HISTORY

Of ancient origins, this little village, capital of the Langhe, takes the first version of its name "Rocha Uverani" from the nearby river Ovrano. In the 10th century a diploma issued by the emperor Ottone I, granting the land to Aleramo, records the name "Ruspaverano", which is what gives us the current name ROCCAVERANO.
The history of this village reflects that of the Langhe, and in its earliest days – though it was probably a Roman site – is linked to that of the Vasto Marquisate. This family was one of the most important marquisates in Piedmont, descendants of the "Aledramus marchio" who was granted all the uninhabited lands between the Tanaro and Orba rivers and the sea by Ottone I in 967. Ottone I del Carretto, grandson of Bonifacio Marquis of Vasto, consolidated his property in this area and around Asti, along with other villages already in his possession, like Castino, Bergolo, Pezzolo, Castelletto Uzzone, Scaletta, Perletto, Cortemilia, Mombaldone, Denice, Ponti, Bubbio and Cassinasco.
In all this land, Roccaverano represented a key hub in terms of its strategic position, lying in the centre of many hills, on the highest hill top and surrounded by lookout towers. It was on the wishes of Marquis Bonifacio that the castle was built. Indeed a plaque which was once attached to the wall of the castle recalls that in 1204 "dominus Bonifacio de Carreto" built "hoc castrum quod vocatur Rocha Blanca".
The Commune of Asti was founded in that period, and in 1209, Ottone del Carretto and his son Ugo entered into an agreement to give up their property in the Langhe for 1000 “lire genoine”, and the promise of investiture. Thus it was that "Rocha Vevrana" became part of the feudal lands of the Commune of Asti. It was granted to Enrico III, brother of Ugo del Carretto, until 1322, when a descendant granted the feudal rights to Roccaverano to Marquis Manfredo IV of Saluzzo, who was not interested in the Langa and after a few years gave it to the sons of Antonio Scarampi, together with other estates in the area. In this way the Scarampi family of Asti, who owed their great fortune to banking in France, became undisputed lords of the entire area, which remained in their possession until the male line died out at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
During the 17th century it underwent various occupations due to its strategic position, taken by armies fighting on Piedmontese soil. During the War of Monferrato it was invaded by the Spanish under the command of don Luigi Cordova in 1615, and defended from the victorious French troops. In 1633 it was pillaged by the Neapolitan army on their way to Alsace, and in the following century it suffered two further occupations, by the French in 1715 and by the Spanish in 1744.
Then Carlo Emanuele II acquired the rights to the area from the Valperga family and around 1700 all the feudal rights of the Scarampi family were acquired by the Savoys, who became the new lords of Roccaverano.