Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (d. 1825)
Ferdinand I (born 12 January 1751, died 4 January 1825) played a central and often tumultuous role in the dynastic and political landscape of Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He is primarily recognized as the inaugural King of the Two Sicilies from 1816, a title he assumed following his definitive restoration to power in the aftermath of the comprehensive allied victory in the Napoleonic Wars, a period that reshaped the entire European continent.
Regnal Titles and Early Reign
Prior to the official establishment of the unified Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Ferdinand governed separate, though historically linked, Bourbon realms in Southern Italy. From 1759, he was simultaneously known by distinct regnal numbers:
- Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples: This kingdom encompassed the southern part of the Italian peninsula, including its capital, Naples.
- Ferdinand III of the Kingdom of Sicily: This realm comprised the island of Sicily and its smaller surrounding islands.
Beyond these significant Italian domains, he also held the lesser-known title of King of Gozo, an island within the Maltese archipelago which historically maintained close ties and feudal allegiances to the Sicilian crown.
Periods of Deposition and Restoration
Ferdinand’s lengthy tenure on the throne was marked by significant political upheaval and two distinct periods of deposition from the Kingdom of Naples:
- First Deposition (1799): He was initially removed from the Neapolitan throne for approximately six months in 1799. This occurred with the rise of the revolutionary Parthenopean Republic, a short-lived, French-backed sister republic established in Naples following the French invasion of the Kingdom. However, with the assistance of popular uprisings and the support of the British Royal Navy, Ferdinand was able to reclaim his throne later that year.
- Second Deposition (1805): The resurgence of Napoleonic power led to his second deposition in 1805. Napoleon Bonaparte, aiming to consolidate French influence across Italy, directly intervened, replacing Ferdinand first with his brother Joseph Bonaparte and subsequently with Joachim Murat as King of Naples. During this tumultuous period, Ferdinand was compelled to retreat to Sicily, where he continued to reign as Ferdinand III, effectively protected from French invasion by the strong presence of the British Royal Navy.
His ultimate restoration to power in Naples, and the subsequent unification of his two kingdoms, was a direct consequence of the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815). This pivotal diplomatic conference restructured post-Napoleonic Europe, and as part of its resolutions, Ferdinand was reinstated. In 1816, he formally united the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily into a single entity, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, taking the new title of Ferdinand I to signify the dawn of this combined monarchy.
Lineage and Path to the Throne
Ferdinand I was the third son of King Charles VII of Naples and V of Sicily and his consort, Maria Amalia of Saxony. His accession to the crowns of Naples and Sicily in 1759 was influenced by significant dynastic and geopolitical considerations:
- Father's Ascension to Spanish Throne: On 10 August 1759, Ferdinand's father, Charles, inherited the Spanish throne, becoming King Charles III of Spain, following the death of his elder brother, Ferdinand VI of Spain, who died without direct heirs.
- Treaty Provisions and Succession Rules: Crucially, prevailing European treaty provisions strictly prohibited the unification of the Spanish crown with those of Naples and Sicily under a single monarch. This measure was designed to prevent an excessive concentration of power within one branch of the Bourbon dynasty and to maintain a balance of power in Europe.
- Ferdinand's Inheritance: Consequently, on 6 October 1759, Charles III formally abdicated his Neapolitan and Sicilian titles. His eldest son, Philip, Duke of Calabria, had been excluded from succession due to severe physical and mental incapacities. His second son, Charles, was the designated heir-apparent to the Spanish throne. This sequence of events meant that the third son, Ferdinand, was the rightful and available heir to the Neapolitan and Sicilian kingdoms, thus securing the Bourbon succession in Southern Italy.
Ferdinand's unique path to power made him the founder of the cadet House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a distinct branch of the vast European Bourbon dynasty that would rule the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies until its eventual incorporation into the unified Kingdom of Italy in 1860-61.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ferdinand I
- Who was Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies?
- Ferdinand I was the first monarch of the unified Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, ruling from 1816 until his death in 1825. Before this unification, he reigned separately as Ferdinand IV of Naples and Ferdinand III of Sicily from 1759. He belonged to the House of Bourbon and his reign was profoundly shaped by the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
- Why did Ferdinand I have multiple regnal numbers (Ferdinand IV, Ferdinand III, Ferdinand I)?
- He held distinct regnal numbers (Ferdinand IV for Naples and Ferdinand III for Sicily) because Naples and Sicily were historically separate kingdoms, each with its own line of succession and numbering. When these two kingdoms were formally unified into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1816, he adopted the new regnal number, Ferdinand I, to signify the beginning of this new combined state.
- How many times was Ferdinand I deposed from his throne?
- Ferdinand I was deposed twice from the throne of Naples: first in 1799 by the French-backed Parthenopean Republic for about six months, and again in 1805 when Napoleon Bonaparte installed his own family members on the Neapolitan throne. He was ultimately restored to power in 1816 following the defeat of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna.