In August of 1221, Cardinal Pelagius, given the deteriorating situation in Egypt, decided, by order of the Pope, to gather all the relics found in Palestine and the treasures stolen in Egypt. His intention was to loading them on a Crusader ship commanded by hospital Italian Templar (from Pisa and Genoa) and lead them safely to Rome where they would be preserved.
Some treasures were gathered in a mosque in the Egyptian city of Tanta. A squad of Templar commanded by a Italian hospital sergeant of the Volterra Commandery, was commissioned to collect this treasure from the mosque and take it very quickly to the port of Damietta. Here he would found a small ships Templar fleet ready to set sail towards the coasts of Campania in Italy. From here the journey to Rome would continue by road.
During the loading of the treasures found in the mosque, the hospital Sergeant Roberto da Volterra, to control all phases from a favorable location, sat on a basis that he looked like a throne. It was immediately intrigued by the strange object which, among other things, was not included in the list of objects to be carried. Waiting for all the material was loaded, the sergeant began to hacking away that object. We do not know if the case or the will of the strange object itself, the sergeant was able to start up the machine. Because of writings and symbols, presumably Jewish, inlaid on the object, this was called "the throne of the Jews."
The strange object began to run, a screen began to glow and show images that portrayed Sergeant Roberto when he was young. Can you imagine what sparked the vision to those present, a mixture of awe and fear, some said that it was the work of the devil and that the object was cursed and that it should not be taken.
The commander, although frightened, decided to take away the mysterious object. The problem was that it was very heavy and the few men available were not sufficient to carry it. As luck would have some Turcopoli troops , allies of the Templars, passed there on horseback. They were in disarray, but numerous and well equipped, even of the chariots. Immediately the Templars sought help to Turcopoli, promising them a new life and lands in Italy. The Turcopoli accepted and carried the object to Damietta.
