Since 1986, the Golden Fleece ceremony has been held annually in Vasto, bringing the city’s streets to life. Participants, dressed in elaborate and colorful 18th-century costumes, take part in two processions. One group represents the d’Avalos family and other influential families of the time, while the other portrays the Colonna family and their entourage.
Once the historical procession concludes, accompanied by carriages, horses, fire eaters, and flag bearers, the Golden Fleece necklace is presented to Prince Fabrizio Colonna on the balcony of Palazzo d’Avalos.
This event commemorates the 1723 ceremony when the Marquis Cesare Michelangelo d’Avalos, on behalf of Emperor Charles of Habsburg, awarded the Golden Fleece to Prince Fabrizio I Colonna. On October 23, 1723, Prince Colonna arrived in Vasto with a procession of 186 richly adorned horses. His arrival was celebrated with cannon salutes from the castle’s 57 artillery pieces, the ringing of bells, and the explosion of fireworks.
The following morning, the formal ceremony took place at Palazzo d’Avalos. The kneeling prince swore his loyalty to the emperor and received the insignia from the marquis. The ceremony was followed by a Te Deum sung in gratitude, artillery salutes, and festive bell ringing. The people were showered with food from the palace windows, and white and red wine flowed from a fountain in front of the Church of San Giuseppe. The celebrations continued with games, fireworks, and music, while torches lit the windows of the palace. The festivities lasted until November 1st.
To grasp the historical significance of this ceremony, it’s important to remember that, at the time, the Kingdom of Naples was under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, with Emperor Charles of Habsburg (father of the famous Maria Theresa of Austria) as its leader. When Charles was crowned emperor, he decided to divide the Order of the Golden Fleece into two branches: one for the King of Spain, and the other for the Habsburgs, emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.
As such, it was the emperor who bestowed the title of knight, which came with extraordinary honors and privileges. The head of the order was responsible for convening a council of knights before engaging in war, and any disputes among members had to be resolved by this council. Upon the death of a knight, the insignia had to be returned to the Order, and penalties were imposed on those who failed to comply with this rule. Knights of the order enjoyed near-total judicial immunity. To arrest one of them, the approval of at least six knights was required, and the accused could not be imprisoned until a sentence was passed, remaining under the guardianship of other knights.
The significance of the title lay not only in its prestige—since there were only fifty knights at any given time and the order had been founded as early as 1430 by Philip III of Burgundy, later governed by Holy Roman Emperors like Charles V—but also in the legal immunities it granted, elevating recipients above other nobles.
Cesare Michelangelo d’Avalos had already been knighted in 1699. The fact that he bestowed the title on another nobleman, acting on behalf of the emperor, illustrates the important role the Marquis of Vasto held in the Habsburg court. His influence made Vasto a notable small capital in that era.
