THE KINGDOM OF THE TWO SICILIES
The Hohenstaufens (1198-1266 A.D.)
1198 Frederick II, son of the emperor Henry VI who has conquered Sicily from the Normans, crowned king of Sicily (Frederick I of Sicily) with his mother Constanza as regent. Death of Constanza. Pope Innocent III assumes the guardianship of Frederick, aged four.
1200 Innocent sends an army to Sicily which defeats Markwald, who has claimed the guardianship of Frederick.
1201 Markwald, regent of Sicily. He dies and is succeeded by Capparone. Sicily continues to be the prey of rebellious nobles and adventurers.
1208 Frederick takes up the reins of government.
1210 The emperor Otto IV threatens to invade Sicily, which he claims as part of the empire.
1211 Innocent excommunicates Otto and offers the crown of Germany to Frederick.
1212 Frederick leaves Sicily to dispute the German crown with Otto. He is crowned king of Germany at Mainz. Civil disorders recommence in Sicily.
1215 Innocent crowns Frederick king of Germany at Aachen.
1220 Frederick crowned emperor at Rome. He returns to Sicily and transfers a large colony of Saracens from the mountains to Nocera.
1231 Frederick has a compilation made of the Norman laws and ordinances.
1233 Frederick revisits Sicily to quell the republican pretensions of the eastern cities.
1243 Saracen revolt in the mountainous districts.
1250 At Frederick’s death the crown passes to his son, Conrad king of the Romans. In Conrad’s absence his natural brother Manfred is regent.
1251 Innocent IV, in his attempts to further the cause of William of Holland, excommunicates Conrad, and incites rebellions in Sicily and southern Italy. Manfred puts them down.
1252 Innocent rejects offers of peace from Conrad, who then attacks the pope. Capua is captured and Naples besieged.
1253 Surrender of Naples to Conrad. Innocent offers Richard, earl of Cornwall, the crown of Sicily, but he declines it.
1254 Death of Conrad; his son Conradin, two years of age, succeeds him. Manfred retains the regency. He opposes the papal forces which have advanced into Apulia, and defeats them at Foggia. Manfred takes Nocera.
1255 The citizens of Messina expel the papal governor. The legate, having lost a large convoy, agrees to peace with Manfred. Pope Alexander IV, who has offered the crown of Sicily to Prince Edmund of England, refuses to ratify the peace. The English parliament will not vote funds to enable Edmund to take the Sicilian throne.
1256 Manfred drives the papal authorities from Sicily and makes himself supreme there.
1258 On false rumour of Conradin’s death Manfred is crowned at Palermo. He assumes the leadership of the Ghibellines in Italy.
1259 Alexander IV excommunicates Manfred.
1260 Manfred sends aid to the exiled Ghibellines of Florence, enabling them to win the battle of Montaperti.
1263 Pope Urban IV offers Sicily and Apulia to Charles of Anjou, brother of Louis IX of France.
1264 The pope proclaims a crusade against Manfred.
1265 Charles of Anjou is crowned king of Sicily at Rome by the pope. With an army of crusaders he proceeds against Manfred.
The House of Anjou (1266-1282 A.D.)
1266 Defeat and death of Manfred at battle of Benevento. Charles I acknowledged king. He enters Naples in triumph. The seat of government is transferred from Palermo to Naples. Charles at once makes himself unpopular by his oppression.
1267 The pope makes Charles ruler of Tuscany and the citizens of Florence offer him the signoria for ten years. The Ghibellines induce Conradin to enter Italy and proceed against Charles.
1268 Defeat and capture of Conradin at the battle of Tagliacozzo. Conradin beheaded at Naples. This disaster crushes the hopes of the Ghibellines in Italy. Louis IX and Pope Clement IV protest against Charles’ cruelties.
1269 Charles captures Nocera and scatters the Saracen population.
1270 Charles joins Louis IX at Tunis in the last crusade. After death of Louis, Charles makes treaty with the ruler of Tunis and exacts tribute. The French and Genoese fleets, returning, are wrecked on the coast of Sicily. Charles seizes the ships and plunders them for his own benefit.
1274 The Genoese, who have united with the citizens of other Italian cities to resist the cruelties of Charles, defeat his fleet.
1275 Pedro of Aragon, husband of Manfred’s daughter Constanza, begins his attempt to gain the Sicilian throne.
1277 Charles assumes the government of the principality of Achaia. He plans to attack the Eastern Empire, but the pope forbids him to do so.
1281 The agitation in Sicily against Charles incited by Pedro of Aragon and his emissary Giovanni di Procida reaches a high pitch. The Byzantine emperor Michael also contributes to it.
1282 The Sicilian Vespers. Massacre of the French in Sicily. Charles lays siege to Messina. Pedro arrives and forces him to retire to Calabria. Pedro proclaimed king of Sicily. The pope excommunicates him. The kingdom is separated.
FIRST SEPARATION OF THE KINGDOM
Naples (House of Anjou, and the Pretenders of the Second House of Anjou) (1282-1435 A.D.)
The term “kingdom of Naples” is here used merely for convenience. It was never officially employed except by Philip, son of Charles V, and later by Joseph Bonaparte and Murat. The continental portion of the Two Sicilies was always known as “Sicily on this side the Pharos,” referring to the lighthouse at Messina; the island portion was called “Sicily beyond the Pharos.” So there were often two Sicilian kingdoms and two kings of Sicily.
1283 Capture of Reggio by Pedro.
1284 Capture of Charles’ son Charles, prince of Salerno, by the Aragonese admiral Roger de Lauria, in a sea-fight off Naples. He is sent to Aragon a prisoner.
1285 Death of Charles I. His son, Charles II, still a prisoner, is acknowledged king at Naples.
1287 Roger of Artois, regent of Naples, attempts to recover Sicily, but Roger de Lauria destroys his fleet.
1288 Charles is liberated by the terms of a treaty between Aragon and France. He assumes the throne of Naples but resigns that of Sicily.
1289 Charles is released by the pope from his resignation of the Sicilian crown. A two years’ truce is effected between Naples and Sicily.
1292 Defeat of the Neapolitans by Roger de Lauria in Calabria.
1296 The Sicilians invade Calabria, and take Squillace and other places.
1297 The pope invests Robert duke of Calabria with Sardinia and Corsica.
1300 Siege of Messina by Robert. Disease compels him to abandon it.
1309 Death of Charles, succeeded by his son Robert the Wise. He assumes the government of Ferrara as viceroy of the pope.
1312 Robert, in an attempt to prevent the coronation of Henry VII, seizes the principal fortresses of Rome.
1314 The pope makes Robert senator of Rome and viceroy of Naples. Robert fails in an attempt to capture Sicily. He makes a three years’ truce.
1317 Robert’s garrison is expelled from Ferrara.
1318 Robert relieves the Ghibelline siege of Genoa and is appointed governor for ten years.
1322 Durazzo restored to the kingdom of Naples.
1325 Robert fails in an attempt to capture Palermo.
1338 Another attempt of Robert on Sicily ends in failure.
1343 Death of Robert, succeeded by his granddaughter Joanna I. Her husband, Andrew of Hungary, is not crowned with her. He allows his Hungarian followers to usurp all political power.
1345 Murder of Andrew of Hungary perhaps by order of Joanna. His cousin, the duke of Durazzo, incites the Neapolitans against the queen.
1347 King Louis of Hungary invades Naples to avenge his brother’s death. Joanna flees to Avignon with her lover, Louis of Tarentum, and marries him. She resigns her claims on Sicily and makes treaty with the Sicilian king, Louis.
1348 Louis of Hungary holds Naples. He has the duke of Durazzo put to death. The plague compels Louis to return to Hungary and he takes Andrew’s son with him. Avignon is sold by Joanna to the pope who gives Louis of Tarentum the title of king. Joanna and Louis return to Naples. Louis takes the Free Company, headed by Werner, into his employ.
1349 Werner deserts Louis for the Hungarians.
1350 Louis of Hungary again invades Naples.
1351 Peace between Joanna and Louis of Hungary, who leaves Naples.
1353 Niccolo Acciajuoli successfully invades Sicily and captures Palermo and other towns for the kingdom of Naples.
1357 Rebellion of the duke of Durazzo. Acciajuoli returns to Naples.
1358 The duke of Durazzo’s rebellion is ended by his reconciliation with the crown.
1362 Death of Louis of Naples. Joanna marries James of Majorca, but he does not assume the title of king.
1365 Death of Niccolo Acciajuoli. The king of Sicily recovers Palermo and Messina.
1372 Peace between Naples and Sicily.
1375 Death of James of Majorca.
1376 Joanna marries Otto, duke of Brunswick, who does not assume the royal title.
1378 Joanna supports Clement VII against Urban VI.
1379 Urban proclaims a crusade against Clement and Joanna. He induces Charles of Durazzo, Joanna’s heir, to attempt conquest of Naples. To thwart him Joanna adopts Louis of Anjou, and makes him her heir.
1380 Excommunication of Joanna.
1381 Conquest of Naples by Charles (III) of Durazzo, who takes throne and imprisons Joanna and her husband. Clement gives Joanna’s Provençal dominions to duke Louis of Anjou.
1382 Louis of Anjou as Joanna’s heir attacks Charles, who puts Joanna to death and takes Sir John Hawkwood into his service.
1384 Death of the pretender Louis I and disbandment of his army. He leaves his claim to his son, Louis II. Excommunication of Charles, who besieges the pope in Nocera.
1386 Charles, invited to take the Hungarian throne, leaves Naples to his young son Ladislaus, under the regency of the latter’s mother, Margaret. Charles assassinated in Hungary. The pope gives the crown of Naples to Louis of Anjou.
1387 Contests in Naples between the supporters of Ladislaus and Louis. This struggle continues for many years, wrecks the kingdom, and destroys its influence in Italy.
1388 Urban marches upon Naples with an army to subdue the factions. He is injured and his army disbands.
1389 Louis II is crowned king of Naples by the anti-pope Clement at Avignon.
1397 Ladislaus recovers some of the territory that Louis has occupied.
1399 Ladislaus recovers the city of Naples, and Louis returns to Provence.
1408 Ladislaus takes possession of Rome.
1409 The adherents of Pope Alexander V expel Ladislaus from Rome, and invite Louis of Anjou to prosecute his claim to Naples.
1410 Louis’ fleet on the way to Naples is totally defeated by the Genoese allies of Ladislaus.
1411 Excommunication of Ladislaus by Pope John XXIII. Louis defeats Ladislaus at Roccasecca, but from want of supplies is obliged to return to Provence.
1412 Ladislaus concludes a treaty of peace with John XXIII.
1413 Ladislaus again takes possession of Rome and most of the papal states.
1414 Death of Ladislaus. He is succeeded by his sister Joanna II. The Neapolitan army leaves Rome, retaining only the castle of St. Angelo.
1415 Joanna marries Jacques de Bourbon, who takes all authority from her.
1416 Joanna regains her power. Muzio Attendolo Sforza, her constable, whom Jacques has imprisoned, is liberated and his position is restored.
1417 Sforza expels Braccio from Rome. Death of Louis II. His son Louis III succeeds as pretender.
1419 Sforza recovers Spoleto from Braccio. Jacques de Bourbon returns to France.
1420 Joanna makes Alfonso of Aragon her heir. She asks his protection against Louis III, who is urged by pope Martin to seize the throne of Naples.
1422 Alfonso threatens to recognise the anti-pope, and the pope ceases his hostilities. Sforza and Braccio unite to defend Naples.
1423 Joanna quarrels with Alfonso. She annuls the adoption and substitutes Louis of Anjou in his place. War with Aragon breaks out. The Genoese go to the assistance of Naples.
1424 The Genoese take Naples for Queen Joanna. Death of Muzio Attendolo Sforza. His son Francesco succeeds to the leadership of the Neapolitan forces. Death of Braccio.
1425 Francesco Sforza leaves the Neapolitans and enters service of the duke of Milan.
1434 Death of Louis III. Joanna adopts his brother René as her heir.
1435 Death of Joanna. René of Anjou succeeds, but Alfonso of Aragon and Sicily claims the kingdom. The Visconti and Genoese uphold René, who is a prisoner in the hands of the duke of Burgundy.
Sicily (House of Aragon) (1282-1435 A.D.)
1282 After Pedro III of Aragon (Pedro I of Sicily) drives Charles of Naples out of Sicily, a parliament at Palermo chooses him king. The pope excommunicates him and his people.
1283 Pedro obliged to return to Aragon, which the pope has given to Charles of Valois. He leaves the island to his wife Constanza and his great admiral Roger de Lauria, who prosecutes the war against Charles and wins a victory off Malta.
1284 Roger de Lauria captures the son of Charles and sends him to Aragon.
1285 Death of Pedro. Aragon and Sicily are separated. Pedro’s second son James I receives Sicily. Roger de Lauria captures Gallipoli and Tarentum.
1287 Roger de Lauria destroys the fleet prepared by Robert of Artois, regent of Naples, for the conquest of Sicily.
1289 Siege of Gaeta by Roger de Lauria. Two years’ truce between Naples and Sicily.
1291 James returns to Aragon to succeed his brother Alfonso as king, leaving his younger brother Frederick regent in Sicily. The Sicilians seize some territory in Calabria.
1292 Roger de Lauria defeats the Neapolitans and then invades the Eastern Empire and takes Scios.
1295 James of Aragon becomes reconciled to the pope; the French claim on Aragon is annulled, and James binds himself by the treaty of Agnani to restore Sicily to the Angevins. Frederick and Constanza prepare to prevent this.
1296 Frederick II crowned king of Sicily. The Sicilians are excommunicated, and invade Calabria.
1297 Roger de Lauria captures Otranto. He then deserts the Sicilians and goes over to James of Aragon, who promises the pope to make war on Frederick.
1298 Roger di Flor enters Frederick’s service.
1299 James of Aragon besieges Syracuse, and the duke of Calabria invades Sicily with some success. Great victory of the Sicilians at Falconara.
1300 The duke of Calabria besieges Messina. Disease ravages his army and he is obliged to withdraw.
1302 A treaty of peace concluded between Charles II of Naples and Frederick. The latter receives title of king of Trinacria for life, and Charles has undisputed right to that of king of Sicily. Frederick is to marry Charles’ daughter. The terms of the treaty are not meant to be carried out, and Frederick resumes the title of king of Sicily.
1303 Roger di Flor forms the Catalan Grand Company out of his Sicilian mercenaries.
1313 Alliance of Frederick with the emperor Henry VII against the pope and Robert of Naples.
1314 Sicily is attacked by Robert, who agrees to a three years’ truce.
1317 Robert again attacks Sicily and makes another truce.
1325 Robert attacks Sicily for the third time, but is obliged to return to Naples after an attempt to capture Palermo.
1337 Death of Frederick. His son Pedro II succeeds. The kingdom sinks into obscurity.
1338 Robert fails in a fourth attack on Sicily.
1339 Robert takes the Lipari Islands from Sicily.
1342 Death of Pedro. His son Luis succeeds under the regency of Pedro’s brother Juan.
1354 Niccolo Acciajuoli, grand seneschal of Naples, successfully invades Sicily on behalf of Queen Joanna. He captures Palermo and other territory.
1355 Death of Luis. His younger brother Frederick III succeeds, and to the duchy of Athens as well.
1357 Acciajuoli returns to Naples.
1365 Frederick recovers the territory seized by Acciajuoli on the latter’s death.
1372 Treaty of peace between Naples and Sicily.
1376 Death of Frederick, succeeded by his daughter Maria and her husband Martin I, son of Martin of Aragon.
1386 Nerio Acciajuoli, governor of Corinth, seizes the duchy of Athens.
1402 Death of Maria; Martin sole sovereign.
1409 Martin goes to Sardinia for his father to quell an insurrection. He dies. His father Martin II succeeds. Sicily is united to Aragon with Martin I’s second wife Blanche of Navarre as regent.
1410 Death of Martin, the last of his line. The thrones of Aragon and Sicily remain vacant until
1412 when the succession is decided in favour of Ferdinand (I) the Just, regent of Castile.
1416 Death of Ferdinand, succeeded by his son Alfonso (I) the Magnanimous. He is a man of cultivated tastes and great liberality.
1432 Alfonso arrives in Sicily with a fleet to force his claim to the succession of Naples. In 1420 Queen Joanna made him her heir, but in 1423 annulled the adoption.
1435 On death of Joanna, Alfonso besieges Gaeta. Naval battle of Ponza. Alfonso and his brother captured by the Genoese allies of René. They are sent as prisoners to Milan, where Alfonso pleads his cause so successfully that Filippo Maria Visconti, who fears the French influence, withdraws his support from René, releases Alfonso and recognises him as the successor to Joanna. Surrender of Gaeta to Alfonso’s brother Don Pedro.
SECOND UNION (1435-1458 A.D.)
1436 Alfonso is proclaimed king at Gaeta and other places.
1438 René is released by the duke of Burgundy and arrives at Naples to prosecute his claim.
1440 Alfonso, having taken Aversa, lays siege to Naples.
1442 Surrender of Naples to Alfonso. He is now acknowledged by the whole kingdom. René returns to Provence.
1443 Alfonso acknowledged by Pope Felix V. He attempts to wrest the March of Ancona for the pope from Francesco Sforza, and involves himself in a war with the Italian states. Florence and Venice side with Sforza.
1447 Alfonso claims the duchy of Milan on death of Filippo Maria Visconti.
1450 Alfonso makes peace with Florence and Venice.
1455 Alfonso joins the Holy League against the Turks.
1457 Alfonso goes to war with Genoa.
1458 Death of Alfonso. His natural son Ferdinand I receives Naples. Sicily, with Aragon and Sardinia, goes to Alfonso’s brother Juan, king of Navarre.
SECOND SEPARATION
Naples—the Bastard Line of Aragon (1458-1503 A.D.)
1459 Ferdinand’s cruelties cause the nobles to ask the help of John, governor of Genoa, and son of René of Anjou, against the king. The terms of the Peace of Lodi prevent Francesco Sforza from lending assistance.
1460 Defeat of Ferdinand on the Sarno. The pope and Sforza now send assistance.
1461 Scanderbeg, with a force of Albanians, comes to the assistance of Ferdinand.
1462 Ferdinand defeats John at Troja, and forces him to give up his attempt on Naples.
1470 Ferdinand joins the Holy League of the pope against the Turks.
1478 Ferdinand joins Sixtus IV in his war on the Florentines.
1479 Ferdinand makes peace with Lorenzo de’ Medici, which arouses the pope against him.
1480 The Turks capture Otranto. Sixtus and Ferdinand become reconciled.
1481 Otranto recovered from the Turks by a general league of Christian princes.
1485 Oppressed by taxation, the Neapolitan nobles revolt against Ferdinand.
1486 Innocent VIII takes the side of the Neapolitan nobles. They send for René II, duke of Lorraine, grandson of René of Anjou, with offers of the crown. René delays acceptance and the opportunity passes. Aragon, Milan, and Florence uphold Ferdinand. Lorenzo de’ Medici finally reconciles the nobles to Ferdinand, who breaks his promises and punishes them cruelly.
1492 Piero de’ Medici makes alliance with Ferdinand.
1493 Alarmed at this alliance, Lodovico (Il Moro) Sforza invites Charles VIII of France to invade Naples in the interests of the Angevin claim.
1494 Death of Ferdinand as he is preparing to resist the French invasion. His son Alfonso II succeeds. Charles enters Italy. The Neapolitan fleet is defeated off Genoa.
1495 Alfonso abdicates in favour of his son Ferdinand II and retires to a monastery. Charles enters Naples; Ferdinand flees. Lodovico now becomes alarmed at Charles’ progress and forms a league against him. Charles leaves Naples in charge of a viceroy and hurriedly returns to France. Ferdinand returns to Naples. Most of his kingdom returns to his allegiance.
1496 The viceroy dies and the French garrison leaves Naples. Venice seizes Brindisi and Otranto for debt. Death of Ferdinand, succeeded by his uncle Frederick II.
1501 Louis XII of France and Ferdinand of Spain and Sicily agree by Treaty of Granada to conquer Naples and divide it between them. The conquest is easily accomplished by the duke of Nemours and Gonsalvo de Cordova. Frederick surrenders his rights to the French king and is given the duchy of Anjou.
1502 France and Spain begin to quarrel over the partition of Naples.
1503 Ferdinand adds Naples to the kingdom of Sicily.
Sicily—the Royal Line of Aragon (1458-1503 A.D.)
1458 Juan of Aragon, hitherto known as king of Navarre, receives Sicily “beyond the Pharos,” as part of his dominions on death of his brother Alfonso. Henceforth it is ruled by viceroys.
1479 Death of Juan, succeeded by his son Ferdinand the Catholic.
1501 Treaty of Granada and conquest of Naples by Ferdinand and Louis XII.
1502 Quarrel of France and Spain over the division of Naples. The pope and Cesare Borgia side with France.
1503 Gonsalvo de Cordova wins several victories over the French, and finally utterly defeats them at Mola. The kingdoms of Sicily “on this side the Pharos” (Naples) and Sicily “beyond the Pharos” are united under Ferdinand, and the king is known as Ferdinand III.
THIRD UNION
The Royal Line of Spain (1503-1516 A.D.)
1504 Peace between France and Spain. Louis gives up all claim on Naples.
The Austro-Spanish Dynasty (1516-1700 A.D.)
1516 Death of Ferdinand. Succeeded by his grandson Charles IV (V of Germany). A revolt in Sicily is put down the following year. Sicily is used as a starting-point for the African wars.
1554 Charles gives his son Philip the title of king of Naples, on Philip’s marriage to Mary of England.
1556 Abdication of Charles V. Philip I (II of Spain) receives the Two Sicilies as part of his dominions. The kingdom becomes merely a Spanish province. Pope Paul IV wishes to drive the Spaniards from Naples and makes a league with Henry II of France for that purpose. Francis, duke of Guise, grandson of René II of Lorraine, plans to obtain the crown of Naples.
1557 The duke of Guise marches on Naples and lays siege to Civitella. The duke of Alva, Philip’s viceroy, defeats him, and he retreats northward. Henry II recalls him to France.
1565 The Inquisition is in full force throughout Philip’s dominions. Reformed opinions have spread rapidly in Naples.
1598 Death of Philip, succeeded by his son Philip II (III of Spain). The national assemblies are suppressed.
1618 Osuna, viceroy of Naples, plots with the governor of Milan and Spanish ambassador at Venice, to seize the throne of the Two Sicilies and destroy Venice. The Venetian Council of Ten frustrates the plot.
1621 Death of Philip, succeeded by his son Philip III (IV of Spain). The people are heavily taxed.
1647 Insurrection of Masaniello at Naples over a tax on fruit. The duke of Arcos, the viceroy, is driven into the castle of St. Elmo. Insurrection at Palermo. The duke of Arcos makes terms with the people. Assassination of Masaniello. The revolt subsides, but soon breaks out again. Don John of Austria sent to preserve order, but is forced to withdraw. The popular leader, Gennaro Annese, sends for the duke of Guise, who readily responds. But he ignores Annese, and the latter betrays Naples to Don John. Guise is sent a prisoner to Spain. Annese put to death.
1665 Death of Philip, succeeded by his young son Charles V (II of Spain) under the regency of his mother, Maria Anna of Austria.
1672 Rising in Messina against the oppressions of the Spanish governor. He is driven from the city.
1674 The people of Messina send to Louis XIV (whom Spain has taken sides against in the Dutch war) and proclaims him king of Sicily. Louis sends a fleet to Sicily. His troops occupy Messina.
1676 French naval victories over the Dutch allies of Spain off Stromboli, Catania, and Palermo.
1678 The Dutch war settled by the peace of Nimeguen. Louis withdraws his troops from Sicily. The Sicilians are now more oppressed than ever.
1693 Great earthquake in Sicily. Messina, Catania, and Syracuse nearly destroyed by a violent eruption of Mount Etna.
1694 Great earthquake at Naples.
1700 Death of Charles. End of the Austro-Spanish dynasty. The Two Sicilies acknowledge Philip IV (V of Spain) grandson of Louis XIV.
From the End of the Austro-Spanish Dynasty to the Peace of Utrecht (1700-1713 A.D.)
1701 The emperor Leopold claims the Two Sicilies for the archduke Charles. The war of the Spanish Succession begins.
1702 Philip arrives at Naples and marches northward.
1706 After the battle of Turin the French are driven out of Italy and Charles VI is proclaimed king of the Two Sicilies.
1708 Pope Clement XI invests Charles with the kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
THIRD SEPARATION (1713-1720 A.D.)
1713 Peace of Utrecht. Charles VI (now emperor Charles VI) receives the dominions of Sicily on this side the Pharos (Naples) together with Milan and Sardinia. The island of Sicily is given to Victor Amadeus of Savoy with the title of king.
1717 Philip V takes Sardinia from the Austrians.
1718 Philip invades Sicily. Victor Amadeus sides with him, hoping to acquire Lombardy. Formation of the Quadruple Alliance against Philip.
1719 Philip is driven from Sicily by the allies and negotiates for peace.
FOURTH UNION (1720-1806 A.D.)
1720 Philip accepts the terms of the alliance. Victor Amadeus is compelled to exchange Sicily for Sardinia. Charles VI is once more king of the Two Sicilies, which becomes part of the German Empire.
1733 War of the Polish Succession begins. Philip V leagues with France and Sardinia to drive the Austrians from Italy. Philip’s son Don Charles, the duke of Parma and heir to Tuscany, is to receive the Two Sicilies.
The Bourbons (1734-1806 A.D.)
1734 Don Charles enters Naples and is proclaimed king. An army arrives from Spain to his assistance. Defeat of the Austrians at Bitonto and capture of Gaeta by Don Charles.
1735 Don Charles crosses to Italy. The island surrenders to him and he is crowned as Charles VII.
1738 The war is settled by the Treaty of Vienna. Charles VII acknowledged king of the Two Sicilies and gives up his claim to Tuscany and to Parma.
1740 Charles joins the alliance against Maria Theresa in the struggle for the Austrian succession.
1743-1748 The Two Sicilies compelled to remain neutral in the war of the Austrian Succession by the presence of a British fleet.
1759 Charles inherits the throne of Spain and resigns the Two Sicilies to his young son Ferdinand IV.
1767 The Jesuits are expelled from the kingdom.
1782 The Inquisition is abolished.
1796 Ferdinand makes a treaty of peace with the French Republic.
1798 The French army invades Neapolitan territory.
1799 Surrender of Naples. Ferdinand flees to Sicily. Naples is formed into the Parthenopæan Republic by the French. The English fleet under Nelson appears and assists a Calabrian army under Cardinal Ruffo to regain Naples and restore Ferdinand. Ruffo works a barbarous vengeance on the republicans.
1805 The emperor Napoleon makes a treaty of neutrality with Ferdinand. Terrible earthquake at Naples.
FOURTH SEPARATION
The Kingdom of Naples (1806-1815 A.D.)
1806 Napoleon forces Ferdinand to flee and makes his brother Joseph Bonaparte king of Naples. He makes many reforms and starts to suppress the brigands, who under the Bourbons have overrun the kingdom. Ferdinand remains ruler of Sicily. The French defeated by the British at Maida. Queen Caroline of Sicily organises an insurrection in Calabria.
1808 Joseph Bonaparte is transferred to the throne of Spain and Joachim Murat is made king of Naples. He calls himself king Joachim Napoleon. He takes Capri from the British.
1810 Murat attempts to invade Sicily, but is prevented by the British.
1811 The guerilla warfare against the brigands ends in their almost entire extermination. This makes Murat unpopular.
1813 Murat becomes offended at Napoleon during the Russian campaign and returns to Naples.
1814 Murat makes alliance with Austria and seizes the principality of Benevento.
1815 Murat declares his intention of restoring the unity of Italy. The Austrians proceed against him and he is totally defeated at Tolentino and escapes to France. After Waterloo he goes to Corsica and attempts to regain Naples, is taken prisoner in Calabria and executed.
The Kingdom of Sicily (1806-1815 A.D.)
1806-1815 Ferdinand continues to rule in Sicily.
FIFTH UNION
The Bourbon Dynasty (1815-1860 A.D.)
1815 Ferdinand re-established in the Two Sicilies by the Congress of Vienna. He now calls himself Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and returns to his tyrannical rule.
1819 The Society of the Carbonari becomes powerful. General Pépé joins it.
1820 Sudden revolt of the Carbonari under Pépé. Ferdinand is compelled to grant a new constitution.
1821 At conference of Laibach, the great powers decide to suppress the revolutionary movement in Naples. An Austrian army invades the kingdom; Pépé is defeated and the constitutional government overthrown.
1825 Death of Ferdinand, succeeded by his son Francis I.
1828 An insurrection of the Carbonari is suppressed.
1830 Death of Francis. His son Ferdinand II, “King Bomba,” succeeds.
1840 Settlement with England of the dispute concerning the sulphur trade.
1844 Execution of the Bandiera in Calabria.
1848 Revolutionary outbreaks begin at Palermo. Ferdinand grants a constitutional government to his subjects. Violent outbreaks in Naples. The national guard is almost annihilated by the royal troops and the lazzaroni. The constitution is withdrawn. A Neapolitan army under General Pépé marches to the assistance of Charles Albert. Ferdinand bombards Messina to bring the people to terms, and earns the sobriquet of “King Bomba.”
1849 The French and English ambassadors attempt to mediate between Ferdinand and the people of Sicily; the latter reject the offered terms. Palermo surrenders. Ferdinand sends an army to assist Pius IX, but it is badly defeated by Garibaldi at Palestrina and Velletri. The liberal leaders arrested in Naples.
1850 The liberal leaders condemned to imprisonment for life.
1855 The allied powers—England, France, and Sardinia—protest in vain to Ferdinand against his misgovernment.
1856 England and France withdraw their ambassadors from the Two Sicilies. Milano attempts to assassinate the king.
1858 Amnesty granted to political offenders.
1859 Death of Ferdinand II, succeeded by his son Francis II. Diplomatic relations resumed.
1860 The foreign ambassadors petition France for reform. A revolutionary movement begins in Palermo, Messina, and Catania. Garibaldi arrives at Marsala with five thousand volunteers from Genoa and assumes title “Dictator of Sicily.” He takes Palermo and defeats the royal troops at Milazzo. All Sicily except Messina surrenders to him. Francis promises reforms. State of siege declared at Naples. Garibaldi refuses to obey Victor Emmanuel’s command to stop. He enters Messina, and the Neapolitans agree to evacuate. Francis restores the constitution of 1848. The count of Trani is proclaimed king by the army. Garibaldi crosses to Italy and defeats the royal army at Reggio and San Giovanni. Francis flees to Gaeta, and Garibaldi enters Naples, assumes the dictatorship, and institutes reforms. He defeats the royalists on the Volturno. Victor Emmanuel enters the Abruzzi. The kingdom votes for annexation to Piedmont. The Two Sicilies is annexed to the kingdom of Italy.
ITALY BEFORE 1797.
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