Editing Calabria (section)

=== Modern era ===
During the 17th century, silk production in Calabria begin to suffer by the strong competition of new-raising competitors in Italian Peninsula and Europe (France), but also the increasing import from Ottoman Empire and Persia.

Foundation of the historical Italo-Albanian College and Library in 1732<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337186795 |last1=Rose |first1=Eugenio |last2=Conforti |first2=Emilia |date=2019 |title=Biblioteca del Collegio Ialo-albanese |volume=37 |issue=1}}</ref> by [[Pope Clement XII]] transferred from San Benedetto Ullano to [[San Demetrio Corone]] in 1794.

[[File:Circular settlement of sandy deposits in the Rosarno Plain (from an original etching in Sarconi, 1784) - 1783 Calabrian earthquake.png |thumb| 1783 Calabrian earthquakes , note the phenomenon of [[soil liquefaction]] ]]

In 1783, a series of [[1783 Calabrian earthquakes|earthquakes across Calabria]] caused around 50,000 deaths and much damage to property, so that many of the buildings in the region were rebuilt after this date.

Following the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], the Kingdom of Naples passed in 1707 to [[Austria]], whose Emperor [[Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles VI of Habsburg]] also became King of Naples: the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburgs]], while ruling for a short period, sought to modernize the political structures of the kingdom. In 1733, after the outbreak of the [[War of the Polish Succession|War of Polish Succession]], the Spanish [[House of Bourbon|Bourbons]], allies of France against Austria, decided to attack Naples and secure that kingdom for [[Charles III, Duke of Bourbon|Charles III of Bourbon]], [[infante]] of Spain and son of [[Philip V of Spain]]. Charles, who entered Naples in 1734, succeeded in defeating the Austrian troops at the [[Battle of Bitonto]], securing control of the kingdom, despite some pockets of resistance, one of which was Reggio Calabria, which fell on June 20, 1734.<ref name=":62">{{Cite book |title=Storia della Calabria |publisher=Gangemi Editore |year=1988 |isbn=88-7448-703-7 |editor-last=Placanica |editor-first=Augusto |volume=II: La Calabria moderna e contemporanea. Età presente; approfondimenti |location=Rome-Reggio Calabria |language=it |trans-title=History of Calabria}}</ref>

For ten years, however, the young Bourbon monarchy had to cope with the intrigues of the Austrian party present in Naples, which was particularly strong in Calabria, where the Duke of [[Verzino]], who had already armed an infantry regiment against the Infante in 1734, promised the Austrians that he could arm 12,000 rebels for their cause of reconquest during the [[War of the Austrian Succession|War of Austrian Succession]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Carignani |first=Giuseppe |title=Il partito austriaco nel Regno di Napoli al 1744 |publisher=Società napoletana di storia patria |year=1881 |location=Naples |language=it |trans-title=The Austrian party in the Kingdom of Naples in 1744}}</ref> But after the [[Battle of Velletri]] in 1744, in which King Charles repelled an Austrian invasion of the realm, the Austrian party disappeared, also decimated by the trials and inquisitions of the Bourbon authorities.<ref name=":62" />

The ascension of [[Charles III of Spain]] to the Neapolitan throne aroused considerable enthusiasm throughout the continental Mezzogiorno, as the population hoped that now the resources of the Kingdom of Naples would be used for the development of state and social structures. Sicily, too, was united politically with southern Italy, albeit in personal dominion to the Bourbon ruler; this was an advantage for Calabria, which ceased to be a peripheral region of the realm and became once again at the center of the state structure. This was seen in the journey King Charles made to the region in 1735, as he was on his way to [[Palermo]] to be crowned King of Sicily: having arrived on January 24 in Calabria Citeriore, welcomed by the dean of the province, the royal procession proceeded on, touching on [[Sibari]], [[Corigliano Calabro|Corigliano]], Rossano, [[Cirò, Calabria|Cirò]] and [[Strongoli]], festively welcomed by the local feudal lords and the archbishop of Rossano, Francesco Maria Muscettola. Then Charles met, on the borders of the province of Calabria Ulterior, the Dean of Catanzaro, to stop later in Crotone, festively welcomed by the local patriciate, and in [[Cutro]], where he was hosted by Giovan Battista Filomarino, prince of the Rocca. Continuing on his journey, the Neapolitan sovereign stayed four days in Catanzaro, receiving the homage of the noble families of De Riso and Schipani; he then went to [[Monteleone Calabro|Monteleone]] and finally arrived in [[Palmi, Calabria|Palmi]], as a guest of Prince Giovan Francesco Grimaldi. From here, Charles embarked in late February for Messina, accompanied by a flotilla of boats arranged by the prince of Scylla, Guglielmo Ruffo.<ref name=":38">{{Cite book |last=Caligiuri |first=Mario |title=Breve storia della Calabria. Dalle origini ai giorni nostri |publisher=Newton & Compton |year=1996 |isbn=88-8183-479-0 |location=Rome |language=it |trans-title=Brief history of Calabria. From its origins to the present day}}</ref><ref name=":63">{{Cite book |title=Storia della Calabria |publisher=Gangemi Editore |year=1988 |isbn=88-7448-703-7 |editor-last=Placanica |editor-first=Augusto |volume=II: La Calabria moderna e contemporanea. Età presente; approfondimenti |location=Rome-Reggio Calabria |language=it |trans-title=History of Calabria}}</ref>

From the earliest years the reforming action of King Charles, aided by the able [[Tuscany|Tuscan]] minister [[Bernardo Tanucci]], was aimed at strengthening central power at the expense of baronial and clerical power, as well as alleviating the social and economic conditions of the humblest strata of the population, but it had modest and alternate results, due to the strong pressures and resistance of the local ruling classes, whose privileges and various particularistic interests were harmed. One particularly reformed field was economic and fiscal: in 1739 the Supreme Magistrate of Commerce was created, consisting of magistrates, technicians, merchants and bankers, with absolute jurisdiction over domestic and foreign trade; in 1741 a [[Concordat]] was made with the [[Holy See]], thanks to which from that moment on ecclesiastical properties in the Kingdom of Naples were taxed, while in the same period the so-called ''{{ILL|Catasto onciario|it}}'' was commissioned, so called because it was evaluated in ounces (nominal currency equal to 6 ducats or 60 carlins), which was supposed to reorder the tax burden by lowering taxes on the poorest. However, the wide exemptions enjoyed by nobles and clergymen represented the concrete resistance of the privileged classes to this attempt at tax reform.<ref name=":38" /><ref name=":63" />

In 1759, however, King Charles, as a result of diplomatic agreements and complicated family events, had to abdicate the throne of Naples to encircle the crown of Spain after the death of his half-brother [[Ferdinand VI|Ferdinand VI of Spain]]. The Kingdom of Naples then passed to Charles' son, [[Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies|Ferdinand IV of the Two Sicilies]], eight years old, placed under the tutelage of a regency council in which Tanucci had decisive weight. This allowed the continuation of the reforming policy pursued by the minister, particularly in the ecclesiastical field, which culminated in the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Kingdom in 1769 and the forfeiture of their property. Even after Ferdinand came of age, Tanucci remained in office, but in 1774 he was exonerated at the instigation of the new Queen [[Maria Carolina of Austria]], who wanted to bring Naples into the Austrian sphere of influence. However, the king continued the reform season for a time, pandering to the Neapolitan Enlightenment current, consisting of intellectuals such as [[Ferdinando Galiani]], [[Antonio Genovesi]] and [[Gaetano Filangieri|Gaetano Filangeri]].<ref name=":38" /><ref name=":63" />

During this period Calabria experienced a period of strong natural disasters, which were accompanied by profound social and economic changes: this was the case with the plague epidemic of 1743, which struck Reggio Calabria and its surroundings from Messina, delaying for some time the compilation of the ''cadastre onciario'' by the local universities. Also the earthquake of 1783, which struck southern Calabria causing the death of about 50,000 people and the total destruction of Reggio, which had to be completely rebuilt according to more rational and linear architectural criteria, while, to meet the immense reconstruction expenses, King Ferdinand IV, who had already sent the prince of Strongoli, [[Francesco Pignatelli, Prince of Strongoli|Francesco Pignatelli]], to cope with emergencies in the earthquake-affected areas,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Placanica |first=Augusto |title=L'Iliade funesta. Storia del terremoto calabro-messinese del 1783 |year=1984 |location=Rome-Reggio Calabria |language=it |trans-title=The Mournful Iliad. History of the Calabro-Messina earthquake of 1783.}}</ref> established on June 4, 1784 the {{ILL|Cassa Sacra|it}}, a governmental body that was to manage the funds derived from the expropriation of abolished ecclesiastical property and monasteries and then devolve them into the reconstruction works; in reality it was the wealthy landowners, members of the nascent agrarian bourgeoisie in search of social climbing, who grabbed the best land at the best price, to the detriment of the baronage and local clergy.<ref name=":38" /><ref name=":63" />

The reforming action of King Ferdinand of Bourbon came to an end after the events immediately following the [[French Revolution]], whose ideas were spreading across continental Europe thanks to the invasion of French revolutionary armies, causing alarm in the courts of the [[Ancien régime|Old Regime]]. For this very reason, Ferdinand IV in November 1798 joined the anti-French coalition and marched with his army to Rome, where [[Pope Pius VI]] had been deposed and the [[Roman Republic (1798–1799)|Roman Republic]] proclaimed there. But the Bourbon army, after its initial successes, showed its organic deficiencies and had to retreat, pursued by French troops supporting the Italian [[Jacobins|Jacobin]] revolutionaries, who forced it to leave Naples for Sicily, while on January 21, 1799, the [[Parthenopean Republic]] was proclaimed, whose birth certificate was drafted by the Calabrian Jacobin {{ILL|Giuseppe Logoteta|it}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Battaglini |first=M |title=La rivoluzione del 1799 a Napoli |year=1973 |location=Messina-Florence |language=it |trans-title=The revolution of 1799 in Naples}}</ref>
[[File:Sant_antonio_protegge_Sanfedisti.jpg|thumb|Popular illustration of the time depicting [[Anthony of Padua|St. Anthony of Padua]] protecting the Christian and Royal Army, with Cardinal Fabrizio Ruffo on horseback, during its advance and fighting.]]
The new republican regime, however, did not consolidate well among the popular strata of the Mezzogiorno, especially in Calabria, where only Cosenza, Catanzaro and Crotone adhered to the republican cause, while the large Ionian centers and the area opposite the Sicilian coast, such as Reggio Calabria, Scilla, [[Bagnara Calabra|Bagnara]] and Palmi, remained loyal to the Bourbons. This boded well for the Bourbon royals, in exile in Palermo, that they would be able to regain the kingdom in a short time: so Ferdinand gladly accepted Cardinal [[Fabrizio Ruffo]]'s proposal to mobilize the peasant masses of Calabria under the name of the king and religion, form an army and recapture Naples. Having received, on February 7, 1799, the title of “Vicar of the King”, Cardinal Ruffo landed the next day in Calabria, recruiting the first ranks in the family fiefs of Scilla and Bagnara.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Leoni |first=Francesco |title=Storia della controrivoluzione in Italia (1789-1859) |publisher=Guida |year=1975 |location=Naples |language=it |trans-title=History of Counterrevolution in Italy (1789-1859)}}</ref> Soon Ruffo's army, dubbed the [[Sanfedismo|Army of the Holy Faith]] because it marched under the banners of the Church and the throne, grew to 25,000 men, to which were added bands of brigands, stragglers, deserters. With these men the cardinal succeeded in conquering Paola and Crotone, which were strenuously opposed and cruelly sacked, despite Ruffo's attempts to prevent the looting and violence, and then succeeded, in only four months, in reconquering the entire Kingdom of Naples, granting, in June 1799 an honorable surrender to the last Neapolitan Jacobins barricaded at [[Fort Saint Elmo]]. However, it was not respected by either the Bourbon rulers or Admiral [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]], who, reneging on the terms of surrender, had 124 Neapolitan revolutionaries hanged, depriving Ruffo of his command.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Viglione |first=Massimo |title=La "Vandea italiana" |publisher=Effedieffe |year=1995 |location=Rome |language=it |trans-title=The “Italian Vendee”}}</ref>