That is: of the noble and titled Neapolitan families
belonging to the Noble Circles of Naples, registered in
the Neapolitan Gold Book, to the Neapolitan Regional
Register or who played a role in the affairs of Southern
Italy. |
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THE d’AURIA FAMILY |
Lucera,
the coat of arms of the d'Auria Family
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A MOST NOBLE KINSHIP – SANT’ALFONSO MARIA
de’ LIGUORI |
Members of the d’Auria Family are related many times
with the House of the de’ Liguori:
this noble Neapolitan Family of the Seat of Portanova
had the good fortune to count among its most important
members, a great Saint of the Church: Alfonso Maria de’
Liguori (1696-1787). |
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Alfonso was an extraordinary man. He enrolled in the
University of Naples at the early age of 12, graduating
in 1713, U.J.D. (Utriusque Juris Doctor,
id est Doctor in both Civil and Canonic Law), having
taken the exam with the great philosopher, Giambattista
Vico. He was proclaimed Saint in 1839, and Doctor of
the Church in 1871. Thanks to the many marriages between
the d’Auria(s) and the de Liguori, Saint Alfonso has
always been considered a Saint of “the Family”. his
Bishop’s cross encasing fragments of the cross of the
crucifixion was preserved in the d’Auria House until the
70’s, Giovanni and Maria d’Auria, now in Heaven, whose
devotion was very profound, made it a gift to the Church
because it was an object of veneration by all the
faithful. |
OTHER KINSHIP: the Vallin(s) |
Giovanni d’Auria
in his first marriage, Donna Carolina Vallin, lady of
Scottish origin, born 22nd September 1812,
only daughter of Sir Don Angelo, Count of Siward, Baron
of Stillbrat and of Lady Celeste Garigliano. The surname
of Vallin has ancient French origins and arrived in
England with the Normans. From this marriage on the 5 of
June 1842, Amilcare, Maria, Francesco Paolo, Vincenzo
was born and on 25 July 1842 passed away after only 50
days of life. Disconsolate, the parents decided to adopt
from the Casa Della Santissima Annunziata in Naples, a
girl by the name of Maria Grazia Giovenale, who had been
left (exposed) in the said Pius Institute on May 4 1842,
apparently born one day previously. Of this child there
is little notice. |
The coat of arms of the Vallin Family |
Naples – The foundling wheel |
But Destiny had not left an easy or happy life to the
couple. The day of the 5th of March, at the
age of 32, after 27 days of sickness with pneumonia,
also Carolina passed to a better life. In a holographic
will, placed with the Notary, Gabriele Vallo of Naples,
and a copy of which is among the papers of
Giovanni
d’Auria, Carolina nominated her husband her sole heir.
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A HOUSE ENVELOPED IN LEGEND |
Palazzo
d’Auria – courtyard with beautiful 13th
Century balcony |
Events referred to by some chroniclers, among whom the
authoritative Carlo Corrado (1641-1725) (events,
however, which have always been known by tradition),
were that in this Palazzo d’Auria was hosted and solaced
Elena degli Angeli, Queen Elena Comneno, wife of King
Manfredi, fleeing to L’Epiro, her homeland, after the
defeat and death of her husband, Manfredi. The Queen
continued her flight travelling to Trani where she was
betrayed by some ecclesiastics loyal to the Papacy and,
therefore, to Carlo of Angiou. She was delivered with
her children to the henchmen of Carlo I of Angiou where
she was left to die in prison. The Palazzo of the
d’Auria (s), subsequently modified by other owners,
dates back to the XIII Century, being the century of the
Battle of Benevento in 1266.
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Naples, a sepulcher of family Auria of MDLXXXV
|
Naples,
d'Auria Palace belonged to Gennaro d'Auria, (U.J.D.
Utriusque Juris Doctor)
Vicar General of Naples (end of 1600) |
A CONSUL IN THE FAMILY(?) |
In a Cemetery in Naples, there is a memorial monument
with the busts of the spouses Vincenzo d’Auria and
Erminia Ajello with the following epitaph: |
Vincenzo d'Auria |
Erminia Ajello |
It is not certain, but there is good reason to believe
that said Vincenzo was the son of
Gennaro
d’Auria and Giuseppa Rho Confalone who lived in the
years of the end of 18th Century to 1868.
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A REVOLUTIONARY AND REPUBLICAN |
In Naples, on the 23rd of January 1799,
certain Neapolitan nobles and some bourgeois notables
proclaimed the “Neapolitan
Republic”,
nominating a provisory government comprising 25
members and initially presided over by Carlo Lauberg.
King Ferdinando IV of Bourbon transferred to Palermo
with the help of the English fleet commanded by Horace
Nelson. From the news that was related in the Family,
there is no doubt that Nicola d’Auria participated – it
is not clearly known in what way or in what role – in
this Republican Revolution.
The Neapolitan Republic lasted only a few months. The
French troops, due to wartime events of the epoch, were
recalled to other war theatres and left Naples
undefended, while Cardinal Ruffo went around organizing
the so-called “Army of the Holy Faith” which,
leaving from Calabria, with rapid ascent, reached
Naples. |
Manifesto illustrating
“Neapolitan Republic” 1799 |
The Neapolitan commoners, the so-called Lazzari, faithful to
the King, led by Michele Pezza, the legendary “Fra
Diavolo”, with the approach of the Sanfedists and of
Nelson’s fleet that supported them from the sea, gave
life and motion to rebellious action, which determined
the collapse of the Republic 7 May 1799. King Ferdinando
hastened to nominate a Council to begin trials which
resulted in death sentences, imprisonments, deportations
and exile. Horace Nelson in person, wanted the execution
of the Admiral of the Bourbon fleet, Francesco
Caracciola, who had passed to the Republicans. He was
hanged from a flagpole of his own ship. Among the other
revolutionaries was Luisa Sanfelice who was decapitated.
She was the protagonist of a famous romance by Alexandre
Dumas.
Many, among which our
Nicola
d’Auria, eluded the trials and sure death sentences for
high treason by fleeing. Nicola d’Auria was able to get
to England “where the wife, Antonia Cilenti did not want
to follow for fear of the long voyage”.
Nicola was, perhaps, facilitated by the fact that at
Tolve, territory of the Basilicata - rather isolated and
distant from Naples - the repression arrived with a
certain delay, giving Nicola more ease in arranging his
escape. |
Coat of arms of the d’Auria Family – pastel drawing
preserved in Tolve. |
The reason why Nicola chose England as his new residence
instead of the Napoleon Republic of France, is not
known. |
Photograph of Giovanni Francesco d’Auria (1975) |
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The d’Auria coat of arms – manuscript |
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To
Giovanni Francesco
d’Auria,
Knight of Justice of the Sacred Military Order
Constantiniano of San Giorgio, is entrusted the continuity of the tradition so
that the History of the House of d’Auria never falls
into oblivion. |
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