Ciao, Hive family!
Today I want to show you a Medieval festival that takes place in Sardinia every year between September and October. I've been there in 2022 and it was a huge emotion for me, as a lover of history and historical novels.
I decided to divide this experience in 3 different articles, in order not to sacrifice important details. In this one, the first, I'm going to give you some important information about the Bastida, then we will walk together through the encampment.
The Bastida
The historical re-enactment focuses on the battle of Sorres, fought in 1334: in this occasion, an alliance of Sardinians and Genovese armies led by Brancaleone Doria managed to defeat and chase away the Aragonese army, which had occupied the city.
A century later, though, Aragonese retook control of Sardinia, and Sorres ended up being completely destroyed during the tragic years of war.
The only building spared by the Spanish soldiers was the old Romanesque cathedral, San Pietro di Sorres. Abandoned since 1503, was restorated in the mid-1900s and is now a Benedictine monastery.
The few remaining survivors managed to find refuge in the nearby town, Borutta, still existing nowadays.
This area is very popular for several reasons: the incredible beauty of its landscapes, the presence of a natural cave named Sa Rocca Ulari (home to a huge colony of bats), various nuraghes positioned on the surrounding heights and a laboratory for the restoration of antique books, included in the monastery.
Let’s take our first steps into the medieval camp!
These first tents belonged to a Guild of Medieval Archers arrived from Sanluri, another town further south. Indeed, this festival gathers Medieval associations from the entire island.
Obviously, these associations are composed by volunteers, simple lovers of history, art and crafts, weapons and historical re-enactment.
The effect was very realistic, not just because of what I saw.
Imagine the sound of flutes and drums, and a strong smell of smoke.
There is a firecamp lit somewhere near...
It's time of lunch!
One of these associations even managed to recreate Medieval food, starting from the two most ancient recipe books written in Europe, the Liber de Coquina and Anonimo Meridionale. They were both written in the Southern Italy, probably in the Angevin court of Naples.
A bit of everything...
I really liked this part. These associations, which involve men and women of all ages, didn't only pay attention to the military aspect, but recreated every moment of a day in the Middle Ages. A blacksmith with his instruments placed on his stand; a weaver with all the accessories for embroidering; another stand with furs, ancient scrolls and diaries, spices and so on.
This boy was presenting some typical products, included a kind of spiced wine that was really used in the Middle Ages. I found out too late that this particular wine was also for sale... at that point, they had run out of supplies 🙃 I didn't even manage to taste it!
Spices were a real treasure in the Middle Ages. They were fundamental to flavor and preserve food, but not only: people used them, among other things, also to make perfumes and medicines. Both Europeans and Arabs, indeed, believed they had healing powers.
The long travel they needed to take, from Asia to Europe, made their price rise so much that only the richest people could afford them.
Prepare for the battle!
At a certain point, something started to change. Lots of men arrived to these stands and started to put on their armors. Then, I understood that the battle was going to start.
Indeed, in the following picture you can see the same soldiers on the battlefield. They represent the Genoese crossbowmen, who were among the strongest soldiers in the world in that historical period. As mercenaries, they were used in many battles throughout Europe, traditionally above all by the kingdom of France. Their importance diminished when firearms were invented.
We will come back to the battle in the third (and last) post dedicated to the Bastida. After all, the leader of the Aragonese army, Bernardo de Senesterra, seems ready to fight...
...but no worries, I'm pretty sure you are going to appreciate even the second post, the next one. You have no idea... but I give you a hint. If you love Harry Potter, you shouldn't miss that post 😁
Thanks for your presence, your support and your time. If you have questions or whatever else, you can find me in the comments.
Have a nice day, wherever you are ✌️
See you soon on the road,
Alessandro