Neapolitan Republic (1647)
Encyclopedia
The Neapolitan Republic was a Republic
created in Naples
, which lasted from 22 October 1647 to 5 April 1648. It began after the revolt led by Masaniello
and Giulio Genoino
against the Spanish
viceroys.
The leader of the Republic was Henry II of Lorraine, duke of Guise
, descendant of the former king of Naples Rene I
of Anjou
.
The Republic had the following official names: Serenissima Repubblica di questo regno di Napoli ("Most Serene Republic of this Kingdom of Naples"), Reale Repubblica ("Royal Republic"), and Serenissima Monarchia repubblicana di Napoli ("Most Serene Republican Monarchy of Naples"). All indicated the double nature of the Republic, both republican and monarchical, and "Serenissima" was a purposeful comparison with the famous Italian maritime republic with the same title, Venice. The coat of arms was a red shield with the motto S.P.Q.N. (i.e., Senatus Populusque Neapolitanus), in imitation of the well-known S.P.Q.R., the initialism of the Latin phrase, Senatus Populusque Romanus ("The Senate and the People of Rome"), Thus, the Neapolitan phrase meant "The Senate and People of Naples." The coat of arms contained the crest of the duke of Guise.
. In Naples it was worsened by a viceregal government with few local concerns, interested only in helping to finance the series of continent wide wars in which Spain
had become entangled.
Though repressed by the Spanish forces of viceroy Don Rodrigo Ponce de León
, which had been able to restore order in almost all of the city, Masaniello
's revolt had left in the streets a strong discontent. When the Spanish fleet, led by John of Austria the Younger
, came "to soothe the last insurgents" by cannonading the city, a new revolt broke out. This time the revolt was not one of lazzari (poor Neapolitan people) simply rebelling against the class that held power; it was led by the gunsmith Gennaro Annese and was clearly anti-Spanish.
The Spaniards were expelled and a Republic declared. Neapolitans sought French support and called Henry of Guise
to be entrusted with the leadership of the new state. The duke of Guise was in Rome
at that moment and accepted the offer, being eager to have a crown and to reinstate French influence in southern Italy after two centuries. On November 15, 1647, he landed in Naples and took the reins of the Republic.
The Neapolitan Republic had, in fact, no hopes from the very beginning. Spanish forces controlled the line of castles around the city and the nobility controlled the provinces from their base in Aversa
, thus controlling supply lines into Naples. In 1648 the duke of Guise managed to take Aversa, but the situation did not change much. The Spaniards, again under the command of John of Austria, chose a prudent strategy and filled Naples with spies, agitators and other agents to win over the remaining nobles.
On April 5, 1648, Henry, deceitfully pressed by some of his counsellors who were in Spain's pay, tried a sally, and Naples was reconquered by its former masters without resistance. On June 4 a French fleet of 40 ships tried to reconquer the city, but this time the people, tired by more than a year of continuing "revolution", did not rise. The French attempted to land on the neighbouring island of Procida, but they were beaten and had to flee.
Another and even more powerful French fleet appeared in the Gulf of Naples
on August 4 of the same year, led by Thomas of Savoy
. This time they managed to conquer Procida but, after being defeated at Ischia
, Pozzuoli
and Salerno
, they abandoned any hope of taking Naples.
Soon after, Gennaro Annese
was beheaded in Piazza del Mercato in Naples.
The following year, on June 3, there were new riots in Naples, but they were soon suppressed, as the people had simply grown weary of fighting.
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
created 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...
, which lasted from 22 October 1647 to 5 April 1648. It began after the revolt led by Masaniello
Masaniello
Masaniello was a Neapolitan fisherman, who became leader of the revolt against Spanish Habsburg rule in Naples in 1647.-Name and place of birth:...
and Giulio Genoino
Giulio Genoino
Giulio Genoino , the 'mind of Masaniello', was a key figure in the 7 July 1647 popular insurrection against Spanish authority in Naples. A priest, lawyer, and academic, Genoino had for three decades attempted to influence constitutional change to involve the Third Estate in the government of the city...
against the Spanish
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...
viceroys.
The leader of the Republic was Henry II of Lorraine, duke of Guise
Henry II, Duke of Guise
Henry II de Lorraine, 5th Duke of Guise was the second son of Charles, Duke of Guise and Henriette Catherine de Joyeuse.-Life:...
, descendant of the former king of Naples Rene I
René I of Naples
René of Anjou , also known as René I of Naples and Good King René , was Duke of Anjou, Count of Provence , Count of Piedmont, Duke of Bar , Duke of Lorraine , King of Naples , titular King of Jerusalem...
of Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
.
The Republic had the following official names: Serenissima Repubblica di questo regno di Napoli ("Most Serene Republic of this Kingdom of Naples"), Reale Repubblica ("Royal Republic"), and Serenissima Monarchia repubblicana di Napoli ("Most Serene Republican Monarchy of Naples"). All indicated the double nature of the Republic, both republican and monarchical, and "Serenissima" was a purposeful comparison with the famous Italian maritime republic with the same title, Venice. The coat of arms was a red shield with the motto S.P.Q.N. (i.e., Senatus Populusque Neapolitanus), in imitation of the well-known S.P.Q.R., the initialism of the Latin phrase, Senatus Populusque Romanus ("The Senate and the People of Rome"), Thus, the Neapolitan phrase meant "The Senate and People of Naples." The coat of arms contained the crest of the duke of Guise.
History
In the first half of the 17th century the Viceroyalty of Naples was in the midst of a harsh economic crisis, one which was affecting all of EuropeThirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. In Naples it was worsened by a viceregal government with few local concerns, interested only in helping to finance the series of continent wide wars in which 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...
had become entangled.
Though repressed by the Spanish forces of viceroy Don Rodrigo Ponce de León
Rodrigo Ponce de León, 4th Duke of Arcos
Rodrigo Ponce de León, 4th Duke of Arcos, was a Grandee of Spain and a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. He served as Viceroy of Valencia and of Naples....
, which had been able to restore order in almost all of the city, Masaniello
Masaniello
Masaniello was a Neapolitan fisherman, who became leader of the revolt against Spanish Habsburg rule in Naples in 1647.-Name and place of birth:...
's revolt had left in the streets a strong discontent. When the Spanish fleet, led by John of Austria the Younger
John of Austria the Younger
John of Austria was a Spanish general and political figure. He was the only natural son of Philip IV of Spain to be acknowledged by the King and trained for military command and political administration...
, came "to soothe the last insurgents" by cannonading the city, a new revolt broke out. This time the revolt was not one of lazzari (poor Neapolitan people) simply rebelling against the class that held power; it was led by the gunsmith Gennaro Annese and was clearly anti-Spanish.
The Spaniards were expelled and a Republic declared. Neapolitans sought French support and called Henry of Guise
Henry II, Duke of Guise
Henry II de Lorraine, 5th Duke of Guise was the second son of Charles, Duke of Guise and Henriette Catherine de Joyeuse.-Life:...
to be entrusted with the leadership of the new state. The duke of Guise was in 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...
at that moment and accepted the offer, being eager to have a crown and to reinstate French influence in southern Italy after two centuries. On November 15, 1647, he landed in Naples and took the reins of the Republic.
The Neapolitan Republic had, in fact, no hopes from the very beginning. Spanish forces controlled the line of castles around the city and the nobility controlled the provinces from their base in Aversa
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
, thus controlling supply lines into Naples. In 1648 the duke of Guise managed to take Aversa, but the situation did not change much. The Spaniards, again under the command of John of Austria, chose a prudent strategy and filled Naples with spies, agitators and other agents to win over the remaining nobles.
On April 5, 1648, Henry, deceitfully pressed by some of his counsellors who were in Spain's pay, tried a sally, and Naples was reconquered by its former masters without resistance. On June 4 a French fleet of 40 ships tried to reconquer the city, but this time the people, tired by more than a year of continuing "revolution", did not rise. The French attempted to land on the neighbouring island of Procida, but they were beaten and had to flee.
Another and even more powerful French fleet appeared in the Gulf of Naples
Gulf of Naples
The Gulf of Naples is a c. 15 km wide gulf located in the south western coast of Italy, . It opens to the west into the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered on the north by the cities of Naples and Pozzuoli, on the east by Mount Vesuvius, and on the south by the Sorrentine Peninsula and the main...
on August 4 of the same year, led by Thomas of Savoy
Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano
Thomas Francis of Savoy was an Italian military commander, the founder of the Savoy-Carignano branch of the House of Savoy which reigned as kings of Sardinia from 1831 to 1861, and as kings of Italy from 1861 until the...
. This time they managed to conquer Procida but, after being defeated at Ischia
Ischia
Ischia is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, about 30 km from the city of Naples. It is the largest of the Phlegrean Islands. Roughly trapezoidal in shape, it measures around 10 km east to west and 7 km north to south and has...
, Pozzuoli
Pozzuoli
Pozzuoli is a city and comune of the province of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is the main city of the Phlegrean peninsula.-History:Pozzuoli began as the Greek colony of Dicaearchia...
and Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, they abandoned any hope of taking Naples.
Soon after, Gennaro Annese
Gennaro Annese
Gennaro Annese was an Italian revolutionary, who led the rebels in Naples against Spain in 1647-1648.Annese was an arquebus maker who lived near the Porta of the Carmine. He succeeded Masaniello during the Neapolitan Revolt of 1647...
was beheaded in Piazza del Mercato in Naples.
The following year, on June 3, there were new riots in Naples, but they were soon suppressed, as the people had simply grown weary of fighting.