CASAL, a town of France, in the department of Ma rengo, and formerly the capital of Lower Montferrat, is situated on the right bank of the Po. It received the name of Casale Sancti Evasii, after the death of St Eva sius, who was martyred by a Duke called Astabolo. It is highly probable that it was built not far from an an cient town called Sedula, and not, as some authors have imagined, on the ruins of Bodincinnago or Industria I (see Pliny, Xat. Hist. lib. ii.) The few huts which were built by the devotees over the place where the body of the martyr was preserved, gradually assumed the form of a town, while Liutprand, king of the Lombards, built the church which still exists, and which was afterwards erected into a cathedral. In the year 1173, Casal was erected into a free city; and, about the end of the 14th century, it became the residence of its sovereigns. Pope Sextus IV. erected Casal into an episcopal city ; and, in spite of the revolt of its inhabitants, the Dukes of Man tua preferred it to Mantua as a place of residence. About this time, when the arts made such a rapid progress in Italy, this city acquired fresh lustre. New palaces and
new churches were erected ; and many families removed to it from Mantua. While it was in the possession of the French, Catinot, who was the governor, constructed the citidal, which was reckoned one of the strongest in Italy. It was, however, carried away by the Piedmon tese and Spanish troops in 1695, and all the fortifications were demolished. There now remains only an old castle, where a small garrison might hold out for some hours.
The principal public buildings in Casal are, the the atre, the seminary, the lyceum, the palaces of M. M. Gozzani St George, Gozzani Odalengo, Vincent Ricci, and Roland Dela:mile ; and the churches of St Domi nique and St Philippe. There is a charming promenade from the Marengo gate to that of the Po. The princi pal hotels are, the Hotel Mogul, the Trois Rois, and the Nouveau Puits.
Casal is inhabited by several ancient and illustrious families, some of whom pretend to have their descent even from Numa Pompilius. Population 14,000. East Long. 8° 37', North Lat. 45° 7'. (r)