Apollo smiled this sunny Sunday afternoon on the sons and daughters of the South as we celebrated the 275th anniversary of the Battle of Bitanto in solidarity with our kinfolk in Bitonto, Puglia. The first ever commemoration of its kind in New York City favorably recalled the May 25th, 1734 military victory of Charles of Bourbon over the Austrian Hapsburgs. The Bourbon’s triumph led to the end of centuries of foreign rule and the restoration of the independent and sovereign Southern Italian nation.
What started off as a friendly competition soon turned into a serious competitive contest as the gathered combatants at Bill Brown Memorial Playground (Brooklyn, NY) vied for bocce ball supremacy. After a slow start, team Ausonia came on strong and went home with the coveted laurel of victory and all-important bragging-rights.
Attendees received buttons and T-shirts emblazoned with the Regno delle Due Sicilie coat of arms. A copy of Jean Raspail’s prophetic classic, The Camp of the Saints was raffled off to help raise money for the victims of the earthquake in L’Aquila, Abruzzo. We are proud to announce that several hundred dollars were raised in the effort. Il Regno remains dedicated to the preservation of our culture and our heritage.
