These invaders were repelled by the valour of the Neapolitans, but their prhateering vessels, which were then, as they are now, the pests of the Aledirerranean, were so injurious to trade, that the republics of Naples, Gaeta, and 'Alinalphi, were obliged, in their own de• fence, to devote much avention to their naval force ; in which they attaint.ci to such a degree of supetiority, that the Neapolitans were long considered the bcst sea men in Europe.
At length, these republics, which had so long defend ed themselves against such powerful enemies, were overwhelmed by the Normans, who made their first ap pearance as a band of adventurers in the pay of the prince of Salerno, about the time of the first crusade ; but afterwards, assisted by successive reinforcements from Normandy, made themselves masters of Apulia, Cala bria, and Sicily, and at length, under Roger II. took the city of Naples: and that prince, having. received the title of king of the Two Sicilies from Pope Innocent II. who had become his prisoner, fixed his residence at Naples, which has ever since been the capital of the kingdom. For tile history of Naples, aftcr this, we re fel our readers to the article ITALy, with the general history of which Naples is intimately connected ; and shall only say a few words respecting the late revolution in that country, an event which has so remarkably ex cited and disappointed the expectations or fears of the other nations ol Europe.
At the period when the power of Napoleon was at its height in Naples, as well as in the rest of Europe, there still remained in that country many persons, who were indignant at the servile state of dependence to which that country., though possessing a nominal sovereign, was reduced. Of thtse persons, the late queen Caro• line, wife of the present Ferdinand VIl. whose restless spirit was always engaged in some intrigue for the re covery of Naples, determined to make use, and employ ed as her agent for this purpose, Cardinal Ruffo, who succeeded in organizing a secret association, the mem bers of which were styled Calderari, whose secret ob ject was the restoration of the ancient dynasty, and the pontifical power. Most of the members of this associa tion were men of desperate fortunes, lazzaroni, and assassins, who were supplied with arms, and ready to take advantage of any political change or intestine tu mult.
The death of queen Caroline, and the safe return of king Joachim to Naples, after the Russsian campaign, put an end to this confederacy, and most of its members were discovered and punished.
The severity of the conscription, and the other op pressive measures of the military despotism to which they were subjected, kept alive the spirit of discontent, and a ncw society was organized, resembling the former in its dislike to the present government, but professing also a general abhorrence to tyranny, and intolerance of every kind. This society was called the Carbonaria, or place where charcoal is prepared, and its members Car bonari, or coal-burners. Its separate meetings were styled barrache, or markets, and its principal lodge the alta boracha, or great market. Of the precise nature of the proceedings or doctrines inculcated at these places, it is impossible to speak, as the meetings, like those or free-masons, were secret ; lske free-masons, too, the members had mystical initiating rites, and veiled their lessons of union and virtue, as they termed them, under symbolical representations, and a jargon, understood only by the brethren. The most perfect equality was a lead
ing principle or the sect; and it contAmed members of every lank and condition, from the noble to the lazza roni. The influence of an association like this, under a government which repressed every open expression of popular feelin,2,-, may easily be conceived. It was soon felt and dreaded, arid, during the absence of Joachim with the army, in 1813, his queen, who was left at the head of the regency, was led to take measures against then) ; and the king himself, whom the carbonari, after the first proceedings of the allied powers at the congress of Vienna had thrown soine light on its real design, were willing to have supported against the Austrians, pursued the same policy.
In 1815, Murat %vas defeated, discrowned, and exe cuted ; Naples surrendered to a British squadron ; and king Ferdinand, after an absence of nine years, returned in triumph to his capital. But the jubilee attending his arrival was of short duration. Ferdinand IV. was al ways a man of the weakest faculties, and his ignorance was extreme. Shooting pheasants,* not governing a kingdom, WaS MG forte : and the carbonari, under his administration, had abundant cause and abundant means to propagate their feelings of dissatisfaction, and atiginent their numbers. The revolutions of Spain and of Portu gal gave energy and form to their measures ; the mili tary became imbued with similar principles ; and a simultaneous revolt of almost all his troops, in the end of 1820, compelled Ferdinand to resign, and the prince, his son, to sanction a form of govermnent similar to that of Britain.
Tne Neapolitans assembled a parliament, and went forward rapidly' in the wolk of legislation. The lovers of freedom began to hope ; the lovers of quiet to fear : the Neapolitans disappointed both. Sicily, where one party was for an independent government, another for a continued junction with Naples, became a scene of horrid outrages, which ended in nothing; and the Ita lian part of the nation, who had thrown off the yoke so easily, took it on again with equal ease. The sovereigns of Russia, Austria, and Prussia, published manifestoes, and assembled at Laybach, to provide for what they con sideled the peace of Naples, and the safety or Europe.
heir proceedings were looked upon with considerable diversity of opinion, in France and England ; but neither of those courts felt it their duty to interfere. Ferdinand was invited to attend the conclave at Laybach : he re turned with an Austrian army to escort him. The Nea politan senators stormed and deprecated : their troops fled almost without a wound. Ferdinand was reinstated ; the carbonari were banished or shot : and thus, what promised once to be a revolution, turned out to be a pal try tumult. The Austrian troops are long ago with dra%s ti ; and all seerns as it was at Naples. Discontent with their king., disdain for their countrymen, still rankle deeply in a few minds ; but Naples has now been gather ed into the great circle oF interests which the northern sovereigns dispose of, and control, and its fate, and the changes it is destined to undergo, must for a time be re gulated by the fate and the changes of Europe in general.