FERT (sometimes tripled, ''FERT, FERT, FERT'') is the

motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...

of the royal

House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...

and

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...

. The motto was adopted by Duke Vittorio Amedeo II (1666–1732). Several interpretations exist. It appeared for the first time on the collar of the

Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation () is a Catholic order of chivalry, originating in County of Savoy, Savoy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Italy#The Kingdom of Italy, honours system in the ...

, or ''Ordine Supremo della Santissima Annunziata'', the primary dynastic order of the kingdom. This ceased to be a national order when Italy became a republic in 1946. The order remains under the jurisdiction of the head of the House of Savoy, however, as hereditary Sovereign and Grand Master. The meaning of the letters has been a matter of some controversy, to which a number of interpretations have been offered. The motto is believed to be an

acronym An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...

of: * (Latin: "Treaty and religion bind us"); * (Latin: "His strength conquered Rhodes" or "By his bravery he held r occupiedRhodes"), referring to the victory of Amadeus V, Count of Savoy (1249–1323), who fought in the 1315 siege of Rhodes; or either * (Latin: "His bravery r strengthpreserves r defendsthe state"); or * (Latin: "Faith is the protector of urKingdom"). It has also been suggested that the letters are actually the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

word (third-person singular present active indicative of ), meaning " e/she/itsuffers/bears", possibly referring to

Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

bearing the

sin In religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered ...

s of the world. A French-language parody of FERT was said by Savoy's neighbors to mean (French: "Strike, Enter, Break Everything"), from their penchant for .

Gallery

File:Vitrail aux armes d'Amédée VIII-h.jpg, Stained glass with the coat of Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy File:Palazzo dei gran maestri di rodi, salone fert 04.JPG, The motto in the main hall of the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes File:Flag of Albania (1939–1943).svg, Flag of the Italian Protectorate of Albania

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fert House of Savoy Initialisms National symbols of Italy National mottos Mottoes of orders of chivalry Duchy of Savoy Latin mottos

Gallery

See also

References