Naples (City in southern Italy)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a city in southern Italy, the largest in the kingdom, on the N. shore of the Bay of Naples, about 160 miles from Rome. Its site is magnificent, being on the side of a nearly semi-circular bay, partly along the shore, and partly climbing the adjacent slopes, bounded on one side by the , and on picturesque heights of Posilipo Vesuvius, the other by the lofty mass of while the background is rich in natural densely beauty. The environs are peopled, towns and villages being nuinland merous round the bay as well as . unequal The city is divided into two parts by a steep bridge proceeding from the height on which stands the castle of islet St. Elmo, and terminated by a rocky ' Ovo. surmounted by the Castello dell The largest and most ancient part of Naples lies to the S. E. of these heights. This now forms the business quarter, the and is intersected from N. to S. by main street, the Toledo, now Via di Roma. The W. and more modern part of the city is the fashionable quarter, has a superior situation, and commands magnificent views. There are few remains of ancient ' times, but there are five castles, S. Dell Ovo, Nuovo, Del Carmine, Capuano, Carmine Elmo, and the Gates Porta del and Capuano, all of medieval construction. Among the more remarkable public edifices is the cathedral, dating from 1282, a large Gothic building erected on the site of the two temples dedicated to Neptune and Apollo. It is held in high veneration in consequence of possessing or Gennaro. the relics of St. Januarius The university (1224) in 1916-1917 had many other 6,346 students and there are numerous educational institutions, and foundations hospitals and charitable . The manufactures, which are numerous, cottons, include macaroni, woolens and , glass, silks known as gros de Naples flowers and china, musical instruments, ornaments, perfumery, soap, chemicals, , boilers machinery, ships, locomotives , has etc. The harbor accommodation recently been extended, and the trade is chiefly important. The exports consist , and of wine and brandy, fruits, paper densely hemp. Naples is one of the most populated cities of Europe and one of of the city the most peculiar features the uniis its unique population and versal publicity in which life is passed. situated the tomb In the environs are of Vergil, the ancient ruined cities of , the remains Herculaneum and Pompeii of Roman temples, villas, palaces, and the physical tombs, together with about phenomena of Vesuvius. Pop. 700,000. History. Naples was founded by a Greek colony from the town of Cumæ Christ. It took many centuries before New City") to the name of Neapolis (" still older Greek distinguish it from a It city adjoining called Parthenope. passed to the Romans in 290 B. C. In A. D. 536 it was taken by Belisarius, and was In 1130 the rillaged by Totila in 542. the S. Norman Robert Guiscard united of of Italy, and the adjacent island , and from Sicily into one political unity that period the history of Naples ceases becomes to be the history of a city, but the history of a kingdom forming part , of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies metrop- Naples being recognized as the olis. In the year 1189 the kingdom Swabian passed from the Norman to the derace. In 1266 Charles of Anjou feated the Swabians, and was crowned King of the Two Sicilies. The kingdom , was ruled by this dynasty till 1441 the when it came under the dominion of part Princes of Aragon. In the early of the 16th century it came into the possession of Spain, which governed it Under the rule of by viceroys till 1707. the Spanish viceroys broke out the famous insurrection under Masaniello in 1647. It was similarly governed by Austria till 1735, when it was erected into an independent monarchy in favor of Don Carlos, or Charles of Bourbon. On the latter's accession to the throne of Spain his son in 1759 he was succeeded by re- Ferdinand IV. In 1798 the French publicans entered Naples, which became to the a republic; but a loyalist rising led was again return of the king. His reign interrupted in 1806, when Napoleon suc- Joseph, ceeded in placing first his brother Spain his and on Joseph's removal to throne of brother-in-law Murat, on the Naples. In 1815 Ferdinand regained his to Ferdithrone, and changed his title he was nand Í. On his death in 1825 died in succeeded by Francis I., who his 1830. This prince was followed by under the son Ferdinand II., notorious in 1859, nickname of Bomba. He died and his son Francis II. was his successor. of the old The latter continued the abuses broke régime, and in the revolution that of Gariout in 1860 under the guidance baldi he was deposed and Naples and Kingdom of Italy. Sicily were added to the