Kingdom of Naples

Long ago, there was a big land in Italy.

It was called the Kingdom of Naples. Many different kings fought to rule it. Some came from France. Others came from Spain.

For a long time, the land was split in two. One part was the mainland. The other part was the island of Sicily. Later, the two parts became one big land. It was a very important place in history.

It was a land that many people wanted to own.

The Kingdom of Naples was a large state in southern Italy.

For a long time, it was part of the Kingdom of Sicily. But in 1282, a war split them apart. The island of Sicily became its own kingdom. The mainland became known as the Kingdom of Naples.

Many powerful families fought to rule this land. The Angevin family ruled for a long time. Later, the Aragonese family took control in 1442. France also tried to rule the area during the Italian Wars. By 1504, Spain won control of the kingdom.

Spain ruled Naples for much of the 1600s. It was a very rich and strong place. However, Spain used the kingdom to pay for many wars. This meant the people had to pay very high taxes. In 1647, the people rose up in a revolt.

Eventually, the land changed hands again. In 1816, Naples and Sicily joined together. They became the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

The Kingdom of Naples was a very important state in southern Italy.

It ruled the land south of the Papal States for a long time. This kingdom lasted from the year 1282 until 1816. Many people called it the Kingdom of Sicily. This was because it used to be one single kingdom with the island of Sicily.

The land covered many areas we know today. It included places like Campania, Calabria, and Apulia. It even covered parts of what is now called Lazio.

History shows how the kingdom changed through many wars. Before 1282, the island and the mainland were together. Then, a war called the Sicilian Vespers began. This war caused the island of Sicily to break away. The island was conquered by the Crown of Aragon. This left the mainland in the hands of Charles of Anjou. He kept using the old name for his land.

This split created two separate kingdoms that people called the two Sicilies.

Many different families fought to lead the kingdom over the years. The Angevin family ruled for a long time. However, they had many internal fights. In the late 1300s, two different lines of the family competed for power. This even led to the death of Queen Joanna I. Later, Alfonso V of Aragon became the heir to Joanna II. He united the lands in 1442.

This brought the mainland and the island back under one ruler for a while.

Control of the land shifted many times during the 1500s and 1600s. France tried to rule the area during the Italian Wars. They held the land briefly in 1494 and again in the early 1500s. Then, Spain and France fought a war over the kingdom in 1502. Ferdinand II of Aragon won that fight. By 1504, he was in full control. Spain held the kingdom for most of the 1600s. It was a huge source of money and soldiers for the Spanish Crown.

Life in the kingdom was often hard due to high costs. Spain used the kingdom's wealth to pay for many wars. This meant the people had to pay very high taxes. In 1647, the people rose up in a revolt because of these taxes.

Later, the kingdom changed hands again after the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1734, Charles, Duke of Parma, became King. Finally, in 1816, Naples and Sicily joined to form the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

The Kingdom of Naples was a powerful state in southern Italy.

It ruled the territory south of the Papal States from 1282 to 1816. For much of its history, it was officially called the Kingdom of Sicily. This name came from an older time when the island of Sicily and southern Italy were one single kingdom. After a major conflict, the two parts split into separate states.

Historians often use the name "Kingdom of Naples" to avoid confusion. This name refers to the mainland portion of the territory.

The kingdom's borders covered several modern Italian regions. These included Campania, Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata, Abruzzo, and Molise. It also included parts of what is now eastern and southern Lazio.

To understand its geography, people used the Strait of Messina as a marker. The mainland was called Sicily "on this side of Faro." The island was called Sicily "on the other side of Faro." This helped people distinguish between the two separate kingdoms.

The history of the kingdom began with the Norman conquest. In 1137, Roger II of Sicily took control of Naples. This annexed the area to the Kingdom of Sicily. The Normans were the first to bring political unity to southern Italy. They established a kingdom ruled primarily from Palermo. Later, the Angevin family took control of the mainland. This happened after the War of the Sicilian Vespers in 1282. During this war, the island of Sicily was conquered by the Crown of Aragon. This left Charles of Anjou in control of the mainland.

Internal struggles within the Angevin family caused much instability. In the late 14th century, two different lines of the family fought for power. This conflict was so intense that it led to the murder of Queen Joanna I. Her successor, Charles III of Naples, was responsible for her death. Later, Queen Joanna II adopted Alfonso V of Aragon as her heir. In 1442, Alfonso V successfully united Naples and Sicily under Aragonese rule.

This period marked a significant shift in who controlled the region.

Control of the kingdom changed hands frequently during the Italian Wars. France invaded in 1494 and held the territory briefly. Soon, Spain and France fought a war over the kingdom in 1502. Spanish troops, led by Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordova, drove the French out of Calabria and Apulia. By 1504, Ferdinand II of Aragon was in full control. Spain maintained control throughout the 17th century. During this time, Naples became a vital source of economic and military strength for the Spanish Crown.

The economic burden on the kingdom was very heavy. Naples was a massive part of the Spanish Empire, with 3 million inhabitants in 1600. However, Spain used the kingdom's wealth to fund its many wars. For example, between 1631 and 1636, Naples sent 53,500 soldiers and 3.5 million scudi to support the Spanish king. In some years, the kingdom had to provide 10,000 troops and 1,000 horses annually.

These high costs led to massive debt and very high taxes.

High taxes and economic pressure eventually led to social unrest. Between 1612 and 1646, taxes in the kingdom tripled. By this time, 57 percent of the kingdom's revenue went toward paying interest on public debt. In 1647, the people of Naples rose up in a violent revolt. They attempted to form the Neapolitan Republic with help from France. However, Spanish troops suppressed the revolt later that same year. This showed how much the people struggled under Spanish rule.

The final chapters of the kingdom involved new rulers and eventual unification. After the War of the Spanish Succession, the Austrian Habsburgs took control in 1714. However, Charles, Duke of Parma, conquered the territory in 1734 during the War of the Polish Succession. He became the King of Naples and Sicily in 1735. Finally, in 1816, the mainland and the island were formally merged. This new, unified state was called the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.