Orobico I - VI Duke of Piazza Pontida
Gianfranco Cantini da December 1977 a December 1980
The reign of Esculapio I—a Duke as generous and enthusiastic as he was sometimes impulsive—lasted a full twelve years and concluded with some minor frictions with the senior members of the Duchy.
Everyone hoped that Avv. Tino Simoncini, former Mayor of Bergamo in the second postwar decade, a charismatic man with a smooth and compelling way of speaking who won general affection, and already appointed Vice Duke by Esculapio himself, would succeed him. Unfortunately, the heavy and pressing political and professional commitments that still occupied him forced him to decline a position that would have certainly suited him.
A swift consultation of the Council of the Crown led to the candidacy of Dr. Gianfranco Cantini, a veterinarian by profession, previously appointed J.P. knight by Duke Esculapio, both avid dog enthusiasts. The candidacy was approved, and the Ducal Senate, almost unanimously, elected Gianfranco Cantini as the 6th Duke of Piazza Pontida, who took the name OROBICO I, as he announced in his inaugural speech during the solemn coronation ceremony held on December 17, 1977.
The first act of the new Duke was a proposal to amend Article XV of the "Orders and Chapters of the Duchy of Piazza Pontida," reducing the term of office for the Duke from six to three years, as requested by many factions within the ducal body and approved by the Senate assembly.
The Orobico I administration focused particularly on gradually restoring a better balance between expenses and income, leveraging the managerial skills of the then Minister of the Treasury, Rag. Eugenio Consonni.
Mindful of the initiatives he had developed as president of the Amici della Vedovella association—a group of nostalgic former Bergamasque university students from the years immediately before World War II—he implemented a series of cultural initiatives within the Duchy, organizing historical and literary conferences at the S. Bartolomeo Cultural Center of the Dominican Fathers on notable Bergamasque figures, such as Antonio Locatelli and Gennaro Sora, or on specific events or circumstances that involved the Bergamasque people. These conferences were delivered by skilled and well-qualified speakers, including Dr. Leonardo Caprioli, national president of the Alpini, Dr. Veronelli, Avv. Rodari, and others. The initiatives culminated in a highly interesting retrospective exhibition on the origins and life of the Duchy of Piazza Pontida, which was later renewed for its 80th anniversary.
The crowning achievement of Duke Orobico I was his idea of securing a proper headquarters for the Duchy, perfectly in line with its name, right in the heart of Piazza Pontida. In 1979—during the annual general assembly of the Banca Popolare di Bergamo—Dr. Cantini addressed the president, Avv. Lorenzo Suardi, presenting himself both as a bank shareholder and as Duke of Piazza Pontida, and politely yet convincingly invited the Board to consider granting some premises owned by the Bank in the newly rebuilt building overlooking Piazza Pontida, along the portico formerly called “dei Gentiluomini,” thus allowing the Duchy to return to the heart of its ideal domain. The proposal, met with enthusiastic applause from the large and amused audience of shareholders present, was favorably received by the Bank management. In a short time, the Duchy moved from its old headquarters in Via Broseta to occupy the premises offered by the Banca Popolare di Bergamo.
The inauguration was celebrated with toasts and speeches in the presence of Avv. Lorenzo Suardi, bank president, accompanied on the occasion by Deputy General Director Dr. Andrea Gibellini. Here, Duke Orobico I, surrounded by dignitaries and the full Senate, thanked the Bank for its generous grant and, as a tangible expression of the sincere gratitude of the entire ducal family, bestowed the honorary insignia of J.P. Knight upon the two distinguished guests. Thus concluded the splendid three-year reign of Duke Orobico I.
The caricature of the duke
