Carmine Crocco
Encyclopedia
Carmine Crocco, known as Donatello (June 5, 1830 - June 18, 1905) was an Italian
brigand. Initially a robber in revenge for the abuses suffered, he fought in the service of Giuseppe Garibaldi
and, soon after the Italian unification
, he formed an army of two thousand men, leading the most cohesive and feared band in southern Italy and becoming the most formidable leader on the Bourbon
side. He was renowned for his guerrilla tactics, such as cutting water supplies, destroying flour-mills, cutting telegraph wires and ambushing stragglers. Despite his controversial deeds and behaviour, many people of southern Italy and in particular in his native region Basilicata
, consider him a folk hero
.
, which was at the time part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
. His father, Francesco Crocco, was a servant of the noble Santangelo family from Venosa
and his mother, Maria Gerarda Santomauro, was a housewife. His uncle Martino was a veteran who fought in Spain
during the Peninsular War
, losing a leg probably in the siege of Saragossa. Crocco grew up with the tales of his uncle, from whom he learned to read and write. While a child, Crocco began to develop an aversion towards the upper class, after his brother was beaten by don Vincenzo, a young lord, for killing a dog who had attacked a Crocco family chicken. His mother, pregnant at that time, tried to defend his son but the lord kicked her in the belly, forcing her to abort. His father was later accused of the attempted murder of don Vincenzo and was imprisoned without sufficient proof.
During his adolescence, Crocco moved to Apulia
, to work as a shepherd, along with his brother, Donato. In 1845, Crocco saved the life of don Giovanni Aquilecchia, a nobleman of Atella
, who had tried to cross the raging waters of the Ofanto
River. Aquilecchia rewarded him with 50 ducats, permitting Crocco to eventually return to his home town from Apulia and find a new job. Crocco had the opportunity to meet don Pietro Ginistrelli, Aquilecchia's brother-in-law, who was able to secure the release of his father from prison.
However, by the time he was released Francesco Crocco was old and sick and this left Crocco to act as head of his family, working as a farmer in Rionero
. Here he met don Ferdinando, don Vincenzo's son, who felt regret for his father's behavior against the family. Don Ferdinando offered him a job as a farmer on his property, but Crocco preferred to take money instead, which he used to avoid the military service, as during the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, service was avoidable upon payment. The nobleman accepted but was killed on 15 May 1848 in Naples
by some Swiss troops. Thus Crocco had to join Ferdinand II
's army, but he deserted as a result of killing a comrade in a brawl. In his absence, his sister Rosina had to take care of the family.
When Crocco heard about these events he was angry and decided to avenge his sister. Knowing the habits of Peppino, who generally attended a particular club to gamble in the evening hours, Crocco awaited his return at Peppino's home. When Don Peppino arrived, Crocco questioned him but the discussion ended in a fight, after Peppino hit Crocco with a whip.
Blinded by rage, Crocco pulled out a knife, killed Peppino and then fled to the Forenza
woods. Here he met other outlaws, such as Giuseppe Nicola Summa (nicknamed "Ninco Nanco") and Vincenzo Mastronardi known as "Staccone", his future lieutenants and together they formed a band that lived on the proceeds of blackmail and robbery. Crocco returned to Rionero but was arrested on October 13, 1855. He escaped during the night of December 13-14, 1859, hiding in the woods between Monticchio
and Lagopesole.
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At the same time Giuseppe Garibaldi
was launching his Expedition of the Thousand
, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
was soon on the verge of collapse, requiring all forces remaining at its command to confront Garibaldi. Garibaldi managed to defeat them, gain control of Sicily and then cross to the mainland, where he moved swiftly north towards Naples
.
Garibaldi promised to forgive the deserters in exchange for military service and Crocco joined Garibaldi's army hoping for a pardon as well as other rewards. Crocco accompanied Garibaldi north to Naples
and took part in the famous Battle of Volturnus
. Although he displayed courage in battle, Crocco did not receive any medals or other honors and was also arrested.
He was taken to the prison in Cerignola
but, with the help of noble Fortunato family (relatives of the politician Giustino
), he was able to get away. Disappointed by the new Italian government's lies, Crocco was persuaded by noblemen linked to Bourbons and the local clergy to join the legitimist cause. With their war and pecuniary support, he recruited an army of 2000 men, beginning the resistance
under the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
to be once again displayed. In most cases, people regarded him as a "liberator" and supported his bands.
On April 7, 1861 Crocco occuped Lagopesole and, the day after, Ripacandida
, where he defeated the local garrison of the "Italian National Guard". On April 10, 1861, his army entered Venosa
and sacked it. During the siege of Venosa, Crocco's men killed Francesco Nitti, a physician and an ex-member of the Carbonari
, as well as grandfather of the politician Francesco Saverio Nitti
. Subsequently Lavello
and Melfi
fell into Crocco's control. Crocco's army also conquered parts of Campania
(Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi
, Monteverde
, Conza, Teora
), Apulia
(Bovino
and Terra di Bari
).
Impressed by his victories, the Bourbon government in exile sent the Spanish General José Borjes to Basilicata, to reinforce and discipline the bands. The goal of Borjes was the capitulation of Potenza
, the most well-defended stronghold of the Italian army in Basilicata. Crocco did not trust Borjes from the start and worried about losing his leadership, but he accepted the alliance.
Crocco, with the support of Borjes, conquered other towns searching for new recruits, including Trivigno
, Calciano
, Garaguso
, Craco
and Aliano
. Crocco's army made its way to Potenza, occupying neighboring cities such as Guardia Perticara
, San Chirico Raparo
and Vaglio
, but the expedition to the main city failed. Crocco's band was soon forced to flee due to an ex-Bourbon, who warned the Royal Italian Army
of the arrival of the brigands and sold them weapons.
Retreating to Monticchio, one of his headquarters, Crocco broke the alliance with Borjes because he did not want to serve under a foreigner. Disappointed, Borjes planned to go to Rome
, to inform King Francis II but, during the journey, he was captured in Tagliacozzo
and shot by Piedmontese soldiers headed by Major Enrico Franchini.
to Apulia
. Vespasiano De Luca, director of Public Safety in Rionero, invited him to sign a treaty of surrender but Crocco declined. Even without the help of the Bourbons, Crocco, skilled in guerrilla warfare, was able to harass the Piedmontese soldiers but his force was betrayed by Giuseppe Caruso, one of his lieutenants.
Caruso went to the Piedmontese authorities and revealed Crocco's location and hideouts. Under the command of General Emilio Pallavicini, the royal army engaged and defeated Crocco. His band suffered many causualties and some of his lieutenants, such as Ninco Nanco and Giuseppe "Sparviero" Schiavone, were captured and executed by firing squad, leaving Crocco to retire toward the Ofanto
zone. After losing the last battle, he was forced to flee to the Papal States
, hoping for help from Pius IX, whom he knew had previously supported the southern opposition.
Upon arrival Crocco was captured by papal troops in Veroli
and imprisoned in Rome. He was then turned over to the Italian authorities and sentenced to death on September 11, 1872 in Potenza
, but the sentence was commuted to hard labour for life. He was imprisoned on Santo Stefano Island
, where he began writing his memoirs, later published under the title Come divenni brigante (English: How I Became A Brigand). Crocco was later transferred to the prison at Portoferraio, where died on June 18, 1905.
. Artists such as Michele Placido
, Jean-François Touillard, Antonello Venditti
and Lucio Dalla
have participated in the production.
He is the main protagonist of the 1999 movie Li chiamarono... briganti!
(They called them... brigands!) directed by Pasquale Squitieri, starring Enrico Lo Verso
(in the role of Crocco), Claudia Cardinale
, Remo Girone
, Franco Nero
among the others. The movie was unsuccessful and was quickly suspended from its run in cinemas, although reviewers claimed that the truth was uncomfortable to some viewers.
The Italian actor Michele Placido
, son of an immigrant from Rionero, claims to be a descendant of Crocco on his father's side.
The Italian musician Eugenio Bennato dedicated the song Il Brigante Carmine Crocco, from the 1980 album Brigante se more to him.
In November 2008, a museum dedicated to Crocco, named La Tavern r Crocc (English: The Tavern of Crocco) was opened in his home town.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
brigand. Initially a robber in revenge for the abuses suffered, he fought in the service of Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
and, soon after the Italian unification
Italian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
, he formed an army of two thousand men, leading the most cohesive and feared band in southern Italy and becoming the most formidable leader on the Bourbon
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
side. He was renowned for his guerrilla tactics, such as cutting water supplies, destroying flour-mills, cutting telegraph wires and ambushing stragglers. Despite his controversial deeds and behaviour, many people of southern Italy and in particular in his native region Basilicata
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
, consider him a folk hero
Folk hero
A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by...
.
Youth
Crocco was born into a family of five children in Rionero in VultureRionero in Vulture
Rionero in Vulture is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. It is located on the slopes of Monte Vulture in the northern part of the region of Basilicata.-History:...
, which was at the time part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
. His father, Francesco Crocco, was a servant of the noble Santangelo family from Venosa
Venosa
Venosa is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervasio, Rapolla and Spinazzola....
and his mother, Maria Gerarda Santomauro, was a housewife. His uncle Martino was a veteran who fought in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, losing a leg probably in the siege of Saragossa. Crocco grew up with the tales of his uncle, from whom he learned to read and write. While a child, Crocco began to develop an aversion towards the upper class, after his brother was beaten by don Vincenzo, a young lord, for killing a dog who had attacked a Crocco family chicken. His mother, pregnant at that time, tried to defend his son but the lord kicked her in the belly, forcing her to abort. His father was later accused of the attempted murder of don Vincenzo and was imprisoned without sufficient proof.
During his adolescence, Crocco moved to Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, to work as a shepherd, along with his brother, Donato. In 1845, Crocco saved the life of don Giovanni Aquilecchia, a nobleman of Atella
Atella
Atella was an ancient city of Campania, halfway between Naples and Capua; its ruins lie between the towns of Orta di Atella and Sant'Arpino. Atella is not mentioned until the Second Punic War, when, although an independent city striking its own coinage, it was allied with Capua and the other...
, who had tried to cross the raging waters of the Ofanto
Ofanto
The Ofanto, known in ancient times as Aufidus, from the Greek Ophidus, Ωφιδους, meaning snake, is a 170 km river in southern Italy...
River. Aquilecchia rewarded him with 50 ducats, permitting Crocco to eventually return to his home town from Apulia and find a new job. Crocco had the opportunity to meet don Pietro Ginistrelli, Aquilecchia's brother-in-law, who was able to secure the release of his father from prison.
However, by the time he was released Francesco Crocco was old and sick and this left Crocco to act as head of his family, working as a farmer in Rionero
Rionero
Rionero may refer to the following comuni in southern Italy:*Rionero Sannitico, in the province of Isernia*Rionero in Vulture, in the province of Potenza...
. Here he met don Ferdinando, don Vincenzo's son, who felt regret for his father's behavior against the family. Don Ferdinando offered him a job as a farmer on his property, but Crocco preferred to take money instead, which he used to avoid the military service, as during the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, service was avoidable upon payment. The nobleman accepted but was killed on 15 May 1848 in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
by some Swiss troops. Thus Crocco had to join Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
's army, but he deserted as a result of killing a comrade in a brawl. In his absence, his sister Rosina had to take care of the family.
Becoming an outlaw
During Crocco's absence. his sister, Rosina, then not yet eighteen years old, was courted by a nobleman, Don Peppino. Rosina was not interested in him and rejected him. Annoyed by his refusal, Peppino proceeded to defame her.When Crocco heard about these events he was angry and decided to avenge his sister. Knowing the habits of Peppino, who generally attended a particular club to gamble in the evening hours, Crocco awaited his return at Peppino's home. When Don Peppino arrived, Crocco questioned him but the discussion ended in a fight, after Peppino hit Crocco with a whip.
Blinded by rage, Crocco pulled out a knife, killed Peppino and then fled to the Forenza
Forenza
Forenza is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. It is bounded by the comuni of Acerenza, Avigliano, Filiano, Ginestra, Maschito, Palazzo San Gervasio, Pietragalla, Ripacandida....
woods. Here he met other outlaws, such as Giuseppe Nicola Summa (nicknamed "Ninco Nanco") and Vincenzo Mastronardi known as "Staccone", his future lieutenants and together they formed a band that lived on the proceeds of blackmail and robbery. Crocco returned to Rionero but was arrested on October 13, 1855. He escaped during the night of December 13-14, 1859, hiding in the woods between Monticchio
Monticchio
Monticchio is an Italian hamlet belonging to the municipalities of Rionero in Vulture and Atella, in the Province of Potenza, Basilicata...
and Lagopesole.
Expedition of the Thousand
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
was launching his Expedition of the Thousand
Expedition of the Thousand
The Expedition of the Thousand was a military campaign led by the revolutionary general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860. A force of volunteers defeated the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, leading to its dissolution and annexation by the Kingdom of Sardinia, an important step in the creation of a newly...
, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
was soon on the verge of collapse, requiring all forces remaining at its command to confront Garibaldi. Garibaldi managed to defeat them, gain control of Sicily and then cross to the mainland, where he moved swiftly north towards Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
Garibaldi promised to forgive the deserters in exchange for military service and Crocco joined Garibaldi's army hoping for a pardon as well as other rewards. Crocco accompanied Garibaldi north to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and took part in the famous Battle of Volturnus
Battle of Volturnus (1860)
The Battle of Volturnus or Volturno refers to a series of military clashes between Giuseppe Garibaldi's volunteers and the troops of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies occurred around the river Volturno, in northern Campania, in September and October 1860...
. Although he displayed courage in battle, Crocco did not receive any medals or other honors and was also arrested.
He was taken to the prison in Cerignola
Cerignola
Cerignola is a town and comune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Foggia, 40 km southeast from the town of Foggia. It has the third-largest land area of any comune in Italy, at 593.71 km², after Rome and Ravenna.-History:...
but, with the help of noble Fortunato family (relatives of the politician Giustino
Giustino Fortunato
Giustino Fortunato was an italian historian and politician.-Biography:He was born in Rionero in Vulture , from a noble family. His homonym uncle was the prime minister of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from 1849 to 1852. Fortunato studied at the Jesuit College and then studied law at the...
), he was able to get away. Disappointed by the new Italian government's lies, Crocco was persuaded by noblemen linked to Bourbons and the local clergy to join the legitimist cause. With their war and pecuniary support, he recruited an army of 2000 men, beginning the resistance
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
under the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
In the service of Francis II
In 10 days, Crocco and his army occupied the entire Vulture area. In the conquered territory he ordered the badges and ornaments of the king Francis IIFrancis II of the Two Sicilies
Francis II , was King of the Two Sicilies from 1859 to 1861. He was the last King of the Two Sicilies, as successive invasions by Giuseppe Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia ultimately brought an end to his rule, and marked the first major event of Italian unification...
to be once again displayed. In most cases, people regarded him as a "liberator" and supported his bands.
On April 7, 1861 Crocco occuped Lagopesole and, the day after, Ripacandida
Ripacandida
Ripacandida is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. It is bounded by the comuni of Atella, Barile, Filiano, Forenza, Ginestra, Rionero in Vulture.-Archaeology:...
, where he defeated the local garrison of the "Italian National Guard". On April 10, 1861, his army entered Venosa
Venosa
Venosa is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervasio, Rapolla and Spinazzola....
and sacked it. During the siege of Venosa, Crocco's men killed Francesco Nitti, a physician and an ex-member of the Carbonari
Carbonari
The Carbonari were groups of secret revolutionary societies founded in early 19th-century Italy. The Italian Carbonari may have further influenced other revolutionary groups in Spain, France, Portugal and possibly Russia. Although their goals often had a patriotic and liberal focus, they lacked a...
, as well as grandfather of the politician Francesco Saverio Nitti
Francesco Saverio Nitti
Francesco Saverio Vincenzo de Paola Nitti was an Italian economist and political figure. A Radical, he served as the 36th Prime Minister of Italy between 1919 and 1920....
. Subsequently Lavello
Lavello
Lavello is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the region of Basilicata of southern Italy; it is located in the Vulture traditional region, in the middle Ofanto valley.-History:...
and Melfi
Melfi
Melfi is a town and comune in the Vulture area of the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.-Geography:On a hill at the foot of Mount Vulture, Melfi is the most important town in Basilicata's Vulture, both as a tourist resort and economic centre.-Early history:Inhabited...
fell into Crocco's control. Crocco's army also conquered parts of Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
(Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi
Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi
Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi is a town and comune in the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy.-Geography:Sitting on a hilltop near the Fredano river, the town is home to a cathedral and a Lombard Castle...
, Monteverde
Monteverde
Monteverde, Costa Rica is a small town in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Located in the Cordillera de Tilarán, roughly a four hour drive from the Central Valley of Costa Rica, Monteverde is considered a major ecotourism destination in Costa Rica...
, Conza, Teora
Teora
Teora is a small town and comune in the province of Avellino, in the Campania region of southern Italy.-Geography:Teora is bordered by the towns of Caposele, Conza della Campania, Lioni and Morra De Sanctis.-History:...
), Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
(Bovino
Bovino
Bovino is a comune and hilltop town at the foot of the Irpinia mountains in the province of Foggia, in the region of Apulia/Puglia.Bovino is currently a member of the Italy's Most Beautiful Villages Club.- History :...
and Terra di Bari
Terra di Bari
The Terra di Bari , in antiquity Peucetia and in the Middle Ages Ager Barianus , is the region around Bari in Apulia. Historically it was one of the justiciarships of the Kingdom of Sicily and later Naples. It became a province in the Two Sicilies. Today it is a part of the Province of Bari in Italy...
).
Impressed by his victories, the Bourbon government in exile sent the Spanish General José Borjes to Basilicata, to reinforce and discipline the bands. The goal of Borjes was the capitulation of Potenza
Potenza
-Transportation:Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia; it has also a connection to Altamura, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company...
, the most well-defended stronghold of the Italian army in Basilicata. Crocco did not trust Borjes from the start and worried about losing his leadership, but he accepted the alliance.
Crocco, with the support of Borjes, conquered other towns searching for new recruits, including Trivigno
Trivigno
Trivigno is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
, Calciano
Calciano
Calciano is a town and comune in the province of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
, Garaguso
Garaguso
Garaguso is a town and comune in the province of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. Garaguso has a population of 1,193 inhabitants and a surface of 38,6 square kilometers.-Geography:...
, Craco
Craco
Craco is a commune and medieval village located in the Region of Basilicata and the Province of Matera in Italy. About 25 miles inland from the Gulf of Taranto at the instep of the “boot” of Italy...
and Aliano
Aliano
Aliano is a town and comune in the province of Matera and is located about 90 kilometers from Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
. Crocco's army made its way to Potenza, occupying neighboring cities such as Guardia Perticara
Guardia Perticara
Guardia Perticara is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
, San Chirico Raparo
San Chirico Raparo
San Chirico Raparo is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
and Vaglio
Vaglio
Vaglio is a village and former municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.In 2001 the municipality was merged with the neighboring municipalities of Cagiallo, Lopagno, Roveredo, Sala Capriasca, and Tesserete to form a new municipality, Capriasca....
, but the expedition to the main city failed. Crocco's band was soon forced to flee due to an ex-Bourbon, who warned the Royal Italian Army
Royal Italian Army
The Regio Esercito was the army of the Kingdom of Italy from the unification of Italy in 1861 to the birth of the Italian Republic in 1946...
of the arrival of the brigands and sold them weapons.
Retreating to Monticchio, one of his headquarters, Crocco broke the alliance with Borjes because he did not want to serve under a foreigner. Disappointed, Borjes planned to go to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, to inform King Francis II but, during the journey, he was captured in Tagliacozzo
Tagliacozzo
-History:Near the modern city was fought the Battle of Tagliacozzo between Conradin of Hohenstaufen and Charles I of Anjou.-Main sights:*The Palazzo Ducale , built by Roberto Orsini....
and shot by Piedmontese soldiers headed by Major Enrico Franchini.
Last days
Without external support, Crocco turned to plundering and extortion to raise funds, cooperating with like-minded confederates and making raids from MoliseMolise
Molise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions. It was formerly part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise and now a separate entity...
to Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
. Vespasiano De Luca, director of Public Safety in Rionero, invited him to sign a treaty of surrender but Crocco declined. Even without the help of the Bourbons, Crocco, skilled in guerrilla warfare, was able to harass the Piedmontese soldiers but his force was betrayed by Giuseppe Caruso, one of his lieutenants.
Caruso went to the Piedmontese authorities and revealed Crocco's location and hideouts. Under the command of General Emilio Pallavicini, the royal army engaged and defeated Crocco. His band suffered many causualties and some of his lieutenants, such as Ninco Nanco and Giuseppe "Sparviero" Schiavone, were captured and executed by firing squad, leaving Crocco to retire toward the Ofanto
Ofanto
The Ofanto, known in ancient times as Aufidus, from the Greek Ophidus, Ωφιδους, meaning snake, is a 170 km river in southern Italy...
zone. After losing the last battle, he was forced to flee to the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
, hoping for help from Pius IX, whom he knew had previously supported the southern opposition.
Upon arrival Crocco was captured by papal troops in Veroli
Veroli
-History:Veroli became a Roman municipium in 90 BCE. It became the seat of a bishopric in 743 CE, and was occupied by Spanish milices, allied to the Colonna family, in the 16th troops.-Main sights:...
and imprisoned in Rome. He was then turned over to the Italian authorities and sentenced to death on September 11, 1872 in Potenza
Potenza
-Transportation:Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia; it has also a connection to Altamura, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company...
, but the sentence was commuted to hard labour for life. He was imprisoned on Santo Stefano Island
Santo Stefano Island
Santo Stefano is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the west coast of Italy, and part of the Pontine Islands. It has a circular shape, is less than 400 metres in diameter, and is located 2 kilometres east from the nearby island of Ventotene....
, where he began writing his memoirs, later published under the title Come divenni brigante (English: How I Became A Brigand). Crocco was later transferred to the prison at Portoferraio, where died on June 18, 1905.
Legacy
Crocco is the main character of the production La Storia Bandita (The Bandit's Story) that is held every year in Brindisi MontagnaBrindisi Montagna
Brindisi Montagna is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.-References:...
. Artists such as Michele Placido
Michele Placido
Michele Placido is an internationally known Italian actor and director. He is best known for the role of Corrado Cattani in the TV series La Piovra.-Life and career:...
, Jean-François Touillard, Antonello Venditti
Antonello Venditti
Antonello Venditti is an Italian singer-songwriter who became famous in the 1970s for the social themes of his songs.-Biography:...
and Lucio Dalla
Lucio Dalla
Lucio Dalla is a popular Italian singer-songwriter and musician. He also plays clarinet and keyboards.He is the composer of Caruso , which has been covered by numerous international artists...
have participated in the production.
He is the main protagonist of the 1999 movie Li chiamarono... briganti!
Li chiamarono... briganti!
Li chiamarono... briganti! is a 1999 Italian film, directed by Pasquale Squitieri. It tells the story of Carmine Crocco, a 19th century italian brigand who gained recognition when he came to the forefront of the brigandage during the Italian unification, by opposing the army of King Victor...
(They called them... brigands!) directed by Pasquale Squitieri, starring Enrico Lo Verso
Enrico Lo Verso
Enrico Lo Verso is an Italian actor.He studied acting at Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia and INDA|Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico.-Filmography:* Atto di dolore * Nulla ci può fermare...
(in the role of Crocco), Claudia Cardinale
Claudia Cardinale
Claudia Cardinale is an Italian actress, and has appeared in some of the most prominent European films of the 1960s and 1970s. The majority of Cardinale's films have been either Italian or French...
, Remo Girone
Remo Girone
Remo Girone is an Italian film and stage actor. He is best known for the role of Tano Cariddi in the epic TV mini-series La Piovra , about the Mafia. As a Mafia leader, Tano's chief enemy was Commissario Corrado Cattani.- External links :...
, Franco Nero
Franco Nero
Franco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
among the others. The movie was unsuccessful and was quickly suspended from its run in cinemas, although reviewers claimed that the truth was uncomfortable to some viewers.
The Italian actor Michele Placido
Michele Placido
Michele Placido is an internationally known Italian actor and director. He is best known for the role of Corrado Cattani in the TV series La Piovra.-Life and career:...
, son of an immigrant from Rionero, claims to be a descendant of Crocco on his father's side.
The Italian musician Eugenio Bennato dedicated the song Il Brigante Carmine Crocco, from the 1980 album Brigante se more to him.
In November 2008, a museum dedicated to Crocco, named La Tavern r Crocc (English: The Tavern of Crocco) was opened in his home town.
Sources
- David Hilton Wheeler, Brigandage in south Italy, Volume 2, S. Low, son, and Marston, 1864.
- A. Maffei count, Marc Monnier, Brigand life in Italy: a history of Bourbonist reaction, Volume 2, Hurst and Blackett, 1865, p.342.
- John Ellis, A short history of guerrilla warfare, Allan, 1975.
- Eric J. HobsbawmEric HobsbawmEric John Ernest Hobsbawm , CH, FBA, is a British Marxist historian, public intellectual, and author...
, Bandits, Penguin, 1985. - Tommaso Pedio, Storia della Basilicata raccontata ai ragazzi, Congedo, 1994.
- Antonio De Leo, Carmine Cròcco Donatelli: un brigante guerrigliero, Pellegrini, 1983.
- Denis Mack SmithDenis Mack SmithDenis Mack Smith CBE is an English historian, specialising in the history of Italy from the Risorgimento onwards. He is best known for studies of Garibaldi and Cavour and of Mussolini, and for his single-volume Modern Italy: A Political History...
, Italy:a modern history, University of Michigan Press, 1969. - Indro MontanelliIndro MontanelliIndro Montanelli was an Italian journalist and historian, known for his new approach to writing history in books such as History of the Greeks and History of Rome....
, L'Italia dei notabili. (1861-1900), Rizzoli, 1973. - Francesco Barbagallo, Francesco Saverio Nitti, UTET, 1984.
- Nicholas AtkinNicholas AtkinNick Atkin was appointed Lecturer in History at the University of Reading in 1986, having previously taught at the University of London. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2000 and the personal title of Professor of Modern European History was conferred on him in 2004...
, Frank Tallet, Priests, prelates and people: a history of European Catholicism since 1750, I.B.Tauris, 2003. - Aldo De Jaco, Il brigantaggio meridionale, Editori riuniti, 2005.
- Mario Monti, I briganti italiani, vol.2, Longanesi, 1967.
- Sergio Romano, Storia d'Italia dal Risorgimento ai nostri giorni, Longanesi, 1998.
- Lorenzo Del Boca, Indietro Savoia!, Piemme, 2003.