The request of the precious silver objects

In France at the time of the Revolution a big secularisation started with the aim of solving the public debt of the nation. Under the pressure of the ideas of the Enlightenment a lot of religious orders were closed, others were totally spoiled of their properties and works of art.
Similar measures were taken in the Napoleonic republics born in Europe and in Italy as well. The French armies, established in Milan since 1796, started to impose the laws of the new republic. The ban, dated 28th November 1796, 8 Frigifero year V of the French republic, was written in a prompt definite way.
It was addressed to the prioress of the Collegio, Marianna Meraviglia Mantegazza.

the great story
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about the great storyThe prioress had to deliver to the Zecca of Milan all the precious silver objects. At the bottom of the document, hand written, the time of the carriage ( 5 p.m.) collecting the silver objects was indicated. However the prioress was not made shy by the solemnity of the ban and in a following letter she gave a sharp reply, “The Collegio is neither a convent nor a monastery but a simple boarding school, founded by L. Torelli as a secular institution not belonging to any religious order”. So no silver object was ever delivered.