[6] Bishop Berardus of Forcona was consecrated on 23 May 1252, by Cardinal Raynaldus dei Conti, who became Pope Alexander IV on 12 December 1254.

On 6 May 1253, the population of Amiterno and Forcona petitioned the royal councillor Tfommaso da Marerio, to use his influence to have the construction of the new city of Aquilae to be undertaken.

The creation of the city would disconcert the barons of the valley of Aquila who were neglectful of their feudal duties; it would intimidate the rebellious vassals of the Kingdom of Sicily; it would strengthen his northern border against his enemies, one of whom was the pope, who had excommunicated him and was refusing his offers for a peace.

After Pope Nicholas IV died on 6 April 1292, it was twenty-seven months before the eleven cardinals were able to assemble and agree upon his successor.

On 5 July 1294, at Perugia, they elected the 85-year-old Pietro del Murrone, a former Benedictine monk, who had established his own religious order, which came to be called the Celestines.

[21] In 1363, a pestilence struck the county and city of Aquila, resulting in the death of 10,000 persons, according to Niccolò di Borbona.

[22] In 1378, a contested papal election in Rome in April and in Anagni in September, produced two popes, Urban VI and Clement VII.

Bishop Giovanni Zacchei (1377–1381) of Aquila chose to support Clement VII, and ordered public festivals to celebrate his accession.

[23] Around 20 November, on the orders of Urban VI, Ciccantonio di Pretatto entered Aquila in the middle of the night, with armed troops and c. 500 cavalry, and engaged in violent confrontation with the citizens in the piazza of the merchants.

On 15 August 1972, a new ecclesiastical province was created, with L'Aquila, which had previously been directly subject to the Holy See, as the new metropolitan archbishopric.

[28] The third large earthquake of 1703, which struck on 2 February, damaged the entire city of Aquila, especially the castle, the Palazzo Publico, the cathedral, and the church of S. Bernardino, and resulted in more than 2,500 casualties.

[31] The dome, triumphal arch, and transept of the church of Santa Maria di Collemaggio collapsed, and the remains of Pope Celestine V were thrown from their tomb.