ABSTRACT
When Charles of Bourbon arrived in Palermo in 173 5 to recetve the homage the city had for centuries reserved for new sovereigns (or viceroys), he was welcomed not only by the Pretore and the town Senate but also by members of the aristocracy and the m~or representatives of the Kingdom, 'tutti i consolati degli artefici ( ... ) in armi sotto le loro bandiere ( ... ) in tutta la strada del Cassaro.(dove la Maestranza) in quel gio'rno si raduno in piu numero di ottomila artefici ( ... ) calando in ordinate fila con i suoi tamburi battenti, e bandiere spiegat' .1
