The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was the new name that the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV of Naples gave to his domain (including Southern Italy and Sicily) after the end of the Napoleonic Era and the full restoration of his power in 1816.The capital city was Naples.

Before the French invasions of the Napoleonic Era, the Bourbon dynasty ruled over the same lands, but they were formally divided into the "Kingdom of Naples" and the "Kingdom of Sicily". After the change in the name of the kingdom, Ferdinand became known as King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies. The kingdom lasted until 1860, when king Francis II was overthrown by an insurrection led by Garibaldi and sponsored by the kingdom of Sardinia, which absorbed the Bourbons' domains, forming the kingdom of Italy.

1848-49 flag

1860-61 flag

History of the Name

The name Two Sicilies derived from the splitting of the Kingdom of Sicily in 1282. Ruled as a unit for a century, the island and mainland parted ways when the Sicilian Vespers rose up and threw off Neapolitan rule, accepting in its stead Aragon. The Angevin Kings of Naples retained the mainland and continued the name Kingdom of Sicily in order to assert their claim. The two kingdoms were not reunited until 1735 under Charles III of Spain.

Kings of the Two Sicilies, 1816-1860

• 1816 Ferdinand I
• 1825 Francis I
• 1830 Ferdinand II
• 1859 Francis II

In 1860 the kingdom is conquered by the kingdom of Sardinia, and the title dropped.

Other people of the House of Two Sicilies include:

• Maria Christina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1806-1878)

Events

• 1820–21: The Carbonari oblige Ferdinand I to concede a constitution, but later, with the help of Austrian troops, he abolishes it and starts persecutions of liberals and Carbonari.

See also Historical states of Italy.

Weblinks

The Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies