The Gulf was called Sinus Sambracitanus, and, as already stated, at one
time reached inland to the feet of Grimaud. And at Cogolin a Greek
funerary monument has been found.
S. Tropez was completely ruined by the Saracens when they occupied
the Maures. After they were driven out it was rebuilt, but was again
destroyed in the War of Succession between the Duke of Anjou and
Charles of Durazzo. It was rebuilt under King Réné and colonised by
some Genoese families, who fortified it and undertook to defend it. In
1592 it gallantly resisted the Duke of Savoy, and forced him to retire.
In 1652 S. Tropez was a prey to civil war between the _Sabreurs_ and
the _Canifets_, who had succeeded to the feud of the Carcists and
Razats. The Sabreurs were those representing military force, the
Canifets represented the _échevins_, and were nicknamed after the
_canif_ used by the latter to mend their pens. I shall have more to
say about this when we come to Draguignan. The Sabreurs got possession
of the castle, but the Duc de Mercœur sent a regiment to assist the
citizens, and the Sabreurs were dislodged.
The town is divided into two parts—the old town and the new—and the
former teems with picturesque features that attract the artist. The
women of S. Tropez are noted for their good looks, due to the infusion
of Italian blood. S. Tropez is the scene of a peculiar festival, _La
Bravade_, taking place on the 16th, 17th, and 18th May every year, in
commemoration of the defence of the town against the Duke of Savoy in
1637; combined with the patronal feast of S. Tropez on May 17th. Every
Monday in Easter week a Captain of the Town is elected for the ensuing
year, and he has the regulation of the festival. This is initiated
on May Day, or the next Sunday and Thursday, by the “Promenade des
Joies,” when members of a company carrying hoops adorned with
many-coloured fluttering ribbons, promenade the town, led by drummers.
On May 16th, at 3 p.m., the Captain, with his attendant officers,
marches to the Mairie, where he is presented with pike and banner
by the Mayor, to a discharge of firearms, which thenceforth go on
banging day and night till the evening of the ensuing day. The guns are
discharged at any passer-by, but only at the legs—and are, of course,
charged with powder alone. The clergy, led by the cross, escorted
by the beadles, arrive from the church and bless the guns and other
weapons. Then the Bravadeurs follow to the church, where they receive
the bust of S. Tropez, and the procession starts capering, dancing,
swaying in and out of the streets, through the town, fifes screaming,
drums rolling, guns exploding. The procession moves to the Port, where
the Captain and all his company salute the sea. Whereupon any gunboats,
torpedo boats, etc., that happen to be anchored in the harbour, return
the salute by a general thunder of guns.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account