|
The Greco-Roman
Era |
9th Century BC:
Settlers from the Greek island
of Rhodes establish the first settlement on
the small island of "Megaride" off the coast of today's
Naples. With the support from the Greek colonies of nearby
Cuma, the settlers establish a settlement and name it
after "Parthenope"
(in the
Greek
mythology
Parthenope
is one of the three Sirens who threw herself into the sea
and drowned because her love for Ulysses was not returned; her
body was washed ashore at Naples, which was called Parthenope
after her name). |
|
600
BC:
The city of Neapolis
(Greek for "new city") is formed . The original settlement
is subsequently named Palepolis
(old city). |
328
BC:
Rome defeats Naples in a war. However a treaty allows
Naples to continue as an independent city. |
90-89 BC:
Rome grants the citizens of the Campania region roman
citizenship. |
79 AD:
Mount Vesuvius erupts and destroys
Pompei, Ercolano and Stabia. |
476:
Romulus Augustus, the last
Western emperor is deposed and incarcerated in the
Castrum Lucullianum
(today known as Castel dell'Ovo) a castle/fortress
on the small isle of Megaride. |
|
The Duchies of
Naples |
536:
Belisarius,
sent by the Eastern Emperor Justinian, conquers Naples and
establishes a Byzantine Duchy. |
600:
Under Byzantine domination, Naples rebuffs several attacks
from the uncivilized Longobards. |
755:
Naples becomes
an independent Duchy. Stephen II is
appointed to Duke of Naples by Constans II, he later switches
his allegiance to the pope and is subsequently nominated Bishop. |
902:
After numerous attacks, the Napolitans defeat Saracen forces at
the Garigliano river. |
|
The Norman and
Swabian Naples |
1139:
The Napolitans hand their city to Roger II, King of Palermo who
becomes the first monarch of the kingdom of Naples. |
1165:
William I, son of Roger II of Sicily, commissions the
construction of the first castle in Naples:
Castel Capuano. |
1194:
Power over the city is handed to Henry IV of
Swabia (Bavaria), Son in Law of Roger the Norman. |
1224:
Frederick II Hohenstaufen, King of Sicily and Head of the Roman
Empire commissions the first university:
Università degli Studi. |
|
The
Angevin Dynasty |
1266:
Charles of Anjou, son of Louis VIII of France, conquers the
city. He becomes King under the name Charles I.
|
1279:
Charles of Anjou I commissions his architects
Pierre de Chaulnes and
Pierre d'Angincourt,
to build the magnificent castle
Maschio Angioino. |
1309:
Robert of Anjou is proclaimed King of Naples.
He was the third (living) son of King Charles II of Naples. |
1438:
René of Anjou becomes King of Naples (René
I of Naples). |
|
The Aragonese
Period |
1443:
Alfonso of Aragon, son of Ferdinand I of Aragon, enters the
city. The Aragonese control also marked the beginning of a
humanistic era and Southern culture. |
1458:
The reign passes from Alfonso of Aragon to Ferdinand I who is
only 35 years old. His kingdom is challenged repetedly by
the Angevins. |
1485:
Ferdinand I crushes a revolt of
the Barons. |
|
The
Spanish Vice-Regency |
1503:
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, an emissary of the
Spanish Throne, also known as "The Great Captain",
arrives in Naples to command the Spanish part of a
French/Spanish coalition formed between Ferdinand of Spain and
Louis XII of France. |
1631:
A violent eruption of mount Vesuvius threatens the population of
Naples. In appreciation for having spared the city and its
people, the citizens errect a monumental obelisq and dedicate it
to the city's patron San Gennaro. |
|
1647:
Tommaso Aniello (abbreviated also called Masaniello) instigates
and leads a revolt of the "malcontenti" (discontent i.e. unhappy
people) against the Kingdom.
|
1656:
A severe epidemic of Pest breaks out in the city and eradicates
one third of the population. |
1688:
A devastating earthquake cause vast destruction of land marks
and buildings. |
|
The Austrian
Vice-Regency |
1707:
Beginning of the short Austrian Vice Regency.
|
|
The Bourbon Era |
|
1734:
Carlos IV of Bourbon defeats the Austrians and ascends to King
of Naples and Sicilies. |
1759:
Carlos IV of Bourbon ascends to
the Spanish Throne as Charles III of Spain and passes the throne
of Naples to his eight years old son Ferdinand IV under the
regency of Bernardo Tanucci.
|
1799:
A group of patriots and intellectuals proclaim the Parthenope
Republic (Repubblica Partenopea). King Ferdinand IV flees
the City to avoid captivity by the French. The Republic
only lasts six month and Ferdinand IV regains his throne.
|
|
The
French
Decade |
1806:
Napoleon Bonaparte
appoints his brother Giuseppe
to King of Naples. |
1808:
Joachim
Murat, brother-in-law of Napoleon Bonaparte through marriage to
Caroline Bonaparte,
succeeds Giuseppe Bonaparte as
King of Naples. |
|
The
Re-Instatement of the Bourbons |
1815:
After the fall of Napoleon, Joachim Murat first joins
Napoleon in Corsican exile and later attempts regaining Naples
through an insurrection in Calabria. Ferdinand IV re-gains
the throne of Naples, defeats the insurrection and orders
Murat's execution. |
1859:
Following Ferdinand's death, his only son Francis II is
proclaimed Kind of the two Sicilies. He is to be the last
of the Bourbons of Naples. |
|
Naples After
Italian Unification |
1860:
Garibaldi seizes the opportunity of a Kingdom weakened by
internal uprisings, and assembles a group of
thousand volunteers ("I Mille") known as the Redshirts. He
takes control of the city and later of the remaining region.
He declares himself dictator of Sicily under Victor Emmanuel II.
|
1884:
The city suffers a severe cholera epidemic |
1885:
After overcoming the
epidemic, entire city blocks are demolished under a program
called "Risanimento", a name given to the large scale
re-planning and re-building of cities following Italy's
Unification. Examples are the
Corso Umberto
and the
Galleria Umberto I.
|
|
Contemporary Naples |
1943:
After a four-day rebellion (le Quattro Giornate di
Napoli), Napolitans push the Germans out of the city and open
the way to the Allied Forces. |
1944:
Last eruption of Mount Vesuvio |
1945:
The master piece Napoli Milionaria, marks the beginning
of a long list of successful Works by Eduardo De Filippo,
an actor, playwright, author and poet, who was appointed Life
Senator of the Italian Republic (1981). |
1952:
Commendatore Achille Lauro, the Italian Onassis and shipping
magnate becomes Mayor of Naples. He was re-elected in 1956
and 1960. He was one of the most vocal defenders of the
monarchie until the mid seventies, even though Italians by
referendum in 1946, decided to send the monarchie into exile and
become a Republic. |
1980:
A strong earthquake with the epicenter in Irpinia,
devastates large parts of Naples. |
1994:
Naples hosts the G7 and gains prestige on the
word stage. |
2007:
Wars between crime syndicats, an unresolved waste disposal
crisis, and the uncontrollable petty crime surgeance
reflect on Naples with a negative immage among Italians
and the World. |
