A journey back in time, discovering Savoy Sardinia and daily life in the towns of the ancient Duchy of Mandas. This is the journey proposed by Umberto Oppus in his new historical essay, "The Towns of the Duchy of Mandas in the Report of the Visit to the Kingdom of Viceroy Hallot Des Hayes – Journey to Sardinia from March 3 to June 2, 1770," published by Carlo Delfino Editore. The book will be presented on Thursday, September 3, at 6:00 PM, in the evocative setting of the Palazzo Regio in Cagliari's Piazza Palazzo. The event is promoted by the President of the Council of Local Authorities, Ignazio Locci, together with the publisher Carlo Delfino.
At the heart of Oppus's (Mayor of Mandas) research are the accounts of the 1770 visit of Viceroy Hallot Des Hayes. These valuable accounts allow the author to reconstruct aspects of the era's economic and social life, the methods of land management, and the conditions of the towns of the Duchy of Mandas. This documentary heritage provides a concrete picture of Sardinia over two and a half centuries ago, focusing on the communities of Sarcidano and Barbagia di Seulo, and the towns that were part of the ancient duchy.
The presentation will feature speakers including Paola Dessì, Prefect of Cagliari; Daniela Falconi, President of the Sardinian National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) and author of the volume's preface; Ignazio Locci, President of the Council of Local Authorities; Salvatore Argiolas, President of the Mountain Community of Sarcidano and Barbagia di Seulo; and publisher Carlo Delfino. The closing remarks will be delivered by Umberto Oppus himself, a lifelong scholar of Sardinian history and local autonomy. Through the pages of this essay, the Viceroy's report thus becomes a window into eighteenth-century Sardinia: an opportunity to gain a closer look at the territories, communities, economic activities, and living conditions of the towns of the Duchy of Mandas during a significant period in the island's history.
