Legends of Sardinia: the last prince of Casteldoria

According to the legend, his name was Andrea Doria. It was winter, and the prince was in his castle. A lady fell madly in love with him. We don’t know if she was the wife or the daughter of one of the knights in the castle.

She tried several times, but the prince always rejected her. Due to the insistence of the woman, Andrea Doria threatened the lady: he would have expelled her from the castle if she did not stop bothering him.

With her wounded pride, the lady went to a famous Corsican magician. The witch told her she wasn’t able to do anything because the prince was protected by San Giovanni. But there was one who could: the devil.

The lady gave her soul to the devil. In return, she received the power to change appearance and to cast evil spells. Blinded by love, she tried to make the prince fell in love with her using the new devil powers. But they hadn’t any effect.

And so, the love became hate. The lady took on the appearance of an old witch. In the underground tunnel leading from the castle to the church, she said to Andrea Doria to fortify the castle, because, one day, it would be attacked and conquered by green knights, and all of them would be hanged. Ten, she disappeared.

Months passed. In May, Coghinas fields were covered with daffodils and hay. Tha witch lady cast her spell. Daffodils and hay became knights in green armour riding green horses. They would attack the castle.

At dawn, on the walls of the castle, Andrea Doria saw the attacking knights. He remembered the prophecy. Instead of perish by the hands of the enemy, he killed himself. He jumped from the high bastion and died on the rocks below.

The knights disappeared. In the air of the morning, the evil and sad witch lady was laughing: she had her revenge.

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Image source: Di MaxFabio – Own work by the original uploader., GFDL, https://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5915630