Carnival Characters - Orange Battle

Characters Carnival

Miller’s Daughter

The most important character in the Historical Carnival is the Miller’s Daughter, the heroine who has become the symbol of the freedom won by the people in their revolt against the feudal tyrant.

At the time of Marquis Raineri di Biandrate, the young newly-wed commoner Violetta, bravely fought off the attentions of the tyrant, who not content with oppressing the people with taxes and ill treatment, had imposed jus primae noctis on young brides (the right to sleep with them on their first night of marriage).

When going up to the castle on the evening of her wedding, the young girl swore to her husband Toniotto that she would never accept such an imposition. She suddenly pulled out a dagger from under her clothes, cut off the tyrant’s head and showed it to the entire population from the battlements.

This was the sign for revolt. The manor house was immediately taken and burnt and the people swore that nothing would ever be built in its place.

Set in the Dark Ages, this legend, as all legends, has a historical basis: in fact, at that time along the Dora Baltea river there were many floating mills; perhaps the Ivrea uprising was caused by the umpteenth tax on flour, but the memory of it that has been passed down over the centuries is the picture of pretty Violetta who freed the whole city.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

General

Prior to Napoleonic rule, the Ivrea carnival was celebrated separately by every quarter, but this resulted in strong rivalry that often led to violent, bloody fighting.
In the early 1800s, in the middle of the occupation by Napoleon, civil and military authorities were so concerned about law and order that they set up a sort of “security service” for these events. In 1808, a man much respected by the townspeople was appointed head of these guards, and thus identified well with the city culture and pride, especially when the carnivals of the various quarters were united in one great city festival. According to tradition, in this way the General obtained the right to the title and uniform of “General of the Napoleonic Army” and the leave to ask other people to accompany him as Officers of the General Staff, to help him in his duties.
The General takes office on 6th January when he receives the cocked hat and sword from the previous year’s general. Then on the last Thursday before Lent, in the Handing over of power ceremony, the Mayor passes to him his sash, together with the duty (obviously symbolic) of control of law and order. He is assisted and helped by a squad of General Staff officers, from whom he appoints the aides-de-camp and the sutlers.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Pipes

The Pipes and Drums have an important history behind them. It was thought that at the time of Emanuele Filiberto, there was a resident Pipe and Drum band in the four-towered castle, permanently at the service of the Ivrea garrison.

Today the band of pipers and drummers is led by the first piper who prompts the opening notes and by a drum major who keeps the rhythm.

The uniform of the group includes the short French-style Phrygian hat, a red jacket with green collar and cuffs, gold metal buttons and green trousers with a red band. The instruments in the band are small tin whistles, drums and the bass drum.

There are thirty two carnival tunes in all, including five reveilles played during the Alzata degli Abbà, during the Pianta il Pich and the burning of the Scarli, and a Generala played whenever the General dismounts from his horse to leave and during the funeral march on Tuesday evening.

In addition, at all official dinners the alzata da Tavola, consisting of the marches of the five city parishes played one after the other, marks the end of the meal.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Drums

The Pipes and Drums have an important history behind them. It was thought that at the time of Emanuele Filiberto, there was a resident Pipe and Drum band in the four-towered castle, permanently at the service of the Ivrea garrison.

Today the band of pipers and drummers is led by the first piper who prompts the opening notes and by a drum major who keeps the rhythm.

In addition, at all official dinners the alzata da Tavola, consisting of the marches of the five city parishes played one after the other, marks the end of the meal.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Miller’s daughter’s Escort of Honour

A recent addition to the carnival, the escort replaced bodyguards accompanying Violetta on her official duties, giving the correct historical collocation to the group, in fitting with the 19th century scenario that is the backcloth for the whole event.

The uniform worn by the group, officially the Reggimento Primo Tricolore Historical Group, was one of the first in the Italian army to appear at the times of the Cisalpine Republic, with a black hat swathed in red, green jacket and trousers and shoes covered with white gaiters.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Abbà – Priors of the five Parishes

Ten children in rich Renaissance costumes representing the priors of the five parishes in Ivrea: San Grato, San Maurizio, Sant’Ulderico, San Lorenzo and San Salvatore.

In 1700 the Abbà was the head of the Badia, an association of young people that organized parties, and whose emblem was a loaf of bread stuck on a pick, today replaced by a sword with an orange on the tip of the blade, to symbolise the beheaded tyrant.

On the last Thursday before Lent, it is their job to set fire to the Scarlo standing in the square of their parish.

The Abbà are presented to the city by the General on the two Sundays preceding Carnival during the ceremony of the Alzata.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Officers of the General Staff

rior to Napoleonic rule, the Ivrea carnival was celebrated separately by every quarter, but this resulted in strong rivalry that often led to violent, bloody fighting. In the early 1800s, in the middle of the occupation by Napoleon, civil and military authorities were so concerned about law and order that they set up a sort of “security service” for these events.
In 1808, a man much respected by the townspeople was appointed head of these guards, and thus identified well with the city culture and pride, especially when the carnivals of the various quarters were united in one great city festival.

According to tradition, in this way the General obtained the right to the title and uniform of “General of the Napoleonic Army” and the leave to ask other people to accompany him as Officers of the General Staff, to help him in his duties.

The General takes office on 6th January when he receives the cocked hat and sword from the previous year’s general.

Then on the last Thursday before Lent, in the Handing over of power ceremony, the Mayor passes to him his sash, together with the duty (obviously symbolic) of control of law and order.
He is assisted and helped by a squad of General Staff officers, from whom he appoints the aides-de-camp and the sutlers.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Vivandiere

The General takes office on 6th January when he receives the cocked hat and sword from the previous year’s general.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Grand Chancellor and Assistant Grand Chancellor

An extremely important figure in the history of Ivrea Carnival is the Assistant Grand Chancellor.

In the early 1800s, when the various carnivals became just one, it was decided that the provost of the city solicitors, called the Grand Chancellor, should keep a detailed record of every event and every Carnival ceremony in a special book. Since the solicitors were usually very busy and didn’t feel inclined to ride around the city streets on horseback, they used to have their deeds written by someone they trusted. So an Assistant Grand Chancellor was appointed.

He is always present, alongside the General and the General Staff, in order to bear witness on every official occasion. In a black velvet suit, white pleated wig, with a ponytail under his three-cornered hat, white waistcoat and shirt with lace frill and cuffs, knee breeches over white stockings, the Assistant rides carrying with him a copy of the Records Book.

The real one, in which he meticulously notes down the performance of the ceremonies according to protocol, is kept in a safe place, since during Carnival he is the only one responsible for this document.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Podestà

Supreme Head of the Government of the City, the Magnificent Podesta was appointed, since the fourteenth century, from Credendari, the municipal councilors of the time, and was responsible for administration and justice.

Chosen outside the municipality to ensure its impartiality, the mayor when he came into office, after swearing on the book of statutes, was to withdraw with a special hammer kept at the town hall, among the ruins of a stone and threw Castellazzo Dora as in breach of the Marquis of Monferrato.

The ceremony is repeated every year, the Sunday morning of carnival. For several years it has also taken the traditional offering of candles by the city, represented by the Bishop Podesta. Shall be a solemn day of the Epiphany in the cathedral at 16.

I Credendari belonged to various districts in which the city was divided, were in the maximum number of seventy, and formed a kind of senate, among them were elected by the Council of Sages in charge of drafting and revision of the statutes, three prosecutors keeping of records and a Treasurer to manage costs. I Credendari were the city government and, as such, held administrative and legislative powers.

In August of each year held a special session in which he was elected the mayor, who remained in office only one year, and once it had established judicial powers. One can therefore say that, compared to the district authorities, are now in the same ratio as between the members of Parliament and the Government. I Credendari participated in the major events the city will formally take the mayor.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Alfieri - The Ensigns

The Ensigns (Alfieri) head the Ivrea Carnival Parade, carrying the old flags of the parishes or city quarters.

For a long time in the past this was done by individuals recruited and put together at random by the City Council, thus losing the importance and value deserved.
In 1996 a group of young friends (from the Eporediae Paçdaran group) was asked by the incumbent General Paolo Bravo to cover the role, reorganising the flag-bearers and improving their image.

In 1998 the group set up the Ensign Association, confirming their willingness to head the Historical Parade, bringing honour to the old standards and the new city parishes they represent, and doing all they could to revamp the image of the ensigns and the return the flags to their former glory.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

University student associations (AUC/S.O.A.S)

In Ivrea Carnival there are two rival groups of students, the A.U.C. and S.O.A.S..

The students belonging to the two groups take part in the carnival through parties, dances, processions and “kidnappings” in exchange for rewards (one famous kidnapping, for example, took place in “the abduction of the Lion” was carried out by the S.O.A.S. in 1977: in fact that year the lion on the Mugnaia’s golden coach was kidnapped, and later returned in exchange for 50 litres of wine “paid by the General and by the Assistant Grand Chancellor).

It was these groups that started the tradition of the Saturday evening torchlight procession (fiaccolata goliardica), in fact they lead the procession and escort the Miller’s daughter with their torches. A solemn moment for the two groups is the Wednesday evening preceding Carnival when the Prefects are appointed.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Credendari

I Credendari belonged to various districts in which the city was divided, were in the maximum number of seventy, and formed a kind of senate, among them were elected by the Council of Sages in charge of drafting and revision of the statutes, three prosecutors keeping of records and a Treasurer to manage costs. I Credendari were the city government and, as such, held administrative and legislative powers.

Il Barone

The tyrant who, not content to be the people with taxes and abuse, had imposed on young brides jus de seigneur. But Miller’s Daughter, climb to the castle in the evening of the wedding, and suddenly pulled a knife from his clothes, cut off the head of the tyrant and showed it to the whole nation from the ramparts of the castle. It was the beginning of the uprising commoner!

Citoyens de la Ville d’Ivrée

Citoyens de la Ville d’Ivrée are a “free movement”, founded in 1999 by people from Ivrea and the Canavese who chose to wear costumes from the period of the revolution (1795-1799) to stand out from the crowd in the city square and to emphasize that the common people are the main feature of Ivrea Carnival. So the group was formed not to parade in the carnival procession, but to take active part in those episodes of the carnival considered most enjoyable and appropriate, in an individualistic, libertarian spirit. In other words, to enjoy themselves all together in a friendly atmosphere.
The “Citoyens” call the Ivrea people (known as Eporediesi) and fun-lovers to gather in order to:

assert the libertarian spirit of the carnival, abolishing, at least within it, any hierarchy, order or obligation to be attend set appointment
emphasize that the carnival belongs to the people, pointing out that people have to be seen without being limited to attending ceremonials
underline that the history of our carnival started long before that 1808 when all that was done was to buy a book and make a report… it’s history is spread over more than 800 years!
make their voices heard either approving or disapproving where history is pulled up like a blanket as it suits, leaving the feet and who knows what else bare…
wear whatever costume they like, as long as dating from around that fateful 1795, so dear to us as peasants, commoners, bourgeois, courtiers, doctors, soldiers, or even aristocrats, but always with their classic Phrygian hat on their heads.

The “Citoyens de la Ville d’Ivrée” express the spirit of involvement of the people in the carnival and, wishing to make their presence even more meaningful and emblematic, every year on the last Monday before Lent they re-enact an episode from the town’s history by planting “the tree of freedom” which is donated to the city mayor.

The period is one of the uprisings in Piedmont following the French Revolution and the year is 1798.

In fact, on the 15th December of that year, the new Republican town council was elected and inaugurated without any resistance and with not tocsins. The old council with Pietro Marco, the mayor, had left without a fuss, but not without putting guards at the town gates and giving orders, in an unsuspected excess of zeal, concerning the tree of freedom, which was planted on 13th December 1798 (23 Frimaire, seventh year of the French Republic and the first one of the freedom of Piedmont) with an inaugural address by lawyer Pietro Giglio, of which we were able to have the text in quite a strange way. Don Pietro Curbis, at that time prelate of Borgomasino, in fact took care to preserve certain documents concerning that period, placing them significantly at the foot of one of his registers of notes about the parish church for future memory. One of these documents is the speech made by the lawyer Giglio. From this we first of all learn that the tree was a beech (“beech of fervid patriotism”) decorated with the “Glorious Emblem of the Patriotic Union” which should have reminded the townspeople of the “Trees of Triumph, which in memory of the yoke removed by the lascivious Stock of Monferrato, we are accustomed to erecting with fires of joy in the carnival”. “We are accustomed to erecting”… here are the scarli acting as the “Tree of Triumph” officially mentioned at the end of the 18th century as a symbol of a libertarian tradition now consolidated, referring to specific facts remembered from the Middle Ages, together with the “fires of joy in the Carnival”.

On this tree grew “sweet oranges or portugals” a fruit that perfectly described “Republican equality, though the equality, unity, indivisibility of the segments or slices of the fruit. To this is added the sweetness of the fruit to announce the sweetness of the Republican Government”.

This man left, Napoleon passed by, the sovereigns of the restoration returned (all governments which had little “sweetness” if any at all), but the idea remained in the people’s imagination. The orange as a symbol of freedom, easy to pick from the tree and throw at whoever jeopardises it, the tyrant. “Be docile to the voices of good order, sensitive to the evils of society… beware of fostering the spirit of selfishness, or love for the party, let the vote of each of you be the happiness of all, and the cause of freedom, the first universal cause”.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Valets

They are the designated control symbol of civic power.

They tied it 's time to party on Friday evening with the Grand Ball of the valets.
We can see them in service in the Town Hall and in the carnival parade on Saturday evening.
Their motto is "History old always new!"

Orange-throwers on carts - TWO HORSES

The orange-throwers on carts, along with the teams on foot, are undoubtedly the heroes of the Oranges Battle.

The throwers on the carts are divided into about 40 teams – the number varying from year to year – in turn divided according to whether drawn by two horses (about thirty) or four horses (about ten).
In the symbolism of Carnival, the orange-throwers on the carts personify the tyrant’s guards who fight against the people, represented by the throwers on foot.
For this reason the orange-throwers on the carts have a leather mask (with a grille or plexiglass to protect their eyes) and a padded jacket (while the foot throwers, the poor people, wear only a tunic and trousers in their team’s colours).
Every cart, whether drawn by two or four horses, has a driver (the owner of hirer of the cart and horses) and a cart leader, the person who deals with organisation and management of the cart and orange-throwers.
The carts also make an important contribution to Ivrea Carnival in terms of aesthetics, thanks to the elegance of the beautifully adorned, plaited horses and the decorations of the carts, often painted by local artists.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Orange-throwers on carts - FOUR HORSES

The orange-throwers on carts, along with the teams on foot, are undoubtedly the heroes of the Oranges Battle.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Orange-throwers on carts

The orange-throwers on carts, along with the teams on foot, are undoubtedly the heroes of the Oranges Battle.

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

Asso di Picche (The Ace of Spades)

Set up in 1947 by a group of young players from Ivrea football club, they have a red and blue uniform, with the ace of spades as their emblem and a black neckerchief.
The battle ground of the team, one of the oldest ones, is Piazza di Città.

http://www.assodipicche.it

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Aranceri della Morte (Death)

They share Piazza di Città with the Spades and were formed in 1954 thanks to a group of friends from San Grato quarter. The original tunic was a blue work overall. At present, however, the uniform has a black tunic with a white skull and cross bones on it and red trousers.

http://www.arancerimorte.it

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Tuchini Aranceri a piedi (The Tuchini)

Borghetto, one of the oldest and most fascinating parts of the city, is the Tuchini’s territory. They first appeared in 1964 with the uniform they still wear today, red and green with a red neckerchief. Their emblem is the crow, after the symbol of Croatia; in fact in olden days many Croatians lived in Ivrea.

http//www.tuchini.it

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Scacchi (The Chess pieces)

Their name came from the number of their first orange-throwers – sixteen like the pieces on one side of the chess board. Since 1964 the number of members has grown, but the black and white checked tunic remains, with an orange tower, the symbol of Ivrea castle. Also their neckerchief is orange.
The team, which is one of the biggest ones, throws oranges in Piazza Ottinetti.

http://www.aranceriscacchi.it

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Scorpioni d’Arduino (The Arduini)

The team, that shares Piazza Ottinetti with the Scacchi, was set up in 1966 and owes its name to one of the most interesting streets in the old town centre, via Arduino. The Scorpion team members wear light green trousers, a neckerchief that is changed each year, and a yellow tunic with a scorpion on the back.

http://www.scorpionidarduino.it

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Pantera nera (The Panthers)

They are the last team to throw oranges, along with the Mercenaries and the Devils, in the huge Piazza del Rondolino. After their formation in 1966, the Panthers “fought” for about ten years in Piazza di Città, where they were practically born, then moved to Piazza Ferrando and later Piazza Ottinetti, until they reached their present battlefield.
The team members wear a black uniform with yellow stripes like their neckerchief.
Their emblem, as their name says, is a roaring panther.

http://www.aranceripanteranera.com

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

I Diavoli (The Devils)

One of the most famous teams, the Devils have their throwing ground in Piazza del Rondolino. Set up in 1973, they can be recognised thanks to their red tunic and trousers with yellow bands and a yellow neckerchief. Their symbol is a devil with his fork.

http://www.diavoliaranceri.com

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

I Mercenari (The Mercenaries)

They too can be found in Piazza del Rondolino. The Mercenaries group was founded in 1974 and they have a purple emblem, yellow trousers which have been replaced with their original blue jeans, and a patterned neckerchief. The team chose as their symbol two scimitars in a yellow 5-pointed star.

http://www.mercenari.it

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I Credendari Aranceri (The Credendari)

The last team, formed in 1985 but not recognised until 1989, throw oranges in Piazza Freguglia and their tunic is yellow and blue with a yellow neckerchief.
The emblem shows the Palazzo della Credenza and below it the mace (symbol of the Council) crossed with the axe (symbol of the Podestà) and, further down, the name of the team.

http://www.credendariaranceri.it

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it