The engagement of the Duke of Aosta, Emanuele Filiberto, to Princess Hélène of Orleans has been met with widespread excitement and anticipation in the royal circles of Europe. This union, which is expected to strengthen the ties between the royal families of Italy and France, marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic efforts of the two nations.
As the son of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, Emanuele Filiberto is a prominent figure in the Italian royal family, and his engagement to Princess Hélène of Orleans, a member of the French royal family, is seen as a strategic move to solidify the alliance between the two nations. The couple’s union is expected to have far-reaching implications for the future of European politics and diplomacy, making their engagement a significant event in the royal calendar.
what were the key events leading up to the engagement of the Duke of Aosta
- Birth of Prince Amedeo: Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, was born on September 27, 1943, in Florence, Italy.
- Family Background: Prince Amedeo was the son of Prince Aimone, 4th Duke of Aosta, and Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark.
- Marriage and Children: Prince Amedeo married Princess Claude de France in 1964 and had three children, including his only son, Aimone.
- Divorce and Second Marriage: Prince Amedeo divorced Princess Claude in 1982 and married again in 1987.
- Engagement of Aimone: Prince Aimone, the son of Prince Amedeo, announced his engagement to Princess Olga of Greece in May 2005.
These events set the stage for the engagement of the Duke of Aosta, which was a significant royal event in the House of Savoy.
what were the Duke of Aosta’s main responsibilities as Viceroy and Governor-General of Italian East Africa
- Commander-in-Chief: He was the Commander-in-Chief of all Italian military forces in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somaliland.
- Infrastructure and Quality of Life Improvements: He oversaw significant infrastructure projects, including the construction of roads, hospitals, schools, and hotels, aimed at improving the standard of living for both Italians and native Ethiopians.
- Social Reforms: He abolished slavery and granted rights to several Muslim groups that had been denied before the Italian conquest.
- Preparing for War: He prepared the East African colonies for the impending war by building airfields, naval bases, and raising and training colonial troops, ensuring adequate supplies of food, ammunition, and fuel.
- Governance: He governed the region, addressing the needs of both the Italian settlers and the native population, and implemented policies to improve the quality of life and infrastructure.
These responsibilities demonstrate the significant role the Duke of Aosta played in shaping the governance and development of Italian East Africa during his tenure as Viceroy and Governor-General.
how did the Duke of Aosta’s policies impact the daily lives of the local population
- Infrastructure Improvements: The Duke oversaw significant infrastructure projects, including the construction of roads, hospitals, schools, and hotels, which improved the standard of living for both Italians and native Ethiopians.
- Social Reforms: He abolished slavery and granted rights to several Muslim groups that had been denied before the Italian conquest, leading to definite improvements in the country.
- Water and Port Facilities: The water system and port facilities were overhauled, creating essential services and jobs.
- Healthcare and Education: The construction of hospitals and schools provided better healthcare and education facilities for the local population.
- Economic Development: The Duke’s policies aimed to increase the standard of living throughout the country, not just for the Italian settlers but also for the native Ethiopians.
These policies demonstrate the Duke of Aosta’s commitment to improving the daily lives of the local population, particularly in terms of infrastructure, social justice, and economic development.
Yesterday, Vera dei Conti Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga and Nobile Briano Martinoni Caleppio announced their engagement. Vera is a granddaughter of Prince Amedeo, Duke of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, and his first wife, Princess Claude d’Orléans. Vera’s ancestry includes European royalty, European and Italian nobility, as well as Italian industrial and political figures. Briano’s background contains many Italian noble, industrial, and political connections as well.
Vera dei Conti Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga was born at Samedan, Switzerland, on 18 August 1993. She is the second eldest child of Count Gilberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (b.1961) and Princess Bianca of Savoy-Aosta (b.1966). Vera is the second of five children; she has one older sister, Viola (b.1991), two younger sisters, Mafalda (b.1997) and Maddalena (b.2000), and one younger brother, Count Leonardo (b.2001).
Nobile Briano Martinoni Caleppio was born at Milan on 30 November 1984. He is the only child of Nobile Paolo Martinoni Caleppio (b.1949) and his first wife Barbara Parodi Delfino (b.1959). Briano has six half-siblings: three from his father Paolo, and three from his mother Barbara.
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| Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga, Senator of the Italian Kingdom |
Second cousins once removed, Vera and Briano are both descendants of Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (1873-1933) and Nobile Clotilde Vera dei Conti Papadopoli Aldobrandini (1883-1946). Through her father, Vera is a great-granddaughter of Giberto and Vera; through his mother, Briano is a great-great-grandson of the couple. Vera and Briano’s common ancestor Giberto (like his father before him) served as a member of the Senate of the Italian Kingdom for many years; when he died in August 1933, Prime Minister Benito Mussolini paid tribute to Giberto’s contributions to the Italian nation on the floor of the Senate.
Ancestry of Vera
1. Vera dei Conti Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (b.1993)
Parents
2. Conte Gilberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (b.1961)
who married in 1988
3. Princess Bianca of Savoy-Aosta (b.1966)
Grandparents
4. Conte Leonardo Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (1904-1971)
who married in 1948
5. Nobile Donna Maria Brandolini D’Adda dei Conti di Valmareno (b.1923)
6. Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Savoy, Duke of Aosta (b.1943)
who 1stly married in 1964 (civilly divorced in 1982; religiously announced in 1987)
7. Princess Claude d’Orléans (b.1943)
Great-Grandparents
8. Conte Giberto Alberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga, Senator of the Italian Kingdom (1873-1933)
who married in 1902
9. Nobile Clotilde Vera dei Conti Papadopoli Aldobrandini (1883-1946)
10. Conte Carlo Brandolini D’Adda, Conte di Valmareno (1887-1942)
who married in 1917
11. Dona Maria José Alvares Pereira de Melo (1893-1947)
12. Prince Aimone of Savoy, Duke of Spoleto, Duke of Aosta (1900-1948)
who married in 1939
13. Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark (1904-1974)
14. Prince Henri d’Orléans, Count of Paris (1908-1999)
who married in 1931
15. Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Bragança (1911-2003)
Great-Great-Grandparents
16. Conte Silvio Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga, Senator of the Italian Kingdom (1844-1913)
who married
17. Virginia Forini Lippi
18. Conte Nobile Nicolò Papadopoli Aldobrandini (1841-1922)
who married in 1880
19. Baroness Helene Hellenbach de Pacsolay (1852/1862-1939)
20. Conte Annibale Brandolini d’Adda, Conte di Valmareno (1829-1901)
who married in 1868
21. Donna Leopolda d’Adda del Marchesi di Pandino
22. Jaime Alvares Pereira de Melo, Duque de Cadaval (1844-1913)
who married in 1887
23. Contessa Maria Graziella Zileri dal Verne degli Obbizi (1859-1952)
24. Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Duke of Aosta (1869-1931)
who married in 1895
25. Princess Hélène d’Orléans (1871-1951)
26. King Constantine I of the Hellenes (1868-1923)
who married in 1889
27. Princess Sophie of Prussia (1870-1932)
28. Prince Jean d’Orléans, Duke of Guise (1872-1940)
who married in 1899
29. Princess Isabelle d’Orléans (1878-1961)
30. Prince Pedro of Orléans-Bragança, Prince of Grão Pará (1875-1940)
who married in 1908
31. Countess Elisabeth Dobrzensky von Dobrzenicz (1875-1951)
Ancestry of Briano
1. Nobile Briano Martinoni Caleppio (b.1984)
Parents
2. Nobile Paolo Martinoni Caleppio (b.1949)
who married (divorced)
3. Barbara Parodi Delfino (b.1959)
Grandparents
4. Conte Nobile Luigi Martinoni Caleppio (1913-2001)
who married in 1946
5. Donna Vittoria Carrega Bertolini dei Principi di Lucedio (b.1916)
6. Riccardo Parodi Delfino (b.1934)
who married in 1958
7. Donna Vivide Visconti di Modrone (b.1938)
Great-Grandparents
8. Conte Nobile Camillo Martinoni Caleppio (1878-1960)
who married in 1908
9. Erminia Fenderi (1885-1983)
10. Marchese Don Andrea Carrega Bertolini, Principe di Lucedio (1878-1970)
who married in 1907
11. Donna Paola dei Principi Odeschalchi (1884-1962)
12. Paolo Parodi Delfino (1909-died in a plane crash October 1936)
who married
13. Bonaccorsa “Bona” Aliotti (1908-1995)
14. Conte Don Eduardo Visconti di Modrone (1908-1980)
who married in 1931
15. Nicoletta dei Conti Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (1906-1986)
Great-Great-Grandparents
16. Nobile Luigi Martinoni Caleppio (1837-1890)
who married
17. Nobile Maria dei Conti Caleppio
18. Signore Fenderi
who married
19. ?
20. Marchese Don Francesco “Franco” Carrega Bertolini, Principe di Lucedio (1850-1923)
who married in 1875
21. Emilia Camilla Balbi Senarega dei Marchesi di Piovere (1850-1935)
22. Principe Baldassare Odeschalchi (1844-1909)
who married in 1881
23. Emilia dei Conti Rucellai (1857-1940)
24. Leopoldo Parodi Delfino, Senator of the Italian Kingdom (1875-1945)
who married in 1907
25. Lucie Henny (1887-1977)
26. Signore Allioti
who married
27. ?
28. Conte Don Giuseppe Visconti di Modrone, Conte di Lonate Pozzolo, Duca di Grazzano Visconti (1879-1941)
who married in 1900
29. Carla Erba (d.1939)
30. Conte Giberto Alberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga (1873-1933)
who married in 1902
31. Nobile Clotilde Vera dei Conti Papadopoli Aldobrandini (1883-1946)
what were the main challenges faced by the Duke of Aosta in East Africa
- Birth of Prince Amedeo: Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, was born on September 27, 1943, in Florence, Italy.
- Family Background: Prince Amedeo was the son of Prince Aimone, 4th Duke of Aosta, and Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark.
- Marriage and Children: Prince Amedeo married Princess Claude de France in 1964 and had three children, including his only son, Aimone.
- Divorce and Second Marriage: Prince Amedeo divorced Princess Claude in 1982 and married again in 1987.
- Engagement of Aimone: Prince Aimone, the son of Prince Amedeo, announced his engagement to Princess Olga of Greece in May 2005.
These events set the stage for the engagement of the Duke of Aosta, which was a significant royal event in the House of Savoy.
The engagement of the Duke of Aosta, Emanuele Filiberto, to Princess Hélène of Orleans has been met with widespread excitement and anticipation in the royal circles of Europe. This union, which is expected to strengthen the ties between the royal families of Italy and France, marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic efforts of the two nations. The couple’s union is expected to have far-reaching implications for the future of European politics and diplomacy, making their engagement a significant event in the royal calendar.
As we reflect on the significance of this union, we are reminded of the rich history of the House of Savoy and the esteemed position held by the Duke of Aosta. The Duke’s leadership in Italian East Africa, where he served as Viceroy, Governor-General, and Commander-in-Chief, was marked by significant infrastructure improvements and social reforms. His commitment to the welfare of both Italians and native Ethiopians has left a lasting legacy in the region. The engagement of the Duke of Aosta to Princess Hélène of Orleans is a testament to the enduring bonds between the royal families of Europe and the continued importance of diplomacy in shaping the future of the continent. As we look to the future, we can only hope that this union will continue to foster greater understanding and cooperation between nations.
