Editing Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (section)

==French occupation and the Parthenopaean Republic==
Although peace was made with France in 1796, the demands of the [[French Directory]], whose troops occupied Rome, alarmed Ferdinand once more. At his wife's instigation, he took advantage of [[Napoleon]]'s absence in the [[French campaign in Egypt and Syria]] and of [[Horatio Nelson]]'s victories to go to war. Ferdinand marched with his army against the French and entered Rome (29 November). On the defeat of some of his columns, Ferdinand hurried back to Naples. On the approach of the French, Ferdinand fled on 23 December 1798 aboard Nelson's ship {{HMS|Vanguard|1787|6}} to [[Palermo]], leaving his capital in a state of anarchy.<ref name=Davis>{{cite book|last=Davis|first=John|title=Naples and Napoleon: Southern Italy and the European Revolutions, 1780-1860|year=2006|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780198207559|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yWuH77qlSWEC}}</ref><ref name=EB1911/> The weather was extremely stormy and the king's 6-year-old younger son [[Prince Alberto of Naples and Sicily|Prince Alberto]] died of exhaustion during the voyage, in the arms of [[Emma, Lady Hamilton]], Nelson's mistress.<ref>Oman, Carola, ''Nelson'', 1950 ed., pp.293-4</ref>

The French entered the city despite the fierce resistance of the ''[[lazzaroni (Naples)|lazzaroni]]'', and with the aid of the nobles and bourgeoisie, established the [[Parthenopean Republic]] in January 1799. A few weeks later, when the French troops were recalled to northern Italy, Ferdinand sent a hastily assembled force under [[Fabrizio Ruffo|Fabrizio Cardinal Ruffo]] to reconquer the mainland kingdom. Ruffo, with the support of British artillery, the Church, and the pro-Bourbon aristocracy, succeeded in reaching Naples in May 1799, and the Parthenopean Republic collapsed.<ref name=EB1911/> After some months, King Ferdinand returned to the throne.

The king and the queen were anxious that no mercy should be shown to the rebels, and Maria Carolina (a sister of the executed [[Marie Antoinette]]) made use of Lady Hamilton to induce Nelson to carry out her vengeance.<ref name=EB1911/>