A Tapestry of Kings,
Fools, and Traitors
The Formation and Fall
of the Parthenon Republic
of Naples in 1799
Introduction
by Robert Fletcher, USA
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In 1790s, revolutionary fervor was imported into Italy by the French forces of the Directory. Italy was then a fragmentary collection of States, Duchies, Principalities, and French installed Republics. The Republics of the Transpadana (1796), Cispadana (July 1797), and Genoa (1797), had been installed by force of arms following successful campaigns by General Napoleon Bonaparte (1796), and became legal by the treaties of Tolentino (19 February 1797) and Campo-formio (October 1797) with Austria and the Pope. French forces formed other lesser-known Italian Republics installed in Rome and in Naples. The Republic of Rome was founded and fell twice in 1798 and 1799. The shorter lived and most tragic Republic, the Parthenopean Republic (of Naples) was founded January 23, 1799 and saw its demise the l3ffi of June 1799. In July 1797, a purported French Jacobin sponsored revolution in the making was discovered in Rome, against the Papal state. Actual and suspected revolutionaries were caught or forced to flee as those arrested were imprisoned with harsh sentences. On December 28 1797, during a protest near the French Embassy, Papal soldiers set upon the demonstrators. French General Duphot, attempting to calm the crowd, or instigating them according to Papal authorities, was killed in the fray. Several days after, the Directory declared war on the Papal States with General Berthier and French forces occupying Rome 10 February 1798. Pope Pio VI, then eighty years of age, was sent to France under a Republican escort. On August 29, 1798, Pio VI died at Grenoble. Meanwhile, the French helped create a new Jacobin Roman Republic subservient to the Directory. The Monarchy of Naples
Ferdinand IV, King of Naples Palazzo Reale, Naples, 1995 Authors Collection His Queen, Marie Caroline of Austria, sister of the late Marie Antoinette, became motivated solely desiring revenge against France at all costs. Her desire and her political alliance with Neapolitan Minister Acton embroiled Naples in conflict with France in both 1796 and 1799. Admiral Horatio Nelson had often frequented the Court of Naples during the war against France. When news of his victory at Aboukir Bay arrived in Naples, Acton and the Queen were further encouraged to go to war against France counting on Nelson's support. Nelson received honors and a triumphant victory entry into Naples, September 22. One of the Queen's intimate confidants was the wife of Lord William Hamilton, the English Ambassador, a much younger woman Emma. Emma Hamilton was also known as the lover of Nelson, who often stayed with the Hamiltons. Members of the Neapolitan court and military oft criticized Nelson's liaison with Emma, leading to harsh words exchanged and a bad feeling between Nelson and others in the Neapolitan court and in some cases Nelson's own naval colleagues. King Ferdinand, once persuaded by the Queen and his ministers, allowed preparations for war, calling for a mass conscription to nearly double the Army, and replaced the commander of the army with an Austrian General. The Bourbon Army of Naples, totaling between 70-80,000 men, now had General Karl Mack von Leiberich from Austria appointed as commander. Like many projects under Naples Bourbon reign, the Neapolitan army had been under reorganization for some years since 1795 and was never completed, raising a mere volunteer militia battalion in Naples. The Army was suspected of having those of Republican sentiment and some officers and men had been purged. Three regiments of Cavalry had fought well in Piedmont during 1796, and a few units participated in the invasion of Toulon, but of the total some 40,000 of the total were conscripts from the levy of September 2, 1798. The French in Rome The French forces in the Republic of Rome consisted of some 12,000 "good" men, according to General Jacques MacDonald, appointed as second in command in 1798. He later became acting commander after General Gouvion St Cyr was relieved for arguing with the Directory Commissioners. Once the Directory decided that an inevitable conflict with Naples was to occur, MacDonald was replaced (unjustly by his accord). The Directory's choice, General Jean Etienne Championnet hurried to Rome with a number of other generals assuming command November 18. General Barthelemy Joubert, commander of the French Army of Italy was ordered to provide reinforcements to the Army of Rome. An account by General Francesco Pignatelli states, "the Army of Rome had 17,000 men, 1,000 of them Romans, in poor condition, lacking many necessities". A Tapestry of Kings, Fools, and Traitors Formation and Fall of the Parthenon Republic of Naples in 1799 Part I
Naples Declares War on Rome A Neapolitan Solution To Take The City Of Naples The Parthenopean Republic of Naples Internal Problems in The Republic A Tapestry of Kings, Fools, and Traitors Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #64 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com |
King Ferdinand IV (right) of Naples had no desire to war with France, neither in 1796, nor 1799. He merely wanted to continue things as they were, with him as King and a feudal tithed reign.