Nicola Napolitano (February 28, 1838 – September 10, 1863), also known by the nickname Caprariello, a nickname derived from his activity of

goatherd A goatherd or goatherder is a person who herds goats as a vocational activity. It is similar to a shepherd who herds sheep. Goatherds are most commonly found in regions where goat populations are significant; for instance, in Africa and South Asi ...

, was born in

Nola Nola is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, southern Italy. It lies on the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. It is traditionally credited as the diocese that introduced bells to Christian worship. ...

from the peasants Sabato and Carmela from

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 ...

. Illiterate, having never attended school, he was recruited in 1861 in the military service established by the newborn

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...

. Disobedient, he was arrested and forced to attend military service, but deserted almost immediately, joining the brigands led by the La Gala brothers from

, where he soon played an important role, gaining a reputation for his fierceness and strength, to the point of being able to put together and lead his own brigand band during 1862. Arrested after a shooting fight at the beginning of September 1863, he was executed by shooting in his birth city,

, on the 10th of that month.De Poli, Oscar (1865). ''De Naples a Palerme (1863-1864)''. Paris: Dupray de la Mahérie. 490 pp. ("''Nicolas'' ic''Napolitano, dit le Caprariello ... pris et fusillé'' ", p. 401). (in French).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Napolitano, Nicola 1838 births 1863 deaths People from Nola Italian bandits Goatherds Italian soldiers People executed by Italy by firing squad