Queens and Princesses, Nuns and Blessed. From the Dynasty’s origin to the twentieth century.
On Saturday 22 October, the volume “SAVOIA al femminile. Regine e Principesse, Religiose e Beate dalle origini della Dinastia al XX secolo”, edited by Dame Dr. Vittoria Aicardi, was presented for the first time in the Italian Parliament Hall at the National Museum of the Risorgimento, in Palazzo Carignano, Turin.
The book includes a preface by HRH Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy. The event was organised by the “Antonio Vivaldi” Musical Association with the support of the Piedmont Regional Council, under the patronage of the Regional Government of Piedmont and the Savoy Group Delegation for Piedmont-Liguria and in collaboration with Musicorner Artistic Management, the National Institute for the Guard of Honour to the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon and the National Museum of the Risorgimento in Turin. HRH Prince Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia was present at the event. In addition to the author, the speakers at the presentation were Capt. di Vascello Dr. Ugo D’Atri, President of the National Institute for the Guard of Honour to the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon, Cav. Uff. M° Roberto Allegro, Inspector for Risorgimento Studies of the National Institute for the Guard of Honour to the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon and Cav. Carlo Aguzzi.
The first copy of the volume was donated to HRH Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy on 9 October at the Abbey of San Maurizio d’Agauno at the end of the Mass on the occasion of the General Chapter of the Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy.
Here follows a brief summary of the contents of the book:
From Adelaide of Susa (1016-1091), the historic architect of the advent of the Savoy dynasty, to Elena of Montenegro, the last Queen of Italy, this volume traces the lives of numerous (and sometimes little-known) Women of the House of Savoy. Queens and princesses, nuns and blessed, mothers, wives and daughters of important Sovereigns are presented, in strict chronological order, with easy-to-read and complete biographical profiles. For many of them, who perhaps emerged from centuries-old anonymity for the first time, the biographical notes have been painstakingly reconstructed by referring exclusively to documents and sources of the time and investigating various historical archives of castles and palaces, shrines and abbeys in Italy and Europe. The book features a comprehensive and detailed collection of extraordinary female figures of the House of Savoy spanning nine centuries of history of the old continent and contributes to a complete and thorough understanding of the more than one thousand-year history of Europe’s oldest and longest-living dynasty.
The book ends with a few pages dedicated to the last Queen of Italy, Maria Josè, and to the princesses who carry on the name of the House of Savoy today.
If you want to receive information on how to purchase it please write to musicorner@alice.it
