Un ufficiale italiano in Ungheria: Giuseppe Ariosti

The very frequent correspondence of the army officer Giuseppe Ariosti with his relative Alberto Corradino, a Senator from Bologna, helps us to reconstruct part of Ariostis biography. He was born at the end of the 17th century and fought with the Austrian army under Charles vi; he took part to the war against the Turks between 1716-1718, the Polish civil war (1733-1735) and a further conflict between 1736-1739. He spent all his life in the Austrian army and obtained the title of “Generale di Battaglia”. His letters offer a picture of his family life, in particular the problems with his bother Lorenzo, who dissipated their patrimony. These problems were solved thanks to the help of Corradino, who favoured the marriage of Lorenzo with Francesca, Baroness of Mordax and Pontendorf, who bore him a son and two daughters. Corradino had sent his daughter to Austria to be educated under the supervision of Ariosti and his wife; however, when the family had to leave for Transylvania, Costanza was quickly sent home. As a consequence, the last years of Ariostis career are less documented, since the correspondence with his relative Corradino became less frequent. Ariosti died in Mariahilfestrasse in Vienna. In his epistolary writings he underlined his interests for war chests, such as banners, flags and horses, which he also sent to Corradino as a gift. During his stay in Transyilvania he transcribed the Roman inscriptions which were discovered during the construction of the town fortifications and he sent them to Scipione Maffei. This same interest is shown by the realization of a codex of inscriptions which he prepared in Turin. Maffei finally came into possession of this manuscript which is now preserved at the Capitolare Library in Verona.