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Balbiani, Scolari, Birago di Vische, Alfieri di Cortemiglia, Rignon, Confalonieri, Dal Pozzo della Cisterna, Benso di Cavour, Perrone, Provana, Incisa della Rocchetta, Roero di Monteu: of these and other Piedmontese noble families (about 500) The Claretta Collection preserves a large collection of documents, along with other concerning municipalities and abbeys of the region (a total of 1381 cards contained in 22 folders).
The material, patiently collected by Baron Gaudenzio Claretta, spans about four centuries of history (from 1400 to 1800 with some older documents), constituting an important archive for heraldry and subalpine historiography. Claretta’s main source was the abbot Giuseppe Antonio Torelli, author of a large series of zibaldoni, the result of his research in the family archives, and the genetic tables kept in the collection.
Among the documents are also kept notes and minutes referring to historical works of Claretta, including the interesting memory The Court Archive at the time of the French Revolution, which tells of the raid that made the French grenadiers in the Archive (now State) the night of 20th December, 1798.
Gaudenzio Claretta (Turin, 1835 - Rome, 1900) was in fact a historian and researcher passionate about often unpublished documents, guided by an expressed love for the truth ("the language is that of the truth enemy of the partisan spirit").
The subject of his studies was mainly Piedmontese history, often on particular communities (he was the author of various writings on Giaveno, the place of origin of his family).
He showed great interest especially in the history of the Savoy events from the 16th to the 18th century.
His works include a History of the Regency of Christine of France, Duchess of Savoia (3 volumes, Turin 1865-69) and a History of the Reign and Times of Carlo Emanuele II, Duke of Savoia (3 volumes, 1877-79).
In the fund there are important historical references (collected by Torelli) on various abbeys, and therefore a rich collection of documents concerning families: wills, constitutions of dowry, letters, acts of sale, appointments, quarrels, promises of marriage, concessions of lands and castles, but above all a large number of genealogical tables of considerable precision, including that of the family Dal Pozzo della Cisterna.
For example, the archive of the Scolari, lords of Maggiate, has ended up almost entirely in the Claretta collection.
Among the curiosities of material history, a "perpetual habitation granted by Rev.do Claudio di Montebello Prior of Conieu in favor of Antonio and Perroneto Ruberio of different lands of land located in this place of Conieu by the introggio of florins 13 and the annual service of two bichete of wheat and a hen" (Conieu, 19th April 1502: the concessions of the time!).
Or the Report of the diseases that reign in Giaveno, dated April 1787 signed by Francesco Velasco a collegiate doctor or the papal permission to read the forbidden books granted by the Master of the Sacred Palace to Prospero Pastoris (Rome, 12th June 1726).
There are several parchments: the oldest is a notary of Asti in 1340.
Remarkable two papal bulls with a leaden seal hanging, which concern matrimonial dispensations for members of the Valfredi da Chieri family, one of 1609 by Pio V and a second of 1623 by Urban VIII, the Pope of the Thirty Years' War and Richelieu, Bernini and the trial of Galileo Galilei.
- Archive inventory (pdf 757 KB)