French conquest of Corsica
The island of Corsica had been ruled by the Republic of Genoa since 1284. In the 18th century, Corsicans started to develop their own nationalism and seek their independence from Genoese rule. The Corsican Revolution for independence began in 1729 under Luiggi Giafferi and Giacinto Paoli. Later Pasquale Paoli took leadership after his father died. An attempt to proclaim an independent Kingdom of Corsica occurred in 1736 under Theodor von Neuhoff. This German adventurer received support from the Dutch Republic and Great Britain. The independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed in 1755 under Pasquale Paoli. It remained sovereign until 1769. The 1755 Corsican Constitution was written in Italian. Italian served as the language of culture in Corsica until the middle of the 19th century. Despite four decades of intense fighting, the Corsican Republic could not eject the Genoese from Calvi and Bonifacio.
After the Corsican conquest of Capraia in 1767, the Republic of Genoa decided to sell the island to France. France had suffered defeat in the Seven Years' War and sought to reinforce its position in the Mediterranean. In 1768, with the Treaty of Versailles, the Genoese republic ceded all rights on the island. King Louis XV sent a military expedition to Corsica that same year. Comte de Vaux commanded this veteran of the Seven Years' War. A French expeditionary force landed on the island of Corsica. Marching inland to overcome any Corsican opposition, the French force initially suffered an unexpected defeat at the Battle of Borgo. This battle took place in October 1768. France dispatched large numbers of reinforcements to swell their army to 24,000 men. They tasked a new commander with the renewal of the endeavor.
France's first offensive failed after the initial and rather small French expeditionary force suffered a significant setback at the Battle of Borgo. The Corsican forces surrendered the island after the decisive defeat at the Battle of Ponte Novu in 1769. This effectively brought an end to Corsican resistance. The Corsican army was decisively defeated by the French forces. French control was consolidated over the island, and in 1770 it became a province of France. Corsican forces were not ever subdued until the following year. Sporadic outbreaks of rebellion continued against the French. Pasquale Paoli fled to Great Britain where he was immensely popular. He became a member of Samuel Johnson's dining club. Under France, the use of Corsican has gradually declined in favour of standard French language. Italian remained the official language of Corsica until 1859.
Corsica remained under French rule until 1794 when an Anglo-Corsican expedition captured Corsica from the French. The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was established with Paoli as its ruler. British troops subsequently intervened in Corsica between 1794 and 1796. They created the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom during this period. On the 19th of October 1796, the French reconquered Corsica and it became a French département. Following the Congress of Vienna control of the islands were returned to the restored French monarchs. In 1814 they agreed the Treaty of Bastia. The leader of the Corsican Republic went into exile in Britain where he remained until the French Revolution allowed him to return. Britain opened a consulate on the island but events did not feature prominently in Britain until 1768.
When Napoleon Bonaparte was born on Corsica in 1769, he automatically became a natural-born French citizen. Both his parents Carlo Maria Buonaparte and Maria Letizia Ramolino joined the local resistance. They fought against the French to maintain independence even when Maria was pregnant with him. Although raised as a Corsican nationalist, Napoleon gradually turned his loyalties towards the whole of France. He served in the French Army and went on to become ruler of mainland France. He adopted the ideals of the French Revolution as his own. This triggered the Napoleonic Wars that devastated much of Europe and changed it permanently. The invasion and occupation had profound consequences for France itself. His birth marked the beginning of a complex relationship between Corsican identity and French imperial power.
To this day some Corsican nationalists advocate the restoration of the island's republic. There are several groups and two nationalist parties active on the island. The autonomist Femu a Corsica and the separatist Corsica Libera call for autonomy or full independence. Some groups such as the National Liberation Front of Corsica have carried out an ongoing violent campaign since the 1970s. These campaigns include bombings and assassinations targeting buildings and officials representing the French government. The legacy of the conquest continues to shape political discourse today. Historical tensions remain embedded within modern Corsican society and its relationship with Paris.
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Common questions
When did the French conquest of Corsica begin and end?
The French expedition to conquer Corsica began in 1768 following the Treaty of Versailles. The conquest concluded with the decisive defeat at the Battle of Ponte Novu in 1769, making Corsica a province of France by 1770.
Who led the French military forces during the conquest of Corsica?
Comte de Vaux commanded the initial French expeditionary force that landed on the island in 1768. A new commander later took charge after the French suffered an unexpected defeat at the Battle of Borgo in October 1768.
What happened to Pasquale Paoli after the fall of the Corsican Republic?
Pasquale Paoli fled to Great Britain where he became immensely popular and joined Samuel Johnson's dining club. He remained in exile until the French Revolution allowed him to return to Corsica.
How did Napoleon Bonaparte become a French citizen despite being born in Corsica?
Napoleon Bonaparte was born on Corsica in 1769 when the island had already been conquered by France. This event automatically made him a natural-born French citizen even though his parents fought against the French to maintain independence.
When did the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom exist and how long did it last?
The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom existed between 1794 and 1796 following an Anglo-Corsican expedition that captured Corsica from the French. The French reconquered the island on the 19th of October 1796, ending this period of British control.