The life story of Smeralda Calafato is similar to that of many other girls of her time who lacked control over their own future. She was born in 1434 in the small Sicilian town of Annunziata, near Messina. Her father, Bernardo Cofino (called Calafato), was a rich merchant of noble descent, and her mother, Mascalda Romano, was known as a very pious woman. Smeralda distinguished herself from an early age by her exceptional beauty, and the family hoped to make an advantageous marriage for her. She was betrothed at the age of eleven to Nicolò De Perrono, a thirty-five-year-old widower who died on the eve of the wedding. Following the death of her father, her brothers attempted to impose a new marriage on Smeralda, finding another profitable arrangement for her. But here the ordinary story…
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Citation: Riverso, Nicla. "Eustochia Smeralda Calafato". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 May 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=14509, accessed 21 November 2024.]
