Black Shoestring Licorice New Jersey

Je m'en Moqui

happens to a lot of thought to its origins. Each of us has ancestors that go back the origin of mankind, we could say the origin of life on earth. Some, however, are distinguished by their ability to go back in time to certain ancestors. As for me I am the last descendant of a family whose origins go back more than two thousand years ago.

My earliest ancestors belonged in Roman times, the Gens Socia. It was one of the oldest patrician families in Rome. However, malgrado le loro nobili origini, i membri della Gens Socia non godevano di grande considerazione presso le altre famiglie senatoriali. Non si può dire che questo disprezzo non fosse giustificato, almeno secondo il pensiero dominante all’epoca. In un periodo in cui l’interesse per lo stato, per la Res Pubblica, era considerato il più importante la Gens Socia dimostrava per esso il più totale disinteresse.
Era un particolare pensiero filosofico che portava la Gens Socia a disinteressarsi delle questioni politiche. Mentre il pensiero stoico, seguito dalla maggior parte dei romani, proferiva che gli dei determinano il destino degli esseri umani e che il destino delle persone più nobili è quello di dirigere lo stato, members of the Gens Socia said that the gods take no interest in the affairs of men and that the future of the city would be bound only to the collection of random events due to the high variability of human decisions, on which they had no chance to interfere. That is considered wasting time to maintain it, to struggle for power that still remains ephemeral, ultimately they thought that happiness, satisfaction of a good life themselves elsewhere. The most important characters in the Gens Socia from this point of view embraced the Epicurean philosophy. It seems that some family members were students of the great greek philosopher (but that there is no reliable information).
representatives Gens Socia the Senate does not take sides ever with this or that part, bringing to annoy everyone. It is not even lined up during the civil wars of the first imperial period. Challenged to become Emperor Augustus Gens Socia not siding on his side. Began a period of persecution during which almost all of the Gens Socia was murdered on the orders of Augustus himself.
The only member of the family that as far as I saved was Tertius. Do not know much about him, as its name would be the third child. It was a lucky chance that he was killed: he was drafted into the army al seguito di Terrenzio Varrone, che durante la sua campagna nelle alpi sconfiggeva definitivamente il popolo dei Salassi che abitava in quella valle che oggi conosciamo con il nome di Valle d’Aosta. Di scarsa importanza nella famiglia, terzogenito e lontano da Roma, nessuno dovette accorgersi che era scampato al massacro. Persi ormai tutti i privilegi delle famiglie patrizie, Terzius si stabilì nella nuova città di Augusta Praetoria come colono. Sposato con una donna di origine salasse scampata alla deportazione come schiava ad Eporedia (l’attuale città di Ivrea) fondò la sua famiglia. Era diventato, come gli altri coloni, proprietario di un piccolo appezzamento di terra a ridosso delle mura cittadine.
Passarono the centuries, the emperors died in constant struggle for power in Rome, and finally the Roman Empire was overwhelmed by the barbarian invasions. In the small town of Augusta Terzius Praetorian's descendants were able to increase their estates, with their greater wealth was recognized as a most prestigious and one of the Villae lived inside the city walls.
The moment of greatest prestige of the family came around the middle of the tenth century. On the death of Charlemagne's empire was divided into three kingdoms: in Italy (which also includes
Provence, Burgundy and Lorraine), of Germany and France. At the beginning of the tenth century the central part of what was the Holy Roman Empire was divided among the other between the kingdoms of Burgundy and Italy. The Valle d'Aosta was on the line between these two realms. The third king of Burgundy Conrad was allied with King Otto of Germany first. Otto had to intervene several times in Italy against Berengar second Marquis of Ivrea in 950 who had obtained the title of king of Italy. According to Otto that title had been stolen and that he had justified its intervention in Italy. In 951 Otto moved against the troops of the Marquis of Ivrea. Passing through the city that was Praetoria Augusta, which as said was the border area, tried to ally with some of the most influential people. His scelta cadde su un certo Anselmo De Socio. La scelta fu probabilmente influenzata dal fatto che Anselmo non si mostrava interessato al potere politico e non dava troppa importanza alle questioni religiose. In particolar modo egli non riteneva di dover interferire nei rapporti tra il re ed il papato. Anselmo fece atto di vassallaggio nei confronti di Ottone e ne ricevette in cambio l’infeudazione di tutte quelle terre che già erano in suo possesso e della torre denominata Turris Sociorum identificabile con l’antico bastione posto nell’angolo a sud-est delle antiche mura romane. Come appare dall’atto di vassallaggio i De Socio non ottengono nulla più di ciò che già hanno, se non l’ufficializzazione della loro proprietà. Nel 952 Brass obtained for himself the title of king of Italy. In 957 the army of the Marquis of Ivrea Brass besieged in their fortress island of San Giulio (lago d'Orta). In that siege had to participate Anselmo De Shareholder by virtue of his allegiance to Otho. In 962 Otto was again in arms against Berengar of Ivrea and his son Adalbert. During the campaign, which did not participate in the De Socio, Otto was crowned emperor. True to the thinking of the family, and despite the vassal against Otto Anselmo did not intervene in the struggle for the kingdom of Italy in its quarrels between the emperor and the papacy broke out following the discovery that the pope held a correspondence with the Marquis of Ivrea durante la guerra. Malgrado il disinteresse mostrato ancora una volta dai discendenti della Gens Socia per il potere, la nobile famiglia dei De Socio si trovava nella posizione prestigiosa di feudatari diretti dell’impero.
Il periodo di maggior prestigio per la famiglia De Socio corrisponde ad un periodo di prosperità e di rinascita della città di Aosta. In quegli anni la cattedrale e la collegiata di sant’Orso subiscono grandi trasformazioni a dimostrazione di una grande disponibilità di risorse. In questo contesto i De Socio prosperano come grandi proprietari terrieri. Tuttavia non controllano le vie di accesso alla città e si trovano per così dire schiacciati tra i visconti (che controllano l’accesso a south) and the gentlemen of Port St. Bear (which controlled access to the east). In the first half of the eleventh century, the Valle d'Aosta became part of the dominions of the counts of Savoy. The De Socio, as direct vassals of the empire, refuse to submit to the new count. The Counts of Savoy, in spite of themselves must accept the situation and De Socio can continue to enjoy a special autonomy against the power of counts. At that time you will find information also on the crest of the family silver with green head, a bear through and saying "je m'en Moqui."

The neglect of the noble De Socio policy issues demonstrates that the family is not mentioned in official documents such as bill of freedoms in 1191. However, this may also be motivated by the fact that De Socio were not vassals of the count. The family fortune ends in the middle of the thirteenth century. At that time the Count of Savoy in conflict with the Lords of Bard, accused of treason. After the defeat of Hugh Bard of the Count of Savoy took possession of his lands and castles. Unfortunately, De Socio had for decades maintained economic ties with the lords of Bard. It was easy to say that the Count De Socio had also taken part in plots against the county. The accusation was obviously false, but the Count wished to get rid of a noble that he could not check at will. The lands were confiscated and the tower to the noble JeanDe member. The tower was probably now in ruins: it is not we hear that it was given in fief to other lords. The bad condition of the tower is to be sought for the noble De Socio unable to run the work of consolidation. An improvement of the defensive characteristics of the structure is not authorized by the Count of Savoy would be an excellent opportunity to intervene by the same count or representative of the Viscount of Aosta.
Exiled from the county of Savoy, the De Socio headed east, ending with the establishment in Constantinople. At the end of the fourteenth century in Constantinople there was a Lorenzo Member who was in trade and breeding of pigs. One of the sons of Lawrence, named Ferdinand had made up his mind to sell pork to the Ottomans. Disregarding the ban imposed on him by his father, I leave Constantinople at the time of the Ottoman camp. Him not heard from again. Shortly before the fall of Constantinople occurred in 1453, the member is moved to France where their name was changed in Sochiot. At the end of the sixteenth century, a descendant of the family moved back to Aosta.
In 1691 the Duchy of Savoy was at war with the kingdom of France. At the command of a Marshal of the French troops invaded Huguette La Valle D'Aosta. Aosta threatened to come to plunder the region if he was not given a heavy ransom. To convince the population, Huguette notables gathered to persuade all citizens to pay the ransom. Among these was the notary Théophile Sochiot who responded with what had been the motto of his ancestors: "je m'en Moqui." The response of Théophile Sochiot angered a lot now convinced that the sergeant had no chance of getting the ransom decided to sack the entire region.






To be continued ....