Editing Parthenopean Republic (section)

==Republic==

On 21 or 23<ref name=EB1911/> January 1799, the Parthenopean Republic was proclaimed. The name referred to an ancient [[Greek colony]] ''Parthenope'' on the site of the future city of Naples. The Republic had no real domestic constituency and existed solely due to the power of the French Army. The Republic's leaders were men of culture, high character and birth, such as [[Gennaro Serra]], Prince of [[Cassano Irpino]] but they were doctrinaire and impractical, and they knew very little of the lower classes of their own country. The new government soon found itself in financial difficulties, owing to Championnet's demands for money (he was later relieved for [[graft (politics)|graft]]); it failed to organise an army (and was therefore dependent on French protection) and met with little success in its attempts to "democratise" the provinces.

Meanwhile, the court at Palermo sent Cardinal [[Fabrizio Ruffo]], a wealthy and influential prelate, to [[Calabria]] to organize a counter-revolution. He succeeded beyond expectation with his "Christian army of the Holy Faith" (''[[Esercito Cristiano della Santa Fede]]''). A British squadron approached Naples and occupied the island of [[Procida]], but after a few engagements with the Republican fleet commanded by [[Francesco Caracciolo (naval officer)|Francesco Caracciolo]], an ex-officer in the Bourbon [[navy]], it was recalled to Palermo, as the Franco–Spanish fleet was expected.

Ruffo, supported by Russian and Turkish ships under the command of [[Admiral Ushakov]], now marched on the capital, whence the French, except for a small force under {{ill|Louis-Joseph Mejan|fr}}, withdrew. The scattered Republican detachments were defeated, only Naples and [[Pescara]] holding out.

On 13 June 1799. Ruffo and his troops reached Naples, and after a desperate battle at the [[Ponte della Maddalena, Naples|Ponte della Maddalena]], entered the city. For weeks the Calabresi and ''lazzaroni'' continued to pillage and massacre, and Ruffo was unable, even if willing, to restrain them. However, the Royalists were not masters of the city, for the French in [[Castel Sant'Elmo]] and the Republicans in [[Castel Nuovo]] and [[Castel dell'Ovo]] still held out and bombarded the streets, while the Franco-Spanish fleet might arrive at any moment. Consequently, Ruffo was desperately anxious to come to terms with the Republicans for the evacuation of the castles, in spite of the Queen's orders to make no terms with the rebels. After some negotiation, the parties concluded an armistice and agreed on capitulation (''onorevole capitolazione''), whereby the castles were to be evacuated, the hostages liberated and the garrisons free to remain in Naples unmolested or to sail for [[Toulon]]. The capitulation was signed by Ruffo, and British, Russian and Turkish officers, as well as, for the Republicans, the French commander.{{sfn|North|2018|p=304}}

While the vessels were being prepared for the voyage to Toulon all the hostages in the castles were liberated save four; but on 24 June 1799, Nelson arrived with his fleet, and on hearing of the capitulation he refused to recognise it except insofar as it concerned the French.{{sfn|North|2018|p=304}}
Cardinal Ruffo indignantly declared that once the treaty was signed, not only by himself but by the Russian and Turkish commandants and by the British captain [[Edward Foote]], it must be respected, and on Nelson's refusal, he said that he would not help him to capture the castles. On 26 June 1799, Nelson changed his attitude and authorised Sir [[William Hamilton (diplomat)|William Hamilton]], the British minister, to inform the cardinal that he (Nelson) would do nothing to break the armistice; while Captains Bell and Troubridge wrote that they had Nelson's authority to state that the latter would not oppose the embarcation of the Republicans. Although these expressions were equivocal, the Republicans were satisfied and embarked on the vessels prepared for them. However, on 28 June, Nelson received despatches from the court (in reply to his own), in consequence of which he had the vessels brought under the guns of his ships, and many of the Republicans were arrested.{{sfn|North|2018|p=304}} Caracciolo, who had been caught whilst attempting to escape from Naples, was tried by a court-martial of Royalist officers under Nelson's auspices on board the admiral's flagship, condemned to death and hanged at the yard arm. The last jacobin stronghold, [[Pescara]], surrendered on June 30.