THE NATIONAL, GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



143 



Marino's desire was to found a free so- 

 ciety, based upon liberty, justice, sim- 

 plicity, charity, virtue, and, above all, a 

 love of peace. When the good man came 

 to die he called his followers about him 

 and bequeathed to them his mountain, 

 "free from every other man" (ab utroque 

 homine). His parting prayer was that 

 they never seek enlargement of territory 

 by violent means. War, though a pain- 

 ful necessity for those acting in self-de- 

 fense, was an unpardonable crime in 

 those who caused it. Begging his follow- 

 ers to remain true to the faith and to 

 live in perfect accord, freemen all, he 

 passed away, little dreaming that in the 

 twentieth century his little community 

 would stand, a monument to his peaceful 

 teachings and simple form of govern- 

 ment, in the midst of a war-torn world 

 struggling against autocracy for the peace 

 and liberty of all nations. 



THE MISSION OF THE FORTRESS E-EEE 



As one stands looking out over the his- 

 tory-laden panorama at sunset, the sound 

 of the fortress bell calls vividly to mind 

 how little changed from ancient times is 

 the government today and how true to 

 tradition are these steadfast people. It 

 is the bell announcing the Arengo, or Ar- 

 ringo, for the following day. For always 

 at Ave Maria, the day before the elec- 

 tion of officers, the inauguration, the 

 fete of San Marino, and the semi-annual 

 Arringo, or assembly of the heads of 

 families, the great bell gives the tidings. 

 Its ringing also calls the council meet- 

 ings ; its only sinister mission is to an- 

 nounce the passing of a penal sentence. 



Twice a year, the first Sunday after 

 the ist of April and the ist of October, 

 heads of families have the right to assem- 

 ble before the regents in the Council Hall 

 and present petitions or suggestions for 

 change or modifications in existing con- 

 ditions. Prohibiting farmers from sell- 

 ing their produce before arriving at the 

 Borgo, the introduction of religious teach- 

 ing in the public schools, the question of 

 a water supply — such were the most re- 

 cent petitions of these twentieth century 

 fathers of families. 



The bell of the fortress calling the as- 

 sembly of heads of families reflects the 

 dawn of government. One sees in its past 



the shades of the patriarchate and the 

 dim outline of the referendum. 



In the beginning, the followers of San 

 Marino recognized as their head the rec- 

 tor of the monastery. Increasing num- 

 bers of inhabitants led to the formation 

 of the Arringo, the gathering of fathers 

 of families, presided over by the rector 

 of the monastery. In the tenth century 

 the government was liberated from the 

 authority of the rector of the monastery, 

 and the Arringo was replaced by the 

 Council General, the assembly of heads 

 of families continuing twice a year, as 

 today, with the right only of petition. 



THEIR TERRITORY EXTENDED THROUGH 

 PURCHASE, NOT CONQUEST 



The retiring quietude of the mountain 

 community was now stirred by the neces- 

 sity of taking account of the outside 

 world. Already the Court of Rome, bas- 

 ing its right upon the Pepin grant of 

 temporal power, laid claim unsuccessfully 

 to San Marino. 



The eleventh century upheaval, which 

 caused the Italian middle class, oppressed 

 by feudalism, to form communes wher- 

 ever walled cities existed, found San 

 Marino also a commune, with its statutes 

 and consuls. Through purchase, not con- 

 quest, these sober people extended their 

 territory. They began, according to the 

 needs of the times, to fortify their com- 

 mune. The imposing Rocca fortress, a 

 fourteenth century embattled stronghold, 

 was begun in these troublous times. The 

 strength of its walls, whose crumbling 

 might encircles the citadel today, gave 

 San Marino a formidable argument that 

 it be left in peace. 



The character of the little Republic and 

 its twin mountain, San Leo, recall stories 

 of sieges and the scaling of walls. And 

 many were the attempts which marked its 

 medieval history. The support given by 

 the Sammarinesi to the Montefeltri 

 against the Malatesta tyrants led to the 

 agreement between Duke Frederic of 

 Urbino and Pope Pius II, whereby the 

 castles of Fiorentino, Montegiardino, and 

 Serravalle, their courts and dominions, 

 as well as Faetano, were granted to the 

 Republic. 



The liberty of San Marino, existing 

 from the day the Dalmatian saint planted 



