Page 40 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

38  INTRODUCING SICIL Y

From Spanish Rule to
a Unified Italy

In the early 15th century Sicily became an Aragonese pro­
vince ruled by a viceroy. The island’s economic and cultural
decadence continued, and received the final blow when the
Jews were driven away from Spanish territories in 1492.
A series of revolts was subdued with the help of the Pope’s The States of Italy
Holy Office. There was a slight recovery after the devastating Kingdom of Two Sicilies
earthquake of 1693, which destroyed eastern Sicily. After brief Papal States
periods of Savoyard and Austrian dominion, in 1735 Sicily Grand Duchy of Tuscany
passed to the Bourbons, in constant battles with the land Habsburg Empire
barons. In 1814 the island became a province of the Kingdom Kingdom of Sardinia
of Naples; popular unrest led to Garibaldi’s 1860 expedition Duchy of Modena
and union with the burgeoning Kingdom of Italy. The late Duchy of Parma-Piacenza
1800s were marked by banditry and poverty in the rural areas.
Duchy of Lucca

Nino Bixio was immortalized in Giovanni Verga’s
short story Libertà (see p178).

Many
volunteers
joined Garibaldi’s
1,000 Red Shirts.

The 1693 Earthquake
On the night of 9 January
1693, Mount Etna burst into
life. Two days later, “the Earth
was rent from its bowels”, as
the historian Di Blasi put it. Giuseppe Garibaldi,
The earthquake, seen above a socialist, set off for
in a print of the time, levelled Sicily despite Cavour’s
23 towns, including Catania, initial opposition.
Noto and Lentini.

1415 John, son of Ferdinand I of 1571 The harbour in 1649 Palermo revolt
Aragón, is Sicily’s first viceroy Messina houses the
Christian fleet that later
1458 Alfonso V dies; Sicily is again under wins the Battle of Lepanto
the rule of John, now King of Aragón against the Ottomans
1450 1500 1550 1600
1535 Emperor
1442 Alfonso V of Aragón unites the Charles V visits Sicily
crowns of Sicily and Naples, thus
founding the Kingdom of Two Sicilies
The Battle of Lepanto

038-039_EW_Sicily.indd 38 11/3/16 2:09 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight history template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.2)
Date 7th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm