The country was now subjected to the oppres sive tyranny of Spanish viceroys. A formidable rebellion at Naples broke out in 1647 under Ala saniello (q.v.). In 1707 the Neapolitan domin ions were wrested from Spain by Austria during the War of the Spanish Succession. (See SUC CESSION WARS. ) Naples was confirmed to Aus tria by the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) and Sicily was given to Savoy. In 1720 Sicily was trans ferred by Savoy to Austria in exchange for Sar dinia. In 1734 Don Carlos. second son of Philip V. of Spain, of the House of Bourbon, and Elizabeth Farnese invaded the Two Sicilies, and in 1735 he was crowned and was recognized by the Treaty of Vienna as King Charles 111. (See CHARLES III., King of Spain.) After the Peace of Aix-la Chapelle (1748) Italy enjoyed nearly a half cen tury of peace, and these years witnessed in the Two Sicilies progress along many lines, but the upheaval of the French Revolution brought new troubles upon the country. The coalition against the French Republic was joined by Ferdinand, the second Bourbon King of the Two Sicilies. (Sec FERDINAND 1.) In December, 1798, the Neapolitans attempted to drive the French out of the Papal States. They were thrown hack, Naples was taken (January, 1799), and the Parthenopean Republic was created. In the same year Ferdinand was reinstated with the assistance of the English fleet. In 1896 Na poleon conquered the Kirmdoin of Naples and placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte on the throne, Ferdinand continuing to reign in Sicily. In 1808 Joseph was succeeded by Joachim Nurat (q.v.). After the fall of :Murat in 1815 Ferdinand was restored in Naples. At the close of 1816 Ferdinand united the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily into the single kingdom of the Two Sicilies and changed his title from Ferdinand IV. to Ferdinand I.
In 1S20 there was a military rising in the Neapolitan dominions, joined by the Carbonari (q.v.), under the leadership of General Pepe. to secure a constitutional government. The King yielded to the demand, notwithstanding his agreement with Austria to make no constitu tional concessions. At the same time a revolu tionary movement aiming at autonomy for the island took place in Sicily. Thc congress of the Great Powers at Lailfach (1821) charged Austria with the restoration of Ferdinand's absolute power. The patriots made an inef
fectual resistance and Ferdinand resumed his tyrannical sway under the protection of Aus trian bayonets. Ferdinand died in 1825 and was succeeded by his son. Francis I. (q.v.), who in 1830 was succeeded by his son Ferdinand (q.v.). The ehange of rulers brought about no change in the despotic policy of the Govern ment. After 1843 the republican propaganda of Alazzini took a strong hold in Southern Italy. At the beginning of 1848 Sicily rose in insurrec tion to secure an autonomous and constitutional government. Ferdinand II. saw himself forced to grant a representative constitution to his subjects. This did not satisfy the Sicilians. The deposition of King Ferdinand was declared, a provisional Government was organized, and the Duke of Genoa, son of the King of Sardinia, was elected King of the Sicilians (June, 1848), a dignity which he declined. In his :Neapolitan dominions Ferdinand, with the aid of the reactionary elements. was enabled success fully to combat the revolutionary move ment which was now sweeping through Italy. In September, 1848, his forces entered upon a cam paign against the Sicilians. In Slay, 1849. Palermo capitulated and the revolution in the island came to an end. Ferdinand. once more the despot that he had been, wreaked a fearful vengeance upon the champions of liberty in his dominions. His atrocities were finally checked by the intervention of England. In 1859 Ferdi nand II. was succeeded by his son, Francis 11. The emancipation of Northern Italy (except Venetia) from the rule of Austria and the tyrants upheld by her (1859-60) was speedily followed by the liberation of the Two Sicilies from the Bourbons, accomplished through the ef forts of Garibaldi, and by their incorporation in the new Kingdom of Italy (1860-61). See GARI BALDI ; VICTOR EMStANUEL II.; ITALY.
BumonnAr n Y. Freeman, The History of Sicily from the Earliest Times (Oxford, 1891) ; id., The Story of Sicily (New York, 1892) ; Von Schack. Oeschichte der Yormannen in. Siciliea (Stuttgart, 1889) ; Amari. Storia dri Zmfmsidomnni di Sicilia (Florence. 185-1-72) ; letta, Storia del reame di A'apoli d«1 1734 01823 (Capolago, 1854) ; Gemc1b. Storia della eiaala zionesiciliana (Bologna, 1868).