The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was created in 1816 and did not last long, only until 1861. Although the period of the life of the state was extremely small, the prehistory of its emergence dates back several centuries. Bloody wars, the overthrow of entire dynasties, the coronation and expulsion of various monarchs link together a chain of historical events that led to the appearance and then the disappearance of an entire kingdom.
Origin of the name
The history of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies began in the 13th century. Until 1285, the medieval Kingdom of Sicily owned Sicily, which included the island of the same name and a number of smaller islands, as well as Mezzogiorno, located in the southern part of the Apennine Peninsula. In 1282, a military conflict broke out between the two royal dynasties, called the War of the Sicilian Vespers, which lasted until 1302. As a result, King Charles I of Anjou lost power over the island of Sicily and remainedto rule the peninsular part, although called the Kingdom of Naples, but in everyday life it continued to be called the Kingdom of Sicily. The title of "King of Sicily" was also preserved for him. The reins of government for the main part of the island passed into the hands of the King of Aragon, who also called his lands the Kingdom of Sicily and bore a similar title.
Austro-Neapolitan War
The beginning of the creation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies can be considered 1815. After the conquest of Italy by Napoleon Bonaparte, King Ferdinand was removed from the throne and fled. Joachim Murat, marshal of France and son-in-law of the emperor, was appointed the new king of the Kingdom of Naples. March 15, 1815 Murat declared war on Austria and marked the beginning of the Austro-Neapolitan war. The Austrians were ready to attack and met the French army fully armed.
The newly appointed king expected that the Italians would actively resist the offensive of Austria, but the population saw in Joachim only a relative of the emperor, an ambitious man who undeservedly took the throne. The repulse of the Italian army was not powerful enough and the Austrian forces took over.
On May 20, the generals of the Italian army signed a truce with the Austrians, and Murat himself was forced to flee, disguised as a simple sailor. On a Danish ship he went to Corsica and then to Cannes. On May 23, the Austrian army occupied Naples and restored Ferdinand to the throne. In the autumn of the same year, Murat returned from exile, intending to return his possessions, but was captured and executed.
Combining twoSicily
A few months after the end of the Austro-Neapolitan War, the Neapolitan and Sicilian kingdoms were united into a single state, called the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. In December 1816, the king assumed the title of King of the Two Sicilies and named himself Ferdinand I.
The new ruler canceled all French reforms and innovations, returning the old way of life to society. The heir to the crown, Ferdinand II, continued his father's policy and brought the finances of the state to an ideal state. However, civil unrest began in the Kingdom, which undermined the foundations of the state. To suppress the uprisings, Ferdinand II established a military dictatorship in the country.
Unification with Italy
After the death in 1859 of the son of Ferdinand I, Ferdinand II, a young and inexperienced youth ascended the throne, who became King Francis II. A year after the beginning of his reign, the famous Italian commander Giuseppe Garibaldi landed on the island and brought with him a large army.
Francis II left Naples and surrendered the capital without a fight. The country held a referendum in which the population voted for unification with Italy. Having existed from 1816 to 1861, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies became part of the Italian kingdom.
Kingdom Flag
The national flag has a long history. The coat of arms of the Kingdom combined the symbols of the Naples and Sicilian medieval kingdoms, as well as the crown and numerous signsdifferences. Until 1860, the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies had a snow-white background, on which the coat of arms was depicted.
After unification with Italy, the background of the flag changed, two vertical stripes appeared on the sides, green and red. The center remained white.
Economy of the region
Sicily and Southern Italy, called Mezzogiorno, once part of the Kingdom, are very different from the rest of Italy. The unfavorable ecological, criminogenic situation and constant political instability are typical for this region. Naples and the famous island of Sicily in the eyes of the world community are still associated with the emergence and development of the Italian mafia, which, in general, is true.
After joining Italy, the territory of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies retained some of the features that have characterized the region for many centuries. The economy, social sphere, culture were and still remain at a lower level of development than the rest of the state. The agrarian way of life, the high level of corruption and crime do not allow the inhabitants of the south to compete with the rest of Italy.
However, it is worth noting one interesting fact. In 1839, the first railway was built in Italy and it happened in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
The complex history of the region and some of the characteristics of this part of the country make it unique and completelyunlike the rest of Italy. A measured way of life, a tolerant and even indifferent attitude of the population towards manifestations of corruption led to a lag in the economy and culture.
