My Father, The Lost Heir - Duke of Palermo and of the Rabito Knights

© 2009 - Rexino Mondo




     When Duke Francesco, my great uncle, returned from Sardinia to claim his son, he was unable to locate, my father's brothers 'Christofolo II' and 'Bartolomeo.' The Duke temporarily placed my father in the care of two persons who always wanted children of their own they were the landscapers of the Duke's property. He left a purse so that my father could be educated according to the standards of the Royal Court. He also gave the couple documents showing that my father, Gaetano I, was legal heir to Lipari, the pumice mines, and other land grants belonging to his royal title. The Duke never returned.


     ‘My father grew up on Lipari Island and took charge of the pumice mines here. His brother, Don Christofolo Mi Rabito II, became Duke of Palermo and the Administer of Foreign Affairs for the Royal Court of Italy, under his second cousin, Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia. His other brother, Don Bartolomeo Mi Rabito, became the Administer of Interior for the Royal Court of Italy under King Vittorio Emanuele II. My father married my mother, Anna Maria Cappella, and I was their only child, Gaetano II.’


     ‘After the Crimean War, Vittorio Emanuele II, became the first King of a United Italy in 1861. It was the same year his brother, Duke Christofolo II, died; the same year Italy took its first census. It was discovered through the taking of the census that my father was the rightful heir as Duke of Palermo, the second largest city in Italy. By order of King Vittorio Emanuele II, a search began to locate my father and ended twenty years later under the command of his son, King of Italy, Umberto I, here on Lipari Island in this very room. My father was ceremoniously presented a parchment from Rome stating that the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II had been in search of Don Gætano Mi Rabito I, for the past twenty years; he was the lost heir; and was proclaimed by the King of Italy, Umberto I, that my father was the Duke of Palermo and was of the Rabito Knights. His first child was to be proclaimed a prince or princess and thereafter the first born of each of generation was to be proclaimed prince or princess and the third descendant’s generation shall be of the first born titled prince or princess. The new Duke of Palermo, the Prince of Lipari, my father, spoke to the Imperial entourage, 'I have been known as Gætano of Lipari all of my life. No other Mi Rabito has ever lived on Lipari but me. If it so pleases the King, I would like to be called plain GÆTANO and I would like to die as plain GÆTANO.' My father was well educated and traveled to Palermo, Sicily, Sardinia, France, and the main peninsula of Italy in his official capacity, but was always addressed as plain GÆTANO.’


     ‘After my father died, I became Duke of Palermo, the Prince of Lipari and inherited the pumice mines the same year you were born. I too was known as plain Gætano II. But it was to the government’s advantage. While I was taking you and your seven brothers and sisters to vacation areas in France and Europe, I was on secret investigative missions for the Royal Court of Italy and King Umberto I. All anyone knew, was I was a family man, connoisseur of pumice stone and owned mines on Lipari Island.’


     ‘Our country's political atmosphere is rapidly changing. Last year the Chinese killed over thirty-five thousand Christians, many were Europeans and the King of Italy, Umberto I, my friend, was assassinated. All of Europe and Asia will soon be in the bloodiest and largest war we've ever had. Before the new regime finds the connection between my covert commissions for the Royal Court of Italy and traces them here to Lipari, we must very discretely leave one at a time for America.’ He placed a special coin in Gætano's hand and told him, ‘This is now yours. It was given to me the same year of its Moneta at my Confirmation, on my thirteenth birthday. It represents the original first thirteen blocks of creation and also our first King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, made King in 1861, the same year he proclaimed my father to be Duke of Palermo and started a twenty-year search. It was the same year Italy took its first census and the same year my uncle Christofolo, Duke of Palermo, was killed. It was the same year that Abraham Lincoln on the forth of March was inaugurated President of what had once begun as thirteen colonies of freedom. In April of that same year, the Civil War began because President Lincoln had a dream that all persons should be created equal under law. The Thirteenth Amendment, freeing the slaves, gave freedom and justice to all guaranteed by the Constitution of The United States of America. President Abraham Lincoln paid the price of that precious freedom by giving his life to a bullet from the gun of John Wilkes Booth. And thousands of others were bathed in blood for that same dream brother against brother, cousin against cousin. I want my family to live in a democracy and to be free from oppression. This ten centesimi represents creation; the kingdoms of your ancestors, slaves, freedom, wealth; and opportunities to grow. Its STAR symbolizes the five original senses of man ... use them well. If you keep this coin and never spend it, you will always be free, never poor and you will find your fortune. You're the head of the family now the Mirabito Knight and Duke of Lipari who must stand guard while I am gone. You are in charge of the mines. You must take care of your Mama and the others until I return.’