Calasetta

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Calasetta is a small town (population 2,745) located on the island of Sant'Antioco off the Southwestern coast of Sardinia.

While the town itself dates only to 1770, its founding has an interesting and colorful history. In the middle of the 16th century a group of Ligurian families - many of them from Pegli near Genoa - moved to a deserted island off the coast of the Tunisian city of Tabarka in order to work the waters as coral fishermen. These families worked under the tutelage of the wealthy Genoese Lomellini family. These enterprising Ligurian families of Tabarka quickly expanded from coral fishing to trade between the African interior and European markets. Soon, they rose to positions of wealth and success and were awarded the titles of Marquis of Tabarka. Originally the Tabarchini (as descendants in Calasetta are sometimes still called) were protected by the Spanish crown, but increasing population strain, incursions by Barbary pirates, and expansionist competition by France began a long period of trials for many Tabarchini.

In 1738 a group of Tabarchini decided to leave the island off the Tunisian coast permanently. They were received by King Carlo Emmanuele III of Savoy in the Kingdom of Sardinia, who gave them the Island of San Pietro to settle. The island lies a short distance from Sant Antioco and hosts the town of Carloforte. When the Bey of Tunis learned that the Lomellini family intended to cede control of the island to his enemies the French, he invaded the island, destroying homes and warehouses and capturing and enslaving much of the population.

A sad period of slavery ensued both in Tunis and Algiers when the Bey of Algiers defeated his Tunisian rival and captured his slaves. With the intervention of King Carlo Emmanuel III of Savoy and King Carlos of Spain, the surving Tabarchini were liberated. Many of them left for Spain, others established themselves in Carloforte, and still others returned to Tunis. It was this latter group that petitioned King Carlo Emmanuele III to allow them to settle the practically uninhabited island of Sant'Antioco. The King empowered the religious order of San Maurizio to guide and protect the fledgling colony and thus in 1770 Calasetta was born. Three years later, more colonists from Piedmont asked for permission to settle Calasetta, but illness and unexpected conditions caused them to return almost immediately. Now, over two centuries later, despite the fact that both Calasetta and Carloforte are surrounded by Sardinian peoples, the local dialect remains the same as that spoken in Pegli and Genova and is incomprehensible to surrounding populations.

Today Calasetta is a favored tourist destination with gorgeous half moon beaches, a charming port, and a bustling fishing industry.