Corsican Republic
Encyclopedia
In November 1755, Pasquale Paoli
proclaimed Corsica
a sovereign nation
, the Corsican Republic, independent from the Republic of Genoa
. He created the Corsican Constitution
, which was the first constitution
written under Enlightenment
principles, including the first implementation of female suffrage, later revoked by the French when they took over the island in 1769. The republic created an administration
, justice system, and founded an army.
from the whole island except for a few coastal towns. He then set to work re-organizing the government, introducing many reforms. He founded a university
at Corte
and created a short-lived "Order of Saint-Devote" in 1757 in honour of the patron saint of the island, Saint Devota.http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/7f82f4dc1f0415d9c125706f00468819gb
A national parliament, or Diet
, was composed of delegates elected from each district for three-year terms. Suffrage was extended to all men over the age of 25. Traditionally, women had always voted in village elections for podestat i.e. village elders
, and other local officials, and it has been claimed that they also voted in national elections under the Republic.
The Republic minted its own coins at Murato
in 1761, imprinted with the Moor's Head, the traditional symbol of Corsica.
Paoli's ideas of independence, democracy and liberty gained support from such philosophers as Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, Voltaire
, Raynal, Mably
. The publication in 1766 of An Account of Corsica by James Boswell
made Paoli famous throughout Europe. Diplomatic recognition
was extended to Corsica by the Bey of Tunis.
from the Genoese who, one year later, despairing of ever being able to subjugate Corsica again, sold their claim to the Kingdom of France
with the Treaty of Versailles
.
The French invaded Corsica the same year, and for a whole year Paoli's forces fought desperately for their new republic against the invaders. However, in May 1769, at the Battle of Ponte Novu
they were defeated by vastly superior forces commanded by the Comte de Vaux, and obliged to take refuge in the Kingdom of Great Britain
. French control was consolidated over the island, and in 1770 it formally became a province of France.
The fall of Corsica to the French was poorly received by many in Great Britain
, which was Corsica's main ally and sponsor. It was seen as a failure of the Grafton Ministry that Corsica had been "lost", as it was regarded as vital to the interests of Britain in that part of the Mediterranean. The Corsican Crisis
severely weakened the Grafton Ministry
, contributing to its ultimate downfall. A number of exiled Corsicans fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War
, serving with particular distinction during the Great Siege of Gibraltar
in 1782.
The aspiration for Corsican independence, along with many of the democratic principles of the Corsican Republic, were revived by Paoli in the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
of 1794-1796. On that occasion, British naval and land forces were deployed in defence of the island; however, their efforts failed and the French regained control.
To this day, some Corsican separatists such as the (now-disbanded) Armata Corsa
, advocate the restoration of the island's republic.
Pasquale Paoli
Filippo Antonio Pasquale di Paoli , was a Corsican patriot and leader, the president of the Executive Council of the General Diet of the People of Corsica...
proclaimed Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
a sovereign nation
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
, the Corsican Republic, independent from the Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
. He created the Corsican Constitution
Corsican Constitution
The first Corsican Constitution was drawn up in 1755 for the short-lived Corsican Republic and remained in force until the annexation of Corsica by France in 1769...
, which was the first constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
written under Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
principles, including the first implementation of female suffrage, later revoked by the French when they took over the island in 1769. The republic created an administration
Administration (government)
The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction.-United States:In United States usage, the term refers to the executive branch under a specific president , for example: the "Barack Obama administration." It can also mean an executive branch agency...
, justice system, and founded an army.
Foundation
After a series of successful actions, Paoli drove the GenoeseRepublic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
from the whole island except for a few coastal towns. He then set to work re-organizing the government, introducing many reforms. He founded a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
at Corte
Corte
Corte is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. It is the fourth-largest commune in Corsica .-Administration:Corte is a subprefecture of the Haute-Corse department.-History:...
and created a short-lived "Order of Saint-Devote" in 1757 in honour of the patron saint of the island, Saint Devota.http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/7f82f4dc1f0415d9c125706f00468819gb
A national parliament, or Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
, was composed of delegates elected from each district for three-year terms. Suffrage was extended to all men over the age of 25. Traditionally, women had always voted in village elections for podestat i.e. village elders
Elder (administrative title)
The term Elder is used in several different countries and organizations to indicate a position of authority...
, and other local officials, and it has been claimed that they also voted in national elections under the Republic.
The Republic minted its own coins at Murato
Murato, Haute-Corse
Murato is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
in 1761, imprinted with the Moor's Head, the traditional symbol of Corsica.
Paoli's ideas of independence, democracy and liberty gained support from such philosophers as Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, Raynal, Mably
Gabriel Bonnot de Mably
Gabriel Bonnot de Mably , sometimes known as Abbé de Mably, was a French philosopher and politician. He was born in Grenoble of a legal family, and, like his younger brother, the well-known philosopher, Étienne Bonnot de Condillac , took holy orders...
. The publication in 1766 of An Account of Corsica by James Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
made Paoli famous throughout Europe. Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
was extended to Corsica by the Bey of Tunis.
French invasion
In 1767, Corsica took the island of CapraiaCapraia
Capraia, called Capraria in ancient times, is an island of Italy, part of the Tuscan Archipelago, off the northwest coast; it is also a comune belonging to the Province of Livorno. It is 62 km from the city of Livorno by sea, and 32 km northwest of the island of Elba; it is slightly...
from the Genoese who, one year later, despairing of ever being able to subjugate Corsica again, sold their claim to the Kingdom of France
Early Modern France
Kingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...
with the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles (1768)
The Treaty of Versailles was concluded on May 15, 1768 at Versailles between the Republic of Genoa and France. Genoa put Corsica in pledge to France.Corsica had been ruled by Genoa since 1284. In the 18th century Corsicans started to seek their independence...
.
The French invaded Corsica the same year, and for a whole year Paoli's forces fought desperately for their new republic against the invaders. However, in May 1769, at the Battle of Ponte Novu
Battle of Ponte Novu
The Battle of Ponte Novu took place on May 8 and 9 1769 between royal French forces under the Comte de Vaux, a seasoned professional soldier with an expert on mountain warfare on his staff, and the native Corsicans under Carlo Salicetti...
they were defeated by vastly superior forces commanded by the Comte de Vaux, and obliged to take refuge in the Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
. French control was consolidated over the island, and in 1770 it formally became a province of France.
Aftermath
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
, which was Corsica's main ally and sponsor. It was seen as a failure of the Grafton Ministry that Corsica had been "lost", as it was regarded as vital to the interests of Britain in that part of the Mediterranean. The Corsican Crisis
Corsican Crisis
The Corsican Crisis was an event in British politics during 1768–69. It was precipitated by the invasion of the island of Corsica by France. The British government under the Duke of Grafton failed to intervene, for which it was widely criticised and was one of many factors that contributed to its...
severely weakened the Grafton Ministry
Grafton Ministry
The Grafton Ministry was the British government headed by Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton which served between 14 October 1768 – 28 January 1770...
, contributing to its ultimate downfall. A number of exiled Corsicans fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, serving with particular distinction during the Great Siege of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
in 1782.
The aspiration for Corsican independence, along with many of the democratic principles of the Corsican Republic, were revived by Paoli in the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was a short-lived self-declared independent state on the island of Corsica during the mid-1790s.-Background and history of the kingdom:During the time of the French Revolution, Corsica had been a part of France for just two decades...
of 1794-1796. On that occasion, British naval and land forces were deployed in defence of the island; however, their efforts failed and the French regained control.
To this day, some Corsican separatists such as the (now-disbanded) Armata Corsa
Armata Corsa
Armata Corsa was an underground separatist terrorist organization in Corsica, today disbanded.Armata Corsa was founded in 1999...
, advocate the restoration of the island's republic.
See also
- Corsican ConstitutionCorsican ConstitutionThe first Corsican Constitution was drawn up in 1755 for the short-lived Corsican Republic and remained in force until the annexation of Corsica by France in 1769...
- Pasquale PaoliPasquale PaoliFilippo Antonio Pasquale di Paoli , was a Corsican patriot and leader, the president of the Executive Council of the General Diet of the People of Corsica...
- History of CorsicaHistory of CorsicaThat the history of Corsica has been influenced by its strategic position at the heart of the western Mediterranean and its maritime routes, only from Sardinia, from the Isle of Elba, from the coast of Tuscany and from the French port of Nice, was first proposed by the 19th-century German...
- Corsican CrisisCorsican CrisisThe Corsican Crisis was an event in British politics during 1768–69. It was precipitated by the invasion of the island of Corsica by France. The British government under the Duke of Grafton failed to intervene, for which it was widely criticised and was one of many factors that contributed to its...