 Although the area was settled in ancient times, the origins of San Donato date back to the 7th century, when a "pieve" was founded here by the army of Grimoald I, Duke of Benevento.After a period under the Milanese family De Advocati, the town was a possession of the archbishops of Milan until the 16th century.A series of abbeys were founded in the area by Bernard of Clairvaux during the 11th century.