The Legend of Serisso: The Pirate's Revenge in Trapani

Serisso, a feared Corsair from Trapani, discovered that his wife was cheating on him with a Moor, a slave of his who had escaped with her to Africa. Determined to take revenge, he returned disguised as a Moor, killed the traitors, and exposed the woman’s head to restore his honor. Today, a marble head at the entrance to Via Serisso preserves his memory.

The Corsair and His Beauty

Trapani was a flourishing city in the Middle Ages, an important trading post and maritime power. Among its inhabitants, a feared and respected Corsair stood out. A strong, cunning, and reckless man who sailed the waters of the Mediterranean in search of booty, capturing enemy ships and prisoners to sell as slaves.

When he was not at sea, the Corsair Serisso returned home, where his young and beautiful wife, who loved him deeply, awaited him. Life seemed to smile on him, but fate was about to reserve a terrible surprise for him.

Betrayal and Escape

One day, during one of his raids, the Corsair captured several prisoners, including a young Moor who stood out for his humble and serious attitude. The Corsair decided to keep him as a servant, unaware that this young man would become the focus of a betrayal that would change the course of his life forever.

The servant, skilled and intelligent, began to earn the trust of the Corsair's wife. Over time, the young lady gave in to his attraction, and a secret passion was born between the two. But the betrayal did not stop there: the young Moor, eager to return to his home country, managed to convince the woman to escape with him.

Taking advantage of one of the Corsair's absences, the woman, together with her young lover and a beautiful Turkish woman, emptied her husband's chest and set sail for Africa. There they would find refuge, far from the watchful eye of the corsair. The plan seemed perfect, but they had not taken into account the determination of the Corsair, who could never forgive such a profound betrayal.

Revenge

When Serisso returned and discovered the betrayal, his anger was devastating. He decided to immediately set out in search of his wife and lover, determined to regain the honor that had been torn from him.

When he arrived in Africa, the Corsair disguised himself as a Moor and began his search. Eventually, he met the Turk, who led him to the Moor's house. The betrayed woman, repentant and sorry, offered to return to her husband, asking for his forgiveness. But Serisso, with a heart consumed by anger, did not seek forgiveness.

With the help of the Turk, the Corsair killed the Moor and, once inside the house, he also faced his betrayer. He killed her brutally, cutting off her head and keeping it as a sign of restored justice.

The Return to Trapani

Serisso finally returned to Trapani with the Turkish woman, whom he had taken as his new wife. The head of his unfaithful wife was publicly displayed near their house, to show everyone that the honor of the corsair had been avenged.

When the woman's head decomposed, a marble head was placed in its place, which can still be admired today at the entrance to Via Serisso, in Trapani. A silent testimony of a betrayed love, but also of a justice that has never stopped being remembered.

The story of Serisso is a tale that unites passion, betrayal, violence, and honor, a legend that lives in the stones of the city of Trapani, ready to move anyone who wishes to immerse themselves in the history and magic of this land.

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