Politician and historian, born in Naples, Campania, SW Italy. He was an officer in the Bourbon army, then became Joachim Murat's aide-de-camp, and was one of the negotiators of the Casalanza treaty (1895) with which Murat gave up the Kingdom of Naples. He was exiled by the Bourbons for his support of the 1820 Neapolitan revolution. His political theory, which believed that civilizations developed through a gradual increase of political consciousness, rather than revolution, influenced the Risorgimento moderates (Storia del Reame di Napoli dal 1734 al 1825, 1834).
Pietro Colletta (January 23, 1775 - November 11, 1831) was a Neapolitan general and historian, entered the Neapolitan artillery in 1796 and took part in the campaign against the French in 1798.
Biography
Colletta was born in Naples
On the entry of the French into the Kingdom of Naples and the establishment of the Parthenopaean Republic (1799), Colletta adhered to the new government. When the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV reconquered the city, Colletta was thrown into prison and only escaped the death penalty by means of judiciously administered bribes.
In 1812, Colletta was promoted to general, and made director of roads and bridges. On the restoration of Ferdinand, Colletta was permitted to retain his rank in the army, and was given command of the Salerno division.
He fought in the constitutionalist army against the Austrians at Rieti (March 7, 1821).
Works
His history (first published in 1834), which deals with the reigns of Charles III and Ferdinand IV (1734-1825), is still the standard work for that period, but it value is somewhat diminished by the authors bitterness against his opponents and the fact that he does not give chapter and verse for his statements, many of which are based on his recollection of documents seen, but not available at the time of writing.
See Gino Capponi's memoir of him published in the Storia del reame di Napoli (2nd ed., Florence, 1848).
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