The Kingdom of Corsica was a short-lived kingdom on the island of
Corsica. It was formed after the islanders crowned the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
adventurer
Theodor Stephan Freiherr von Neuhoff as King of Corsica.
Formation and downfall
At
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...
, Neuhoff made the acquaintance of some Corsican rebels and exiles, and persuaded them that he could free their country from Genoese tyranny if they made him king of the island. With the help of the
Bey of Tunis
Bey ( ota, بك, beğ, script=Arab, tr, bey, az, bəy, tk, beg, uz, бек, kz, би/бек, tt-Cyrl, бәк, translit=bäk, cjs, пий/пек, sq, beu/bej, sh, beg, fa, بیگ, beyg/, tg, бек, ar, بك, bak, gr, μπέης) is ...
, he landed in Corsica on March 12, 1736
[L. H. Caird, ''The History of Corsica'' (T. Fisher Unwin, 1899) p.92-97] with military aid. The islanders, whose campaign had not been successful, elected and crowned him king. He assumed the title of King Theodore I, issued edicts, instituted an order of
knighthood
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the ...
, and waged war on the Genoese, at first with some success. But in-fighting among the rebels soon led to their defeat. The Genoese put a price on his head and published an account of his colourful past, and he left Corsica on November 11, 1736,
[ ostensibly to seek foreign assistance. After sounding out the possibility of protection from Spain and ]Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, he set off to Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
where he was arrested for debt in Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
.
On regaining his freedom, Theodore sent his nephew to Corsica with a supply of arms; he himself returned to Corsica in 1738, 1739, and 1743, but the combined Genoese and French forces continued to occupy the island. In 1749 he arrived in England to seek support, but eventually fell into debt and was confined in a debtors' prison in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
until 1755. He regained his freedom by declaring himself bankrupt
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
, making over his kingdom of Corsica to his creditors, and subsisted on the charity of Horace Walpole and some other friends until his death in London in 1756.
See also
*Corsican Republic
In November 1755, Pasquale Paoli proclaimed Corsica a sovereign nation, the Corsican Republic ( it, Repubblica Corsa), independent from the Republic of Genoa. He created the Corsican Constitution, which was the first constitution written in I ...
Notes
Bibliography
*Bent, J. Theodore (1886). "King Theodore of Corsica", ''The English Historical Review'', Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 295–307.
*Fitzgerald, Percy (1890). ''King Theodore of Corsica''. London: Vizetelly.
*Gasper, Julia (2012). ''Theodore von Neuhoff, King of Corsica: the Man Behind the Legend''. University of Delaware Press.
*Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2005). ''le Roi Théodore''. Paris: Tallandier, coll. « Biographie ». 371 p., 22 cm. – .
*Pirie, Valerie (1939). ''His Majesty of Corsica: The True Story of the Adventurous Life of Theodore 1st''. London: William Collins & Sons.
*Vallance, Aylmer (1956). ''The Summer King: Variations by an Adventurer on an Eighteenth-Century Air''. London: Thames & Hudson.
External links
Coin minted 1736 with initials "T.R."
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corsica, Kingdom Of
Kingdom
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
Former kingdoms
Former monarchies of Europe
Island countries
Former unrecognized countries
States and territories established in 1736
1736 disestablishments in Europe