Reproductions of submachine guns, rifles, pistols, bows, crossbows, swords, katanas, authentic machetes and all kinds of knives. A decent arsenal for playing Rambo… Travelers visiting the Serene Republic of San Marino for the first time will be struck by the number of shops specializing in these gadgets, which can also be found in souvenir shops along with harmless caps, mugs and magnets.
The truth is that the recent history of the country has been closely linked to the sale of arms. And not replicas like the ones sold to tourists today, but real weapons. For decades, San Marino legislation has been one of the most lax in Europe on the matter. An anomaly that the Government has corrected in recent times, with a much stricter control. Even so, a curious fascination for weapons persists, which has its cultural side...
Because in such a small capital – the city of San Marino barely has 33,700 inhabitants – up to three specialized museums have coincided. On the one hand, the Museo delle Armi Antiche, with about 2,000 items dating back to the fifteenth century. On the other, the Museo delle Armi Morderne, which has a similar number of references, in this case from the First and Second World Wars. And finally, the sinister Museo della Tortura, where a hundred weapons and instruments are exhibited that since medieval times have been used to cause pain and death.
But there is still more. One of the most deeply rooted celebrations is the crossbow shooting tournament that takes place every September 3 – the day the republic was founded – in the park called Cava dei Balestrieri. This is a tradition documented as far back as the 14th century and recovered in 1956. Participants, dressed in period costume, must hit the center of a target located 36 meters away with a single arrow.
Originally, this tournament fulfilled a double function: to honor the patron saint, San Marino, and to ensure that the defenders of the walls practiced handling the crossbow. In fact, the regent captains –rulers of the country– were obliged to renew their arms whenever necessary.
The organization organizing the competition, the Federation of Crossbowmen, is the oldest military formation in the republic: it is already mentioned in the Statutes of 1295. Currently, however, its role is merely ceremonial.
San Marino today has its own armed forces, although they are logically one of the smallest in the world. They consist of various bodies, both professional and volunteer, under the common command of the senior commander of the militias. There is, for example, the Uniformed Militia Company, which provides services in official acts and collaborates with the gendarmerie in surveillance and public order. Or the Guard of the Great and General Council, whose mission is to escort and protect the regent captains, councilors and diplomats. Or the Guardia di Rocca Artillery Company, which fires cannon salutes at official celebrations and also acts in support of the gendarmerie.
In the event of a foreign threat, the national defense would be carried out by the Italian armed forces. It should be remembered that the Most Serene Republic is completely surrounded by Italian territory.
PHOTO 03 Tin soldiers from San Marino (V.V.)
Founded in the year 301, San Marino is the oldest and smallest republic on the planet. But throughout its long history, it has only been occupied militarily three times and for a short period of time.
In 1503, César Borgia's troops invaded the territory and moved the capital to Serravalle, another of the nine municipalities or castelli that make up the country. However, they had to withdraw after six months due to the opposition of Pope Julius II.
Two centuries later, on October 17, 1739, it was Cardinal Giulio Alberoni who took possession of San Marino under the pretext of looking for some outlaws. He modified local laws and forced the authorities to swear allegiance to the Papal States. Alberoni's army, yes, had to deal with civil disobedience and opposition from leaders like the Regent Captain Girolamo Gozi.
Finally, on February 5, 1740, Pope Clement XII restored the independence of the republic. Today on that date the Fiesta of Santa Águeda, co-patron of the country, is celebrated.
The last occupation took place after two more centuries, during World War II. Although San Marino had declared itself neutral, it fell victim to a British Royal Air Force bombing raid on June 26, 1944. The RAF attacked because of misinformation about the presence of German troops. At least 35 people died, in what is remembered as one of the most tragic days in the country's history. That was the prelude to a combat on San Marino soil, when the Hitlerian army actually entered the territory.
It happened on September 17 of that same year, after intense struggles for control of the hills surrounding the republic. The Allies responded to the invasion by means of British and Indian infantry. Over three days of fighting, nearly 600 combatants died (more than 270 among the German ranks and at least 320 among the allies).
And to all that, can San Marino be considered a peaceful country? Well, for more than a millennium its territory was limited to a single mountain, Mount Titano. It was not until the middle of the s. XV that expanded, after participating in an alliance against the lord of Rimini Segismundo Pandolfo Malatesta. Pope Pius II rewarded the tiny republic with a handful of cities, to which Faetano (another of the current castelli) was added of his own free will. Already during the Risorgimento, the unification of Italy in the s. XIX, San Marino became involved in the wars of independence. He also gave asylum to several politically persecuted, including Giuseppe Garibaldi himself.
But beyond these two military interventions, little is worth noting. In fact, the Most Serene Republic has made a banner of its neutrality. It also maintains a special relationship with Switzerland, through agreements in various fields –economic, social, political and diplomatic– to reduce its dependence on Italy.
