Natalino
Ridolfini
SHORT HINTS OF THE POLITICAL
ECONOMICAL AND RELIGIOUS HISTORY
OF THE BONARIA HILL
(Cagliari)
With a particular concern of the studies and research,
focusing on the mints and coining in Sardinia,
with more specific emphasis on coinages of the Bonaria
and Castello mints, in Cagliari,
from 1324 to
1813.
March 2001
Translated by Luigi Napoli, Ph.D.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Historical development
of Bonaria Hill and the origin of the Italian State
Aragonese invasion of
Sardinia
The right to dwell in
Castello
The coining in
Sardinia from the 4th century to 1813
Location of Sardinia Mints:
Coining according to ages:
Buying power of
Sardinian money
List of coins produced by Bonaria and Castello mints
Coins of probable attribution
to Sardinia
Short history of Bonaria
Sanctuary
INTRODUCTION
Question
is, why to emphasize so much the history of Bonaria Hill, a place surrounded by
an elegant district, a monumental cemetery, a Sanctuary and the Basílica of Our
Lady of Bonaria, the Patron of Sardinia and all seamen. Mainly, because
on that hill occured important political, economical and religlous events which
ínfluenced the destiny of Sardinia and Italy. Francesco Alziator, a Sardinian
historian, once affirmed that "no other part of the city (Cagliari) was so
historical and enterprising as the Bonaria Hill".
Those events are summarized in three chapters, as follows:
Historical development of the Bonaria Hill
and the origin of the Italian State.
The coining and the emission mints of
Sardinia, in particular, the coinages of the
mints in Cagliari (Bonaria and Castello) from 1324 to 1813.
Short history of the Sanctuary and Bonaria
Basilica.
I am personally interested in the above
matter because I was born in Bonaria, in 1924. The house, where I spent a long
period of my life, was located between Aosta street and Armando Diaz avenue,
close to the Sardinian exibition area.
OF BONARIA HILL
AND THE ORIGIN OF THE ITALIAN STATE
Sardinia is one of the most ancient lands in Europe and the second large
island (over 24.000 square km.) of the Mediterranean sea. Sardinia and Corsica form a geological system , without any
similary with the Alps and the Apennines. Its geological structure is among the
most complexes ones. Its very changeable countryside inspired the writer Marcello
Serra who defined Sardinia as "a micro-continent”.
The Sardinia island is inhabited by very ancient people, as demonstrated
by recent studies which helped field researchers to discover some fossil
remains of humanoids (oreopithecus). Jean Marie Cordy, a professor of
geomorphology at Liege University and some colleagues of Sassari University,
affirm, without any doubt, that those fossils belong to an eight million years
old era. They certainly are
among tlie most ancient human remains of the world.
Going back to
eigth million years , we arrive to the "Nuragic civilization" (from
2000 to 500 A.C.), not completely confirmed by the science. The most evident expressions of that period are the small
brazen statues and the remains of more than ten thousands nuraghi. They are
imposing cone shaped buildings of the megalithic era, spread all over the
island.
After these premises, we will focus our attention to the southern part
of Sardinia where occurred the most important historical events in connection
with this monography, mainly Cagliari and Bonaria Hill.
The origin of Cagliari is uncertain, but there are
historical elements which indicate that Phenicians took possession of Sardinìa
during the foundation of Carthage and extended the already existing city of
Cagliari (Karales). Its historv is
better known from 238 A.C., when Romans conquered Cagliari (Romana Caralis).
Castel di Castro di Calari, namely Cagliari ("Casteddu" in
Sardinian dialect, meaning Castle) was newly founded by Pisans over a hillock, 150
meters high which was earlier a Roman military "Castrum" (fort).
Later on, this place became the district of Castello (castle).Such a
hillock has been also a colonial garrison of the Angels' gulf, imposed by force
to the sovereigns of Calari, whose Capita was "Santa Igia" (today:
Santa Gilla), located on the castern shore of the homonymous pond, and very
close to the city market.
Bonaria Hill is one oh the seven hills
surrounding Cagliari.
Its elegant district is also called Bonaria. As I wrote before, in this hill, centuries ago, very
important events occurred that influenced the destiny of Sardinia and Italy.
But, let speak the history starting from the thirteenth century. The 4th of april 1297, Pope Boniface VIII transferred the
Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica, which was created by himself, from the
Republic of Pisa to Jaime II of Aragona (1291-1327).
After a long and careful organization, on june 13, 1323,
the Infante Alphonso and his army land on the south-west coast of Sardinia
(Sulcis) with a powerful fleet, soldiers and horses to conquer the new Kingdom.
The conquest was not so easy
because it lasted till the end of the century (1400), due mainly to the spread
of short battles in a wide territory.
Iglesias (Villa di Chiesa) was the first city to be besieged by the
Infante Alphonso. This city managed to
oppose a strong resistance up to february 7, 1324. After this first conquest,
the invaders conquered the territory of Campidano and besieged Cagliari and, in
particular, the district of Castello.
For strategie purposes, the Aragonese built a citadel around the Bonaria
Hill, facing the Castello at about the distance of few kilometers. After six months, this citadel became a new city, with a
population of 6.000 people.
Francesco Alziator is considered one of the most important contemporary
scholar in the field of ethnography for his contribution to studies concerning
Sardinian and Catalan traditions. Concerned
by the history of Bonaria Hill he wrote:
"Bonaria
Hill was for long time the object of research, first of all, by Alberto La
Marmora, but mainly by some geologists who considered its territory very
interesting due to the existence of one ossiferous trench of the quaternary
era. By this time, the Monreale Hill does not exists anymore, even its name is
forgotten, except in some books and topographical maps. The Monreale Hill became the observatory of Infante
Alphonso during the siege of Cagliari.
Even though, at that time, he was not a King,
Sardinians named that observatory "Monreale" (Royal mountain)and
King's grotto a large ground cavity, now completely walled, facing the
Basilica. According to the legend, that cavity was the Infante's first lodging.
No other part of Cagliari was so enterprising as the
Bonaria Hill".
After one year from
the Aragonese invasion, the 13 of june, 1324, in Bonaria Hill, a peace treaty
was signed between Pisa and the crown of Aragona, still fighting for the
conquest of Pisa's territories in Sardinia, namely: Campidano, Gallura and
Logudoro.
Chroniclers Zurita, pro Aragonese, and Villani-Tronci pro Pisa, related, with rich details, those tormented events occurred in 1324. Nothing remains of those days, the citadel alike.
After the signature of
the peace treaty, the Aragonese (the winners) changed the juridical status of
the Sardinia-Pisa entity, in order to aggregate these new territories to the
Crown of Aragona, in accordance with their monarchic laws.
In 1324, a new state
was created: The Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica.
The above mentioned
information is certified by a Royal Chart of the Crown archives in Barcelona,
published in 1952 by Antonio Arribas Palau, in his book "La conquista de
Cerdena por Jaime II de Aragona".
ONE CAN DEDUCE THAT THE PRESENT ITALIAN STATE WAS BORN
IN SARDINIA, ON BONARIA HILL (CAGLIARI),ON JUNE 19, 1324, UNDER A SIEGE
TENT.DURING TWO YEARS (1324-1326), BONARIA WAS THE FIRST CAPITAL OF THE
SARDINIA KINGDOM.
At the beginning, this Kingdom got
an emblem from the Crown of Aragona. It was a shield with
four moorish heads quartered with a red cross on white grownd. It
appeared for the first time, in a Belgian emblem collection (1370-86) but with
the moorish heads without frontlet. These four moorish heads are an ancient Aragonese symbol to celebrate
the Alcoraz victory against the Saracens, in 1096. Successively, they were
represented with the frontlet over the forehead or the eyes, with or without
crown over the head, similar to the original emblems of the Aragona Kingdom. A
wrong graphical printing is also possible. Anyway, the original emblem
represented the Kingdom in all types of flags and standards. The eagle of Savoy
was added to the flag from 1720 till march 1848 and replaced later by the Savoy
emblem over the tricolour ground (green, white and red). The flag with the four
moorish heads appeared for the last time on february 2nd, 2001, in Hautecombe
(nothern Savoy) during the funerals of Queen Mary José.
In order to complete the formal structure of the new Kingdom, James Il
of Aragona instaured a Sardinian monetary system based on the Sardinian lira,
with the right to coin money by its proper mints.
In spite of the peace treaty signed in 1324, the political situation of
Sardinia degraded and the hostilities took up again. But they ended
definitively at the beginning of june 1326.
On june 10, the Aragonese army entered the city called "Castel di
Castro di Calari" and renamed it "Castel de Caller",then
"Caller" (Cagliari in Italian). This city was totally evacuated and
declared, after Bonaria, the Capital of the Kingdom, and repeopled with Spanish
inhabitants of Bonaria.
Cagliari remained the Capital of the Sardinian Kingdom til its
transformation in Kingdom of Italy, by the Sardinian law # 4671 (march 17,
1861).
It is important to mention that, in spite of the Historical and geographic
documents declaring Cagliari as the capital of the Kingdom, some modern
historians affirm, by mistake, that, from 1720 to 1865, the capital was Turin,
where the political activities of the Sardinian State were concentrated.
The right to dwell in Castello was only allowed to
Catalan, Aragonese, Valencian and Majorcan citizens, Sardinians and foreiners
had to leave Castello before night, otherwise they were thrown down the walls.
These rules remained enforced up to the reign of Charles V (1516-1556).
Following the marriage of Ferdinando Il of Aragona and Isabel
of Castile, both called "The catholic Kings", the crown of Spain was
born. When the agreement called "Concordia di Segovia" was adopted
(January 15,1479), the original Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica became Kingdom
of Sardinia, because Corsica was never conquered by Aragonese.
From 1323 to 1720, Sardinia became a marginal kingdom when the political
interests moved from the mediterranean to the atlantic area. So, Sardinia
remained isolated, forgotten and misterious, especially when the Aragonese and
Spanish dominion ended in 1720.
In 1713, the treaty of Utrecht decided the separation of Spain from the
Empire. Sardinia was assigned to Austria, and then, according to the treaty of
London (august 1718)and the treaty of Hagues (1720) to King Vittorio Amedeo
IIof Savoy.
This new Kingdom, becoming more and more Italian, acquired the
"summa potestas", namely the power to stipulate international
treaties. Protected by the treaty of London, this Kingdom had the right to keep
its prior institutions and political strucures.
Later on, Sardinia had its own national anthem: ”S’innu
Sardu Nationale(*)" which was
played, for the first time, at the theatre Civico of Cagliari (february
20,1844).
(*) The text:
Conservet Deus su Re
Salvet su Regnu Sardu
Et gloria a's'istendardus
Concedat de'su Re.
Officially, this anthem was sung in 1937 by the Choir of the Sistina
chapel, conducted by maestro Lorenzo Perosi, from a special request of King
Vittorio Emanuele III.
More recently, the anthem was played by the Carabinieri band at the
Quirinale Palace, in may 1991, in honnor of the President of Italy, Francesco
Cossiga, and in april 28,1992, the day of his resignation . This anthem was
also sung by 40 Alpines (february 2nd, 2001)during the funerary ceremony in the
old Abbey of Hautecombe (Northern Savoy), in honnor of the last Queen of Italy,
Maria José, also called "Queen of May".
Ultimately, the past events concerning Sardinia allow us to affirm that
the present Italian State was born in this island (June 19, 1324)under a tent,
in Bonaria Hill, close to Cagliari.
First, called Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica, then Kingdom of Sardinia,
Kingdom of Italy from 1861 to 1946 and finally: Republic of Italy.
-
F. Casula, Conversazioni sulla storia,
ed. L'Unione Sarda. 20/xi/1997,
-
E. Piras. Le monete della Sardegna,
ed. Fondazione dei Banco di Sardegna, 1996:
-
F. Floris, Breve storia della Sardegna,
ed. Tascabili Economici Newton, aprile 1997;
-
AA.VV., Enciclopedia Motta;
-
Francesco Alziator, L'elefante sulla
torre, Itinerario cagliaritano, ed. 3T. Caciliari, 1982:
-
D.J.Arce, La Spagna in Sardegna, ed.
T.E.A., Cagliari 1982.
THE COINING IN
SARDINIA
FROM THE 4TH CENTURY A.C. TO 1813
Among different methods to outline the historical, economical and social
profile of one region, there is a very efficient method based on the coining.
In fact, the money is not only a means of trade or an economical document, it
is also a symbol of the issuing State.
At the beginning, the exchange of goods was the usual way to transact
business, but slowly, it was replaced by the use of money. The coining was
involved in historical, economical and religious events in times to come.
The coining was almost an unknown aspect in our island, except for
scholars and collectors. It is very difficult to synthesize the ensuing
coinings in Sardinia and equally problematic the attribution of them to the
Sardinian mints.
Sardinia never had an autonomous coining system. Its production was
always realized under the influence of foreign States.
The origin of its coining occurred two centuries later than the coining
production in some Greek colonies in Sicily and in Greece. The first coinage of
money in Sardínia occurred in 300 A.C., during the Punic domination and lasted
till 216 A.C. The studies to determine the location of the Sardinian mints were
unsuccessful. However, few of them were located. See their historical profile,
as follows:
Mint of Cagliari It
was the first and the most important mint of Sardinia. Historians have already
accepted its existence around 217 A.C., in connection with the emission of
Sardinian-Roman coins, till 27 A.C., the same year of the Sardus Pater coinage.
Other coin emissions were attribuited to the Bizantian period, from 663 to 720.
After few centuries, the Cagliari mint operated under the Aragonese
dominion (1339), followed by the Spanish one till 1720. When Sardinia became a
part of Savoy, this mint ceased its activity in 1813.
Mint of Bonaria It was the first mint of Cagliari during the
Aragonese occupation (1324 -1326) and the siege of Castello by them. Two types
of "Alfonsino", a coin in honnor of the Infante Alphonso of Aragona,
were struck in 1324.
Mint of lglesias It
was the first mediaeval mint of Sardinia and was born following particular
historical events and for the existence of the near silver mines. This mint was
founded during the short dominion of Pisa, in 1289, under Guelfo and Lotto, the
two sons of Count Ugolino, masters of the city.
This mint continued its activity during the next Aragonese domination
(1370).
Mint of Sassari
Between 1410 and 1417, Guillermo of Narbona was in power of the city
with the title of Judge of Arborea. He ordered the coinage of two small coins
called "La patacchina" and "Il minuto". In 1421, Sassari
was annexed to the Crown of Aragona and King Alphonso V (1416-1458) authorized
the opening of a new mint, only for the coinage of the "minuto".
Mint of Alghero This city was the Aragonese stronghold in
Sardinia during the reign of Peter IV of Aragona (1336-1387). The first coinage
of a small copper coins occurred between 1416 and 1458, under King Alphonso V
and Emperor Charles V(1516-1556). It was not a royal mint, but just a local
one.
Mint of Bosa
This mint was authorized by John Il of Aragona (1458-1479) to coin a
"minuto" which was only valid within the city of Bosa and its
surrounding.
The following is an historical summary of the coining in Sardinia,
emerged from the reading of the supporting documents listed at the end of this
monography.
THE ORIGINS OF THE COINING IN SARDINIA
The present knowledge shows that before the fourth century A.C., the
monetary circulation in this island was inexistent. It is credible that before
the Phoenician invasion bronze was considered a valuable metal and used as a
mean of merchandize payments. According to such belief, some big and
rectangular pieces of bronze, could have a value equal to a cow's tunned hide.
A pattern of such ingot, weghing 27.3 kg, is shown in the archaeological museum
of Ozieri.
The presence of such ingots in Sardinia demonstrates their use as money
for commercial purposes.
CARTHAGINIAN AGE
The actual
monetary circulation in Sardinia begins from the fifth century A.C., using the
Punic and Sicilian-Punic coining, mainly brazen coins. Considering the large
quantity of such coins found in Sardinia, one could think that those ones were
also coined in this island. Unfortunately, the scientific data are not
available.
The first coining in Sardinia occurred around 300 A.C. and lasted untill
216 A.C., when the coins were enriched by figurative images already existing in
the Greek-Punic territory. Belonging to the above series, is the splendid
"Golden statere", the first and unic exemple of golden numeral of the
all Sardinian-Punic coining.
ROMAN AGE
From 238 A.C., during about two centuries, the Sardinian-Roman emissions
followed the prior ages'coining. Twenty-five coins were considered to belong to
Sardinian coining.
But, some doubts still exist among some scholars about the
identification of the actual emissions made in Sardinia. The Sardinian-Roman
coin is, above all, the "Sardus Pater" which originated from 38 to 27
A.C. and coined in a large variety of weights and styles (from 1.45 to 10
grams).
The attribution to Sardinia of some series of Roman coins,produced at
the end of the third century A.C., during the Republic period, is mainly based
upon the fact that some bronzes were re-coined over Sardinian-Punic coins.
The first of those series contains the letter "C", indicating
the initial of Caralis, a probable location of an operational mint, according
to some scholars.
VANDALIC AGE
Till now, the monetary circulation during the Vandalic domination
(456-534 D.C.) was not the object of a particular attention by scholars, mainly
due to a lack of documentation and a limited collection of few coins.
So, it was almost impossible to determine the existence of a mint in
Sardinia, in that period. Those few coins were classified " Barbarico”
(barbarian), meaning very small bronzen and unrefined coins.
BYZANTIAN AGE
During the long period from 534 to 668 D.C., all the coins circulating
in Sardinia were produced by Byzantian mints.
Under Emperor Costantino IV (668-685), a Sardinian mint began to
function, probably in Cagliari, the most important political and cultural
centre of Sardinia.
The coining in Sardinia stopped under Leone (Leo) III. It was the
beginning of Arabian raids along the coasts and the departure of Byzantians.
During the next three centuries of isolation and disorder, the truck (barter)
superseded the money. At the end of this long period, the money started to
circulate again.
See the annexed list of the coins produced in Sardinia and related to
Cagliari's mint.
THE JUDICIAL AGE (GIUDICALE)
During the last two centuries of the first millenium, Sardinia remained
more and more isolated from the central power of Byzantium and more exposed to
Arabian incursions.
In this period, the " giudicati " (judicials), a kind of small
States with limited power, were created, for the first time, in Sardinia, to
promote a social order.
No coins were found during the Giudicial age. Between 1410 and 1417,
under the dominium of Sassari by Guillermo of Narbona, also judge of Arborea,
two small coins were produced by Sassari mint. These two coins called
"patacchina" and "minuto" were made of weak metal.
PISAN AGE
During Pisan domination (1016-1323), a new mint was founded in
"Villa di Chiesa" (today, Iglesias), It coined the two unic
Sardinian-Mediaeval coins.
THE ARAGONESE AGE (1297-1327)
After the conquest of Sardinia by the Aragonese, this island became the
Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica, with the privilege of "ius cudendi"
(the right to coin money) granted by King James II of Aragona.
His son Alphonso, after his victory over the Pisa army, took advantage
of such a right (1324) and the Sardinian-Aragonese money coining started almost
immediately.
Two coins were produced: the "Alfonsino minuto" and the
"Alfonsino d'argento" (silver coin) in honnor of Alphonso of Aragona.
The Alfonsino minuto had the value of one "denaro" which generated
the Sardinian lira. This lira became the base of the monetary systems in
western Europe.
This system will last four more centuries, til the Savoy age.
The mint of Bonaria Concerning
the location of the Sardinian mints, a recent study made by the Spanish
numismatic Crusafont y Sabater, demonstrated that the "silver
Alphonsino" was coined in Iglesias (Villa di Chiesa), and the
"Alphonsino minuto" on the Bonaria Hill, now a district of Cagliari.
Consequently, this hill is the place where was born the first Cagliari
mint of the Spanish-Aragonese age.
The Bonaria mint coined, in one single year, more than one million and
five hundred thousands units of the two types of "Alfonsini minuti".
As mentioned before, The Aragonese left Bonaria and moved to Castello. It is
conceivable that the mint was also transferred there.
The mint of Castello A royal diploma according the right of
mint was granted by James II of Aragona to the city of Cagliari, on august
1327, while the mint of Iglesias was in full activity. It appeared useless to
open another mint in Cagliari. So, the accorded privilege remained unexploited.
The activity of the above mint was on the stage again when Peter IV, the
"ceremonious" (1336-1387), on January 6, 1338 ordered to coin the
"Alfonsino d'oro" (golden Alphonsino) in Castello (Cagliari).
The coining of this money started almost immediately, then stopped and
started again in 1339. Unfortunately, no one single sample of this golden coin
is available.
In 1387, under the reign of John I (1387-1396), the mint started again
its activity by, producing an " Alfonsino minuto", lightly
undervalued with regard to those in circulation.
Then, the Cagliari mint stopped again its production for fifty years,
till the accession to the throne of Alphonse V, called "The
magnanimous" (1416-1458).
In january 1442, he authorized the emission of "reali
d'argento" (silver royals). For the first time, the Sardinian-Aragonese
money is called "Royal" (Pezza, in Sardinian dialect).
Under Ferdinando II, "The catholic", (1479-1516), another
coin, called "Cagliarese", was produced by the mint of Cagliari,
becoming now: the mint of the Sardinia Kingdom, the most important one of the
island. The "Cagliarese", always coined in Cagliari and Turin, will
have a long life.
In fact, we will find this name in 1813, in one coin of King Vittorio
Emanuele of Savoy.
The Catalan period (1297-1516) ends, leaving the place to the Spanish
age (1516-1718).
THE SPANISH AGE
The Spanish age of the Sardinian history lasted about 250 years, from
the marriage of Ferdinando II of Aragona and Isabella Of Castile (1479) until
the end of the succession Spanish war (1713-1720).
From 1520, the Emperor Charles V (1516-1556) ordered to coin a monetary
series with his own name, supersiding the old money of the prior Aragonese
kings. Cagliari remained the principal mint of Charles V, who ordered the first
golden coin of the Sardinian-Aragonese and Spanish series, called lo
"scudo d'oro" (the golden crown) . It had the same value of those
circulating in Italy , Spain and France. At the end of the reign of Phillips II
(1556-1598), at the last decade of the 16th century and during the European
crisis, new coins called "Maltagliati" (badly cut)appeared in
Sardinia and in all the territories of the Spanish Empire, including the
American colonies.
The "maltagliati" were the coins pressed over old coins with
new images or symbols, sometimes very illegibles. Some unscrupolous citizens
started to counterfeit low value coins in large quantity, creating a financial
instability. But, in 1668, under the reign of Charles II (1665- 1700), a reform
was established to coin new money with better metal and style, abolishing the
circulation of the "maltagliati" in Sardinia (1671) and in Europe,
few years later.
In 1701, during the reign of Phillips V, the mint of Cagliari coined a
golden crown (scudo). It was a very important monetary event, since Emperor
Charles V. This golden coin was produced for several years and diffused in
other countries.
Charles III(1708-1717) who became Charles VI, Emperor of Austria, added
to the coins, identified with his name, a new golden crown (scudo). It was
coined from 1710 to 1714.
The long monetary series of the Spanish souverains, begun in 1516 with
Charles V, ended with the reign of Charles III of Spain.
THE SAVOY AGE (1720-1842)
The Savoy souverains did not change the Sardinian monetary system based
upon the Sardinian lira, which was instaured four centuries ago by James II of
Aragona.
In fact, the first money coined by Amedeo II in 1724 , not in Sardinia,
are three "cagliaresi" and the copper "cagliarese",
followed in 1727 by two silver coins, one valued one “reale”, and the other
"half reale". All these coins maintained the same names during the
Spanish period.
Strangely, in the Sardinia kingdom existed a double monetary
system: the Sardinian and the Piedmontese ones.
Such a system obliged two territories of the same State to exchange
their own currency as two indipendent States.
Under Vittorio Amedeo III of Savoy (1773-1796), the mint of Cagliari
started again its activity (february 6,1793) by producing one
"reale", followed by other coins during the reigns of Emanuele IV
(1796-1802) and Vittorio Emanuele I (1802 -1821). Also, under Vittorio Emanuele
I, 50,000 coins were coined in Cagliari, valued three "cagliaresi"
each. This type of coin was not produced since 1741, in spite of its frequent
use in Sardinia. Strangely, these coins do not contain any legend.
The activity of the Cagliari mint ended after the emission of the three
"cagliaresi". It was also the end of the Sardinian monetary history.
During the reign of Carlo Alberto (1831-1849), the circulation of the
old coins, produced by the Sardinian monetary system continued until 1864. From
that year, they became obsolete and replaced by the new money of the Kingdom of
Italy.
It is interesting to know how the inhabitants of Cagliari and Campidano
called the new currency, especially the most used ones:
|
5 lire |
iscudu |
|
1 lira |
francu |
|
½ lira o 50
centesimi |
pezza |
|
25 centesimi |
mesu pezza |
|
10 centesimi |
su soddu |
|
5 centesimi |
tres arrealis |
|
1 centesimo |
arreali |
M. Piras, in his book "Le monete di Sardegna", explains the
buying power of the Sardinian money at the beginning of the 18th century. We can read at page 255, as follows:
“In
1812, the mint of Cagliari coins the new “reali” with the name of Vittorio
Emanuele I. The daily pay of a qualified workman was une Sardinian lira, equal
to four (4) reali. A simple labourer: two reali, a maid with room and board
included: 20 reali (five lires) per month. Same pay for a food store helper.
One reale could buy one kilo of good meat (beef), or one kilo of spaghetti or
half kilo of Sardinian cheese (six times more for parmesan), or ten eggs,or one
litre of oil or two litres of wine. The bread was expensive, the same price of
meat. The cost of a pair of shoes for men was 16 reali, equal to eight days of
work for a common labourer, the double for a hat, 24 reali for a man’s suit, 10
reali for a woman's dress, and up to 1500 reali for a top luxury dress. A good
dinner in a medium class restaurant, in the Marina district, could cost about
five reali.”
Nobody knows for sure the location of Cagliari mint, but a
document found in 1626, mentioned about a little house where, in the ancient
time, money was coined.
Possibly, this little house was located close to the Saint Pancrazio
fountain and the Conception monastery. It seems that the Spanish, during the
last period of their domination, could have transferred the mint to a place
near the elephant tower.
The following tables contain the list of the coined money produced at
the mint of Cagliari (Bonaria and Castello) and probably, those produced in
Sardinia.
-
E. Piras, Le monete
della Sardegna dal IV Secolo a.C. al 1942, Fondazione Banco di Sardegna, 1996;
-
Boscolo, Profilo
storico della città di Cagliari, Ed. Della Torre, Luglio 1981;
-
F. Floris, Breve
storia della Sardegna, Ed.Tascabili Economici Newton, Aprile 97.
-
M.Sollai, Monete
coniate in Sardegna (1289-1813),Ed.Gallizzi, Sassari, 1997;
-
D.J. Arce, La Spagna
in Sardegna, Ed. T.E.A., Cagliari 1982;
-
E. Birocchi, Zecche e
monete della Sardegna nel periodi di dominazione aragonese-spagnola, Ed. 3T,
Cagliari,
This table shows the list of the coined money in Cagliari which covers
400 years of Aragonese and Spanish domination (1297-1720), and 120 years
(1720-1842) of Savoy domination.
ARAGONESE AGE (1297-1516)
|
1 |
Giacomo II° d’Aragona |
1297-1327 |
alfonsino minuto* |
mistura |
|
2 |
Giovanni I° d’Aragona |
1387-1396 |
alfonsino minuto |
mistura |
|
3 |
Martino I° d’Aragona |
1396-1410 |
picciolo |
mistura |
|
4 |
Alfonso V° d’Aragona |
1416-1458 |
alfonsino d’argento (o reale) |
argento |
|
5 |
|
|
mezzo alfonsino d’argento (o mezzo
reale) |
argento |
|
6 |
|
|
denaro reale |
mistura |
|
7 |
|
|
alfonsino minuto |
mistura |
|
8 |
|
|
picciolo |
mistura |
|
9 |
Giovanni II° d’Aragona |
1458-1479 |
reale minuto |
mistura |
* It exists two types of this coin, produced by
the mint of Bonaria.
|
10 |
Ferdinando II° d’Aragona |
1479-1516 |
reale |
argento |
|
11 |
|
|
reale (con effige del re) |
argento |
|
12 |
|
|
mezzo reale |
argento |
|
13 |
|
|
reale minuto |
mistura |
|
14 |
|
|
cagliarese |
mistura |
|
15 |
|
|
due cagliaresi |
mistura |
THE
SPANISH AGE (1516-1720)
|
16 |
Carlo V° imperatore |
1516-1556 |
scudo d’oro |
oro |
|
17 |
|
|
3 reali |
argento |
|
18 |
|
|
2 reali |
argento |
|
19 |
|
|
reale |
argento |
|
20 |
|
|
cagliarese |
mistura |
|
21 |
Filippo II° di Spagna |
1556-1598 |
10 reali |
argento |
|
22 |
|
|
5 reali |
argento |
|
23 |
|
|
3 reali |
argento |
|
24 |
|
|
2,5 reali |
argento |
|
25 |
|
|
2 reali |
argento |
|
26 |
|
|
reale |
argento |
|
27 |
|
|
3 cagliaresi |
mistura |
|
28 |
|
|
cagliarese |
mistura |
|
29 |
Filippo III° di Spagna |
1598-1621 |
5 reali |
argento |
|
30 |
|
|
6 cagliaresi (soldo) |
mistura |
|
31 |
|
|
3 cagliaresi |
mistura |
|
32 |
|
|
cagliarese |
mistura |
|
33 |
Filippo IV di Spagna |
1621-1665 |
10 reali |
argento |
|
34 |
|
|
5 reali |
argento |
|
35 |
|
|
2,5 reali |
argento |
|
36 |
|
|
reale |
argento |
|
37 |
|
|
soldo |
mistura |
|
38 |
|
|
3 cagliaresi |
mistura |
|
39 |
|
|
2 cagliaresi |
mistura |
|
40 |
|
|
cagliarese |
mistura |
|
41 |
Carlo II° di Spagna |
1665-1700 |
10 reali (maltagliato) |
argento |
|
42 |
|
|
5 reali |
argento |
|
43 |
|
|
2,5 reali |
argento |
|
44 |
|
|
reale |
argento |
|
45 |
|
|
½ reale |
argento |
|
46 |
|
|
3 cagliaresi |
rame |
|
47 |
|
|
cagliarese |
rame |
|
48 |
Filippo V° di Spagna |
1700-1720 |
scudo d’oro |
oro |
|
49 |
|
|
2,5 reali |
argento |
|
50 |
Carlo III°, poi VI
imperatore |
1708-1720 |
scudo d’oro |
oro |
|
51 |
|
|
2,5 reali |
argento |
|
52 |
|
|
3 cagliaresi |
rame |
|
53 |
|
|
cagliarese |
rame |
THE
SAVOY AGE (1720-1842)
|
54 |
Vittorio Amedeo III° di
Savoia |
1773-1796 |
reale (pezza) |
mistura |
|
55 |
Carlo Emanuele IV° di
Savoia |
1796-1802 |
reale |
mistura |
|
56 |
Vittorio Emanuele I° di
Savoia |
1802-1821 |
reale |
mistura |
|
57 |
|
|
3 cagliaresi |
rame |
Remark
In the above table it
doesn’t appear the Golden Alphonsino, the 58th coin, wanted by Peter
IV of Aragona and produced by the mint of Cagliari, in 1339. Unfortunately,
this coin is not available.
THE BIZANTHIAN AGE (551- end 10th century)
MONEY COINED IN
SARDINIA
AND ATTRIBUITED TO CAGLIARI MINT
|
1 |
Costantino IV° |
668-685 |
solido |
oro |
|
2 |
|
|
tremisse |
oro |
|
3 |
|
|
follis |
rame |
|
4 |
Giustiniano II° (primo regno) |
685-695 |
solido |
oro |
|
5 |
|
|
follis |
rame |
|
6 |
|
|
mezzo follis |
rame |
|
7 |
Leonzio III° |
695-698 |
tremisse |
oro |
|
8 |
|
|
mezzo follis |
rame |
|
9 |
Tiberio III° |
698-705 |
solido |
oro |
|
10 |
|
|
tremisse |
oro |
|
11 |
|
|
mezzo follis |
rame |
|
12 |
Giustiniano II° (II° regno) |
705-711 |
solido |
oro |
|
13 |
|
|
tremisse |
oro |
|
14 |
Artemio Anastasio II° |
713-715 |
solido |
oro |
|
15 |
|
|
tremisse |
oro |
|
16 |
|
|
mezzo follis |
rame |
|
17 |
Teodosio III° |
716 |
solido |
oro |
|
18 |
|
|
tremisse |
oro |
|
19 |
Leone III° |
717-720 |
solido |
oro |
|
20 |
|
|
tremisse |
oro |
The existence
of other “tremissi” of Sardinian origin, regulary coined by imitation of the
last money wanted by Leo III (Leone III), seems to demonstrate the existence of
some monetary activity in Sardinia, after the year 720.
COINS
OF PROBABLE
ATTRIBUTION TO
SARDINIA
|
1. |
Zecca incerta della Magna
Grecia (VI-V sec. a.C.) |
didracma |
argento |
|
2.
|
Zecca incerta della Magna
Grecia (VI-V sec. a.C.) |
diobolo |
argento |
|
3.
|
Zecca incerta della Magna
Grecia (VI-V sec. a.C.) |
triemitartemorion |
argento |
|
4.
|
Zecca di Taormina (III° sec. a.C.) |
bronzo |
bronzo |
|
5.
|
Zecca punica incerta (241-238 a. C.) |
grande o medio bronzo |
bronzo |
|
6.
|
Zecca punica incerta (241-238 a. C.) |
piccolo bronzo |
bronzo |
|
7.
|
Zecca punica incerta (241-238 a. C.) |
piccolo bronzo |
bronzo |
SHORT HISTORY
OF THE SANCTUARY OF OUR LADY BONARIA
As we know, the territory occupied by the Sanctuary and Basilica of
Bonaria was inhabited since the ancient time.
Probably, it was a place of Punic and protosardinian worship, but
certainly a pagan necropolis. Bonaria is one
of the most ancient districts of Cagliari and older than Castello.
Bonaria is a name well known abroad, as far as Argentina. In fact, its Capital was dedicated to Our Lady of
"Buenos Aires" (Buon'aria = Bonaria) by its founder: Don Pedro de
Mendoza (1535). In Barcelona, Catalans have their "Calle de Bonaire".
The Sanctuary of Bonaria belongs to "I frati
mercedari",(Italian monks). It
was built between 1323 and 1326 by Catalan-Aragonese labourers on the Bonaria
heights, under the reign of James II of Aragona.
The Sanctuary
and the convent represent the most ancient exemple of the gotic-catalan and
religious architecture in Sardinia. Today, its bell tower and one apsidal part
are still visible.
The Basilica was partially built in the 18th century and completed in
1956. Inside the Sanctuary
there is a wooden statue of Our Lady of Bonaria who is associated to an ancient
legend, as follows: in 1370, during a stormy navigation from Spain to Italy,
the boat's crew was obliged to throw overboard the cargo, including the trunk
containing the statue of a Madonna. At that precise moment the storm ended and
the crew survived.
One day, the trunk was found on the beach,facing the hill of Bonaria, by
some "Frati Mercedari" and brought to the Sanctuary. A small column on the beach indicates where the trunk was
found.
The legend says that the statue always moved to the same location (main
altar) from any other location, decided by "I Frati".
From those days on, the Sanctuary is visited by very important persons
as St.Louis, King of France, the King of Navarra, the Count of Poitiers, the
French noblesse and millions of single people. St. Bonaria is the Patron of
Sardinia and worldwide sailors.
The first sunday of july is an important religious holiday in her
honnor, Her statue follows a procession at sea.
Annexed to the
Sanctuary, there is a very important museum with ancient sacred apparels and
many "ex-voto" donated by faithful people to the "Madonna".
The ex-voto museum is located inside of one of the twelve masonry
reservoirs, used in the past to contain rain water. About those reservoirs, the
writer Francesco Alziator wrote in a fine poetic style, as follows: "Those
grotto walls which isolate the surrounding world, drowing things in the
silence, contribute to give them a kind of sepulchral tonality, creating a
singular atmosphere full of that emotional power which exists in any disperate
invocation to the Eternal".
The "ex-voto" were mainly given by people saved from
shipwrecks or slavery in Africa. Kings
and noblepersons gave also valuable objects. Two golden crowns were donated in
1818 by Vittorio Emanuele I and Maria Teresa. A big silver anchor was given by
Queen Margherita of Savoy, in occasion of the polar expedition of Duke Luigi
degli Abruzzi.
The naval sector of the museum is also very rich of miniature ships. Among them, an ivory ship of the 14th century and a silver
one of unknown date.
In the same museum there are some mummified corpses belonging to Martino
Alagon, his wife Isabella of Requiseng, and some members of their families .
Concerning th Alagon family, it exists a document dated october 23,
1604, declaring the acquisition of a burial right inside the Sanctuary, for all
the family, by Isabella Requiseng who paid for it 1800 Sardinian lires.
To be visited, close to the Sanctuary, is the monumental cemetery where
rest in peace the corpses of illustrious citizens of Cagliari, the first
christians of the Roman necropolis and the Aragonese soldiers who died during
the siege of Castello.
Unfortunately, the ancient tombs located at the eastern side of the
Basilica main stair, are no more cared and protected by the city of Cagliari.
Natalino Ridolfini
Via Pessina, 36
09125 Cagliari