Genoa

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The figure of Guglielmo Embriaco, the great leader of the fleet and ingenious architect, is the hub of the evoking celebration put on by the group of walk-on in Genoa’s Historical Cortege. Embriaco was the son of Guido Spinola, viscount of Manesseno. He was born around 1070, and his fame as a leader in the crusades was so great that even Tasso wrote verses on him in his „Jerusalem Delivered“. In Genoa he was popular with the nickname “Caput Mallei”, i.e. The Hammer Head.

With his brother Primo di Castello, he left as the leader of the second Genoese expedition to the Holy Land. Afterwards, he led a third mission composed of 26 galleys: in that occasion he was able to storm and break down, on the 15 July 1099, the town walls of the Holy City. Then, in 1101, he managed to conquer Cesarea and Tiro, thanks to special devices he personally invented. He planned two wooden towers, installed upon moving wheels, whose height was more than the town walls themselves. It was thus possible to shoot arrows, spears and stones from the upper part of the tower over the besieged town. At the level of the walls, on the other hand, a door and a drawbridge made it possible for the crusaders to break into the higher part of the town. Two very long scythes were installed along the sides, while the outside was entirely wrapped by recently dressed hide, extremely useful to resist crashes and to keep back the fire, as they were soaked in vinegar and other substances.

In order to celebrate this heroic enterprise, Guglielmo Embriaco, after getting back to his homeland, was given the titl of “Consul Exercitus Januensum”. He came to Genoa bringing the “Sacro Catino” (Sacred Basin), which, according to the tradition diffused in Palestine, had been used by Jesus Christ to eat the Easter Lamb during the Last Supper.

The Genoese hero is preceded by the City’s gonfalon, carrying each of the eight coat of arms of the ancient “Compagne” from Genoa: Porta, Maccagnana, Borgo, Castello, San Lorenzo, Piazzalunga, Portanuova, Soziglia.

The Embriaco is announced by a fanfare composed of 6 trumpets and 6 drums, standard bearers and captains.

That was an extremely significant and glorious moment for the Embriaco. Followed by a crowd of ensigns bearing the standards of their noble family, such as the Fregoso, De Fornari, Grimaldi, Pallavicini, De Nigro, and De Marini, he went towards St. Lawrence Cathedral, in order to deposit the sacred relic. The basin is still nowadays kept there, next to St. John the Baptist’s ashes, that the crusaders brought to Genoa after finding them in Mira (Lycia). A warrior armed with a big sword walks solemnly to the church, followed by the pageboy carrying the basin, and immediately after the standard carrier with the Embriaco’s coat of arms and a second pageboy carrying the leader’s sword. Finally the legendary “Hammer Head” comes, and in the end the chronicler Caffaro di Rustico, Prince of Caschifellone.

The Cortege is closed by a delegation of noblemen and common people wearing the typical costumes of the time, preceded by a convoy of soldiers armed with swords and lances, some crusaders and crossbowmen.

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