The treasure of over 2 million euros of the Savoy dynasty was hidden in a religious fraternity near Turin
1,812 valuable documents belonging to the Savoy dynasty were found in the building of the Brotherhood of Mercy in Bra, province of Cuneo, Italian media reported.
A member of the Trampoline Neri fraternity hid thousands of original letters, photos, newspaper clippings and other documents belonging to princes and monarchs in his rooms. And all this – without the knowledge of his brothers from the Brotherhood of Mercy in the Piedmont region. The documents were stolen by unknown individuals for decades and then hidden in the fraternity’s rooms.
According to the Italian authorities, this is a real treasure, valued at least 2 million euros. It was restored by the Carabinieri of the Turin Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. The fraudulent brother from Trampoline Neri will now be brought to justice on charges of concealing stolen property and misappropriation of cultural property.
“For us, this is a wonderful day, because after 10 years we are finally turning a new page. We are closing a chapter that made us experience unpleasant moments “, said in front of” Republika “newspaper arch. Roberta Comoglio, President of the Brotherhood of Mercy of Bra.
According to the Ansa news agency, all the material illegally hidden in the fraternity’s rooms came from the archives of the Savoy dynasty. It has
evidence
for noble titles
and original
photos of
the first king
of united Italy Victor Emmanuel II and his daughter Maria Pia.
Born in Turin in 1820, Victor Emmanuel II was the last king of Sardinia (1849-1861), as well as the Duke of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont and Duke of Genoa. Then, for the first time in history, he became king of a united Italy (1861-1878). He is the maternal great-grandfather of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
That is why in Italy he is called the Father of the Fatherland – so it is defined in the inscription on the Altar of the homeland of Piazza Venezia in Rome, which bears his name – Vitoriano. Victor Emmanuel II once married his cousin Maria Adelaide Habsburg-Lorraine.
The first king of a united Italy began reforms aimed at industrializing the country. The construction of railways and roads begins. On February 3, 1871, a special law declared Rome the capital of a united Italy. After his death in 1878, the first king was buried in the Pantheon in Rome, which became the mausoleum of Italian kings. It is Victor Emmanuel II
inherited from the son
and Umberto I,
great-grandfather
of Simeon
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
In the mountain of valuable documents found near Bra, there are those that came from private archives and bore the autographs of princes and kings of various dynasties in Europe. Among them is the Empress of Russia Catherine the Great.
Curious is the way in which the Italian authorities obtained the illegally “collected” documents in the rooms of the fraternity.
The members of the fraternity themselves were the first to feel that something was wrong. In 2012, it was headed by a new presidency, which began work on describing its archives. The cataloging of the documents owned by the fraternity and the control of their origin began. This led to the disclosure of historical evidence that should not have been owned by Trampoline. The carabinieri and the Service for Supervision of Cultural Values at the Ministry of Culture were notified.
“From a historical point of view, the materials are very valuable. They are of all kinds and have belonged to both public and private archives. That’s why they couldn’t be sold or given away, “said Turin Carabinieri Commander Christian Lo Yakono.
According to him, the “unfaithful” in question
member of
the fraternity,
sheltered
the treasure
was not
religious person,
but he enjoyed great confidence in the interior of the fraternity and its archives. Quite simply, he illegally collected the material and then hid it for “storage” in the rooms of the fraternity. To get to the true origin of the documents, investigators had to dig through many other historical archives.
Now the documents will be returned to their real owners. They will go to the Royal Library and to the State Archives of Turin and to the castle of Racogni near Cuneo.
But what is the Brotherhood of Mercy near the city of Bra? It was founded in 1587 – at the time the permission was given by Duke Carl Emmanuel I. After receiving his authorization from him, the newly founded company sent a request for its canonical recognition to Cardinal Girolamo della Rovere, Archbishop of Turin. And he gave permission for the existence of the fraternity.
What were the functions of this type of formation, existing since the Middle Ages? In principle, they
served for
supporting
the weakest and
in need
people during epidemics or famine. This type of company was engaged in charitable activities and cared for people in need, as social services in the country should do today. The members of the fraternity were also assisted when they found themselves in trouble. In addition to praying, which was done by all fraternities in principle, the members of Trampoline Neri also visited prisons, where they provided spiritual and material assistance to prisoners and their families.
The brothers from the company spiritually accompanied the condemned to death until their last moment, and then took care of their dignified burial according to Christian customs. All this meant expenses. The brothers were financed by the obligatory membership fee in the company, by the donations collected in the churches, by the money left in wills, by the rents collected for the buildings, their property.
Every year on the Friday before Holy Week in Bra, the traditional procession of the fraternity is held.
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