Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies

King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (January 12, 1751 – January 4, 1825). He was the third son of King Carlo VII of Naples and Sicily by his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony (November 24, 1724 - September 27, 1760). On August 10, 1759, his father became King Charles III of Spain. Diplomatic treaties made Charles unable to hold the titles of all three Kingdoms. On October 6, 1759 he resigned in favour of Ferdinand.

French occupation

Although peace was made with France in 1796, the demands of the French Directory, whose troops occupied Rome, alarmed the king once more, and at his wife's instigation he took advantage of Napoleon's absence in Egypt and of Nelson's victories to go to war. He marched with his army against the French and entered Rome (November 29), but on the defeat of some of his columns he hurried back to Naples, and on the approach of the French, fled on board Nelson's ship the Vanguard to Sicily, leaving his capital in a state of anarchy.

Related Topics:
France - French Directory - Rome - Napoleon - Egypt - Nelson - Vanguard

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The French entered the city in spite of the fierce resistance of the lazzaroni, who were devoted to the king, and with the aid of the nobles and bourgeois established the Parthenopaean Republic (January 1799). When a few weeks later the French troops were recalled to the north of Italy, Ferdinand sent an expedition composed of Calabrians, brigands and gaol-birds, under Cardinal Ruffo, a man of real ability, great devotion to the king, and by no means so bad as he has been painted, to reconquer the mainland kingdom. Ruffo was completely successful, and reached Naples in May 1800. His army and the lazzaroni committed nameless atrocities, which he honestly tried to prevent, and the Parthenopaean Republic collapsed.

Related Topics:
Parthenopaean Republic - 1799 - Italy - Calabria - Cardinal Ruffo - 1800

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The king, and above all the queen, were particularly anxious that no mercy should be shown to the rebels, and Marie Caroline made use of Lady Hamilton, Nelson's mistress, to induce the latter to carry out her own spiteful vengeance. Marie Caroline's only excuse is that as a sister of Marie Antoinette the very name of "Republican" or "Jacobin" filled her with loathing.

Related Topics:
Lady Hamilton - Marie Antoinette - Republican - Jacobin

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~