PEPE, GUGLIELMO Neapolitan general, born at Squillace in Calabria, took part in 1799 in the republican movement at Naples inspired by the French Revolution ; he fought against the Bourbon troops under Cardinal Ruffo, was captured and exiled to France. He entered Napoleon's army and served first under Joseph Bonaparte and later under Joachim Murat. After commanding a Neapolitan brigade in the Peninsular cam paign, Pepe returned to Italy in 1813, with the rank of general, to help to reorganize the Neapolitan army. When the news of the fall of Napoleon (1814) reached Italy Pepe and other generals de manded from Murat a constitution. On Napoleon's escape from Elba (1815) Pepe served on Murat's staff in the campaign of 1815. The Neapolitan officers retained their rank under Ferdinand IV. (q.v.) who now regained the throne of Naples. While engaged in suppressing brigandage in the Capitanata, Pepe organized the car bonari (q.v.) into a national militia, and was preparing to use them for political purposes. He had hoped that the king would grant a constitution, but when that hope failed he meditated seizing Ferdinand, the emperor of Austria, and Metternich, who were expected at Avellino, and thus compelling them to liberate Italy (1819). The scheme broke down, but in 1820 a military revolt broke out. Pepe was sent against the rebels, but while he was hesitating as to what course he should follow Ferdinand promised a constitution (July 1820). A revolt in Sicily having been re pressed, Pepe was appointed inspector-general of the army. In
the meanwhile the king, who had no intention of respecting the constitution, obtained the loan of an Austrian army with which to restore absolute power. Pepe now took command of the army and marched against the Austrians. He attacked them at Rieti (March 7, 1821), but his raw levies were repulsed. The army was gradually disbanded, and Pepe went into exile, keeping up his con nection with the carbonari. In 1848 Pepe returned to Naples, where a constitution had again been proclaimed. He was given command of the Neapolitan army which was to co-operate with Piedmont against the Austrians, but when he reached Bologna the king recalled him and his troops. Pepe resigned his commission in the Neapolitan service, and crossed the Po with 2,000 volun teers to take part in the campaign. He joined Manin in Venice and took command of the defending army. On the fall of Venice, Pepe and Manin were among those excluded from the amnesty; lie again went into exile and died in Turin in 1855.
The story of Pepe's life down to 1846 is told in his own interesting Memorie (Lugano, 1847), and his Narrative of the Events . . . at Naples in 182o and 1821 (London, 1821) ; for the later period of his life see the general histories of the Risorgimento, and the biographical sketch in vol. ii. of L. Carpi's Risorgimento (Milan, 1886).