FIESCHI, OritslireE MARIA (1790.
1836). A Corsican, notorious through his at tempt on the life of King Louis Philippe. At first a shepherd, he later entered the Neapolitan Army under Murat, became a sergeant and a member of the Royal Bodyguard, and was given the cross of the Two Sieilies for bravery in the campaign of 1812-14. With shameless treachery lie twice betrayed the cause of Murat to the Austrians. In 1816, having returned to Corsica, he was sent to prison for ten years for forgery, and served his time at Embrun. After heading the life of a vagabond for a year, Eieschi came to Paris at the time of the July Revolution, and was employed by the police in a minor capacity. The immediate cause of his plot was his dis missal by order of the prefect of the Seine. Dis guising his purpose under the cloak of political enthusiasm, he leagued with himself one or two persons of republican enthusiasm, who hated the government of the citizen King. These were Morey, a saddler; Pepin, a grocer; and Victor Boirean, a maker of lamps. rieschi sketched the plan of an infernal machine with twenty barrels that could be simultaneously discharged; had one made, and placed it in a house on the Boule vard du Temple. The review of the National
Guard held there, July 2S, 1835, afforded him the opportunity he desired. On the approach of the King and Queen he fired his machine. Eighteen people were killed, among whom was Marshal Mortier, who fell dead beside his sove reign. Louis Philippe, however, escaped with a mere scratch, and was able to continue the re view. The assassin was innnediately seized, and, with his accomplices, was tried, condemned, and executed, February 16, 1836. Consult: Proces de Fiesehi et de ses accomplices, decant la tour des Pairs (Paris, 1836) , containing a biography of rieschi; Blanc, FIistoire de dis ans (Paris, 1842; Eng. trans., London, 1844-45) : Du Camp, Les ancetrcs de Ia. Commune: Pattentat .Pieschi (Paris, 1S77) ; Thornbury, Old Stories (London, 1870).
FIESCO, 16-eek.5. A tragedy by Schiller (1783), and the name of its chief character.