Grice e Colonna: l'implicatura conversazionale -- filosofia italiana – Luigi Speranza
(Roma). Filosofo italiano. There is
already an entry for this; in Italian it is ‘Egidio Colonna’ -- giles di roma, Rome, original name, a member
of the order of the Hermits of St. Augustine, he studied arts at Augustinian
house and theology at the varsity in Paris but was censured by the theology
faculty and denied a license to teach as tutor. Owing to the intervention of Pope
Honorius IV, he later returned from Italy to Paris to teach theology, was
appointed general of his order, and became archbishop of Bourges. Colonna both
defends and criticizes views of Aquinas. He held that essence and existence are
really distinct in creatures, but described them as “things”; that prime matter
cannot exist without some substantial form; and, early in his career, that an
eternally created world is possible. He defended only one substantial form in
composites, including man. Grice adds: “Colonna supported Pope Boniface VIII in
his quarrel with Philip IV of Franc eand that was a bad choice.” The Latin is
EGIDIVS COLUMNA. The “Corriere” has an article as his book being a bestseller
of the Low Middle Ages!” Cosnisder the claims here: ‘essence and existence are
really distinct in creatures – and each is a thing – prime matter cannot exist
without substantial forml – eternal and created world is not a contradiction –
there is only ONE substantial form in compostes, including man. Grice: “Must say I LOVE Colonna, or
COLVMNA as the printing goes – of course the “Corriere della Sera” hastens to
add that he wassn’t one! In any case, my favourite of his tracts is of course
the one on Aristotle!”. Egidio Romano, O.E.S.A. arcivescovo della Chiesa cattolica
Filip4 Gilles de RomeEgidio Romano e Filippo il Bello (miniatura di un codice
medievale). Incarichi ricopertiArcivescovo di Bourges Nato Roma
Nominato arcivescovo Roma Manuale Egidio Romano, latinizzato come
Ægidius Romanus. Dopo la sua morte, gli furono tributati i titoli onorifici di
Doctor fundatissimus e Theologorum princeps. Discepolo d'Aquino. Insegna
filosofia. Fu inoltre il tutore di Filippo il Bello al quale dedica il saggio “De
regimine principum”, sostenendo l'efficacia della monarchia come forma di
governo. Considerato tra i più autorevoli filosofi di ispirazione agostiniana,
attivo anche nella vita intellettuale e politica in un contesto culturale ed istituzionale
travagliato da frequenti ed aspre polemiche sul problema del rapporto tra
potere temporale e potere spirituale. Generalmente ricordato, insieme al
prediletto allievo Giacomo da Viterbo, per il contributo nella redazione della
celebre bolla Unam Sanctam di Papa Bonifacio VIII e per il ruolo significativo
che assunse il Maestro degli Eremitani di Sant'Agostino quale autore del De
Ecclesiastica potestate e, dunque, quale teorico famoso e autorevole della
plenitudo potestatis pontificia. In Colonna rileviamo subito una compresenza
del duplice atteggiamento dottrinale e politico. Infatti è possibile
rintracciare, fra le opere giovanili, il “De regimine principum”, saggio
dedicato a Filippo il Bello e di ispirazione aristotelico-tomista inerente alla
naturalità dello stato, erigendola a difensore della potestas regale. Nel “De
Ecclesiastica potestate”, invece, afferma la superiorità del “sacerdotium” rispetto
al “rex” o “regnum”, distinguendosi quale rappresentante della teocrazia
papale. In seguito alle condanne di Tempier, difende la tesi d’Aquino, per
la sua qualifica di Baccalaureus formatus, ma, proprio a causa delle condanne
stesse, viene sospeso dall'insegnamento. Gli avversari del papato trovano in Aristotele
gli strumenti per svolgere un'analisi politica che metta in discussione la
sacralità del potere. Dall'altra parte troviamo l'influenza della corrente
speculativa dell'agostinismo politico (ossia quel fenomeno, tipicamente medioevale,
di compenetrazione fra stato e chiesa, all'interno del quale Agostino viene a
giocare un ruolo fondamentale dal momento che l'apporto teorico del suo “De
Civitate Dei” conduce a confusioni inevitabili fra il piano spirituale della “Civitas
Dei Caelestis” e il piano temporale della vita terrena che è “Civitas Peregrina”),
che ripropone la teoria delle “due città” e riafferma la superiorità del
sacerdotium rispetto al rex e regnum, costituendo un vero e proprio “partito
del Papa”. Rivendica la plenitudo potestatis come proprietà costitutiva
dell'auctoritas del Papa in quanto “homo spiritualis”. Sostituisce al concetto
agostiniano di “ecclesia” quello di “regnum” al fine di estendere gli ambiti
del potere del sovrano ecclesiastico. Il sovrano ecclesiastico, il Papa, dove
esercitare la sua sovranità anche sul potere temporale al fine di garantire
l'ordine mediante una forma di “dominium” che coincide con la sua stessa
missione spirituale. Atre opere: L'edizione critica dell'opera omnia è
stata intrapresa, per Olschki (Aegidii Romani opera omnia, collana Corpus
Philosophorum Medii AeviTesti e Studi), da Punta. “Quaestio de gradibus
formarum” Ottaviano Scoto, Boneto Locatello. “In secundum librum sententiarum
quaestiones” Francesco Ziletti); Opere, Antonio Blado; “In libros De physico
auditu Aristotelis commentaria”; Ottaviano Scoto; Boneto Locatello, “De materia
coeli” Girolamo Duranti, “Quodlibeta”. Silvia
Donati, Studi per una cronologia delle opere di Egidio Romano, “Le opere
prima”; “I commenti aristotelici”, "Documenti e studi sulla tradizione
filosofica medievale", Dizionario biografico degli italiani. DEL GOVERNO
DI SÈ. Del sommo bene. Quale è la maniera di parlare nella scienza de're e de'
principi. Quale è l'ordinanza delle cose che si debbono dire in questo libro. Come
grande utilitate ei re e' principi ånno in udire e in intendere e in sapere
questo libro. Quante maniere sono di vivare e come l'uomo die méttare il
sovrano bene di questa mortal vita in queste maniere di vivere. Com'è grande
utilità e a' re ed ai principi che ellino conoscano il loro fine e'l loro
sovrano bene di questa vita mortale. I re ne i principi, non debbano mettere il
loro sovrano bene in diletto corporale. I re ne i principi non debbono mettere il loro
sovrano bene in avere ricchezze. I re ne
i principi non debbono mettere il loro sovrano bene in avere onori. I re ne i
principi non debbono mettere il loro sovrano bene in avere gloria o gran rinomo
di bontà. Nè i re né i principi non debbono méttare il loro sovrano bene in avere
forza di gente. I re ne i principi debbono méttare el loro sovrano bene nelle
uopere della prudenzia cioé del senno. Come ei re e' principi debbono méttare
el loro sovrano bene nelle opere della prudenza e del. Il prezzo e'l guidardone
dei re e dei principi bene governanti il loro popolo, secondo legge e ragione,
è molto grande. senno. Della virtù. Quante potenze à l’anima e in quali potenze
e la virtù di una buona opera. Come la virtù di una buona opera e divisa nella
volontà e nell’intendimento dell'uomo. Quante virtù di buone opere sono, come
l'uomo die préndare il numero di esse. Delle buone disposizioni che l'uomo à,
alcune sono virtů, alcune sono più degne che virtù, alcune altre sono
apparigliate a virtù. Alcune virtú sono più degne d'alcune altre e più principali.
Che cosa è la virtù dell’uomo ch'è chiamato senno, over prudenza, over sapere.
Ai re ed ai prenzi conviene es sere savi. Quanto e quali cose conviene ai re e
ai prenzi avere acciò che ellino siano savi. Come și re e i prenzi possano fare
loro medesimi savi. Quante maniere sono di drittura ed in che cosa è drittura e
come drittura è divisata dalie altre virtú. Senza drittura e senza iustizia ei
reami non possono durare, nè nulla signoria di città. I re e i prenzi debbono
intendere diligentemente acciò che essi siano dirilturieri e che drittura sia
guardata nelle loro terre. La forza di coraggio e. e quali cose ella die essere,
e come ei re e i prenzi le. possono avere. Quante maniere sono di forza e secondo
la quale ei re e i prenzi debbono essere forti. Che cosa è la virtù che l'uomo
chiama temperanza e in quali cose quella virtù die essere, quante parti a la
temperanza, come noi la potemo acquistare. Ched elli é più disconvenevole cosa
che l’uomo sia distemperato in seguire LI DILETTI DEL CORPO che in essere
paurioso. Il principe debbe essere temperato nel diletto di suo corpo. La virtù
che l'uomo chiama larghezza e'n quale cose cotale virtù de' essere, e come noi
la potemo acquistare. Che a pena può essere el re o'l prenze folle largo e come
è troppo sconvenevole' cosa che essi sieno avari e ch'ellino debbono essere
larghi e liberali. Che cosa è una virtù che l’uomo cjiama magnificenzia e'n
quali cose quella virtù die essere, e come noi potemo avere quella virtù. Come
è cosa isconvenevole che i re e i prenzi sieno di piccola dispesa e di poco
affare, e che maggiormente s'avviene a loro essere di grande spese e di grande
affare. Che condizioni à l'uomo che è di grande spesa e di grande affare, e che
conviene maggior mente averle ai re ed ai prenzi. Che cosa è una virtù che
l'uomo chiama magnanimità, cioè a dire virtù di grand'animo e in quali cose
quella virtù di essere e come noi potemo essere di gran cuore. Quante
condizioni à l'uomo che è di gran cuore, e che maggiormente si conviene ai
prenzi d'averle. Come ei re e i prenzi debbono amare onore, o quale è la virtù
che l'uomo chiama virtù d'amare opore. 68 Cap. XXV. Ca insegna che amare onore
ed èssare umile possono essere insieme e che quelli che è di gran cuore e di
grande animo non può essere senza umiltà. Che cosa é umiltà de la quale il
filosafo parla e in quali cose ella die essere e che maggiormente conviene ai re
ed ai prenzi essere umili. Che cosa è la virtù che l'uomo chiama dibuonairetà,
ed in che cose la buonairetà die essere e che conviene ai re ed a i prenzi
essere dibonarie. Che cosa è una virtù che l'uomo chiama piacevolezza, cioè di
sapere CONVERSARE PIACEVOLMENTE e in che cose la detta virtù die essere e che
si conviene che i re e i preozi sieno piacevoli. Che cosa è verità e in che
cosa ella die essere usata e come si conviene al principe ch'esse sia veritiero
o sincero. Che cosa è una virtù che l'uomo chiama sollazzevole, quasi dica di
sapere sollazzare, e di essere allegro e gioioso, là ' ve si conviene, e per la
quale ' l'uomo si sa avvenevolmente rallegrare nei sollazzi, come ei re e i
prenzi debbono essere allegri e sollazze voli. Conviene al principe avere tutte
le virtù, perciò che perfettamente l’uomo non ne può avere una senza le altre.
Quante maniere sono di buoni e adi malvagi uomini e quale maniera di bontà ei
re e i prenzi debbono avere. Delle passione. Quanti movimenti d'animo sono e
donde essi vengono. Quali movimenti d'animo sono principali che gli altri e
come essi sono ordinate. Come il principe debbe amare e quali cose debbe amare.
Come il principle debbe desiderare e che cosa debbe desiderare. Come ei re e i
prenzi si debbono portare ayvenevolmente in isperare e in disperare. Come
avvenevolmente ei re si debbono portare in avere ardimento. Che differenza elli
à intra corruccio e odio, e come ei te e i prenzi si debbono avvene volmente
contenere nei corrucci e ne le di bonarietà. Come ei re e i prenzi si deb bono ayvenevolmente
avere nei diletti. Come alcuni movimenti d'animo sono mantenuti e ritornano ad
alcuni altri movimenti. Ched ei movimenti dell'animo alcuni sono da biasmare ed
alcuni sono da lodare e come ei re e i prenzi si debbono conferire nei movimenti
detti dinanzi. Della costume. Quale costume e quale maniere de giovani uomini
fanno da lodare, e come il principe debbe avere essa costume ed essa maniera. Quali
costumi e quali maniere dei giovani uomini fanno da biasmare, e come ei.re e i
prenzi debbono ischiſare cotali maniere e cotali co stumi. Quali costumi e
quali maniere dei uomini fanno da biasmare, come ei re e i prenzi ei debbono
ischifare. Quali costumi e quali maniere dei uomini fanno da lodare. Che
costume e che maniera ha il gentile uomo, e come il principe debbe avere. Che
costumi e che maniere anno l’uomo ricco e come ei re e i prenzi ei debbono. Che
modi e che maniere ánno coloro che sono possenti ed anno signorie, e come li re
e li principi si debbono avere in verso la gente convenevolmente. Avere. DEL
GOVERNO DELLA FAMIGLIA. Della moglie. L'uomo die naturalmente vivare in
compagnia, e che i re i prenzi il debbono sapere. Che, acciò che la casa sia
perfetta, si vi conviene avere quattro maniere di persone, e come e' conviene
questo secondo libro divisare in tre parti. Quella casa è perfetta ove v'à
assembramento di un uomo e di una femmina, un figliuolo, e servi. L'uomo naturalmente
si die ammogliare e che quelli che non vogliono vivare in matrimonio, o elli
posono bestia, o ellino sono migliori che l’uomo. Ciascuno uomo e ciascuna femmina,
e medesimamente ei re e i prenzi che sono ammogliati, si debbono tenere in
matrimonio senza partirsi o senza divídarsi. A ciascun uomo die bastare una femmina,
e che i re e i prenzi e ciascun altro uomo si die tenere appagato a una
femmina. Un uomo die bastare a una femmina, e che una femmina si die chiamare
contenta d'un uomo. L’uomo non die prendare moglie la quale sia troppo presso a
lui di parentato o di lignaggio. Come le moglie dei re e dei prenzi e di
ciascuno altro uomo debbono avere abbondanza di beni temporali. Come nè i re né
i prenzi, nė cia scuno altro uomo non debbe chiėdare solamente ei beni
temporali delle loro mogli ma anco ei beni del CORPO e quelli dell'anima, e ciò
e il bello e il casto. L’uomo non die governare nė tenere la moglie nella
maniera ch'elli die tenere e governare il suo figliuolo. L’uomo non die tenere
nė governare la moglie nella manera che l'uomo die tenere e governare e fanti.
Che elli non si conviene nė ai re nè ai prenzi ned a nessuno altro uomo,
ch'ellino usino il matrimonio in troppo giovano tempo. L’uomo die piuttosto
fare l'opera del matrimonio nel verno che nella state. Come alcune cose sono
nelle femmine che sono da biasmare. Come ei re e i prenzi e ciascuno altro uomo
die avvenevolmente governare e addrizzare la moglie. Come gli uomini si debbono
portare con le loro mogli. Come la femmina maritata deb bono convenevolmente
adornare il loro corpo. Né I re ne i prenzi, nė li altri uomini, non debbano
essere troppo gelosi delle loro mogli. Che cosa è ' l consiglio della femmina,
e che 'l suo consiglio l'uomo non die credere se non in alcun tempo. Com’l’uomo
non debbe dire il suo secreto alla sua moglie. Dei figli. Il padre die essere
curioso di guardare il suo figliuolo. Che ciò s'avviene maggiormente ai re ed
ai prenzi, cioè ch'ellino sieno guardatori e curiosi dei loro figliuoli. Il padre
governa il suo figliuolo per L’AMORE ch'elli à in lui. L’AMORE NATURALE il
quale die essere da padre a figliuolo prova sufficientemente che il padre debbe
governare i suo figliuolo e il figliuolo debbe ubbidire il padre. Nel quale
dice che i re e i prenzi e ciascuno altro uomo debbono da gioventudine
insegnare la fede ai loro figliuoli. I re e i prenzi e ciascuno altro uomo
debbono da gioventudine insegnare ed appréndare ei buoni costumi e le buone
maniere ai loro figliuoli. Il figliuolo del gentile uomo debbe apprendere le
scienze della chericia, ciò sono, morali, naturali e matematice. Quale arte il
figliuolo di un gentile uomini debbe apprendere. Quale die ėssare il tutore del
figliuolo di un gentile uomo. Il padre die insegnare al suo fanciullo a parlare
e a vedere ed a udire. In quante maniere l'uomo puó peccare in mangiare e come
il garzone si debbe contenere. Come il padre die insegnare al suo fanciullo
acciò che si sappiano portar avvenevolmente nel bere e ne' diletto della
femmina. Come il garzone si debbe contenere nel diletto del corpo. Come in
giovanezza l'uomo die schifare le malvagie compagnie. Che guardia l’uomo die
avere de' figliuoli da che sono nati, insino a’ sette anni. Che guardia l'uomo
die avere de' fanciulli da sette anni fino a quattordici. Che guardia l'uomo
die avere del figliuolo da quattordici anni innanzi. Che il padre non die
insegnare al figliuolo uno medesimo travaglio di corpo. Della casa e dei servi.
L'uomo die diterminare e parlare delle cose donde la vita umana può esser
sostenuta, volendo governare la sua famiglia e la sua casa. Il casino della
villa del’uomo, die esser fatto sottilmente ed in buon áire. Il casamento dei
re e dei prenzi, e di ciascuno altro uomo, die esser fatto in luogo dove abbia
abbondanza di buona acqua e di chiara. Naturalmente l’uomo die avere
possessione in alcun modo e che quellino che rifiutano le possessioni, non
vivono come uomini, anzi sono migliori che uomo. Elli è grande utilità alla
vita umana, che l'uomo possa vivare della sua propria ricchezza. Come l'uomo
die usare dei beni temporali, e quale maniera di vivare è buona e onesta. Nel
quale dice che ciascuno uomo, e medesimamente ei re ei prenzi, non debbono
desiderare troppo grande abbondanza di ricchezze ne di possessioni. Quante
maniere elli sono di vendere e di comperare e perchè ei denari fuoro prima
mente fatti e trovati. L'usura è generalmente malvagia, e ch'ei re ed i prenzi
la debbono difendare ch’ella non sia fatta nella loro terra. Nel quale dice
ch’ei sono diverse maniere di guadagnare denari e che alcuna di queste maniere
è avve nevole ai re ed ai prenzi. Alcuna gente è serva per natura e ch'elli è
loro utilità ch'ellino sieno suggetti ad altrui. Nel quale dice che alcune
genti che sono servi per natura e per legge. Nel quale dice ch’ellino sono
alcune genti le quali sono serve per prezzo ed alcuna gente che servono per
l’amore ch’elli ánno ai suo signore. L'uomo die dare gli ufici ai suoi fanti
nelle case dei re e dei prenzi. Come ei re e i prenzi debbono provvedere ai
loro sergenti robe e vestimento. Che cosa é cortesia e ched e' conviene ai
fanti dei re e dei prenzi ched ellino sia cortese Nel quale dice come ei re e i
prenzi si debbono contenere inverso ei loro sergenti. Che quelli che servono e
quelli che mangiano alla tavola dei re e dei prenzi, e generalmente che il
gentile uomo non debbe molto favellare. DEL GOVERNO CIVILE. Detti dei filosofi
nel governamento delle città. Nel quale dice che la villa e ordinata e stabilita
per alcuno bene. Fu grande utilità alla vita umana che colla comunità della
villa e delle città, li uomini ordinassero la comunità del reame. Nel quale
dice ceme Platone e Socrate dissero che l’uomo dovea ordinare e governare le città.
Nel quale insegna che i re e i prenzi debbono sapere che tutte le cose non
debbono essere COMUNE siccome Platone e Socrate dissero. Nel quale dice quanti
mali avverrebbero se il figliouolo fusse comune. Nel quale dice come la possessione
debbe essere proprie, e come debbono essere comuni, secondo l'utilità delle
ville e delle città. I re ei prenzi non debbono sofferire che una medesima
gente duri sempre in una medesima signoria. Nel quale dice che l'uomo non die
cosi ordinare la città come Socrate disse, che dovieno essere ordinate. Come
l'uomo può trarre a buono intendimento le parole che Socrate disse, al governa mento
delle città. Come un filósafo, ch'ebbe nome Fal lea, disse, che l'uomo dovea ordinare
le città. Le possessioni non debbono essere eguali, siccome disse Fallea. Come
quelli che signoreggia alcuna città, elli die più principalmente intendare a
cessare le malvagie volontà e i malvagi desideri e convoitigine, ched elli non
die intendere a cessare la disuguaglianza delle possessiono. Nel quale dice,
come un filósafo ch'ebbe nome Ippodamo, disse che l’uomo dovea ordinare le
città. Nel quale dice quali cose sono da riprendare in quello che Ippodamo
disse del governamento della comunità. Della migliore maniera di governare le
città. Il quale insegna come l’uomo die governare le città in tempo di pace, e
quante cose l’uomo die guardare in cotale governamento. Quante maniere sono di
signorie e quali sono buone e quali sono rie. Ched o' val meglio che le città e
' rea mi sieno governati e retti per un solo uomo che per molti e che quest' è
la migliore signoria che sia quando un solo uomo signoreggia ed elli intende il
bene comune. Nel quale dice per quali ragioni alcuna gente volsero provare ched
e’ valeva meglio che le terre e le città fossero governale per molti uomini che
per un solo e dice in questo capitolo ciò che si die rispóndare a cotali
ragioni. Ched e' val meglio che le terre e le signorie e' reami vadano per redità
per successione DEL FIGLIOUOLO che per elezione. Nel quale dice quali sono le
cose ne le quali il re die sormontare gli altri, e che diversità elli à intra'l
re 'e'l tiranno. Nel quale dice che la signoria del tiranno è la peggiore
signoria che sia e che i re ei prenzi si debbono molto guardare ch'ellino non
sieno tiranni. Quale dia esser l'ufficio dei re e dei prenzi, e com’essi si
debbono contenere in governare le loro città e i loro reami. Quali sono le cose
che’ l buono re die fare, le quali il tiranno mostra di fare ma non le fa nèmica.
Nel quale dice per quante cautele il tiranno si sforza di guardare sė ne la sua
signoria. Ched elli è molto isconvenevole cosa ai re ed ai prenzi ched ellino
sieno tiranni, perciò che tutte le malizie che sono nell’altre malvagie
signorie, sono ne là signoria del tiranno. Nel quale dice che i re e i prenzi
debbono molto ischifare la compagnia del tiranno, perciò che per molte cose ei
soggetti aguaitano ed assaliscono il loro signore quand’elli é tiranno. Nel
quale dice quali cose guardano e salvano la signoria del re e ched e'conviene
fare al re sed e' si vuole guardare ne la sua signoria e nel suo reame. Quali
cose fanno a consigliare e di quali l'uomo die avere consiglio. Nel quale dice
che cosa è consiglio, e come l'uomo die fare ei consigli. Nel quale dice che
consiglieri ei re e i preozi debbono avere ai loro consigli. Nel quale dice
quante cose conviene sapere a quellino che consigliano ei re e i prenzi e in
quali cose l’uomo die préndare consiglio. Nel quale dice che tutte le cose
donde l’uomo giudica, l'uomo die giudicare secondo le leggi e che l’uomo die
fare pochi giudicamenti e dare poche sentenze per arbitrio o per credenza. Nel
quale dice come l’uomo dic fare ei giudicamenti: e ch’e giudici debbono vetare
che li uomini che piateggiano non dicano parole dinanzi al giudice che’l possa
muovere ad amore nè ad odio contra ad alcuna de le parti. Nel quale dice quante
cose conviene avere a’giudicatori a ciò ch’ellino giudichino bene e
drittamente. Nel quale dice quante e quali cose conviene riguardare al giudice,
acciò ch’elli perdoni e sia più di buonarie che crudele. Nel quale dice ched e’
sono diverse maniere di leggi e diverse maniere di giustizia e che al dritto
natu rale ed al diritto iscritto tutti gli altri dritti sono ridotti e
ramenali. Quali debbono esser le leggi umane e ched elli fu grande utilità ai
reami ed a le città a fare cotali leggi. Nel quale dice che ciascuno non die némica
istabilire nė ordinare le leggi; e ched e' conviene che le leggi sieno
publicate é fạtte sapere acciò ch’ell’abbiano forza d’obbligare le genti. Quante
opere e quali le leggi ch'ei re e i prenzi istabiliscono ed ordinano, debbono contenere.
Nel quale dice quale vale meglio o che le città o i reami sieno governati per
un buono re o per una buona legge. Nel quale dice che co la legge naturale e co
la legge iscritta e' conviene che l’uomo abbia la legge di Dio e la legge del
Vangelo. Come l’uomo può, si die guardare le leggi del paese e ch'elli non è
utile ch'elle si rimutino ispesso. Nel quale dice che cosa è città e che cosa è
reame e chénte die essere il popolo ch’è ne le città e ne' reami. Nel quale
dice che allora è la città e’l reame trasbuono e 'l popolo trasbuono, quand’elli
v’à molte di mezzane persone. Nel quale dice ched elli é grande utilità al
popolo di portare grande riverenza al prenze ed al signore e ched ellino
guardino diligentemente le leggi che i re e i prenzi ánno ordinate. Come il
popolo e generalmente tutti quelli che dimorano nel reame, si debbono mante
nere saviamente, acciò che’l re o’l prenze non abbia corruccio nė odio contra
loro. Come ei re ei prenzi si deb bono mantenere, acciò ch'ellino sieno amati e
temuti dal lor popolo. Ed insegna questo capitolo che tutto debbiano ei re ei
prenzi esser amati e temuti dal lor popolo, ellino debbono maggiormente volere
essere amati che temuti. Del governo in tempo di guerra. Che cosa è cavalleria e
da ch'ella é ordinate. Nel quale insegna in quale terra sono e’migliori
combattieri e quali l’uomo die iscegliere per combattere dell’uomini che
debbono andare a la battaglia. In quale tempo l'uomo die acco stumare il
fanciullo all' opere dela battaglia e per quali segni l'uomo può conosciare ei
migliori battaglieri. Nel quale insegna quante cose e quali e' conviene avere
a' buoni battaglieri, acciò ch'ellino si combattano bene e giustamente. Nel
quale insegna quali sono migliori battaglieri o i gentili uomini, oi villani, o
quellino che nel campo dimorano, ciò sono ei lavoratori. Nel quale insegna
ch’elli è grande utilità ai baltaglieri chedellino sieno bene esercitati
all'arme; e che l’uomo die ei battallieri apprendare a correre ed a saltare ed
andare ordinatamente. Nel quate insegna ched e’si conviene appréndare ai
battaglieri molte altre cose che quelle che sono dette, cioè a córrare ed
assaltare ed andare ordinatamente. Nel quale insegna che l’uomo die fare nell’oste
fossati e castelli. Ed insegna questo capitolo come l’uomo die fare ei castelli
e quante cose l’uomo die guardare in farli. Nel quale dice quante cose l’uomo
die guardare quand’elli vuole o die imprèndare battaglia comune. Nel quale dice
ch’elli è grande utilità ne le battaglie di portare bandiere e gonfaloni: e che
l’uomo die ordinare capitano e maggiore a ciascuna ischiera. E so - nemici migliantemente
questo capitolo insegna quali debbono essere e banderari e i capitani di quelli
a piè e di quelli a cavallo. Nel quale dice che avvedimenti die avere e che die
fare il signore dell’oste acciò che la sua gente non possa essere gravata dai
nemici per la via. Nelquale dice come l’uomo die ordinare le schiere e le
battaglie, quando l’uomo si die combattere contra I Nel quale insegna che
l'uomo die ferire il suo nemico nello battaglia di puntone e non di ramata. Nel
quale dice quante cose fanno gli avversari più forte che quelli dell’oste é
come l’uomo die assalire ei suoi nemici. Nel quale insegna come ei battallieri
si debbono tenere quando vogliono ferire ei loro nemici, e com’ellino ei
debbono inchinare e come l'uomo si die trarre in drieto quando la battaglia non
porta utilità. Nel quale insegna quante maniere ei sono di battaglie; e in
quanti modi l’uomo può prendare le città e le castella ed in che tempo l’uomo
le die assediare. Come quelli dell'oste si debbono fornire e come l'uomo può
vénciare le castella per cava. Come per l’ingegni del legno che l'uomo può
menare al muro del castello, l’uomo lo può prendare. Come l’uomo può e die
edificare le castella acciò ch'elle non sieno leggermente prese ně come l'uomo
può e die guérnire le castella acciò ch'elle non possano esser prese. Nel quale
dice come quelli che sono nel castello assiso possono e debbonsi difendersi da
la cava e dai tra bocchi e dalli altri ingegni che quellino dell'oste vi fanno.
Come l'uomo die fare le navi, e come l'uomo si die combattere nell'acqua o nel
mare, da che cosa tutte le battaglie debbono essere ordinate assediate. Che
cosa è una virtù che l’uomo chia ma piacevolezza, cioè di sapere CONVERSARE
piacevolmente con le genti, e in che cose la detta virtù die essere, e che si
conviene che i re e i prenzi sieno piacevoli. Appresso ciò che noi avemo detto
che cosa è debonarietà, noi diremo d’un'altra virtù, che l’uomo chiama
piacevolezza. E dovemo sapere che le opere e le parole dell'uomo sono ordinate
a tre cose, si come ad avere piacevolezza e verità, ed avere diletti e giuochi
nei solazzi e nelle allegrezze. LA PRIMA RAGIONE: E la piacevolezza si è, in SAPERE
BENE CONVERSARE, unde quelli che sa onorare e riverire gli uomini convene
volmente e secondo ragione, si à la virtù della piacevolezza. La SECONDA
ragione si è, che le opere e le parole dell’uomo sono ordinate sie a verità
che, per le opere e per le parole dell'uomo può l'altro uomo conosciare chi egli
è (“Conversation maketh the man”). Donde, verità non è altro se non che l'uomo
non sia vantatore e che nè per parole nè per fatti elli non dimostri maggior
cosa in lui che vi sia, nè che l'uomo non si faccia ispiacevole nè per parole
nè per fatti oltre quello che ragione insegna, perchè elli sia gabbato ne
dispregiato. La TERZA RAGIONE a che l'opere e le parole dell'uomo sono
ordinate, si è, acciò che l'uomo sia sollazzevole convenevolmente, e si sappia
bene portare nei giochi, e nelle allegrezze e nei sollazzi. Donde, se l'uomo
vuole CONVENEVOMENTE CONVERSARE e' die essere giochevole e piace vole e
veritiere. E di queste tre virtù noi diremo partitamente, ma prima diremo della
piacevolezza. E dovemo sapere che, NEL CONVERSARE, alcuni si mostrano troppo
piacevoli, si come sono e lusinghieri, e quelli che’n ogne cosa vogliono
piacere altrui, che acciò che piacciano altrui, si lo dano tutti ei fatti è
tutti ei detti di ciascuno uomo. E alcuni sono, che anno troppo gran difalta
NEL CONVERSARE co le genti, si come sono ei malvagi e quellino che sono
battaglieri, e tenzonieri; e questi fanno contra a ragione. Chè neuno die
volere essere si piacevole nè si compagnevole, ch’elli ne do venti o ne sia
lusinghieri, e piacere a tutti gli uomini, nė neuno die essere si pieno di
contenzione e di noia, che li con venga cessare della compagnia delli uomini, ma
quelli è da lodare che si sa mezzanamente portare e secondo ragione, nel
CONVERSARE. Donde la virtù che l’uomo chiama piacevolezza cessa la contenzione
dell'uomo e tempera il lusingare, e quello per lo quale l'uomo vuole a tutti
gli uomini piacere. E perciò che l'uomo è per natura compagnevole, si come dice
il filosafo, si conviene dare una virtù per la quale ne le parole e nei fatti
sappia CONVERSARE COOPERATIVAMENTE E convenevolmente e secondo ragione. E
questa virtù che l'uomo chiama piacevolezza, tutto sie cosa che, tutti quelli
che vogliono essere piacevoli e vivare in cooperazione, compagnia ed in
comunità con l’altro, conviene ch'elli abbiano, acciò che siamo cortesi e
piacevoli, non perciò debbiamo essere si cortesi ne si piacevoli ad uno come un
altro: chè la dritta ragione insegna, che, secondo la diversità dei due
conversatori, l'uomo si die portare in maniera appropriata con l’altro. E
perciò che troppa amistà e troppa gran compagnia mostrare ad ogni uomo fa
l’uomo ispiacevole e vile; il gentile uomo si debbe più alteramente contenere
che l’altro, acció che l'uomo lor porti più onore e più reverenza, e che la dignità
de la loro grandezza non sia abbassata nè avvilata. Donde il filosafo dice che
i re e i prenzi debbono mostrare ch’ellino sieno persone degne d’onore e di
reverenza. Chè si come noi vedemo che alcuna vianda fuôra soperchio a uno
infermo che non basterebbe ad uno sano, cosi è nell'essere piacevole e cortese,
che alcuna piacevolezza s’aviene a’re secondo ragione, che non s’aviene cosi ad
un’altra persona comune. L’Enciclopedia italiana cura l’edizione critica del
“Il regime del principe”, testimoniato
da nove manoscritti, tra cui il codice della Biblioteca di Firenze (sig, che si
distingue sia per motivi cronologici (nell’explicit reca la data) sia per la
veste linguistica, in prevalenza senese, verosimilmente molto vicina a quella
dell’originale, ciò che lo rende un documento di lingua privilegiato rispetto
alle coeve attestazioni di varietà toscane non fiorentine tra fine Due- e
inizio Trecento. L’opera discende dal “Il regime del principe”, composto da
Colonna filosofo tra i più autorevoli della sua epoca, nato a Roma. Dedicato a
un principe, di cui Colonna fu tutore e ispirato alla Retorica, la Etica, e la
Politica di Aristotele, esuddiviso in tre libri concernenti la “morale», ossia
l’etica (disciplina dell’individuo), l’oeconomia (della casa), e la politica
(della città o reame o villa) - è il più corposo trattato basso-medievale sul
regime del ‘gentile uomo’ ed ebbe non solo una straordinaria fortuna in Italia
fino a tutto il XV secolo come elogio della cavalleria. Esercita una notevole
influenza sul Convivio, sul “De vulgari eloquentia” e sulla “Monarchia” di
Alighieri. “E lasciando lo figurato che di questo diverso processo dell’etadi
tiene Virgilio nello Eneida, e lasciando stare quello che Egidio eremita [il
filosofo appartenne all’Ordine degli Eremitani di Sant’Agostino ne dice nella
prima parte dello Regime del Gentile Uomo. L’ampia Introduzione, oltre a
tracciare il profilo biografico di Egidio illustrando contenuto, fonti e storia
della ricezione del suo capolavoro, esamina nei dettagli il debito di Alighieri,
la fortuna figurative o iconografica del trattato (l’affresco giottesco della
Cappella degli Scrovegni di Padova, precisamente nella Virtù; l’Allegoria ed Effetti
del Buono Governo realizzata da Lorenzetti a Siena, specie nella particolare
raffigurazione della giustizia commutativa e la giustizia distributiva alla
sinistra dell’affresco -- i rapporti tra il De regime e il Livre dou
gouvernement (una drastica riduzione non sempre perspicua, di cui sono noti
trentasei manoscritti) e tra questo e il Livro del governamento, la prima
traduzione, pur parziale, di opere che solo successivamente furono volgarizzate
nella loro interezza, ad opera di un anonimo senese, come avevano già
ipotizzato, tra gli altri, Segre e Castellani. Inoltre si auspica - e intanto
s’imposta in modo acuto e pregnante - un commento dedicato alle fonti del
“Regime”, ormai indispensabile alla luce della ri-valutazione della filosofia
nel vernacolare tra Medioevo e Rinascimento portata avanti dalla bibliografia
più recente. Grazie infatti agli studi degli ultimi due decenni, siamo oggi più
informati sui modi in cui la cultura vernacolare interagì con quella antica,
bolognese, tradizionalmente ritenuta ‘più alta’, e sul diverso pubblico,
dichiarato o reale, cui si indirizzava la trattatistica filosofica dei secoli
dal XIII-XIV in avanti. Infine, si passano in rassegna le altre versioni del De
regimine (quella senese è bensì la più antica, ma non l’unica: se ne conoscono
almeno altre cinque). Nella parte prima della Nota al testo si dà conto
della tradizione manoscritta dei testimoni completi e dei testimoni parziali
(descrizione esterna, descrizione interna, bibliografia), offrendo dati
preziosi sulla tradizione a stampa del De regimine e sulle edizioni del
Governamento. Nella parte seconda si indicano i criterî di edizione e gli usi
del copista. L’appendice prima alla Nota al testo raccoglie le aggiunte
inter-lineari e marginali al Governamento del manoscrito fiorentino, mentre in
una seconda appendice si riportano alcune annotazioni sulle relazioni fra i
testimoni del Governamento. La prima e fondamentale caratteristica della tradizione
è che tutti i mss. paiono al tempo stesso testimoni molto vicini tra loro tanto
che è dimostrabile la presenza di un archetipo a monte della tradizione, ma non
per questo facilmente classificabili nei loro rapporti reciproci,
principalmente perché spesso contaminati dal ricorso alla versione nella lingua
antica. Il secondo volume è interamente dedicato allo spoglio linguistico
sistematico sull’intero testo, tendente per quanto possibile «all’esaustività
delle allegazioni per ciascuna forma»: grafia, fonetica, morfologia,
sintassi. Chiudono il volume un ricco repertorio bibliografico e
gl’indici onomastico, toponomastico, dei nomi e dei manoscritti. Grice: “Poor Ockham is known as Ockham – god knows,
but he is not telling, what his surname was, if any! On the other hand, the
rather pompous Romans have Egidio as a ‘Colonna,’ even if, as the Treccani notes, ‘the links with the
Roman family are unclear’!” -- Romano: Egidio Romano, arcivescovo della Chiesa cattolica Filip4
Gilles de RomeEgidio Romano e Filippo il Bello (miniatura di un codice
medievale). Template-Archbishop.svg Incarichi ricopertiArcivescovo
di Bourges Roma Nominato arcivescovo25 aprile 1295 Deceduto22 dicembre
1316, Roma. Egidio Romano, latinizzato come Ægidius Romanus, indicato anche
come Egidio Colonna (Roma), filosofo. Generale dell'Ordine di Sant'Agostino.
Dopo la sua morte, gli furono tributati i titoli onorifici di Doctor
fundatissimus e Theologorum princeps. Fu discepolo di San Tommaso
d'Aquino all'Parigi, dove più tardi insegnò, prima di diventare generale degli
agostiniani e arcivescovo di Bourges (1295). Fu inoltre il precettore di
Filippo il Bello per il quale scrisse il trattato De regimine principum,
sostenendo l'efficacia della monarchia come forma di governo. -- è considerato tra i più autorevoli teologi di
ispirazione agostiniana, attivo anche nella vita intellettuale e politica in un
contesto culturale ed istituzionale travagliato da frequenti ed aspre polemiche
sul problema del rapporto tra potere temporale e potere spirituale. Questo
filosofo è generalmente ricordato, insieme al prediletto allievo Giacomo da
Viterbo, per il contributo nella redazione della celebre bolla Unam Sanctam del
1302 di Papa Bonifacio VIII e per il ruolo significativo che assunse il Maestro
degli Eremitani di Sant'Agostino quale autore del De Ecclesiastica potestate e,
dunque, quale teorico famoso e autorevole della plenitudo potestatis
pontificia. In Egidio Romano rileviamo subito una compresenza del duplice
atteggiamento dottrinale e politico; infatti è possibile rintracciare, fra le
opere giovanili, il De regimine principum, opera scritta per Filippo il Bello e
di ispirazione aristotelico-tomista inerente alla naturalità dello Stato,
erigendola a difensore della potestas regale. Nel De Ecclesiastica potestate,
invece, Egidio Romano afferma la superiorità del sacerdotium rispetto al
regnum, distinguendosi quale rappresentante della teocrazia papale.
La riscoperta di Aristotele e l'agostinismo politico In seguito alle condanne
di Étienne Tempier. Colonna difende la tesi di Tommaso, per la sua qualifica di
Baccalaureus formatus, ma, proprio a causa delle condanne stesse, viene sospeso
dall'insegnamento. In quegli anni, gli avversari del papato trovano nel
pensiero di Aristotele gli strumenti per svolgere un'analisi politica che metta
in discussione la sacralità del potere. Dall'altra parte troviamo l'influenza
della corrente speculativa dell'agostinismo politico (ossia quel fenomeno,
tipicamente medioevale, di compenetrazione fra Stato e Chiesa, all'interno del
quale Agostino viene a giocare un ruolo fondamentale dal momento che l'apporto
teorico del suo De Civitate Dei conduce a confusioni inevitabili fra il piano
spirituale della Civitas Dei Caelestis e il piano temporale della vita terrena
che è Civitas Peregrina), che ripropone la teoria delle “due città” e riafferma
la superiorità del sacerdotium rispetto al regnum, costituendo un vero e
proprio “partito del Papa”. Egidio rivendica la Plenitudo potestatis come
proprietà costitutiva dell'auctoritas del Papa in quanto homo spiritualis.
Egidio sostituisce al concetto agostiniano di ecclesia, quello di regnum al
fine di estendere gli ambiti del potere del sovrano ecclesiastico. Il sovrano
ecclesiastico (il Papa) dovrebbe esercitare la sua sovranità anche sul potere
temporale al fine di garantire l'ordine mediante una forma di dominium che
coincida con la sua stessa missione spirituale. Opere:Frontespizio delle
In secundum librum sententiarum quaestiones L'edizione critica dell'opera omnia
è stata intrapresa, per Leo S. Olschki, (Aegidii Romani opera omnia, collana
Corpus Philosophorum Medii AeviTesti e Studi), dal gruppo di ricerca di
Francesco Del Punta. Quaestio de
gradibus formarum, Ottaviano Scoto (eredi), Boneto Locatello, 1502. In secundum librum sententiarum
quaestiones, 1, Francesco Ziletti,
1581. In secundum librum sententiarum
quaestiones, 2, Francesco Ziletti,
Opere, Antonio Blado, In libros De physico auditu Aristotelis commentaria,
Ottaviano Scoto (eredi), Boneto Locatello, 1502. De materia coeli, Girolamo Duranti,
Quodlibeta, Domenico de Lapi. TreccaniEnciclopedie on line, Istituto
dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. 3 dicembre. Roberto Lambertini, Giles of Rome, in
Edward N. Zalta, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Center for the Study of
Language and Information (CSLI), Stanford,.
Charles F. Briggs e Peter S. Eardley, A Companion to Giles of Rome,
Leiden, Brill,. Silvia Donati, Studi per una cronologia delle opere di Egidio
Romano: I. Le opere prima: I commenti aristotelici. "Documenti e studi
sulla tradizione filosofica medievale", Gian Carlo Garfagnini, Egidio
Romano, in Il contributo italiano alla storia del Pensiero: Filosofia, Istituto
dell'Enciclopedia Italiana,. Francesco Del Punta-S. Donati-C. Luna, Egidio
Romano, in Dizionario biografico degli italiani, Roma, Istituto
dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. Filippo Cancelli, Egidio Romano, in Enciclopedia
dantesca, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, Papa Bonifacio VIII Teocrazia
Altri progetti Collabora a Wikisource Wikisource contiene una pagina dedicata a
Egidio Romano Collabora a Wikiquote Citazionio su Egidio Romano Collabora a
Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons contiene immagini o altri file su Egidio
Romano Egidio Romano, su TreccaniEnciclopedie
on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana.
Ugo Mariani, Egidio Romano, in Enciclopedia Italiana, Istituto
dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. Egidio Romano, su Enciclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. su ALCUIN, Ratisbona. Opere di Egidio Romano, su openMLOL, Horizons
Unlimited srl. su Egidio Romano, su Les Archives de littérature du Moyen Âge.
Egidio Romano, in Catholic Encyclopedia, Robert Appleton Company. David M.
Cheney, Egidio Romano, in Catholic Hierarchy. Roberto Lambertini, Giles of
Rome, in Edward N. Zalta, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Center for the
Study of Language and Information (CSLI), Stanford. Biografia a cura
dell'associazione storico-culturale S. Agostino, su cassiciaco. Predecessore
Arcivescovo metropolita di BourgesSuccessoreArchbishopPallium PioM.svg Simone
di Beaulie u25 aprile 1295 22 dicembre 1316 Raynaud de La Porte. NUMISMATIC
NOTES AND MONOGRAPHS. ITALIAN ORDERS OF CHIVALRY AND MEDALS OF
HONOUR By HARROLD E. GILLINGHAM THENUMISMATIC
SOCIETY Wonr nl PUBLICATIONS
The American Journal of Numismatics, 1866-1920.
Monthly, May, 1866—April, 1870. Quarterly, July,
1870—October, 1912. Annually, 1913-1920. With many
plates, illustrations, maps and tables. Less than a dozen complete sets
of the Journal remain on hand. Prices on application. The numbers
necessary to complete broken sets may in most cases be obtained. An
index to the first fifty vol¬ umes has been issued as part of
Volume LI. It may also be purchased separately for $3.00.
The American Numismatic Society. Catalogue of the International
Exhibition of Contem¬ porary Medals. March, 1910. New and revised
edition. New York. 1911. xxxvi, 412 pages, 512 illustrations.
$10.00. The American Numismatic Society. Exhibi¬ tion of
United States and Colonial Coins. 1914. vii, 134 pages, 40 plates. NUMISMATIC
NOTES & MONOGRAPHS Numismatic Notes and Monographs
is devoted to essays and treatises on sub¬ jects relating to coins, paper
money, medals and decorations, and is uniform with Hispanic Notes
and Monographs published by The Hispanic Society of America, and
with Indian Notes and Monographs issued by the Museum of the
American Indian—Heye Foundation. Publication Committee
Agnes Baldwin Brett, Chairman Henry Russell Drowne John
Reilly, Jr. Editorial Staff Sydney Philip Noe,
Editor Howland Wood, Associate Editor V. E. Earle, Assistant .
Italy (savoy) Order of the Most Sacred Annunciation Plaque
ITALIAN ORDERS OF CHIVALRY AND
MEDALS OF HONOUR BY HARROLD E. GILLINGHAM
a ) THK NUMISMATIC SOCIETY BROADWAY
AT I56TH STREET NEW YORK 1923 t 6
&oo GrS COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY THE AMERICAN
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY Press of The Lent & Graff Co., New
York ITALIAN ORDERS OF CHIVALRY AND MEDALS OF HONOUR
By Harrold E. Gillingham Students have always found the
coinage of Italy of more than passing interest, and the country of
the early Romans is still a far from exhausted field of numismatic
re¬ search. Few sections of Europe have had such a varied history.
Few have been more fought over. Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Goths,
Franks, Germans, Normans, Span¬ iards, Austrians and the Papal
Authorities have had a hand in the mismanagement of the country’s
affairs, and all have left traces of their influence, but nowhere more
defi¬ nitely than in the field of numismatics. The changing coinage
has always been interesting, and the publication of the Corpus
Nummorum Italicorum, undertaken by His Majesty, Victor Emmanuel III, is a
magnifi¬ cent demonstration of the value of numis¬ matic
research. In the time of Augustus, “Italia” was divided into
eleven sections. In the feudal period many of these had been governed
for centuries by members of the same family. It was a normal
condition for these clans to wage war one upon the other, and this
state of affairs existed almost uninterruptedly until the middle of
the Nineteenth Century. “The destinies of Italy were decided in the
cabinets and on the battle-fields of Northern Europe—a Bourbon at
Versailles, a Haps- burg at Vienna or a thick-lipped Lorrainer,
with the stroke of his pen, wrote off province against province,
regarding not the popula¬ tion who had bled for him or thrown them¬
selves upon his mercy.” Through it all, the Papacy has exerted a powerful
influence. In the early period such a shifting of control was not
to the best interests of the inhabitants. The Kingdom of Italy, as
we know it today, did not exist, of course, until 1870. With the
fall of the French Empire under Napoleon III, the assistance of France
was NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF
HONOUR 3 no longer available, and Rome came under
the dominion of Victor Emmanuel. All of that gieat mountainous peninsula
was united and free. For over seventy years the country has been
governed by a Prince of the House of Savoy. Its population has
pros¬ pered more during that period than for many preceding
centuries. These changing conditions were not with¬ out
effect upon the organisations which we class as Orders of Knighthood.
Many of the Orders of Chivalry founded by the Ducal or Princely
rulers of Italy were named for their patron saints. It has seemed
expedient in this article to treat of the Orders and Decora¬ tions
of all of these changing principalities separately. Insofar as is
possible, any repetition which this course involves has been
avoided. AND MONOGRAPHS 4
ITALIAN ORDERS AND LUCCA. Lucca, the most
northern province of Tuscany, lies between the Apennines and the
Mediterranean Sea. Its principal city, Lucca, on the River Sarchio, is
famous for a remarkable bridge which is said to have been built
about 1000 A.D. From the time of the Narses, in the Sixth Century, Lucca
was an important city. Here and at Pisa, the earliest Italian
school of painting flourished in the Twelfth and Thirteenth
Centuries. Lucca became an autonomous commune from the death of
Matilda (1115). In 1314 Uguccione della Faggiola seized the reins
of Government, but later he was superseded by the powerful
Castruccio Castracani. Louis of Bavaria, after having occupied it
by his troops, sold it to a Genoese banker, Gherardo Spinola; it was
seized by John, King of Bohemia, pawned by him to the Rossi of
Parma, sold to Florence, relin¬ quished to Pisa, nominally liberated
by Charles IV (Emperor of Germany, 1346- 1^78) and governed by his
vicar. Lucca, MEDALS OF HONOUR 5 subjected to
endless vicissitudes, managed first as a democracy and after 1628 as
an oligarchy, to maintain its independence, alongside of Venice and
Genoa, and painted the word “Libertas” on its banner until the
French Revolution. In 1805, Napoleon I gave Lucca to his sister Eliza,
who had married Bacciochi. It was occupied by the Neapolitans in
1814, and from 1816 to 1847 it was the Duchy of Maria Louisa of Parma
(who married her cousin, Charles IV of Spain), and was ruled by her son,
Charles Louis. It later formed one of the provinces of Tuscany.
Under the rule of the Lombard Dukes, Lucca possessed a coinage of its
own. MILITARY ORDER OF SAINT GEORGE OF LUCCA. Duke Charles
Louis Ferdi¬ nand, a Spanish Bourbon, founded this Order on June 1,
1833. It was called Or dine di San Giorgio per il Merito Militare,
and was awarded for military services to the Duchy. It was also
issued to officers and privates whose service exceeded three years.
The Decoration is a Maltese cross, enam¬ elled white. It is edged
with gold for the AND MONOGRAPHS
6 ITALIAN ORDERS first class, with silver for
the second, while for the third class it is silver without the
enamel. In the centre is a white medallion, upon which there is a gold
figure of St. George slaying the dragon, surrounded by the words AL
MERITO MI LI TARE on a green band. The reverse shows the initials
of the founder, C.L., crowned, and the date 183J. The ribbon is bright
red with a white stripe. ORDER OF SAINT LOUIS. Founded
on December 22, 1836, by Duke Charles Louis, and awarded for civil merit.
It was reorganized in 1849 by his son, Charles III, Duke of Parma,
a Bourbon, for Civil and Military service; it is, therefore,
classed with the Orders of Parma also. See page 19. The badge
of the first class is a white- enamelled cross, with heavy gold lines
and with a large fleur-de-lis at the tip of each cross-arm. The
obverse bears a shield upon which is an effigy of Saint Louis in
golden armour; the reverse has a shield bearing the Bourbon crest
of three lilies. The second class cross is of silver and white
enamel, NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. 1 Parma Order of
Saint Louis 8 ITALIAN ORDERS AND
while the third is all silver but without the crown. The ribbon is
blue with a yellow stripe on either side. MEDAL FOR MILITARY
SERVICE. Created on June i, 1833, for officers who had served over
thirty years, and called the Medaglia di Anzianita. The obverse
bears a gilt Maltese cross with the initials C.L. and a crown
above; on the reverse are the Roman figures XXX, denoting the years of
service. The ribbon is blue, with yellow stripes— four of the
former and three of the latter. CIVIL MEDAL OF MERIT. This
Dec¬ oration was also instituted by Duke Charles Louis. It is of
silver and bronze. The initials of the founder, C.L. intertwined,
ap¬ pear on the obverse, and the reverse has inscribed thereon the
words, AI BEN EME¬ RITI DELLA SALUTE PUBBLICA. NUMISMATIC
NOTES MEDALS OF HONOUR 9
MODENA. In 183 B.C. Mutina, as Modena was then called,
was a Roman colony. For more than twelve centuries there were constantly
changing rulers. In 1288 A.D. Obizzo II (1240-1293), of the princely
house of Este, received the lordship of Modena. The Este family was
one of the oldest of North¬ ern Italy, dating back to about 917
A.D. Through the marriage of an heiress of the house of Welf, of
Bavaria, with a younger son of the house of Este, this family
became connected with the houses of Brunswick and Hanover, from
which are descended the Sovereigns of England, through the house of
Guelph. At various periods, the Estensi received the sovereignties of
Ferrara, Modena and Reggio. The male branch of the family lost the
duchies of Modena and Reggio on the death of Hercules Rinaldo, who died
in 1803. His only daughter, Maria, married Ferdinand of Austria,
son of Francis I and Maria Theresa. Their son, Francis IV, in 1816
became the first Hapsburg duke of AND MONOGRAPHS
IO ITALIAN ORDERS Modena. He died
in 1846, and when his son Francis V died in 1875, the male line of
the Austrian Estensi became extinct and the title passed to Francis, son
of Archduke Charles Louis. Members of the Este family and their
descendants had held the Duchy of Modena almost continuously from
1288 until i860. In that year the territory by a plebescite was
declared part of the King¬ dom of Italy. ORDER OF THE EAGLE
OF ESTE. Founded by Francis V on December 27, 1855, and awarded for
military and civil merit. The number of the members of the Order
was limited to 20 for the Grand Cross, 40 for the Commander Class and 120
for the Class of the Knights. The decoration was surrendered on the
death of the Knight. The insignia is a gold Maltese cross with gold
knobs at the points, white-enamelled and edged with blue. Between the
arms of the cross are gold scrolls, and the letters E.S.T.E. are
distributed in the angles. On the blue medallion is the
white-crowned eagle of the house of Este, surrounded by a
NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN DECORATIONS
Pl. J L Modena Order of the Eagle of
Este white-enamelled band, inscribed PROXIMA SOLI MDCCCLV.
The reverse centre of white enamel bears the figure of Saint Con-
tardo holding a cross. It is surrounded by a blue-enamelled band bearing
three stars and inscribed S. CON TARDUS ATESTI - NUS. The ribbon is
white, edged with blue stripes. When awarded for military merit,
the cross is surmounted by a trophy of arms; for civil merit, by an oak
wreath. MILITARY MEDAL FOR LOYALTY. Francis IV, the first
Hapsburg duke of Mo¬ dena (1816-1846), caused a medal to be struck
and awarded to those of his troops who re mained faithful during the riot
of February 4, 1831. This disturbance was organized by Ciro
Menotti, and forced Francis IV to flee from his capital. It was thought
by some that the Duke was in league with Menotti, but as the Duke
caused Menotti to be put to death when the Revolution was
suppressed, this is doubtful. The silver medal given to his supporting
troops bears the inscription FIDELI MILIT 1 MDCCCXXXI. Within a
wreath of laurel, NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 1 3 and below are two crossed
swords. The reverse is inscribed FRA NCI SC US IV DUX MUTINAE. The
ribbon has three stripes, equal in width; the middle one white, the
side ones blue. CROSS FOR SERVICE. Authorized by Francis V,
May 16, 1852. This medal was awarded to officers who had served 25
years under the banner of the house of Este. It is a silver cross
with a gilt edge. In the centre is the white eagle of Este,
surmounted by a crown and the letters F. V. The reverse bears the
Roma n figures XX V. The cross is surmounted by the ducal crown, and
the ribbon is white, edged with blue. MILITARY MEDAL OF
MERIT. This decoration was created in 1852 for the junior officers
and privates. It is silver. On the obverse appears a bust of the duke
facing left, and the legend FRANCESCO V DUCA Dl MODENA EC. EC.
ARCIDUCA D’AUS¬ TRIA ESTE EC. EC. On the reverse, within a laurel
wreath, PEL MERITO MI LI TARE. The ribbon is blue, edged with
white. AND MONOGRAPHS
MEDAL OF FIDELITY. Francis V ap¬ pears to have been in a struggle with
his subjects during most of the thirteen years of his reign. He was
compelled to seek refuge in Austria in 1849, but he returned to
Modena after the battle of Novara on March 24th of the same year. Ten
years later he was again forced to flee. In i860 Modena became part
of United Italy. To reward those of his subjects who had remained
faithful to him during his exile, he created the Medal of Fidelity in
1863. It is bronze, 32mm. in diameter. On the obverse it bears the
effigy of the duke and the inscription FRANCESCO V AUST. ATESTENUS
DUX MUT 1 NAE ; on the reverse, the words FI DELI TATI ET
CONSTANTIAE IN ADVERSIS MDCCCLXIIL surrounded by a wreath of oak
leaves. The ribbon is of blue and white horizontal stripes, edged with
blue and white. PARMA. Parma was the Eastern section
of Gallia Cispadane at the time of Constantine. It lies in the
Lombard plain, north of the Apennines, south of the River Po and
west of Modena. For the first fifteen centuries of the Christian
era, the many rulers of Parma were of various nationalities. The
duchy came into the possession of the Far- nese family during the early
part of the Six¬ teenth Century. Eight dukes of that family ruled
over the destinies of its people. From Antonio, who died childless in
1731, the duchy passed to Charles of Bourbon (Don Carlos), Infante
of Spain, who became King of Naples in 1735. Both Austria and Spain
governed it at various times. At the Con¬ gress of Vienna in 1815, the
duchy was granted to Marie-Louise (daughter of Fran¬ cis I of
Austria), second wife of Napoleon I. She died in 1847. Spanish and
Austrian rulers again came into possession. Charles III, a Bourbon
and the grandson of Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia, reigned from
1849 AND MONOGRAPHS i6
ITALIAN ORDERS AND until his assassination in 1854. In
i860, during the regency of his son Robert, Parma was incorporated
in the Kingdom of Italy. ORDER OF CONSTANTINE. Authori¬ ties
differ with regard to the date of the insti¬ tution of this Order. It has
been said that it was founded by Constantine the Great about the
year 313 A.D. Others give credit to thle Byzantine Emperor Isaac II
(Isaac Angelus Comnenus), and fix the year as 1190. This seems the
more probable date. The Order is also called the Order of Saint
Angelus, the Order of the Golden Chevaliers, and the Military Order of
Constantine of Saint George, it being under the patronage of that
Saint and Martyr. Late in the Seventeenth Century its control appears
to have been sold to Francis I (Francis of Farnese), Duke of Parma,
who became the Grand Master. The Order came into high repute
because of the rules he observed in its distribution, and also because of
the large domains he conferred upon it, including the church of the
Madonna della Steccata at Par¬ ma. Clark attributes its revival to
Charles V. In 1734 or 1735, after the extinction of the male
line of the Farnese family, the heir to the Duchy of Parma, Infante Don
Carlos (son of Philip V of Spain and Elizabeth Far¬ nese), became
the Grand Master. He trans¬ ferred the Order to Naples when he
ascended that throne. It was abolished in Naples by Joseph
Bonaparte in 1806 but continued in Sicily. Revived in 1814, it remained
in existence until the unification of Italy. Owing to its transfer
to Sicily, it is fre¬ quently classed among the Orders of the Two
Sicilies. The members of the Order consist of Senators, Commanders,
Knights, Serving- brothers and Squires. On August 8, 1922,
the Count d’Caserta of the Austrian line of Bourbons, and a dis¬
tant cousin of the King of Italy through the female line, honoured one
Michael Cangiano, the official Interpreter of the Superior Court of
Cambridge, Massachusetts. Signor Can¬ giano was made a Knight of the
Order of Constantine of Saint George of Parma and of Sicily. This
indicates that the Order has been continued as a Family Order by
the old rulers of those Duchies Pl. Ill Parma Order
of Constantine MEDALS OF HONOUR 19
The insignia is a red-enamelled gold cross, fleurv. On the arms are
the letters I.H.S. V. (In hoc signo vinces). In the centre is the
Labarum, or Standard. Greek letters X and P crossed,and A (Alpha) and
& (Omega). Harold Bayley, in his book entitled Lost Language of
Symbolism, London, 1913, writes,—“The Latin P has the same form as
the Greek letter named Rho. One of the most famous emblems of early
Christianity— known as the Labarum, the seal of Con¬ stantine, or
the Chi-Rho monogram—is the letter X surmounted by a P. The two
letters Chi and Rho are assumed to read Chr, a contraction for the
name Christ, but the symbol was in use long ages prior to Chris¬
tianity.” The first class members of the Order wear a gold figure of
Saint George slaying the dragon, suspended from the cross. The
ribbon is light blue moire. ORDER OF SAINT L OUIS. Charles
III, Duke of Parma, revived this order at Parma, August 11, 1849,
as an award of merit. His father Charles Louis (or Charles II) had
originated the order in Lucca in 1836. There are five classes and
the insignia is a cross, composed of four fleurs-de-lis, bound
together by their leaves. On the centre of the obverse in a
blue-enamelled shield are three gold lilies. On the reverse is a figure
of St. Louis, surrounded by the motto DEUS ET DIES (God and light).
The Grand Cross and that for Commanders and Cava¬ liers of the
first class have a gold figure of St. Louis surmounted by a gold crown.
The cross for the second class Cavaliers has a silver figure with a
silver crown, and the fifth class is of enamelled silver without a
crown. The ribbon is light blue and yellow. MEDAL OF MERIT. Founded
during the reign of Marie Louise. Marie Louise was the mother of
the Little King of Rome who, fortunately for Italy, never reigned.
The medal is silver, 20 mm., and bears on the obverse, AI BENEMER-
ENTI DEL PRINCIPE E DELLO STATO. On the reverse is the head of Marie
Louise and the inscription, M. LOUIS ARCID. D. D. AUSTRIA DUCA DI
PARMA PIAZ. E. GUAST. The ribbon is light blue and light red.
NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF
HONOUR # 21 SAN MARINO. When Marinus,
the Dalmatian monk, and his companions settled in the Eastern
Apennines, in the third century, they little thought they were
establishing a community with such a future. For a long time San
Marino was something like a buffer state, between hostile Italian
dynasties in that vicinity. In 1631, the Independence of San Marino
was acknowledged by the States of the Church. Napoleon I preserved its
sep¬ arate existence in 1797, and Napoleon III protected it from
the designs of Pope Pius IX in 1854. At the unification of Italy,
1859-1860, San Marino was still allowed its independence, and today it is
the smallest Republic in Europe. ORDER OF CHIVALRY OF SAN
MA¬ RINO. Sometimes called the Equestrian Order of San Marino,
created on August 13, 1859, by the Council of the Republic, in
commemoration of the fifteenth century of its foundation. The purpose of
its founda- AND MONOGRAPHS ITALIAN
DECORATIONS f Pl. IV San Marino
Order of Chivalry of San Marino MEDALS OF
HONOUR 23 tion was to reward those who were
promi¬ nent in the welfare of the country and its people. There are
five grades: Grand Crosses, Grand Officers, Commanders, Offi¬ cers
and Chevaliers. The badge or cross, which is surmounted by a gold crown,
is a gold-edged, white-enamelled cross moline with a gold ball at
the end of each arm. Be¬ tween the arms are four gold towers. The
obverse centre bears the effigy of Saint Marino to left, surrounded by a
blue band, inscribed SAN MARINO PROTETTORE. The reverse bears on a
gold shield, in the cen¬ tre, the arms of the country—the three
towers. The shield is surrounded by a blue band bearing the words MERITO
CIVILE E MI LI TARE. The ribbon is of seven equal stripes, four of
blue and three of white. The writer has four specimens of this
cross. Two have full-faced busts of San Marino, with white hair and
beard. One has a younger face to the left, with black beard and
hair, while the fourth has a bust in gold, facing to the left, but on a
white-enamelled field. Two of the specimens bear on the reverse
MERITO CIVILE. Elvin and AND MONOGRAPHS
24 ITALIAN ORDERS AND Lawrence-Archer
give the inscription as “Merito Militare,” while the Catalogue
Musee de VArmte has it “Merito Civile.” Cappelletti and Puca, the Italian
authori¬ ties, give the former wording, and the figure of San
Marino facing to the left; and this, no doubt, is correct.
MEDAL OF MERIT. Instituted on March 22, i860. This is octagonal in
form and of gold, silver and bronze, according to the importance of
its award. In the centre of the obverse is the Arms of the Republic,
the three towers, within an oak and laurel wreath, below which is the
word LIBERT AS; around this is, REPUBBLICA Dl SAN MARINO. On the
reverse, within an oak wreath, is the word ANZIANITA if the pur¬
pose of the reward is military, or MERITO , if for civil award. The
ribbon is light blue, edged with red. NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 25
SARDINIA, SAVOY AND THE KINGDOM OF ITALY. Sardinia, one
of the islands of the King¬ dom of Italy, is known to have been
settled by the Carthaginians in 512 B.C. Thence¬ forward Romans,
Vandals, Goths, Saracens, and the Genoese ruled the island. In the
year 1325 A.D, the king of Aragon took pos¬ session. From that time until
1403 Sardinia was an Aragonese province. After the union of Aragon
and Castile, it became Spanish and so remained until 1713, when it
was ceded to Austria by the treaty of Utrecht. In 1720 it w r as
given to Victor Amadeus II (1666-1732), Duke of Savoy, in exchange
for the island of Sicily, and he became King of Sardinia; the title
of King of Savoy was con¬ ferred upon him the same year. This title
of King of Sardinia and Savoy continued until the unification of Italy in
1859-1860. MEDAL OF VALOUR. Created in 1793 by Victor Amadeus
III (1727-1796), King of Sardinia. It is of gold and silver, 38 mm.
AND MONOGRAPHS 26 ITALIAN
ORDERS in diameter, and bears on the obverse a bust of the
king facing to right and VITTO¬ RIO-AM ADEJJS III. The reverse has
a wreath of oak leaves, within which is a tro¬ phy of arms and
flags, and the words AL V A LORE. The ribbon is dark blue.
About 1404 Amadeus VIII, (the first Duke of Savoy), extended his
provinces. The teriitory over which he later reigned extend¬ ed from
the Lake of Geneva to the Mediter¬ ranean Sea, and from the River Saone
(in France) to ,the River Sesia in Italy. The Duchy of Savoy also
included Nice. This section remained almost continually in the
possession of the house of Savoy until i860. It is said that
Napoleon III had a secret treaty with Count Cavour, the Italian
states¬ man, before the French army went to assist the Sardinians
to drive the Austrians from Northern Italy. At the Peace table,
Savoy, the cradle of the house of that name, as well as Nice,
was given to France. Of this set¬ tlement, Garibaldi is reported to have
said, “That man (Cavour) has made me a foreigner in my own
house.” Inasmuch as the Kingdom of Italy has
NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF HONOUR
27 been ruled by princes of the house of Savoy, it
seems proper to describe, in the subsequent pages, the decorations
generally known as Italian Orders of Chivalry and Medals of
Distinction. ORDER OF THE MOST SACRED ANNUNCIATION. This
Order is the high¬ est in rank and most important of all the
Italian Decorations. It ranks with the Golden Fleece of Spain and the
Garter of England. Authorities differ as to its origin, though many
of them give the year 1362 as the date of its foundation. In that
year, the Order of the Neck Chain 01 Order of the Collar of Savoy
was founded by Amadeus VI, Count Verde of Savoy. His grandfather,
Amadeus V, called the Great, assisted the Knights of the Order of
Saint John of Jerusalem at Rhodes, and compelled the Turks, under
Mahomet II, to abandon their siege of that island in 1310 or, as
some state, in 1315. For this service Amadeus V was presented with
a collar, bearing the let¬ ters F.E.R.T. Fortitudo ejus Rhodum
tenuit (By his bravery Rhodes was held). He was also granted for his
Arms, the use of the white cross of the Crusaders, which later
became the Cross of Savoy (H. W. Finch- am’s “Order of St. John of
Jerusalem in England”). Although authorities differ as to the exact
meaning of these letters F.E.R.T., the above is the more generally
accepted explanation, and is that given by Bernardo Giustinian, the
Italian authority, in 1692. In 1518, new statutes were formu¬ lated
for the Order by Charles III, Count of Savoy. At that time the name was
changed to the Order of the Most Sacred Annuncia¬ tion. Several
changes in the Order have been made by various Counts of Savoy
since that time, among whom were Victor Emman¬ uel II in 1869 and
Humbert I in 1889. There is but one class of Members—Chevaliers or
Knights, whose number, exclusive of the Sovereign and Church Dignitaries
and Princes, is limited. They must also be of the Roman Catholic
faith. The insignia consists of a gold medallion on which is a
representation of the Annunciation, above which is a dove, symbolising
the Holy Spirit. This is surrounded by a group of symbolic
NUMISMATIC NOTES «£ ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. V Italy (savoy)
Order of the Most Sacred Annunciation 30 ITALIAN
ORDERS knots of ribbon (lacs d’amour), on which are numerous
roses, a possible reference to the Mystic Rose. The whole is suspended
from a gold chain, composed of alternate knots of ribbon and roses,
with the letters F.E.R.T. interwoven. The plaque, or star, is
similar to the badge, surrounded by eight rays of flame, with the
letters F.E.R.T. on the sides. The ribbon is blue moire.
(Frontispiece.) ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE AND SAINT LAZARUS. The
Order of St. Mau¬ rice was instituted in 1434, at Ripaille, near
the lake of Geneva, by Amadeus VIII (13^3-1450), Count and first Duke of
Savoy. The Order took its name from the patron saint of Savoy.
Amadeus VIII conferred this Order on ten of his courtiers when they
accompanied him to his retreat at the priory of Ripaille. He was elected
Pope in 1439, taking the name of Felix V, but he resigned in 1448
and retired to the solitude of Ripaille, where he died in 1450. He is
buried at Lausanne. Shortly after his death, the Or¬ der became
dormant. It was revived in NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. VI Italy
(savoy) Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus
1572 by Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, to encourage the
Catholics to resist the Cal- vinistic reforms attempted in Savoy.
The Dukes of Savoy were Grand Masters. The Order of Saint
Lazarus was gen¬ erally supposed to have been founded about the
year 1060, during the earlier crusades, although there was a Fraternity
of Ecclesias¬ tical Knights who as early as 366 A.D. founded a
hospital at Jerusalem to care for the lepers. These were known as
the Knights of St. Lazarus. Elias Ashmole, in his “History of the
most noble Order of the Garter,” London, 1715, writes—“At length,
through the incursion of the Barba¬ rians, and Injury of Time, it (the
order) lay extinguished, but was revived when the Latin Princes
joyned in a Holy League to recover the Holy Land. . . . For in that
Time the Monks of this Order added Martial Discipline to their Skill in
Physick; and for their Services against the Infidels, begat a great
Esteem from Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, and some of his
Successors.” The Order was inactive for a long period.
NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF HONOUR
33 In 1490 it was united with the Hospitallers of St.
John at Rhodes, but in 1565 Pope Pius IV restored it and granted
additional privi¬ leges. In September, 1572, Pope Gregory XIII, at
the request of Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, restored the Order of
Saint Maurice and united it with that of St. Laz¬ arus, under the
title of the ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE AND SAINT LAZARUS. Pope Gregory
XIII also appointed the Dukes of Savoy Hereditaries and Masters, and
as Ashmole writes—“oblig’d them to furnish out two Gallies for the
Service of the Papal See, to be employ’d against Pyrates.” There
have been many changes in the Or¬ der by the various sovereigns, but at
present there are five grades: Knights of the Grand Cross, Grand
Officers, Commanders, Officers and Chevaliers. The number of the
last grade is unlimited. Many foreigners have been decorated with
this grade. The pres¬ ent form of decoration was established by
Duke Charles Emmanuel I (1562-1630). The badge consists of a
white-enamelled cross, treflee, of St. Maurice, conjoined at the
* AND angles with the green Maltese cross of St.
Lazarus, which is ball-tipped at the points. The badges of the four
higher grades are sur¬ mounted by a Royal crown, the size of the
cross and of the crown indicating the par¬ ticular grade. It is suspended
by a bright green watered ribbon. The eight-rayed star of the Order
is silver. In the centre is a reproduction of the badge or cross,
without the crown. MEDAL OF SAINT MAURICE. Insti¬ tuted
for Military services by King Charles Albert, 1 King of Sardinia, on July
19, 1839. It was intended as further recognition of those officials
who had received the cross of the Order of St. Maurice and St.
Lazarus, and who had served under the flag 11 per la durati di died
lustri” (lustri meaning a five year enlistment, and died lustri ,
therefore, fifty years). The Medal is gold, bearing on the obverse
the equestrian figure of the pa¬ tron saint of Savoy, St. Maurice,
holding the flag of the Order in his right hand. Around this are
the words S. MAURIZIO PRO- NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 35 TETTORE DELLE NOSTRE
ARMI. The reverse is inscribed as below, AL C A V A LI
ERE MAU RIZIA NO PER DIECI LUSTRI NELLA
CARRIERA MI LI TARE BENEM ERITO space being
reserved for the name of the recipient. There are two sizes of the
medal. The larger, 55 mm. in diameter, is for Gen¬ erals or
Admirals who had received the higher decoration of the Order of St.
Maurice and St. Lazarus, and the smaller, 39 mm., for officers who
had received the lower grades of the same Order. The ribbon is green,
the same as for the Order. ROYAL MILITARY ORDER OF
SAVOY. Founded at Genoa, on August 14, 1815, by Victor Emmanuel I
(1759-1824). Its pur¬ pose was to reward acts of valour and magnanimity.
The Order was modified on September 28, 1855, by Victor Emmanuel
II, later king of Italy, who also changed the decoration to the
present form. There are five classes: Knights of the Grand Cross,
Grand Officers, Commanders, Officers and Chevaliers. The cross, which is
white- enamelled with curvilinear tips, is edged with gold. It
rests upon a wreath of laurel leaves. On the red background of the
medal¬ lion is the white cross of Savoy, around which on a circular
band are the words AL M ER 1 TO MI LI T A RE. The reverse medal¬
lion of red enamel has two crossed swords, points up, above which is the
date 1855, and on either side, the initials V. E. The cross of the
first three classes is surmounted by a Royal crown, that of the fourth
class by a trophy of flags and arms, while the fifth class cross
has but the suspension ring. The ribbon is blue moire, with a red band in
the centre. The star, which is of silver, has eight rays; in
the centre is a duplication of the obverse of the decoration, without the
crown. Prior to 1855, the star or plaque bore the motto AL MERITO
ED AL VALORE. CIVIL ORDER OF SAVOY. Founded at Turin, on
October 29, 1831, by Charles Pl. VII Italy (savoy)
Military Order of Savoy 38 ITALIAN ORDERS
Albert (1798-1849), King of Sardinia and Savoy. During most of his reign
of eighteen years, he was at war with Austria. Follow¬ ing the
revolution of 1848 in France, he began war for the Independence of
Italy but was compelled to abdicate in 1849 after his defeat by the
Austrians at Novara. The object of the Order was to rewaid ‘those
of other professions, not less useful than that of the army, who
have become through long and profound study the ornaments of the State to
which they have rendered important service.’ There is but one class
to the Order, known as Knights, and it is seldom conferred on
foreigners. The decoration is a light blue Savoy cross edged with gold.
The medallion on the obverse is white with a gold rim; in the
centre are the intials of the founder, C. A. The reverse has AL
MERITO CIVILE 1831 , in gold lettering on a white field, on the
centre medallion. The moire ribbon is of three equal stripes—light
blue with white either side. ORDER OF THE CROWN OF
ITALY. Created on February 20, 1868, by Victor Pl.
VIII Italy (savoy) Civil Order of Savoy
40 ITALIAN ORDERS
Emmanuel II (1820-1878), the first King of United Italy, to commemorate
the annexa¬ tion of Venice to that kingdom. This is sometimes
called the Order of the Iron Crown. Doubtless the origin of the
name arose from the fact that at the coronation of Agilif, King of
the Lombards (592-615), a crown was used, composed of gold and
precious stones, inset with a band of iron which was said to have been
forged from a nail of the true Cross. Tradition says that this
crown was kept in the Cathedral of Monza and removed to Mantua in
1859. When Napoleon I became King of Italy in 1805, it is said he
was crowned with this crown. The Order of the Iron Crown of Italy,
founded by Napoleon I in 1805, was abolished in 1814, although revived
in Austria in 1816 by Francis I as the Austrian Order of the Iron
Crown. The first distribution of the Order of the Crown of
Italy, as founded by King Victor Emmanuel II, occurred on April 22,
1868, when the heir-apparent, Humbert, married Princess Marguerite of
Savoy. There are five classes of the Order—Grand Pl.
IX Italy Order of the Crown of Italy
Cordons, Grand Officers, Commanders, Officers and Knights.
The grade of Knight or Chevalier is frequently conferred on
foreigners. The insignia is a white-enam¬ elled cross-pattee edged with
gold, and convex, with knots of gold cord connecting the arms. In
the blue-enamelled medallion is a gold crown. On the reverse
medallion is the crowned eagle of Savoy. On its breast is a red
shield, bearing the white cross of Savoy. The ribbon is of red with a
white stripe in the centre. The star of the order, for the highest
grade, is of eight silver rays, on the centre of which is a gold crown
on blue field, encircled by a white band, in¬ scribed VICTORIUS
EMMANUEL II REX I TALI A E MDCCCLXVI. This device is surmounted by
a crowned eagle bearing the Arms of Savoy on its breast. The star of
the Grand Officer is an eight-pointed silver star, on which is a
reproduction of the Cross. ORDER OF INDUSTRY. By a decree of
May 9, 1901, Victor Emmanuel III created a Decoration called the
“Cavalieri del Lavoro” (Knights of Industry). It is awarded
to those prominent or proficient in the Industrial, Commercial or
Agricultural work of the Kingdom or of its Colonies. The decoration
consists of a green-enamelled Savoy cross, edged with gold. On the
obverse is a white medallion, bearing the words AL MERITO/DEL/LAVORO/1901
The reverse medallion bears the initials of the founder, V. E., in gold
on a white field. The rib¬ bon is dark green with a red stripe in the
cen¬ tre. There is but one class to this order, and its award carries
with it no particular privileges. COLONIAL ORDER OF THE STAR
OF ITALY. Founded in 1911 by King Victor Emmanuel III. Its purpose
was to reward those deserving of especial recognition who were
prominent in the work of the Colonies. There are five classes to the
Order: Knights of the Grand Cross, Grand Officers, Com¬ manders,
Officers and Chevaliers. The decoration consists of a
white-enamelled star of five points, edged with gold and ball-
tipped. On the obverse medallion of red, is the gold monogram (V. E.) of
the founder, with crown above. A green-enamelled circle AND
MONOGRAPHS 44 ITALIAN
ORDERS has at the bottom of it 1911. On the reverse red
medallion are the words AL/ ; MERI TO /COLO NI ALE in gold letters.
The ribbon is red, with narrow white and green bands on either side. All
grades of the star have a crown above, except that of Chevalier,
which is plain. The plaque, j which is worn by the first and second
classes only, consists of thirty-five silver rays, on which is the
uncrowned star described above. MILITARY CROSS FOR SERVICE.
On November 8, 1900, Victor Emmanuel III authorized a cross for long and
faithful service, called the “Croce per anzianita di servizio Militare.”
It is of gold for Officers, and of silver for the troops. The
decoration is a Maltese cross; on the obverse, a medallion bearing
the Royal cipher V E crowned, and on the reverse Roman characters,
denoting years of service —XXV for the Officers and XVI for the
troops. If the officers have served forty years and the troops
twenty-five years, the Roman characters vary accordingly, and the
cross has a crown above. The ribbon is green, with a wide white stripe in
the centre. NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. X
Italy Colonial Order of the Star of Italy
46 ITALIAN ORDERS MILITARY MEDAL OF VALOUR. As
early as 1793, during the war between Pied¬ mont and France, Victor
Amadeus III, King of Sardinia (1727-1796), created a Medal of
Valour. This was awarded for individual acts of bravery, and was
struck in gold and in silver. Victor Emmanuel I revived the award
in 1815, at the time of the downfall of Napoleon I, but abolished it
in August of that year when he created the Military Order of Savoy.
When Charles Albert was King of Sardinia and Savoy, he reinstituted
the medal in 1833, for acts of valour not sufficiently important to
war¬ rant the M ilitary Order of Savoy. From the time of its
inception to 1887, it was always awarded in gold or silver, but in that
year Humbert I decreed that a bronze medal should be given for acts
of valour of a lesser degree. This medal ranks in Italy almost as
highly as does the Victoria Cross in Great Britain or the Medal of Honour
in this country. It is frequently called the Sar¬ dinian Medal of
Valour. The earliest model was 38 mm. in diameter, having on the
obverse the bust of the king facing to the NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XI
Italy (savoy) Military Medal of Valour
48 IT A LI A N ORDERS AND
right and the words VITTORIO AMADEUS III. The reverse had a wreath of oak
leaves, within this is a trophy of arms and flags and the
words AL V A LORE. About the time of the Crimean war, the design was
changed. The size was reduced to 33 mm. The obverse has the Arms of
Savoy, surmounted by a crown in an oval. Below are a palm and
laurel branch, tied at base with a ribbon; and around the whole,
the words AL V A LO¬ RE MI LI TARE. The reverse has two laurel
branches tied with a ribbon, with a space in the centre for the
recipient’s name. The name of his campaign is placed on the outer
edge. The ribbon has always been a dark blue moire. Victor Emmanuel II
caused a number of these medals, in both gold and silver, to be given
to the British and French troops who took part in the Crimean war.
Two of these are in my collection, and have been awarded to Frenchmen.
The reverse has the name and title of the recipient en¬ graved at
the centre, while around the outer edge of one are the words
SPEDIZIONE D’ORIENTE 1855-1856, in relief. The second specimen has
the same words en- NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 49
graved. The Musee de VArm'ee of Paris has a medal with the
recipient’s name engraved and GUERRE DTTALIE 1859 in relief. This
was for the war with Austria. Another has in relief CAMP A GNA DELLA BASS
A ITALIA 1860-1861 . Mr. C. S. Gifford, of Boston, has in his
collection a variant of this Medal of Valour. It is but 25 mm. in
diameter. The reverse has around the edge, outside the wreath, in relief
, the words GUERRA CONTRA VIMPERO D’AUS¬ TRIA. Many of
these medals have been awarded to the men of other countries who have
assisted Italy in her campaigns. It was a Military Medal of Valour, of
gold, which General Diaz placed upon the grave of the un¬ known
American soldier at Arlington on Nov¬ ember 11,1921, by order of the King
of Italy. CIVIL MEDAL OF VALOUR. Au¬ thorized by King Victor
Emmanuel II on April 3, 1851. It was given in gold, silver and
bronze. Under a decree of April 29, 1888, Humbert I authorized a bronze
medal also. These are awarded to civilians for per- AND
MONOGRAPHS 50 ITALIAN ORDERS
AND sonal acts of courage and valour, such as rescues at
fires and at sea. The medal is 34 mm. in diameter, bearing on the
obverse the Arms of Savoy in an escutcheon, with a Royal crown
above. Around this at the top are the words AL VALORE CIVILE. The
r everse has a wreath of oak leaves, with space in the centre for
the recipient’s name. The writer’s medal is engraved D’ONOFRIO GIO.
ANTONIO CERVINARA (AVEL- LINO) 22 XBRE. 1868. The ribbon for this
medal is of the Italian National colours. Three equal stripes—red, white
and green. NAVAL MEDAL OF VALOUR. Insti¬ tuted in March,
1836; modified in 1847, and again by Victor Emmanuel II in i860, to
reward the men of the Navy for heroism. In 1888, Humbert I established
three grades, gold, silver and bronze, according to the character
of the award. The obverse bears the Arms of Savoy on a shield, with a
crown above, and encircled by a palm and laurel branch tied at the
bottom; and round the outer edge is the motto AL VALORE DI MARINA.
On the reverse is an oak NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR wreath (less full than that of the
Military medal of Valour) with a reserve in the centre for the name
of recipient and mention of the act for which the medal is awarded.
The ribbon is dark blue moire, with one wide and one narrow white stripe
at each side. MEDAL OF MERIT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. This
decoration was first insti¬ tuted on September 13, 1854, by Victor
Emmanuel II and was called “La Medaglia di Benemerenza per i Benemeriti
della salute pubblica” Its purpose was to reward the services of
volunteers in epidemics of contagious diseases and those who took
part in other ways beneficial to the health and safety of the
public. It is given in gold, silver and bronze. On the
obverse is a bust of the King to left, around which is inscribed UMBERTO
I RE D'IT ALIA. On the reverse are oak and laurel branches,
surrounded by the words SALUTIS PUBLICAE BENEMERENTI- BUS. A
reserve at the centre is left for the name of the recipient. On the
earlier models the bust and title of Victor Emmanuel AND
MONOGRAPHS II appeared on the obverse,
and the reverse motto read AI BEN EMERITI DELLA SALUTE PUBBLICA .
The ribbon is light blue, edged with black. MEDAL FOR
VETERANS GUARDING THE TOMB OF THE KINGS. This medal was authorized
on July 14, 1879, and altered on January 1, 1880. It was established
to honour the veterans of the war of 1848-1849 who guarded the tomb
of Victor Emmanuel II. It is 30 mm. in diameter and of silver. The
ribbon is blue with a white stripe in the centre, with one edge green and
the other red. The first model has on the obverse a wreath of
laurel with a superimposed, five- pointed star bearing at the centre the
bust of the King and the words UMBERTO 1° RE D’lTALIA; on the
reverse, VETERAN! 1848-49 / GUARDI A D’ONORE / ALLA TOMB A DEL RE /
VITTORIO EMA- NUELEII. After the death of Humbert I, Victor
Emmanuel III altered the medal. The obverse bore his own bust and title,
and the reverse read / AI/VETERA Nl 1848-1870 /GUARDIA D’ONORE /
ALLE TOMBE NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XII Italy Veteran
Guard of the Tomb of the Kings 54 ITALIAN
ORDERS DI RE / VIT TO RIO EM AN UELE II / E UMBERTO I. A
specimen of this design is in my collection. LIFE SAVING
MEDAL. Authorized by Royal Decree on March 8 , 1888 . This
decoration is awarded to those, not in the Navy, who have risked their
lives to save others from drowning, or shipwreck, or for other
forms ot personal valour at sea. It is issued by the Ministry of the
Marine. The medal is in silver and in bronze only and is not to be
worn on the person. The obverse bears the effigy of the King, facing
left, and the inscription VITTORIO EMANUELE III RE D J IT ALIA. The
reverse has two circles, one within the other; in the outer circle
occur the words MIN1STERO DELLA MARIN A, while the inner one is left
blank for the name of the recipient, the date and the statement
regarding the occasion of the award. MEDAL OF MERIT.
Authorized by a Decree of May 6, 1909. This medal was awarded to
all persons, including many NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XIII
Italy Medal of Merit 56 ITALIAN ORDERS
AND foreigners, who from philanthropic or charitable motives
went to the relief of the inhabitants of Sicily and Southern
Calabria at the time of the earthquake of December 28, 1908. It is
34 mm. in diameter, and was issued in gold, silver and bronze. The
obverse bears the effigy of the King, facing left, and the words VITTORIO
EMA- NUELE III. On the reverse, the inscription TERREMOTO / 28
DICEMBRE 1908 /IN CALABRIA / E IN SICILIA, sur¬ rounded by a wreath
of oak leaves. The ribbon is green with a white stripe on either
side. A variation of this medal was issued, bearing on the obverse the
bust of the king surrounded by the inscription VITTORIO EMANUELE
III RE D’I TALI A. The reverse reads MEDAGLIA/COMMEMO- RA TI V A /
TERREMOTO / C ALABRO SICULO/28 DICEMBRE /1908. The ribbon for this
has 5 stripes, alternately white and green. The writer
possesses an interesting medal, for the official issuance of which no
authority has been found. It is of silver, 33 mm. in diameter. The
obverse bears the head of NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 57 the King of Sardinia and
Savoy, facing left, with A CARLO ALBERTO at the sides. Under the
bust, the letters S.J. (probably standing for Stephano Johnson). The
reverse reads I VETERANI/ITALIANI /IN/PELLEGRINAGGIO /ALLA SUA TOMB
A /A SUP ERG A . The ribbon is dark blue with a yellow stripe each side.
It is believed that these medals were given to the veteran soldiers
of Charles Albert who made the pilgrimage to his last resting
place. The Abbey of Superga was founded by Victor Amadeus III near
Turin. In its church rest the remains of the Princes of Savoy.
Charles Albert (1789-1849) died at Oporto in 1849. His body was buried on
the heights of Superga. Italy later recognized his devotion, and pilgrims
still journey to his tomb. CRI MEAN M EDAL. Italy was not
back¬ ward in awarding what are commonly known as Campaign or
Service Medals but which the Italian authorities style “Medaglie
Commemorative.” That for the Crimean war was the first. It was authorized
on October 22, 1856, and was issued to the Piedmont AND
MONOGRAPHS ITALIAN ORDERS AND troops serving during that
campaign under General La Marmora. The medal is of silver, 35 mm.
in diameter. On the obverse appears the effigy of the King, facing
left, and the inscription VITTORIO EM AN U ELE II. The reverse has
in large letters, in relief, CRIMEA/1855-1856. The ribbon is light
blue with a narrow gold edge. Some authorities assign a ribbon of the
Italian National colours—red, white and green. MEDAL FOR THE
LIBERATION OF SICILY. This medal was issued to com¬ memorate the
dethronement of Ferdinand II and the union of the ancient Kingdom
of Sicily with the Kingdom of Italy. As a result of that
insurrection, Garibaldi with his thousand troops landed at Marsala,
and in three weeks was master of Messina. The medal (30 mm.) is of
silver and bronze. On the obverse is the bust of the king and the
words VITTORIO EM AN U ELE; below the bust, the initials S.J., probably
standing for Stephano Johnson, the maker. The re¬ verse is
inscribed IT ALIA / E CASA DI SA VOIA / LIBERAZIONE DI / SICILIA
NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF
HONOUR 59 1860. The ribbon is red, with one white
and one green edge. STAR OF THE THOUSAND. Here might
appropriately be mentioned a unique dec¬ oration. On January 9, 1861,
General Turr went to the island of Caprera to carry to that great
Italian patriot, General Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), the Star of
Honour which his famous thousand companions had offered him. It is
a gold star of seven points, loosely set with diamonds. In the
centre on a blue-enamelled field in letters of gold is ARTURO (a
star which is said to protect any one with an ideal). On this is
super¬ imposed a gold Trinacria, the emblem of Sicily. This is
surrounded by an enamelled band of white, green and red, inscribed
in letters of gold I MILLE AL LORO DUCE (The thousand to their
chief). This was the only decoration which that great General
consented to wear; and after his death at Caprera on June 2, 1882, the
star was given by his sons to the Quirinal Museum in Rome where it
may now be seen. AND MONOGRAPHS
6o ITALIAN ORDERS MEDAL OF THE THOUSAND,
or MARSALA MEDAL. Issued by the city of Palermo, and authorized by
the Italian government in 1865. It was presented to the troops of
Garibaldi who entered the City in i860, and is called LA MEDAGLIA
DEI MILLE. The obverse has in the centre an eagle with raised
wings, standing on a fillet inscribed S. P. Q. R. Around this are
the words AI PRODI CUI FU DUCE GARI¬ BALDI (To the brave men who
were led by Garibaldi). On the reverse within a wreath of laurel is
IL MUNICIPIO/PALERMI- TANO / RI VENDICA TO / MDCCCLX. Around this,
outside the wreath are the words MARSALA CALATAFIMI PALERMO. The
medal was issued in silver and in bronze. The ribbon is bright red, with
a gold stripe each side, and on the face of the ribbon is fastened
a silver Trinacria , the emblem of Sicily. MEDAL OF ITALIAN
INDEPENDENCE. This decoration was authorized in 1862. It is of
silver, and 32 mm. in diameter. On the obverse is the head of the king,
to left, NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XIV Italy Medal of
the Thousand 62 ITALIAN ORDERS around
which are the words VITTORIO EMANUELE II RE D’I TALI A The reverse
depicts a standing female figure, symbolizing Italy, holding in her right
hand a spear, and in the left, a shield with the Arms of Savoy.
Around the whole is in¬ scribed GUERRE PER LTNDIPENDENZA E V UNIT A
D’IT ALIA. The ribbon is composed of six narrow stripes of the
National colours—green, white and red. Bars or barrets are issued in
silver to be attached to the ribbon, as follows: 1848- 1849 (war
with Austria), 1855-1856 (Cri¬ mean War), 1859 (war with Austria),
1860- 1861 (Garibaldi’s expedition in Sicily and the Campaign in
central Italy), 1866 (war with Austria), 1867 (Campaign against
Rome), and 1870 (Capture of Rome). MEDAL FOR UNITED ITALY.
This medal was authorized in 1883. It is 32 mm. in size, and of
silver and bronze. On the obverse is the effigy of the King and the
words UMBERTO I RE D’lTALIA. On the reverse, within a laurel wreath the
in¬ scription UNITA/D’ITALI A/1848-1870. NUMISMATIC
NOTES ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XV
Italy Medal of Italian Independence
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XVI Italy
Medal for United Italy MEDALS OF
HONOUR 65 The ribbon has a broad green stripe with
a white and a red stripe on both sides. Unlike the British
campaign medals, few of the Italian medals are inscribed on the
edges. The writer has a group of three medals, inscribed PHILIP
FIGYELMESY COM ANDANTE USSERI UNGHERESI. These are for the Campaign
of United Italy, Liberation of Sicily, and for Italian Inde¬ pendence.
MEDAL FOR AFRICA. Created on November 3, 1894; sometimes called
the “Medal for Abyssinia.” It was awarded to the forces of the Army
and Navy which took part in the operations in Abyssinia, especially
in that portion bordering on the Red Sea, called Eritrea. This included
the campaign of 1887-1897 against Menelik II, who was the Negus of
Abyssinia. The medal was issued in bronze, 32 mm., and bears on the
obverse the crowned head of King Humbert I, facing right. On the reverse,
within a laurel wreath, are the words CAMPAGNE D } AFRICA. The
ribbon is red with blue borders. Silver bars, suitably inscribed,
AND MONOGRAPHS 66 ITALIAN
ORDERS were issued to the troops taking part in the
following expeditions, viz: Campagna 1887- 1888, Saati, Dogali Saganeiti,
Keren, Asmara, Adua, Agordat (1890), Halat, Serobeti, Agordat
(1893), Kassala, Halai, Coatit, Campagna 1895-1896 and Cam¬ pagna
1897. MEDAL FOR THE FAR EAST. Au¬ thorized on June 23, 1901,
and also known as the “Medal for China/’ or the “Medal for the
Boxer Uprising.” At the time of that unfortunate affair, when so many
of the Nations went to the relief of their lega¬ tions at Pekin,
Italy was among the first. To all those taking part in this
expedition, and to those who remained as guardians of the territory
until the end of the year 1901, this medal was given. It is of
bronze, 32 mm., and bears on the obverse the effigy of the King
facing left and the words VIT- TORIO EMANUELE III RE D’lTALIA; on
the reverse, within a wreath of laurel, CINA 1900 - 1901 . The ribbon is
yellow, with four dark blue stripes. Another medal for China is
exactly like the above, excepting NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl.
XVII Italy Medal for Africa
68 ITALIAN ORDERS that the reverse bears
the word CINA only. This was given to the troops and sailors who
served in China from December 31, 1901 to April 1, 1908. The ribbon
is similar. MEDAL FOR THE TURKISH WAR OF 1911 - 1912 .
But a few years ago Italy and Turkey were fighting desperately for
the control of Tripoli, a section of Northern Africa which had been
under Turkish rule for several centuries. It was at this time that
Germany all but precipitated a Euro¬ pean war by insisting upon certain
methods of settlement. Fortunately conflict was averted by the
treaty of Lausanne. To commemorate the triumph over Turkey and to
honor those engaged there, a silver medal of 32 mm. was authorized on
November 21, 1912. The medal was issued to all men of the Army and
Navy who took part in the operations against the Ottoman Empire,
whether in Africa or in Turkish territory. On the obverse of the medal is
the head of the King, facing right, and the inscription, VITTORIO
EM A N V ELE. III. RE NUMISMATIC NOTES
Pl. XVI 11 Italy War Cross
70 ITALIAN ORDERS D* I TALI A. On the reverse, within
a wreath of laurel, the words GUERRA / ITALO-TURCA,/ 1911 - 1912 .
The ribbon is of six narrow blue and five narrow red stripes of
equal width. MEDAL FOR THE WAR IN LIBYA. The treaty of
Lausanne did not stop all war operations on the part of Italy. The
tribes of the newly acquired Colonial possessions continued to make
trouble. To reward the troops taking part in such campaigns, a
silver medal of 32 mm. was authorized on September 6, 1913. This was
identical with the Turkish war medal, except that the re¬ verse
bears the words GUERRA/IN LIBIA. The ribbon is of the same design and
colour. WAR CROSS OF ITALY. Authorized in 1918. It was
awarded to those worthy of official recognition during the World
War, but whose service was not of sufficient im¬ portance to
warrant the Medal of Military Valour. The Decoration is of bronze,
38 mm., in the form of the Savoy Cross. On the obverse is inscribed
MER 1 T 0 Dl NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XIX
Italy Medal for the World War 72
ITALIAN ORDERS GUERRA , above which is the King’s
crowned monogram, V. E. and III. On the lower arm of the cross is an
upright sword entwined with a branch of oak. The reverse has a.
star in the centre surrounded by rays. The ribbon is dark blue with
two white stripes. MEDAL FOR THE WORLD WAR. Created on July
29, 1920 and made from captured Austrian cannon. It is bronze, 32
mm. On the obverse appears the hel- meted bust of the King, encircled by
the inscription, GUERRA PER V UNIT A D' I TALI A 1915-1918 and
three branches of oak leaves. The reverse has an allegorical figure
of Victory, standing on a support borne by two helmeted soldiers, and
the inscription CONIT A NEL BRONZE N E- MICO (Coined from enemy
bronze). The ribbon has eighteen narrow stripes of green, white and
red—six of each colour. Bars were issued to be worn on the ribbon
to designate the years of service in the war. These bear the dates
of 1915 , 1916,1917 and 1918 . NUMIS M ATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl.
XX Italy Medal of National Gratitude
74 ITALIAN ORDERS VICTORY MEDAL.
Created on De¬ cember 16, 1920, but not issued until 1922. The
medal is bronze, 36 mm. As with the Victory medals of the other allies,
the winged Victory is the dominant feature. This figure stands
facing on a triumphal chariot drawn by four lions. The reverse shows
a tripod above which two doves of peace are to be seen. At top the
inscription GRANDE- G VERRA-PER-LA-Cl VILTA . In field, at each
side of tripod MCMXIV-MCMXVIII, below, in two lines, AI COMBATTENTI
BELLE NAZIONI/ALLEA TE ED ASSO¬ CIATE. The badge is suspended by
the rainbow ribbon as are all the Victory medals. MEDAL
OF NATIONAL GRATITUDE. This medal is awarded to mothers who lost
sons in the World War. The obverse shows an allegorical figure presenting
a wreath to a fallen warrior. Standing alongside is another female
in an attitude of grief. The reverse has an inscription in eight
lines IL FIGLIO / CHE TI NACQUE / DAL DOLORE / TI RINASCE “0 BEAT
A” / NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XXI Italy
Victory Medal 7 6 ITALIAN ORDERS
AND NELLA GLORIA / E IL VIVO EROE / “PIENA DI GRAZIA” / E
PECO. The ribbon is grey with center composed of narrow green,
white and red stripes. MEDAL FOR WAR ORPHANS. This medal has
also been authorized but no information has been received concerning
it. ITALIAN UNITY MEDAL. This medal has not as yet been
distributed and details concerning it are lacking. It is to be sold
and the money received is to go to the widows and mothers of those killed
in the war. MEDAL FOR WAR VOLUNTEERS, Notice has been
received that a medal will be issued shortly to those who
volunteered in the World War. CROWN OF MERIT. At this
writing, and before any confirmation could be secured, advices have
come that the Councils of Ministers have proposed a decoration to
be awarded to clerks and workingmen who have remained faithful to
their employers for NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 77 twenty-five years or more.
Presumably this medal is intended to stimulate a spirit of co¬
operation between the employed and em¬ ployer. No decision as to the
design has been announced. Several of the municipalities of
Northern Italy issued medals to honor those who aided in the
efforts to free that country during the strenuous days of 1848-1849. None
of these medals of the cities are official medals, and consequently
few if any of the authori¬ ties mention them. They are inserted here
in order that the numismatist may have some facts relating to them.
Como had a medal inscribed on the ob¬ verse, COMO LIBERATA NELLE
GLORI- OSE GIORNATE 18-22 MARZO 1848 . The reverse bears the Arms
of the city and the words AL VALORE DEL CITTADINO. Bologna
issued a medal inscribed VIT¬ TORIO BOLOGNA 8 ./ 8 . 1848 . On the
re¬ verse, QUANDA IL POPOLO SI DESTA DIO SI PONE ALLA SUA
TESTA. Livorno’s medal bears on the obverse AI V A LOROSI
DIFENSORI DI LIVORNO 10 E 11/5 18 49. The reverse bears the
AND MONOGRAPHS 78 ITALIAN ORDERS
AND Arms of the State and the words MUNICI- PIO DI LIVORNO.
The ribbons for the above medals are red and white. Milano
likewise had a medal to show her appreciation of the efforts of her
citizens for freedom. It bears on the obverse a figure of Victory
and the dome of the Cathedral. The reverse has the Arms of the State
and the inscription COMMUNE DI MILANO. The ribbon is red and
yellow. Cadore, Vicenza and Brescia are also said to have
issued medals, but a dependable description has not been obtainable.
During the war of 1848-1849 against Austria, and the several
Principalities of which Italy is now composed, Rome, too, became
involved. At the time of the Insurrection of 1848, Pope Pius IX fled
to Gaeta, where he remained until 1850. On February 9, 1849, Rome
was declared a Republic. To those who took part in the
Insurrection, and who aided in the formation of the short-lived Republic,
as well as for connection with subsequent events, Rome awarded
several medals. As with the others, authentic information is difficult to
obtain. NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS
OF HONOUR 79 MEDAL OF MERIT. Issued for the
battle of Vicenza on June io, 1848. This medal was of both silver and
bronze, and 30 mm. in diameter. On the obverse within a wreath of
oak leaves, the Arms of the city of Rome—a crowned shield, bearing
the letters S. P. Q. R. (Senatus Populus que jRoman us —The Senate
and the people of Rome). Around this device is the inscription
ALMAE VRBIS COSS BENEMERENTI. On a plain reverse is the motto, P
VGNA STRENVE / AD VICETIAM/PVGNA TA / IV.EIDVS VINIAS / M.DCCC. XL
VIII. The ribbon is of equal stripes of magenta and yellow—the
colours of Rome. MEDAL OF MERIT (Rome). Issued in silver and
bronze. The obverse has in the centre, the she-wolf with Romulus
and Remus. Around this is BENEMERITO DELLA PATRIA, with an oak and
olive branch beneath. The reverse has in the centre a group of
flags and a trophy of arms, surrounded by the inscription INDIPEN-
DENZA ITALIAN A 1848 . The ribbon is similar to the preceding.
AND MONOGRAPHS 8o ITALIAN
ORDERS MEDAL OF MERIT. Struck in silver and bronze, and is
said to have been issued by the Republic of Rome to those who dis¬
tinguished themselves during the Insurrec¬ tion of 1848. It is 30 mm.,
and has on the obverse the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus,
standing on a pedestal, bearing the letteisS. P. Q. R . The reverse reads
AL MERITO, surrounded by an oak wreath. The ribbon is magenta and
yellow. Another medal is described by one au¬ thority as a
reward to the combatants of 1848. It is 23 mm., bronze, and bears
on the obverse an allegorical female figure, holding a spear in her
right hand and a cornucopia in her left. At her feet is a globe
surmounted by an eagle. Above is a rayed .star. On the edge is
inscribed REPUBLIC A ROM AN A. On the reverse is the motto ALLA
VIRTU CITTADINA within an oak wreath. This is surrounded by the
inscription LA P ATRIA RICONO- SCENTE. No ribbon is described.
According to Padiglione still another Medal of Merit was issued in
commemora¬ tion of September 20, 1870, when Rome was
NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN DECORATIONS
Pl. XXII Rome. Battle of Vicenza Rome. Medal of
Merit 82 ITALIAN ORDERS AND admitted
into the Kingdom of Italy. Scul- fort, a French writer, says this medal
was given to commemorate the proclamation of the Republic of Rome
in 1848; although preference is here given to the Italian
authority’s version. The medal was issued in silver and bronze, 30 mm. in
diameter. On the obverse is a shield bearing the Arms of the City,
surmounted by the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus. This device
rests upon two crossed battle axes and an oak wreath. The reverse bears
within an oak wreath ROMA /RIVENDICA TA ,/AI SUOI/LIBERATORI,
surmounted by a star. The ribbon has narrow alternating stripes of
magenta and yellow. Some rib¬ bons have nineteen stripes; others
have eleven. NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 83 THE TWO
SICILIES Even more so than with Italy proper, Sicily has been
a battle-ground from the earliest times. And this condition, as is
usually the case, has made the numismatics of Sicily of great importance.
Before the period of coinage, the Sikels dwelt in the land. Later
the Carthaginians disputed with the Greeks for its control, both
yielding ultimately to the Romans. In addition to the struggles
between the Normans and the Spaniards for its possession, it had to
with¬ stand the onslaught of the Saracens. Sicily, especially
in the mediaeval period, has shared the fate of the kingdom of
Naples, or, as they came to be known, the Kingdom of the two Sicilies—a
title which in itself is a commentary of the relative importance of
Naples. After the Lombard rule in the nth century, the
Normans,under Count Roger, brought about a consolidation of Naples
and Sicily. The conquest dates from 1130 A.D., when he assumed the
title AND MONOGRAPHS 8 4
ITALIAN ORDERS AND of King of Naples and Sicily. There
were two periods of separation—1282 to 1442 and 1458 to 1504, but
after the last-named year the two kingdoms remained under one crown
until the unification of Italy in 1861. It is unnecessary here to
dwell upon the constantly changing rule for the two king¬ doms more
than to mention the conflict between the House of Anjou and of
Aragon through the 14th and 15th centuries. Under Charles VIII
(from 1494), the French ruled, while between 1504 and 1707 the
Spanish were in control. They were followed by the Austrians (until
1720). After that date Spanish Bourbons held possession. The
Napoleonic rule on the mainland dates from 1805, while Ferdinand IV
con¬ trolled the island of Sicily. The downfall of Napoleon at
Waterloo saw the two kingdoms again united under the Bourbons. The
wars for the independence of Italy, and the efforts of Garibaldi in 1859
and i860, finally brought both sections into the Kingdom of Italy
and under the rule of the house of Savoy. NUMISMATIC
NOTES M EDALS OF HONOUR 85
ORDER OF THE SHIP. In 1269, St. Louis founded in France the Order
of the Ship or of the Double Crescent. Upon his death in 1270, his
brother, Charles d’Anjou, established this order in the Kingdom of
Naples. Owing to the design of the collar, this order is sometimes given
a third name— The Order of the Sea Shell. The insignia was a gold
collar of scallop shells, alternating with double crescents. From this
was suspended a medal with a ship as its design. The motto is NON
CREDO TEMPORI. Clark, an Eng¬ lish writer, describes an order founded in
1382 by Charles III, King of Naples, called the “Order of St.
Nicholas,” while Elias Ashmole styles it “The Order of the Argonauts of
St. Nicholas.” Both give the motto as NON CREDO TEMPORE Apparently,
therefore, this is a survival or a later form of the Order of the
Double Crescent. ORDER OF THE CRESCENT. Favine states that
this order was founded in An- giers, France, in 1464, by Rene, Duke
of Anjou, King of Jerusalem and Sicily. Ashmole quotes St. Marthes
as giving 1448 AND MONOGRAPHS
86 ITALIAN ORDERS AND as the date for its foundation.
Rene was unable to hold his island kingdom very long. The order was
not popular, and those honoured with it were afraid to wear the
badge. The insignia consisted of three gold chains from which is
suspended a gold crescent, bearing three letters in red, L.O.Z.,
which signify, according to Favine, L’oz en croissant (Praise by
increasing). To the crescent were attached gold tags indicating the
battles and feats of honour in which the knights had been engaged.
2 Aragon controlled the Island Kingdom of Sicily from 1282 to
1442. In 1351 Louis I, King of Sicily, founded the ORDER OF THE
STAR to replace that of the CRESCENT MOON. This insignia was a
Maltese cross, in the centre of which is an eight- pointed star.
This Order seems to have been discontinued in 1394. Giustinian, the
Italian writer in 1692, gives a list of eighteen Grand Masters of the
Order of the Crescent Moon and of the Star from 1268 to 1667. This
would seem to indicate that the Orders described above were connected or
continued by the several rulers under different titles.
NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF HONOUR
OO ^4 ORDER OF THE SPUR. Founded in 1266 by
Charles d’Anjou, King of Naples and Sicily, to commemorate his triumph
over Manfred near Benevento. The insignia is a white-enamelled
cross, each of the arms having double points. A spur is attached at
the base. The Order was shortlived. ORDER OF THE KNOT OF
NAPLES. Created in 1351 by Louis of Taranto when he married the
Queen of Naples. This was also termed the “Order of the Holy Spirit
of the Right Desire.” It ceased to exist after the death of the founder.
The insignia is a knot of cord entwined with i gold thread.
ORDER OF THE REEL AND LIONESS (Naples). This Order, of short
duration, was instituted by partisans of the house of Anjou, during
the troubles of 1386-1390. The insignia is a yarn reel and a lioness,
the significance of which is difficult to learn. Clark, writing in
1784, states that the followers of Louis II, Duke of Anjou, were
divided into two factions, one of which wore AND MONOGRAPHS
88 ITALIAN ORDERS
AND on its arms an embroidered reel as a sign of contempt
for Queen Margaret, widow of Charles III, who desired to hold the reins
of government. This faction took the name of “Knights of the Reel.”
The other, the Knights of the Lioness, wore on its breast the
figure of a lioness with feet tied, indi¬ cating that it looked upon
Queen Margaret as one tied by the leg. ORDER OF THE ERMINE
(Naples). Founded in 1463, by Ferdinand I (1423- 1494) Aragon, King
of Naples, at the end of the war which he had been waging against
John of Anjou, Duke of Calabria. He was led into this war by his
brother-in-law, Marinus Marcianus, Duke of Sesso, who conspired to
murder Ferdinand. Marinus Was not only pardoned for his treachery
but was admitted into this Order. The motto was MALO MORI QUAM
FOEDARI (Death is preferable to dishonor), and the patron was St.
Basil. The badge is a gold ermine suspended from a gold chain. Au¬
thorities differ as to the exact date of both the creating and
discontinuance of this Order. NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 89 ORDER OF
THE GRIFFIN (Naples). Attributed to Alphonse by Perrot and by De
Genouillac. The date of its founding is given as 1489. As Alphonse died
in 1458 and was succeeded by his son, Ferdinand I, who reigned
until 1494, it may, therefore, have been instituted by Ferdinand. No
descrip¬ tion of the insignia can be found. ORDER OF SAINT
MICHAEL (Naples). This Order is likewise attributed to Ferdi¬ nand
I, and the insignia is described by Ashmole as an oval, bearing the
word DECORUM . No other record has been found. ORDER OF
SAINT JANUARIUS (of the Two Sicilies). Founded on July 6, 1738, by
King Charles of Sicily (1716-1788), to cele¬ brate his marriage with
Princess Amelia, daughter of Augustus III of Poland. Charles was of
the Spanish Bourbons, and second son of Philip V. His army had
conquered Sicily, and he became its King in 1735 at the age of
eighteen, having previously borne the titles of Duke of Parma and
Grand-Duke AND MONOGRAPHS
90 ITALIAN ORDERS of Tuscany. In 1759 he became
Charles III of Spain, at which time he resigned his Neapolitan and
Sicilian Kingdom in favor of his son, Ferdinand. Charles formed the
Noble Order of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, often also
called “The Order of Charles III of Spain.” It was he who, as King
of Spain, joined France in sending assistance to the American
Colonies in their war of Independence. At the Peace Treaty
following that conflict, he recovered Florida for Spain from England, to
whom it had been ceded in 1763. Saint Januarius (San Genaro),
for whom this Order is named, was the Patron Saint of Naples.
Relics of this Saint, to whom miraculous cures are attributed, are
pre¬ served in the cathedral named for him in that city. When the
French invaded Naples in 1806, the Order was abolished in that
country, though it continued in Sicily, whither Ferdinand had fled. It
was revived after 1814. At the present time it is classed among the
non-active Orders of Italy. There are two classes: Knights and
Honor¬ ary Knights. The badge of the Order is a NUMISMATIC
NOTES ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl.
XXIII Two Sicilies Order of Saint Januarius
ITALIAN ORDERS AND gold Maltese cross, enamelled red
with white edges; gold Bourbon lilies in the angles. The obverse
centre has a figure of the patron saint, San Genaro, clad in a red
robe and hat, with an open book in the left hand. The reverse shows an
open book and two receptacles partly filled with the mirac¬ ulous
blood of this martyr. The ribbon is bright red. The plaque is of silver,
the same design as the cross, and bears the words IN SANGUINE
FOEDUS (the Covenant in Blood). ROYAL MILITARY ORDER OF
SAINT CHARLES. Instituted by Royal Decree of October 22, 1738, by
King Charles, its purpose was to reward citizens and members of the
army and navy who had shown exceptional zeal and fidelity to the
crown. This Order supposedly never received the Apostolic
confirmation of the Pope, and according to an Italian writer, Ruo,
was shortlived, all record of its existence having been lost when
Charles, its founder, assumed the throne of Spain in 1759. The
decoration is a fou r-armed cross, each NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR
93 arm terminating in the form of a lily, and the whole
surmounted by a royal crown. The centre medallion bears the image
of Saint Charles. No description of the reverse is given. The
ribbon is violet. ORDER OF SAINT FERDINAND and OF MERIT.
Founded on April i, 1800 by Ferdinand IV, King of Naples (also
Ferdi¬ nand III of Sicily and I of the Two Sicilies). It was
instituted in commemoration of his having been restored to his Kingdom
after the defeat of the French by the united forces of England,
Austria, Russia and I Turkey. The object of the Order was to
reward the Neapolitans who had remained faithful to the King and his
monarchy. Lord Nelson, Duke of Bronte, was one of the first
foreigners to have this Order bestowed upon him. He was made a
Knight of the Grand Cross. Like the Order of Saint Januarius, this was
suppressed in Naples when the French under Joseph Bonaparte
controlled that country. It was continued in Sicily until 1814 but is
said to have been definitely abolished in i860. AND
MONOGRAPHS 94
ITALIAN ORDERS There were three classes: Knights of
the Grand Cross, Commanders and Chevaliers. The cross of this Order
is a gold star of six branches, in the form of rays. In the angles
are Bourbon lilies. The whole is surmounted by a crown of gold. The
gold-centred medallion bears a figure of St. Ferdinand in Royal
robes and crowned, holding a laurel wreath in the left and a sword in
his right hand. The encircling blue-enamelled band is inscribed FI
DEI ET MERITO. The reverse centre of gold is inscribed FERD. IV.
INST. ANNO 1800 . The plaque of the Order is similar to the obverse of
the cross, without the crown. A dark blue ribbon with red edges is
used for suspension of the cross. MEDAL OF HONOUR. By a decree
of July 25, 1810, Ferdinand IV added a gold and silver Medal of
Honour. This was 33 mm. in diameter, with the obverse similar to
the cross. The reverse was inscribed FI DEI ET MERITO. This was worn with
a similar ribbon. Officers and privates of the Army and Navy were awarded
this medal for distinguished services. NUMISMATIC
NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XXIV Two Sicilies Medal
of Honour 96 ITALIAN ORDERS AND MEDAL OF
MERIT FOR LOMBARDY. Ferdinand IV instituted a medal of silver for
the Neapolitan troops who assisted him in the campaign in Lombardy
against the French in 1796. This was 38 mm., bearing on the obverse
the helmeted effigy of the king and the title, FERDIN. IV UTRI
SICILIAE REX P.F.A. ( P-Pio , devout, F-Forte, brave, A-Augusto ,
august). On the reverse, within a laurel wreath, FI DEI/ REGIAE DOM
US / PA TRIAE / PROPUG- NA TORI /OB / EG REGIA FACTA . In the
exergue, E. V.A/MDCCXC VI. MEDAL OF MERIT FOR SIENA. This
medal was of gold and awarded by Ferdi¬ nand IV to the troops who
distinguished themselves in the Siena campaign in 1797. On the
obverse is the helmeted effigy of the king and his title FERDIN AN DUS
IV UTRIUSQ. SICILIAE REX P.F.A. On the obverse is an allegorical
figure of a woman crowning a soldier with a laurel wreath.
Surrounding this, an inscription reads MI LI TIB US BENE DE REGE AC
PATRIA MERIT 1 S. In the exergue is NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 97 E. V.A./MDCCXC VII.
The ribbon is blue and white, edged with narrower stripes of blue
(Sculfort, p. 176). MEDAL OF HONOUR FOR THE SIEGE OF GAETA.
When Napoleon I sent his brother Joseph Bonaparte to rule over the
kingdom of Sicily, Ferdinand IV fled to Gaeta. This fortress was
gallantly de¬ fended in 1806 against the French under Marechal
Massena, but was finally forced to capitulate, and Ferdinand fled to the
island of Sicily. To reward those who valiantly assisted him to
hold his kingdom, Ferdinand IV instituted this Medal of Honour. It is
35 mm., and was struck in both gold and silver, and is suspended
from a deep red ribbon. The obverse of the medal has a bust of the
king facing to right, the head wearing a helmet, laurel wreathed and
surmounted by a dragon. The inscription is FERDI- NANDUS IV. D.G.
SICILIARUM REX. The reverse has in the centre a view of the
fortress of Gaeta, surrounded by the motto, MERITO ET FI DEI CAJETAE
DEFEN - SO RUM 1806 . AND MONOGRAPHS
98 ITALIAN ORDERS AND ROYAL ORDER
OF THE TWO SICI¬ LIES. Created on February 24, 1808, by Joseph
Napoleon, when King > of Naples It was issued in three classes:
Grand Officers, Commanders and Chevaliers. Joachim Mu¬ rat, when
ruler, modified the Order in 1811; its purpose was to reward those who
had assisted in the conquest of the country. The decoration is a
red-enamelled star of five points, ball tipped and with gold edges.
Above this is the Imperial eagle surmounted by a crown. In the centre
medallion is the Arms of Sicily, a Trinacria or Triquetra, having a
face in the centre. This me¬ dallion is surrounded by the title, JOS.
NA- POLEO SICIL. REX INST 1 TUIT. The reverse medallion bears a
prancing horse, the Arms of Naples, encircled by a blue- enamelled
band inscribed PRO RENO V A TA PATRIA. The ribbon is dark blue with
a red stripe in centre. Following the death of Murat on
October 13, 1815, the Kingdom was restored to Ferdinand IV, who changed
the design of the above decoration. The star was at¬ tached to the
surmounting crown by a lily N U M I S M ATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 99 (replacing the
eagle). The obverse medal¬ lion contained the Arms of Sicily and of
Naples, surrounded by the inscription FERDINANDUS BORBONIUS UTRI-
USQUE SICILIAE REX P.F.A. (Pio Forte Augusta). The reverse medallion had
in the centre a Bourbon lily and the motto FELICITATE RESTITUTA X.
KAL.JUN. 1815 . The ribbon was changed to azure blue with a red
stripe in the centre. This Order was finally abolished in 1819 and
replaced by the “Order of Saint George of the Reunion.” MEDAL
OF HONOUR FOR THE PRO¬ VINCIAL LEGION. On March 29, 1809, Joachim
Murat, instituted this medal for the Provincial Legion. It is of silver
and bronze, and bears on the obverse the effigy of the King, facing
to left, encircled by the words GIOACCHINO NAPOL. RE DELLA DUE
SICIL. On the reverse is a group of fourteen flags and a royal
crown, the outer flags bearing, respectively, the words
SICUREZZA/INTERNA. Around this device is the inscription ALLE
LEGIONI AND MONOGRAPHS
IOO ITALIAN ORDERS AND PROVINCIALI 26 MARZO 1809 . The
ribbon is light blue moire. Ruo, the Italian writer, states that the
inscription on the obverse is Gioacchino Napoleone, but the
previous description is taken from a medal and various French
authorities. MEDAL OF HONOUR FOR NAPLES. Murat authorized
another Medal of Honour on November i, 1814, to reward the guard of
Naples for its devotion to his cause. It is of gold and silver, in the
form of a wreath of oak and laurel leaves, tied with a ribbon and
surmounted by a crown. Superimposed on the wreath are two crossed flags,
enam¬ elled in the colours of the kingdom. On the obverse centre
medallion of white is the bust of the king, facing to left, and the
title GIOACCHINO NAPOLEONE (or GIO¬ ACCHINO RE DI NAPOLI ). On the
re¬ verse medallion are the words ONORE ET FEDELTA. The ribbon is
magenta. The Medal for Civil Merit is similar to the above, except
that the reverse is inscribed ONORE ET MERITO. NUMISMATIC
NOTES MEDALS OF HONOUR
IOI MEDAL OF HONOUR. After the death of Murat at Pizzo,
a medal of 38 mm. was authorized by Ferdinand IV. It was issued in
gold and silver, and worn with a bright red ribbon. On the obverse is a
crowned effigy of the restored king, facing to left, and the
inscription FERDINANDUS IV UTRI USQUE SICILIA E REX P.F.A. The
reverse has in the centre a large Bourbon lily, surrounded by the
inscription OB EGREGIAM URBIS PITH FIDELITA- TEM. In the exergue,
POSTRIDIE NO¬ NAS OCTOBRIS/ANNI R. S./MDCCCXV. MEDAL OF
HONOUR (Sicily). By de¬ crees of August 9 and 30, 1816, bronze
medals were authorized and awarded to soldiers and sailors who were
faithful to the cause of Ferdinand IV. This is a green- enamelled
Maltese cross with gold Bourbon lilies in each angle. The centre
medallion bears the effigy of the king to right, and the words
FERDINANDO IV INSTITUI 1816 . The reverse has in the centre a lily and
the inscription CONSTANTE ATTACCA- MENTO. This was worn with a red
ribbon. AND MONOGRAPHS 102
ITALIAN ORDERS SECURITY GUARD MEDAL. Created on May
30, 1816, and issued in gold and silver; it was worn with a Bourbon red rib¬
bon. The medal is surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves and surmounted by
a crown, attached by laurel branches. On the obverse is the effigy
of the king surrounded by the title FERDINANDO IV RE DELLE DUE SI
Cl LIE P.F.A. The reverse bears a lily and the motto ALLA GUARDI A
Dl SICUREZZA. In the exergue, PER LA GIORNATA DE 22 MAGGIO 1815
. ROYAL MILITARY ORDER OF SAINT GEORGE OF THE REUNION.
This order was created on January 1, 1819, by Ferdinand IV. It
commemorated the reunion of Naples and Sicily, and was awarded for
valour, military distinction and loyalty. There are four classes: Knights
of the Grand Cross, Commanders, Officers and Chevaliers, the
decoration varying in size according to the grade. This Order was
discontinued in i860, with the formation of the present Kingdom of Italy.
The insignia is a red-enamelled cross, fleuree, with i
NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XXV Two
Sicilies Order of Saint George of the Reunion
104 ITALIAN ORDERS AND concave arms. Two gold swords
cross at the angles, and a wreath of green-enamelled laurel
connects the arms of the cross and the swords. The medallion bears a
figure of Saint George slaying the dragon; around this is a
blue-enamelled band inscribed IN HOC SIGNO VINCES. The reverse is
the same, with the word VIRTUTI above. The ribbon is light blue
moire. The decora¬ tion of the Knights of the Grand Cross is
distinguished from the other grades by a gold pendant of St. George and
the dragon. The Chevalier’s cross has no such pendant; and on the
reverse is the word MERITO. MEDAL OF ST. GEORGE. In addition
to the “Order of Saint George of the Re¬ union,” gold medals were awarded
for heroism in war, and in silver for continued service. These are
28 mm., bearing in the centre the figure of St. George slaying the
dragon, encircled by a wreath and the words VIRTUTI or MERITO according
to the purpose of the award. The obverse and reverse are the same.
The ribbon is blue with yellow edges. NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 105 ORDER
OF CONSTANTINE, (described on page 18). Instituted in Naples and
Sicily by Don Carlos in 1734. Joseph Bonaparte abolished it in 1808,
although it continued in the island of Sicily. Upon the return of
Ferdinand IV to Naples in 1814, it was restored in both Kingdoms.
ROYAL ORDER OF FRANCIS I. Francis I, upon the death of his father,
Ferdinand IV, became King of the Two Sicilies on January 4, 1825. He was
of the Neapolitan branch of the Bourbon family. On September 28,
1829, he founded the Royal Order of Francis I. Though usually
conferred as a reward for Civil Merit, the army was not debarred from its
honours. There are five classes: Grand Cross, Com¬ manders,
Officers, Knights and Chevaliers. The fourth and fifth classes receive,
re¬ spectively, the gold and silver medals, described later. This
Order was discon¬ tinued in i860 when the Kingdom of the Two
Sicilies became part of Italy, though, as a family Order, it was continued
for a while longer. The decoration is a four-armed, AND
MONOGRAPHS io6 ITALIAN
ORDERS AND double-pointed cross of white enamel with gold
edges, surmounted by a gold crown. Bourbon lilies of gold are in each
angle. The medallion is larger than in most of the other Orders. In
the centre, on a field of gold, appear the initials of the founder,
F.I., with crown above. These are surrounded by a laurel wreath of
enamel. On the blue encircling band are the words, DE REGE OP TIME
MERITO. The reverse bears the inscription FRANCISCUS PRIMUS IN-
STITUIT MDCCCXXIX, within a green wreath. The ribbon is bright red
with blue edges. The star or plaque of the order is a silver cross
without the crown, and with the same centre medallion. The
gold and silver medals, worn by the fourth and fifth classes, are 36 mm.
in diam¬ eter, bearing on the obverse the portrait of the founder,
within a laurel wreath, and the inscription FRANCISCUS I.D.G.UTRI¬
USQUE SICIL. ETHIER. REX. The reverse has three Bourbon lilies in the
centre within a wreath, and the motto DE REGE OPTIME MERITO 1829 .
The ribbon is dark red with blue edges; not as wide as that for the
Cross. NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XXVI Two Sicilies Order
of Francis I io8 ITALIAN ORDERS AND MEDAL
OF CIVIL MERIT. Authorized by royal decree of December 17, 1727. It
is of gold and silver and worn with a red ribbon. The obverse bears an
effigy of the king, and the title FRANCISCUS I.D.G. REGNI UTRIUSQUE
SICIL. ET HIER. REX. On the plain reverse is engraved the name,
date and cause of award. A medal similar to this was awarded during the
reign of Ferdinand II and may be found with either of the following
inscriptions: FERDI- N AN DUS II REGNI UTRIUSQUE SI CI¬ LIA E ET
HIERUS. or FERDINANDO II RE DEL REGNO DELLE DUE SICILIE.
Another MEDAL OF CIVIL MERIT was issued, 44 mm. in size. On the
obverse are busts of Francis I and Queen Maria Isabella, facing to
right, surrounded by branches of laurel. On the reverse is a Bourbon
lily, crowned. MEDAL FOR MESSINA. Francis I was
succeeded in 1830 by his son, Ferdinand II, who died in 1859. Ferdinand
II instituted the Medal for Messina for troops faithful to him, in
that city, during the Revolution NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR
109 of 1847. It is of bronze, and 30 mm. On the obverse,
within a wreath of oak and laurel leaves, is the word FEDELTA with
one Bourbon lily. The reverse reads, MESSINA 1 SEPTEMBRE 1847 . The
ribbon is light blue and white. A variant of this medal has on the
obverse the effigy of the king and the words FERDINANDO II RE DEL
REGNO DELLE DUE SICILIE; and on the reverse the word FEDELTA.
LONG SERVICE MEDAL. Ferdinand II also created a bronze medal for
Long Service. It is 38 mm. and bears on the obverse the king’s bust
on a pedestal, surrounded by implements of war and flags. Above is
FERDIN ANDO II. The reverse reads LODEVOLE SERVIZIO MI LI TARE DI
25 ANNI. The ribbon is red. MEDAL FOR THE SIEGE OF MES¬
SINA. After the long siege of the citadel of Messina in 1848 by Ferdinand
II which resulted in his reconquest of Sicily, a com¬ memorative
medal was authorized by the king. This was to reward the troops who
AND MONOGRAPHS no
ITALIAN ORDERS had taken part in the campaign. The
medal for the senior officers was of gold and enamel, 35 mm. in diameter.
On the obverse within a green-enamelled laurel wreath, is a
pentagonal fort; in the corners are five bombs, the flames of which
rest upon the wreath. In the centre is the fleur-de-lis of the
Bourbons, in relief. The reverse is similar, except that in the
centre of the pentagon is the legend, ASSEDIOJ DELLA 1 CITTADELLA /
DI MESSINA / 18 ^ 8 . The ribbon is red. For the junior officers
and soldiers the medal was of bronze and of the same size, without
enamel. Obverse and reverse are identical, and the medal was worn
with a red ribbon. A variant of this medal has a plain reverse, no fort,
or bombs, but with the same inscription in relief. MEDAL FOR
SICILY. Created for the troops who, under the leadership of Filan-
gieri, suppressed the Insurrection of 1848- 1849. This is of bronze-gilt,
and displays the effigy of Ferdinand II facing to right within a
wreath of oak leaves. Outside, the wreath are two draped flags, the whole
is NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. Two Sicilies Siege of
Messina Long Service Medal, Ferdinand II 112
ITALIAN ORDERS surmounted by a Bourbon lily. The plain
reverse has CAMPAGNA DI SICILIA 18 J/. 9 , in relief. The ribbon has
three equal stripes of light blue and white. MEDAL FOR
CAMPAIGN OF 1860 . Francis II came to the throne of Sicily in 1859,
about the time of the Garibaldi campaign for the Independence of
Italy. His reign was short. The Medal for the Campaign of 1860 was
created by him for those troops who were loyal to him and opposed
to Garibaldi. It is bronze, 37 mm., and bears on the obverse the effigy
of the king, facing to left, within a wreath of oak leaves.
Surrounding this is FRANCESCO II RE DELLE DUE SI Cl LIE. The
reverse bears the words, TRIFRISCO, CAIAZZO, S.MARIA,S. ANGELO,
GARIGLIANO, sur¬ mounted by three Bourbon lilies. Around this
inscription appear the words, CAM¬ PAGN A DI SETT. OTT. 1860 . The
ribbon is red with a blue stripe in the centre. CAMPAIGN OF
EASTERN SICILY. Authorized in i860. It bears on the obverse
NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl.
XXVJ1I Two Sicilies Medal for Sicily, Ferdinand
II the effigy of Francis II facing to right, and the words
SICILIA OCCIDENT ALE/ APRILE E MAGGIO/1860. On the reverse, within
a wreath of laurel, the words AL V A LORE. This is bronze, and 27
mm. in diameter. A variant of this medal was issued without the
likeness of the king on the obverse. MEDAL FOR THE DEFENSE
OF CATANIA. The obverse bears the effigy of Francis II, a trophy of
arms, and the words CATANIA 31 MAGGIO 1860; the reverse, within a
wreath of laurel, the words AL V A LORE. MEDAL FOR
GAETA. Issued to the refugees who fled to Gaeta with the Royal
family in 1860-61 when Garibaldi entered Naples. The medal is silver, 36
mm., having on the obverse the jugated busts of the King and Queen
Maria Sophia of Bavaria and the words FRANCESCO II—MARIA SOFIA. The
reverse shows a view of the city of Gaeta, with GAETA 1860-1861 in
the exergue. A variation of this medal has NUMISMATIC NOTES
ITALIAN DECORATIONS Pl. XXIX
Two Sicilies Medal for Gaeta, Francis II
on the reverse the fortress of Gaeta only, with the same
inscription in the exergue. After the Garibaldi campaign of
1860- 1861 for the freedom of Sicily, and after the Royal family
had given up the Kingdom of Sicily, Francis II by a decree dated
March 12, 1861, authorized medals for all his soldiers who took
part in the second siege of Messina. It appears that dies were made
but only one medal is known to have been struck. That rests in the famous
Ricciardi collection in Naples. The writer is in¬ debted to Sig.
Guido de’Mayo’s article in the May-June 1922 issue of Miscellanea
Numismatica, which describes this medal. It is silver, 35 mm., and
bears on the obverse the jugated busts of the King and Queen,
facing to left (similar to the Gaeta Medal), and the titles, FRANCESCO
II— MARIA SOFIA. The reverse has a design of the pentagonal
fortress of Messina; in the corners of the pentagon are five bombs,
the flames of which rest on the wreath which surrounds the fort. In the
centre is the Bourbon fleur-de-lis. The exergue reads CITTADELLA DI
MESSINA 1860-61. The ribbon is given as red with blue
stripes. MEDAL FOR SICILY. This is said to have been awarded
to those who took part in the uprising against Ferdinand II in
1848, in the movement for a United Italy, but the purpose of this
award cannot be verified from the several authorities consulted. It
was issued in silver and bronze, 30 mm., and suspended from a ribbon of
the Italian National colours—three equal stripes of green, white
and red. On the obverse is an allegorical figure of Sicily, armed with
a sword; at her feet is a shield with the Arms of Sicily, while in
the sky, a brilliant sun bears the Arms of Savoy. In the distance is
Mt. Aetna in eruption. The reverse has in the centre SICILIA/1848.
Around this is the inscription, INIZIO DEL RISORGIMBNTO
D’lTALIA. AND MONOGRAPHS
118 ITALIAN ORDERS AND TUSCANY
Tuscany, the ancient Etruria, lies south of the Apennines. On the
east it was bounded by the districts of Umbria and the Marches,
while to the south lay the section known in Classical times as Latium,
but which later, with the rise of the Church, was usually known as
the Papal States. None of these provinces had boundaries that were
fixed for any great length of time, and their geographical history is
very com¬ plicated. Between the ioth and 16th
Centuries, Tuscany was composed of several self- governed communes
or Republics, the most important of which were Lucca, Pisa,
Florence and Siena. The Medici family was a dominant factor in the
government for a long period. In 1735 the country came under
Austrian rule. Francis, Duke of Lorraine and afterwards Emperor of Aus¬
tria (1708-1765), became Grand Duke of Tuscany. He succeeded John Gaston,
the last of his line, and thus the Duchy passed NUMISMATIC
NOTES MEDALS OF HONOUR 119
from the control of the Medici and into that of the Hapsburg
family. This had been arranged by treaty. The Hapsburgs
continued in control until the entrance of the French in 1799 under
Napoleon I, though the battle of Waterloo in 1815 brought back once more
their rule in the domain. Ferdinand III (1769-1824) was succeeded
by his son, Leopold II, who lost the Duchy of Tuscany when the
constit¬ uent Assembly voted for its inclusion in the Kingdom of
Italy on August 16, i860. From that time all the Orders of Tuscany
have been discontinued. ORDER OF SAINT STEPHEN. This Order
was founded at Pisa in 1561 or 1562, by Cosimo I de’ Medici, Duke of
Florence, afterwards the first duke of Tuscany, to commemorate his
victory over the French at Siena. The battle took place on St.
Stephen’s day, August 2, 1554 (or August 6 accord¬ ing to some
historians). The inhabitants of the city and the troops under Henry
II, after withstanding a siege of fifteen months, finally
capitulated. In 1567, Pope Pius V AND MONOGRAPHS
120 ITALIAN ORDERS granted Cosimo
the title of the first Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Order was named
in honour of Stephen IX, Pope and martyr, once bishop of Florence,
on whose festival Cosimo de’ Medici gained his victory. It is said
to have been discontinued in 1565, but Elias Ashmole states that new
statutes were approved in 1590. He also lists it as one of the
Orders extant in 1715; though Hugh Clark informs us that the Order
was “revived in 1764 and put on a respectable footing.” Whatever
its status in the interval may have been, the Order was reorganized
in 1817 by Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1769-1824), and
its regulations were altered by him at that time. The insignia is a
red-enamelled, gold- edged cross, similar to that of the Knights of
Malta. In the angles are golden fleurs- de-lis and above the cross is a
ducal crown of gold. The ribbon is bright red. ORDER OF SAINT
JOSEPH. Founded by Ferdinand III on March 19, 1807, when as Grand
Duke of Wurtzburg he was ad¬ mitted to the Confederation of the
Rhine. NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XXX Tuscany Order
of Saint Stephen Upon the downfall of the Napoleonic control
of Tuscany in 1814, Ferdinand restored the Order in Tuscany when he again
assumed control of the Duchy. The Order was for meritorious service
and was awarded to civilians, ecclesiastics and the military,
whether native or foreign. Generally the honour was confined to those of
the Roman Catholic faith. There are three classes: Grand Cross,
Commanders and Knights. The Decoration of the first class is
silver, a double-pointed, six-armed cross, with rays between the
arms. An oval medallion in the centre bears the figure of St.
Joseph; around this on the band, likewise of silver, is the motto
UBIQUE SI MI LIS (Everywhere the same), with a branch of laurel and
oak. In the lower centre of the band is the letter F. The cross of
the second class is gold, and similar to the star of the first
class, though smaller. It has white-enamelled arms, and the rays
and the medallion band are of red enamel. It is surmounted by a
gold crown and a suspension ring for the ribbon, which is bright red,
with a white stripe at each edge. The reverse medallion
NUMISMATIC NOTES _ ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XXXI Tuscany Order
of Saint Joseph AND has in the centre S.J.F .1807
(SanctoJosepho Ferdinando —Dedicated by Ferdinand to Saint Joseph).
The third class cross is smaller and worn with a narrower ribbon.
ORDER OF THE WHITE CROSS. Instituted by Grand Duke Ferdinand
III in 1814. This was a decoration solely for the military faithful
to him. It is sometimes called the “Cross of Loyalty.” A MEDAL OF
HONOUR was also founded in 1816 for those who had distinguished
themselves in the Duchy. No description of these two insignia is
obtainable from the several authorities consulted. MILITARY
MEDAL. Authorized in 1815 for distinguished service. It was awarded
only to junior officers and soldiers. This medal is silver, bearing on
the obverse a bust of the founder facing to right, and the title
FERDINANDO III.A.D.A.GRAND. DI TOSCANA. The reverse has in relief
AI PRODI E FED ELI TOSCANI 1815 . (To the brave and faithful Tuscans.)
The ribbon is half red and half white. LONG SERVICE MEDAL.
Founded in 1816 and issued to junior officers and sol¬ diers. It is
bronze, 37 mm., and bears on the obverse two crossed swords, with a
shield bearing the letter F superimposed. Above this device is a crown,
and below is 1816, the date of its creation. The reverse reads, in
relief, AL LUNGO E FED EL SERVIZIO. The ribbon is half red and half
white. MEDAL OF MILITARY MERIT. This was founded by Leopold
II on May 19, 1841, and bears the effigy of the Duke and the words
LEOPOLDO II GRANDUCA DI TOSCANA. The reverse has in relief FI DELTA
E V A LORE. The ribbon is half red and half black. ORDER OF
MILITARY MERIT. In¬ stituted on December 19, 1853, by Leopold II.
The decoration is a five-armed white- enamelled cross of gold on a gold
laurel wreath, which is surmounted by a gold crown. The obverse
medallion is inscribed L II. surrounded by the words MERITO
AND MONOGRAPHS 126 ITALIAN
ORDERS MILITARE. On the reverse medallion, 1853 records the
date of its creation. The ribbon is of red and black in equal
stripes. MEDAL OF 1848 . Founded by Leopold II for the war of
Italian Independence. This was a service medal for his troops
taking part in that campaign. It is bronze- gilt, and bears on the
obverse the effigy of the Grand-duke and title LEOPOLDO II GRANDUCA
DI TOSCANA. On the re¬ verse within a laurel wreath is the
inscription GUERRA/DELLA/INDIPENDENZA / ITALIANA/18^8. The loop for
the ribbon is a wide bar-like affair, similar to that for many of
the Italian medals. The ribbon is blue, bordered with two red
stripes. MEDAL OF MERIT. Attributed by but one authority to
Ferdinand IV. Issued in five classes; gold, of 40 mm. and 30 mm.;
silver, of 49 mm. and 30 mm., and bronze, 45 mm. in diameter, according
to the impor¬ tance of the award. On the obverse is a bust of the
Grand-duke and FERDINANDO IV GRANDUCA DI TOSCANA. The re-
NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XXXII Tuscany Order
of Military Merit, Leopold II verse bears the inscription AL
MER1T0 within a wreath. The ribbon is dark blue with black stripes
at the sides. LONG SERVICE MEDAL. Instituted by Leopold II in
December, 1850, for officers of the Army who had served at least
thirty years. It is 36 mm., a gilt Maltese cross, having in the
centre medallion of silver the head of Leopold II to left, encircled
by LEOPOLD II G. D. DI TO SC. On the reverse medallion is the word
ANZIANITA, with a crown above. No information concerning the ribbon
is obtainable. NUMISMATIC NOTES ITALIAN
DECORATIONS Pl. XXXIII Venice. Defence of
Venice, 1848 Tuscany. Long Service Medal
VENICE At the time of Augustus, there was no
city of Venice, and Padua was the chief city of the district which has
since come to be known as Venetia. This district occupied the
Northeastern section of that country from the Alps on the North and East
to the Adriatic Sea, and to the River Po on the West. From the
Sixth and Seventh Cen¬ turies, after the foundation and the growth
of Venice, it developed a considerable com¬ merce with its island domains
and became a great maritime power. For many centuries an
independent Republic was maintained, governed by a Senate and a Doge,
elected by the people; his authority, however, was limited.
Constant wars with neighboring peoples and with the Turks did not
exhaust the wealth of Venice; and until the Eight¬ eenth Century
Venice wielded great in¬ fluence in European politics. The Republic
was unable to withstand the French army, however, and on October 17,
1797, was divided—one half of the territory going to
NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF HONOUR
131 Austria and the other half to the Cisalpine
Republic; the Ionian Islands went to France. For a thousand years the
Venetian Republic maintained its independence, and exhibited a form
of government which commanded universal admiration. ORDER OF
SAINT MARK. Probably founded early in the Eighth Century.
Giustinian, writing in 1692, states that Domenico Leoni was the first
Grand Master of the Or dine di San Marco in the year 737. He also
lists a number of the Grand Masters from that date to 1688, and gives
several authorities. Other writers fix the date of its origin as
828, when the remains of Saint Mark were taken from Alexandria to Venice.
No exact information is obtainable as to the discontinuance of the Order,
though Ashmole indicates its existence in 1672, as does Clark in
1784. The insignia is a gold chain to be worn around the
neck. From this a gold medal¬ lion is suspended. On the obverse is
the Arms of Venice—the winged lion of St. Mark, seated with a sword
in the right paw, and with the left paw resting on an open
book, on which is the motto PAX TIBI MARCE EVANGELISTA MEUS (Peace
to thee, Mark, my Evangelist). The reverse is believed to have been
plain, although Ashmole asserts that it had the name of the Doge
then living as well as a portrait—if that is what may be understood by
his words “a particular impress.” This Order was conferred by the
Senate or by the Doge, and later was called the Order of the Doge
of Venice. On late forms, the insignia was changed to a blue-enamelled
cross, on the centre of which was a medallion with the above described
Arms. The reverse bore the effigy of the reigning Doge, sometimes
represented as on his knees receiving a standard from the hands of St.
Mark. All recipients of this Order had to show records of noble
birth and were known as the Knights of Saint Mark. MEDAL FOR
THE DEFENCE OF VENICE OF 1848 . This medal was issued in 1849,
during the second year of the short¬ lived Republic of Saint Mark—as
Venice was at that time called. It was of silver and bronze,
27 mm., bearing on the obverse the Arms of the Republic. Around this
are the words INDIPENDENZA ITALIAN A. On the reverse is the cross
of St. Maurice surrounded by VESSILLO DI VIT TORI A 18^8. The
ribbon is crimson with a narrow gold stripe at each side. (PI.
XXXIII.) MEDAL FOR BRAVERY. Also issued in 1849. It was of
silver and bronze, but 32 mm. in diameter. The obverse has the lion
of St. Mark and GOVERNO PROVI¬ SO RIO 1848-49. On the
reverse, within an oak wreath, are the words DI FEN SORE DI
VENEZIA. The ribbon is red with gold stripes at the sides.
MEDAL FOR THE CIVIL GUARD. Authorized in 1849. It was silver
and bronze gilt, oval in form, 40 mm. by 34 mm. On the obverse
appear two crossed flags and the words GUARDI A Cl VIC A VENETA.
The reverse reads VV/ VI TALI A. The ribbon is yellow.
OBSOLETE ORDERS The following Orders listed by the several
authorities consulted, as having been formed in Italy, have long been
discontinued. Order of the Golden Star of Venice, date not
given. Order of the Golden Stole, date not given. Order
of the Royal Crown of Mantua, was, according to Genouillac, created in
771 by Prince Louis of Gonzaga (son of Witikind, King of Saxony),
in honour of his marriage with Adalgise of Lombardy, daughter of
Gisulf, due de Frioul. Order of the Eagle of Italy. Created
February 15,941, by Hugo II of Gonzaga, to perpetuate the memory of his
marriage with Princess Elizabeth of Gonzaga and Lom¬ bardy. New
statutes were formed for the Order in 968. Order of Holy Mary,
Mother of God. Founded in Italy in 1233. Its creation is attributed
to Bartholomew, Bishop of Vincenza. The purpose of its foundation
was to quell the discords which arose NUMISMATIC NOTES
MEDALS OF HONOUR 135
between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines and also to defend and
support the Roman Catholic religion. It was approved by Pope Martin
IV, who placed the knights under the protection of St. Augustin. It
was called by some the “Order of the Brothers of the Jubilation,”
later the “Order of St. Mary of the Tower,” and the “Order of the
Chevaliers of the Mother of God.” 3 Archer states that this later Order
was founded in 1737. Towards the end of the Sixteenth Century the
Order had entirely disappeared. Order of the Black Swan of Italy,
founded in 1350 by Amadeus VI and other Italian Princes, for the
purpose of preventing feuds, then so prevalent. Order of St.
George of Genoa. Founded in 1472 by Frederick III of Germany. It
was to reward the Genoese for the reception he received during his
journey to Rome, where he received the Imperial Crown. The Order
was short-lived. The badge is a plain red cross suspended from a
gold chain. This Order is not to be confused with the Order of St.
George of Austria, founded in 1468 by the Emperor Frederick III.
and monographs Order of St. George of
Ravenna. Founded in 1534 by Alexander of Farnese (then Pope Paul
III). Its award was confined to those who defended the city and its
vicinity from the attack of the Moslems or Corsairs. On the death of its
founder it ceased to exist. Cappelletti says it was suppressed by
Gregory XIII. The insignia was a red-enamelled star of eight
points, over which was a gold ducal crown. Order of the Lily.
Founded in 1546 by Alexander of Farnese. Order of the Lamb of
God of Tuscany. Founded in 1568 by John III. Order of the
Redeemer or of the Precious Blood of our Saviour. Founded in 1608
by Vincent (IV) Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. It was in honour of
the marriage of his son Francis with the Princess Marguerite, the
daughter of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy. The Order survived about
a century and lapsed in 1708 on the death of Ferdinando Gonzaga,
Duke of Mantua. An attempt was made to revive it in 1847 but
without success. The insignia was an oval medallion, in the centre of
which were two angels in adoration. Around this was the
motto NIHIL HOC TRISTE RECEPTO. Order of the Conception. Instituted
on September 8, 1617, by Ferdinand 1 of Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, in
honour of the conception of the Virgin and placed under the
protection of St. Michael the Archangel. Like many other Orders
founded about this time, the members swore alle¬ giance to the
Church and agreed to fight against the infidels. Order of the
Virgin or the Order of the Virgin Mary the Glorious. Created in
Italy by three gentlemen of Spella, named Peter, John the Baptist,
and Bernard, surnamed Petrignani. The Order was approved by Pope
Paul V in 1618, and placed under the protection of the holy Virgin. The
mem¬ bers agreed to defend and uphold the Roman Catholic religion
and make war on the in¬ fidels. No record has been found of the
discontinuance of the order. Order of Saint Rosalie of Palermo.
Founded in 1634 by Alderon de Carreto. iCharles Albert
(1789-1849) was of the line of Savoy-Carignano which was founded by
Thomas Francis (1596-1656), son of Charles Emmanuel the Great.
Carignano, a town in the province of Turin, was in 1630 bestowed by
Charles Emmanuel I upon his son Thomas Francis, who was known as the
Prince of Carignano. The present reigning king of Italy is of this
house. Ency. Brit. Vol. XXI, p. 342 and Vol. 5. p. 105. 2 “At
this Crescent was fastened as many' small Pieces of Gold fashion’d like
Columns and enamell’d with Red, as the Knights had been engag’d in
Battels and Sieges; for none could be adopted into this Order
unless he had well trod the Paths of Honour.” Ashmole, E., Hist, of Order
of the Garter, 1715, p. 69. 3 Ashmole, 1672, p. 80. ‘‘It was
approved and con¬ firmed by Pope Urban IV, anno 1262, and the Rule
of St. Dominick prescribed to the Knights.” Armani, E. Insegne
Cavaileresche e Meda- glie del Regno d'ltalia. Rome, 1915.
Ashmole, Elias. The Institution, Laws and Ceremonies of the Most
Noble Order of the Garter. London 1672. Ashmole, Elias. The
History of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. London 1715.
N U M ISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF
HONOUR 139 Burke, Sir Bernard. The Book of Orders
of Knighthood and Decorations of Honor. London 1858.
Cappelletti, Licurgo. Ordini Cavalle- reschi. Livorno 1904.
Cibrario, Luigi. Descrizione e Storica degli Ordini Cavallereschi.
2 vols. Torino 1846. Clark, Hugh A. A Concise History of
Knighthood. London 1784. Cuomo, Raffaele. Ordini
Cavallereschi antichi e moderni. 2 vols. Naples 1894. Elvin,
C. N. Handbook of the Orders of Chivalry. London 1893.
Favine, Andrew. The Theatre of Honour and Knighthood. London
1623.—Translated from a French Edition of 1620. Genouillac,
H. Gourdon de. Diction- naire historique des ordres de Chevalerie.
Paris i860. Genouillac, H. Gourdon de. Nouveau
Dictionnaire des ordres de Chevalerie. Paris 1891. Giorgio,
Florindo de. Dellc cerimonie Pubbliche della onorificenze della nobilta
e de'Titoli e degli Ordini Cavallereschi net Regno delle Due
Sicilie. Naples 1854. Giustinian, Bernardo. Historic degli
Or¬ dini militari, etc. Venezia 1692. AND MONOGRAPHS
140 ITALIAN ORDERS AND J.
S. The History of Monastical Conven¬ tions and Military Institutions,
etc. London 1701. Lawrence-Archer, Major J. H. The
Orders of Chivalry. London 1897. Mennenii, Francisci. Deliciae
Eqyestrivm sive Militarivm Ordinvm et Eorundem Origines, etc.
Coloniae Agrippinae 1638. Perrot, A.-M. Collection J Historique
des Ordres de Chevalerie. Paris 1820. Puca, Antonio. Gli
ordini cavallereschi del Regno dTtalia. Naples 1879.
Ricciardi, Eduardo. Medaglie delle due Sicilie. Naples 1910 and
1913. Ruo, Raffaele. Ordini Cavallereschi .... instituti nel
regno delle Due Sicilie. Naples 1832. Saint Joachim. An accurate
historical account of all the Orders of Knighthood, by an Officer
of the Chancery of the Order of Saint Joachim. London 1802. (Said
to be by Sir L. Hamon). Sculfort, Lieut. V. Catalogue;
Decorations et Medailles du Musee de VArmee. Paris 1912.
Trost, L. J. Die Ritter- und Verdienst Or den, Ehrenziechen und
Medaillen aller Sou- ver'dne und Staaten. Wien & Leipzig 1910.
NUMISMATIC NOTES MEDALS OF
HONOUR Lucca Civil Medal of Merit. 8
Military Service Medal. 8 St. George, Order of. 5
St. Louis, Order of. 6 Modena Cross for Service.
13 Eagle of Este, Order of. 10 Fidelity Medal. 14
Military Medal for Loyalty. 12 Military Medal of Merit.
13 Parma Constantine, Order of. 16 Medal of
Merit. 20 St. Louis, Order of. 19 San Marino
Medal of Merit. 24 Order of Chivalry. 21
Sardinia, Savoy and Kingdom of Italy Africa, Medal for.
65 Boxer Uprising, Medal for (Medal for Far East).
66 China, Medal for (Medal for Far East)... 66 AND
MONOGRAPHS
Civil Medal of Valour. •
49 Civil Order of Savoy. • 36 Colonial
Order of the Star of Italy. • 43 Crimean Medal.
■ 57 Crown of Merit. • 76 Crown of
Italy, Order of. • 38 Far East, Medal for.
. 66 Industry, Order of. ■ 42
Italian Independence Medal. 60 Italian Unity
Medal. • 76 Liberation of Sicily, Medal for.
• 58 Life Saving Medal. • 54
Marsala Medal (Medal of the Thousand). 60 Medal of
Merit. • 54 Medal of Merit (Battle of Vicenza).
• 79 Medal of Merit (Rome). • 79
Medal of Merit (“S.P.Q.R.”)... . 80 Medal of the
Thousand. 60 Military Cross for Service. •
44 Military Medal of Valour. . 46 Most
Sacred Annunciation, Order of. . . . 27 National
Gratitude, Medal of. • 74 Naval Medal of Valour.
• 50 Public Safety, Medal of Merit. • 5i
Royal Military Order of Savoy. • 35 St.
Maurice, Medal of. • 34 St. Maurice and St. Lazarus,
Order of. . . • 30 Star of the Thousand. •
59 NUMISMATIC NOT E S MEDALS OF HONOUR
Turkish War of 1911-1912. 68 United Italy, Medal for.
62 Valour Medal. 25 Veterans Guarding Tomb of the
Kings Medal. 52 Victory Medal. 74 War Cross
of Italy. 70 War in Lybia Medal. 70 War Orphans Medal.
76 War Volunteers Medal. 76 World War Medal. 72
See also Obsolete Orders. 134 The Two Sicilies
Campaign of 1860. 112 Civil Merit, Medal of. 108
Constantine, Order of. 105 Crescent, Order of the. 85
Defence of Catania, Medal for the. 114 Double Crescent (Order
of the Ship). 85 Eastern Sicily, Campaign of. 112
Ermine (Naples), Order of the. 88 Francis I, Royal Order of.
105 Gaeta Medal. 11 4 Griffin (Naples), Order of the.
89 Holy Spirit of the Right Desire (Order of the Knot).
8 7 Knot (Naples), Order of. 8 7 Lombardy, Medal of
Merit for. 96 AND MONOGRAPHS Long Service Medal. 109
Medal of Honour. 94 Medal of Honour (1815). 101
Medal of Honour (Sicily). 101 Messina, Medal for. 108
Naples, Medal of Honour for. 100 Provincial Legion, Medal of
Honour for the 99 Reel and Lioness, Order of. 87 St.
Charles, Royal Military Order of. . . . 92 St. Ferdinand, Order of,
and Order of Merit. 93 St. George, Medal of. 104
St. George of the Reunion, Royal Military Order of. 102
St. Januarius, Order of. 89 St. Michael (Naples), Order of.
89 Security Guard Medal. 102 Ship, Order of the.
85 Sicily, Medal for (Ferd. II.). no Sicily, Medal for
(Nationalist). 117 Siege of Gaeta, Medal of Honour for the. .
97 Siege of Messina, Medal for the. 109 Siena, Medal of
Merit for. 96 Spur, Order of the. 87 Two Sicilies,
Royal Order of the. 98 Tuscany Long Service Medal.
^5 Long Service Medal (Leopold II). 128 NUMISMATIC
NOTES Medal of 1848. 126 Medal of Merit. 126
Military Medal. 124 Military Merit, Medal of. 125
Military Merit, Order of. 125 St. Joseph, Order of. 120
St. Stephen, Order of. 119 White Cross, Order of the (Cross
of Loyalty). 124 See also Obsolete Orders. 134
Venice Bravery, Medal for. 133 Civil Guard, Medal
for the. 133 Defence of Venice of 1848, Medal for the. . 132
St. Mark, Order of. 131 Obsolete Orders Black Swan of
Italy, Order of the. 135 Conception, Order of the. 137
Eagle of Italy, Order of the. 134 Golden Star of Venice,
Order of the. 134 Golden Stole, Order of the. 134 Holy
Mary, Mother of God, Order of the. . 134 Lamb of God of Tuscany, Order of
the... 136 Lily, Order of. 136 Precious Blood of Our
Saviour (See Order of the Redeemer). 13b Redeemer,
Order of the. 13b AND MONOGRAPHS 146 ITALIAN
ORDERS Royal Crown of Mantua, Order of the. . . 134
St. George of Genoa, Order of. 135 St. George of Ravenna,
Order of. 136 St. Rosalie of Palermo, Order of. 137
Virgin, Order of the. NUMISMATIC NOTES Numismatic Notes and
Monographs 1. Sj'dney P. Noe. Coin Hoards. 1921. 47
pages. 6 plates. 50c. 2. Edward T. Newell. Octobols of
Histiaea, 1921. 25 pages. 2 plates. 50c. 3. Edward T.
Newell. Alexander Hoards — Introduction and Kyparissia Hoard.
1921. 21 pages. 2 plates. 50c. 4. Howland Wood. The Mexican
Revolu¬ tionary Coinage 1913-1916. 1921. 44 pages. 26
plates. $2.00. 5. Leonidas Westervelt. The Jenny Lind
Medals and Tokens. 1921. 25 pages. 9 plates. 50c. 6.
Agnes Baldwin. Five Roman Gold Me¬ dallions. 1921. 103 pages. 8
plates. $1.50. 7. Sydney P. Noe. Medallic Work of A.
A. Weinman. 1921. 31 pages. 17 plates. $1.00. 8.
Gilbert S. Perez. The Mint of the Philippine Islands. 1921. 8 pages. 4
plates. 50c. 9. David Eugene Smith, LL.D. Computing
Jetons. 1921. 70 pages. 25 plates. $1.50. 10.
Edward T. Newell. The First Seleucid Coinage of Tyre. 1921. 40 pages.
8 plates. $1.00. Numismatic Notes and Monographs
(Continued) 11. Harrold E. Gillingham. French Orders
and Decorations. 1922. no pages. 35 plates. $2.00. 12.
Howland Wood. Gold Dollars of 1858. 1922. 7 pages. 2 plates.
50c. 13. R. B. Whitehead. Pre-Mohammedan Coinage of N.
W. India. 1922. 56 pages. 15 plates. $2.00. 14. George
F. Hill. Attambelos I of Characene. 1922. 12 pages. 3 plates.
$1.00. 15. M. P. Vlasto. Taras Oikistes (A Con¬
tribution to Tarentine Numismatics). 1922. 234 pages. 13 plates.
$3.50. 16. Howland Wood. Commemorative Coin¬ age of
United States. 1922. 63 pages. 7 plates. $1.50. 17. Agnes
Baldwin. Six Roman Bronze Medallions. 1923. 39 pages. 6
plates. $1.50. 18. Howland Wood. Tegucigalpa Coinage
of 1823. 1923. 16 pages. 2 plates. 50c. 19.
Edward T. Newell. Alexander Hoards— II. Demanhur Hoard. 1923.
162 pages. 8 plates. $2.50. Egidio Romano. Egidio Colonna. Colonna.
Keywords: conversazione cortese, conversazione gentile, padre/figlio, amore
naturale, principe, cavalleria, cavaliere, cavalier attitude, cavalier
implicature. Refs.: Luigi Speranza,
“Grice e Colonna” – The Swimming-Pool Library.


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