An Historic Date: 13 October 1844

(Translated from Il Gazzetino, a monthly newsletter from Ripalimosani, Italy, Issue Year 25, No. 2, December 1998. By Nicolino Camposarcuno)

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"It was the Year 1844, and our reigning Sovereign, Ferdinand II, was touring his beautiful realm to become more closely acquainted with the needs of the people. At 2:00 PM on 9 October, there arrived in Sepino the announcement that the Sovereign wanted to grant to it his royal presence. The five thousand or more citizens were taken aback, and they trembled with joy at such glad news. And indeed, escorted by five hundred soldiers, the King arrived at Sepino where he remained for two days, guest of the mayor of the era of Celestino Mucci.

The night of 10 October, the King arrived at Campobasso, and the following day continued through Casacalenda and Larino, where he was the guest of the dukes of Sangro. Ferdinand II was already acquainted with those places, having been there twelve years earlier in September 1832. But he wanted to return there to go through the Consolare Sannitica, recently opened to traffic. A real army, formed by two thousand horsemen and twelve thousand infantry, escorted him as far as Termoli and returned with him to Campobasso, where he arrived on the 12^th of the month.

An immense crowd, which had not been able to acclaim him on his previous visit, waited for his arrival. All the people, poured into the streets and squares to witness the procession of the royal cortege, but the festive day was saddened by a serious incident. According to Alfonso Perrella in Journal of the Province of Molise, many people were injured, and some died, when a stage erected for the occasion collapsed under the weight of the occupants

If the citizens of Serpino were anxious for the arrival of the King, such was not the case for the Ripesi when it was announced that the Sovereign would come within sight of their town and a military detachment arrived with the purpose of making ready the security measures that the event required. February 1799 [The time of the riots in Ripa] seemed far away by now, but in the hearts of so many families that event was still alive - memories of the French repression against those who cut down the Tree of Liberty, which had been raised by the republicans and extolled at the royal household. The motives of the popular insurrection, which gave the Ripesi the reputation as "blood thirsty madmen", had roots in years of misery and repression. But the echo of the shout "Long live the King, down with the Republic" resounded again in the alleys and streets and saw the people revolt against the "galantuomini" [gentlemen], many of whom had supported the Republican creed to "change something because nothing ever changes."

Ferdinand II was the catalyst of the events of February 1799, and the purpose of his visit was to thank everyone for fighting for his name. To jump on the bandwagon of the victors is an old sport. Nobody, therefore, stayed at home that evening of 13 October 1844. The enthusiasm climber to the stars when, surrounded by the General Staff, an imposing retinue, and Queen Maria Teresa and their second son, Ferdinand II made his entrance at Ripalimosani at 9:00 PM. "Charged by the throng of people and their demonstrations of joy and respect," the sovereign went to visit the parish church where he received the blessing of archpriest Francesco Giampaolo, the future bishop of Capascio, Vallo, and Larino.

On the way out of town, the King lingered a long time with the Mayor, Gaetano Giampaolo and the local administrators, and before he departed he gave 180 ducats to the parish for distribution to the poor. The joyful people accompanied the royal cortege for a long distance, and the festival in town continued for several hours. Not withstanding the late hour, no one wanted to go home because of the unique event in the history of the town.

References:

Filippo Cirelli: Historical Monograph of Serpino of 1854

Michael D’Alena: Peasant Memoirs

Francesco Colitto: Emperors, Kings, Queens in Molise

F. Giampaolo: Historic Instructions On Old Sannio