples, the French-born Charles I of Anjou.