In ancient times this territory was divided into nu- merous petty states independent of each other, and its inhabitants were of various races. Many of the ancient Italian states arose from Greek colonies which had been founded previous to the 7th centur\^ IJ.C. The ancient historical importance of Naples is attested by the splendor of its cities and the warlike renown of its population. On its con(juest by the liomans, the great Neapolitan cities severally adopted the municipal, fed- erative, or colonist form of government, and gradually assimilated their laws and customs to those of their conquerors. After the downfall of the Western Empire Najiles was seized by Odoacer, but soon afterwards (A.D. 490) it was subjected by the Goths, and in the following centurj- bj' the Lombards, who established in it various independent duchies, as Benevento, Spoleto, Salerno, Capua, etc. Most of these were overthrown Ijy invading bands of Arabs, Saracens, and Byzantines. While the last were yet in power, Sergius (A.D. 875), then duke of Naples, is accounted to have been in secret and friendlj' intercourse with the Saracens, and after direct interference on the part of the pope, a church- man secured for a time control of the country. He, how- ever, fell into the same unhallowed policy as Sergius, and gave the papacy much trouble. Finally, the whole country was subdued by the Normans in the 11th cen- turj'. The}' subsequently erected Naples and Sicily into a kingdom, and established a new political, ecclesi- astical, and military system. To the Norman dynasty succeeded that of the Ilohenstaufen, whose rule was marked by an immense intellectual and social advance- ment of the people; but the vindictive enmity with Avhich the pajial see regarded this dynast}-, provoked by the independent policy pursued here by Frederick II (see Lea, .Slii>lies in Ch. Hist. p. 399, 192)," led to the in- vasion of Naples by Charles of Anjou, who, notwith- standing the heroic resistance of king ^lanfred, at the battle of Benevento (12G(j) annihilated the power of the Ilohenstaufen. The ascendency of Charles of An- jou was further effectually secured by the treacherous defeat and decapitation (12G8) of Konradin, the last male heir to the throne. By the Sicilian Vespers (q.v.) the island of Sicily was, however, wrested in 1282 from his grasp, and l)ecame an appanage of the Spanish crown. The predominance of the Nea[)olitan Ciuelph, or papal ]iarty. during the glorious reign of Robert I; the de- praved licentiousness of his heiress and granddaugliter, Joanna; the fearful ravages committed by predatory bands of German mercenaries and by the plague ; the futile attemjitsof the Anjou sovereigns to recover Sicily; and the envenomed feuds of rival claimants to the throne, are the leading features of the historj- of Naples during the rule of this dynasty, which expired with the profli- gate Joanna II in 1435, and was followed by that of Aragon, which liad ruled Sicily from the time of the Sicilian Vespers. During the tenure of the Aragon race, various unsuccessful attempts were made by the house of Anjou to recover their lost sovereignty ; and the country, especially near the coast, was repeatedly ravaged by the Turks (1480). In fact, after the death of Alfonso, the first ruler of the Aragon dynasty, the country groaned under a load of misery. Wars, defen- sive and offensive, were incessant; the country was im- poverished; and a conspiracy of the nobles to remedy the condition of affairs was productive of the most lam-
entable results, both to the conspirators themselves and to the other influential Neapolitan families. In 1495 Charles YlII of France invaded Naples, and though he was compelled to Avithdraw in the same year, his succes- sor, Louis XII, with the treacherous assistance of Ferdi- nand (the Catholic) of Spain, succeeded in conquering the country in 1501. Two years afterwards the Spaniards under Gonzalvo di Cordova drove out the French, and the coiuitn,' from this time became a province of Spain. Sicily had previously (1479) been annexed to the same kingdom. During the two centuries of Spanish rule in Naples, the parliaments which had existed from the time of the Normans fell into desuetude, the exercise of supreme authority devolved on viceroys; and to their ignorance, rapacity, and oppressive administration may safely be ascribed the unexam])led misery and abase- ment of this period. But not only in secular affairs did the Spanish rule prove baneful to this Italian territory. Protestantism had early gained a footing here, and the Spaniards therefore worked zealously to introduce the Inquisition. The repugnance of the people caused it to be delayed for some time; but in the early part of 15G4 the institution was finally and firmly established there, and its victims soon increased (see Giannone, Ilistoire Civile de Naples, bk. xxxii, ch. v, § 11). The severe persecutions which now threatened all who were not loyal to Home caused many to quit their native country, and thus the misery of this unfortunate land was only intensified (see Baird, Protestantism in Italy, p. 87, 88 ;
I Kanke, Hist, of the Papacy, i, IGl sq.). In 1G47 the
I Neapolitans rebelled and renounced their Spanish al- legiance, but the Spaniards succeeded in quelling the rebellion. At the opening of last century Naples fell to Austria, and Sicily was secured by Savoy. In 1720, however, both Sicilies were reunited under the Austrian rule, and in 1735 were given to Don Carlos, third son of l'hili|) V of Spain, wlio ascended the throne as Charles I, and I'nunded the lidurlKiii dynasty. His reign was marked by equity and moderation; great reforms were effected in the administration of public affairs, science and literature were encouraged, and splendid works of public utility were erected throughout the kingdom. It was during his reign that Pompeii and llerculaneum were discovered. His successor, Ferdinand lY, follow- ed in the course of legislative reform ; but on the proc- lamation of the French Republic (1780) his states were invaded by a French army, and the kingdom of Naples was erected into the Parthenopean Republic (1799).