John Anthony Davis

A detailed history of the period from 1799-1821, but it feels fragmentary. The years between 1821 and unification are covered in a brief concluding chapter. This is a piece of the larger puzzle that is southern Italy in the 19th century.

The Nepoleonic Kingdom brought reform and modernity to the South; however, its goals where thwarted by a lack of funds and the collapse of the Bonapartes. The revolution of 1820 is shown to be a feeble attempt to reestablish those aims that was crushed by the Austria restoration of the reactionary Bourbon rulers.… (més)