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# 78 APRIL 18 , 2016
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GREAT ITALIANS OF THE PAST:
Elena di Savoia
By Giovanni Verde
Elena of Montenegro was
born in Cetinje on January 8, 1873. Daughter
of the future King of Montenegro Nicholas I (Nikola
Mirkov Petrović Njegoš),
she is educated with the
values of a united family;
at the table the conversations were held in French,
discussing politics and
poetry with equal aplomb.
Elena grows up shy and
reserved, but also quite
stubborn. Very attached
to the traditions, with a
sensitive soul and a lively
and curious mind, she has
a strong love of nature.
She studies at Smolny College in St. Petersburg, attending the Russian Royal
House and collaborating
with the literary magazine
Russian Nedelja, publishing poems. Meanwhile,
in Italy Queen Margherita
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expresses concern about
the fate of her only son,
future king. In agreement
with the Italian Government, being her of Albanian origin and eager for
a greater opening of Italy
towards the Slavic world, she combines the meeting between the two
young kids, that takes place at the theater La Fenice in Venice on the occa-
sion of an International Art
Exhibition.
They say it was suddenly
love. After another meeting in Russia, Vittorio
Emanuele III formulates
the official request of marriage to Elena’s father, Nicholas I. Being of Orthodox religion, in order to
marry a Catholic Prince
Elena has to abjure and