| Abstrakt: |
In 1833, Charles Albert of Savoy-Carignano, a short time after his ascent to the throne of Sardinia, decided to set up a collection of ancient and modern arms and armour at his Palace. Why such an early decision in a field that certainly was not a priority among his duties? Perhaps the answer can be found in an episode he witnessed in 1819. In the spring of that year, the king of Sardinia Victor Emmanuel, while staying in Genoa with his court, visited the Land Arsenal of the former Republic to see an important set of armour exposed for a possible sale. They belonged to the Armoury of the Republic but were sold to private citizens (or were stolen) in 1797. The king acknowledged their historical importance and promptly decided to buy all of them to decorate the renewed Armoury of the Arsenal, and the young Charles Albert must have been impressed by the quick royal decision. This is probably one of the main reasons why he then established the prominent Armeria Reale, in his capital, Turin, drawing the first objects from his Arsenals in Turin and Genoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
