The Etruscan cities of Populonia, Roselle, and Vetulonia were of great importance.
In the early medieval period, Maremma recorded the presence of one of the most important noble families in central Italy, the Aldobrandeschi counts, who controlled around 100 castles scattered along the hilly region. With the end of feudalism and, especially, the rise of city-states, in the 13th century, Maremma fell under the influence of the Republic of Siena, which, after a few years, also militarily conquered Grosseto and transformed Maremma into a vast paid pasture. Here, the “Dogana dei paschi” was established, which gave rise to the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, a famous bank.
Siena’s dominion over the Grosseto territory continued until the second half of the 16th century when the Medici troops took over, establishing the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. In 1574, Francesco de’ Medici commissioned the construction of a new city wall to make Grosseto an impregnable city. To this day, a significant portion of this structure encloses the historic city center.But starting from the 14th century, human presence in this region has always had to contend with malaria and poverty that decimated the population. This period was one of the darkest historical moments for the Maremma (hence the famous folk song “Maremma amara” which denounced all the harshness of such a rugged territory).
In this context, thanks in part to the settlement plan implemented by Leopold II of Lorraine in the historic reclamation of 1828, which allowed convicts from other Italian states to take refuge in the entire area and live freely, repopulating a territory that had been “uninhabitable” due to the environmental health conditions, the phenomenon of brigandage took shape. Among all, the name of Domenico Tiburzi stands out, who, after more than 20 years of hiding and constant battles against the law, had become one of Italy’s most popular and sought-after outlaws, while at the same time beloved by the population, who considered him a benefactor of the poor. With his death in 1896, it can be said that the era of Maremman brigandage, along with the malarial and depopulated Maremma, came to an end. The land reclamation works continued until the post-World War II period. The last existing marshy area that still exists today and has become a nature reserve is the Diaccia Botrona, the outermost edge of the Padule di Castiglione della Pescaia