After a lonf trip - still on - in 1848 my time-machine, I went back to my other beloved period, i.e. the War of Spanish Succession. This because I am cooperating with the famous and marvellous site Krososkaf for the WSS for the Italian theather that means the Piedmontese/Savoyard Army.
In this moment we are completing the articles about the Piedmontese/Savoyard Cavalry and more specific the 2 Piedmonetese Regiment of Piemonte Reale Cavalleria and Savoia (at the epoch also written Savoja) Cavalleria, two glorious Regiments that still exist nowadays in the Italian Army.
http://kronoskaf.com/wss/index.php?title=Piemonte_Reale_Cavalleria
My last effort were the standads of these 2 Regiments, that are now published on Kronoskaf, but I also report here, specifying the genesis of them:
PIEMONTE REALE CAVALLERIA 1706
Recto
Verso
The standard of this Regiment at the epoch of the Battle of Turin (1706) had a recto with red field and a very embroided ornaments in gold all around. In the center (becase it was called "Reale" i.e. Royal) had the coat of Arms of the Duke of Savoy Vittorio Amedeo II, with a Royal Crown. On the Verso the standard had a white horse, left-oriented in white with the motto "Venustus et Audax". The white horse was present on all the cavalry Regiment of the Duchy, i.e. on the Standards of the Guadie del Corpo Regiment and of Savoia Cavalleria Regiment. It is supposed to be a recall to the pretended origin of the Savoy Family to Westfalia. (it is called "Cavallo Spaventato" i.e. scared horse"). All standards had golden fringed edges. Note that untill half of the XVIII Century there was no Colonel standard for cavalry units. This colour was hence used 1 for each of the 4 or 5 squadrons of the Regiment, held by an Officer called "Cornetta", usually a young noble cadet.
SAVOJA CAVALLERIA 1706
Recto
Verso
The standard of this Regiment at the epoch of the Battle of Turin (1706) had a less decorated pattern with on the recto a "feared horse" like the previous regiment but right-faced, with the same meaning as above. On the verso a golden tree (sometimes also in green) with the motto "Secta et Ligata refloret" that means "the split things and the tied things reflourish"; after the Battle of Turin, due to the famous episode where a young officer of this Regiment galopped dying to the Duke to announce the victory over the French, covered in blood; when the staff of the Duke saw this cavalier they all thought he was bringing bad nesw, but the Duke said in French "Savoye, bonnes nouvelles" meaning "Savoy, good news" became the motto of this Regiment and still is nowadays; hence it was reported on the recto.
Note that Hill in his very good book "The Army of the Duchy of Savoy 1688 -1713" represents this standard in blue, with just the tree and the coat of arms of Savoy Family. this is a mistake due to the fact that in the painting of the epoch (4 years after the battle) the Savoja Regiment's standard is clarly represented in red. Also the information about the standard dating back the very beginnign of the Regiment that it must "portare al cavallo allegro inalberato e rivolato d'argento entro scudo fiancheggiato da due stendardi con asta da torneo, senza alcun motto in fascia, sormontato da corona ducale" (Decree of Vittorio Amedeo II dating 1692 and valid during this period) (translation: "carry a happy raised and faced horse in silver, inside a shield flanked by two standards with tournament pole, without any motto and topped with the Ducal Crown"; so it is evident that the rapresntation done by Hill is wrong in the field colour and in verso standard.
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