1798

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Nobody seems to have noticed the parallel; because, I suppose, not many historians today write from a Catholic viewpoint. But in 1798, two Catholic priests led two great popular insurrections on the two sides of the war then raging between a French Revolution not yet quite hijacked by a Corsican adventurer, and a reactionary Europe dedicated to

Comments

[shezan]

I knew NOTHING of this. (Well, there are acres of things I know nothing about, but still.) Surely there are several books in this?

[fpb]

Plenty has been written. But because the main issue is always seen to be revolution vs. reaction, people haven't actually thought of seeing the issues in this light - Church vs. revolution AND reaction. Ad yet, there is a lot to be got by looking at it in that light.

[anonymous]

I had never heard of either Ruffo or Fr Murphy before and found this fascinating. About '98,all I've ever read focused on Wolfe Tone and United Irishmen. And historical treatment including fictional of Italy in the Napoleanic Wars tends to stop a little south of Rome, except of course for Nelson's sojourn in Naples, staple theme of a fair amount of romantic fiction.

It's sad to hear that he was such a prick. He was a childhood hero of mine, though I suspct theree was a lot of Horatio Hornblower mixed in with what I thought I knew about him.

A little later but - another childhood hero of mine was Garibaldi. I remember reading about his soldier of fortune days in South America with rapt attention. Often wondered if Chesterton's depiction of the heroic Brazilian Olivero was based on Garibaldi.

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If you want a maritime hero, look to Cochrane. I have a suspicion that Garibaldi himself modelled himself on him; after being disgraced in England in 1814, he went to South America and fought for the liberty of Chile and Brazil, where he is duly remembered. He also fought in the Greek War of Independence, though he was less effective there for a number of reasons. He was a genuine hero. As for Garibaldi, he deserves his reputation, except for his foolish and sterile hatred of the Church; in general, he was both chivalrous and disinterested. At the height of his glory, after he had conquered the south for King Victor Emmanuel, he rejected both money awards and titles of nobility; and when he received an official approach from President Lincoln, who was looking for a better military leader than McClellan, he answered that he would if the war was waged with the intent of freeing slaves. Lincoln at the time did not feel able to do so, and that ended the negotiations.

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The life of Lord Cochrane, in two volumes:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13351/13351-8.txt
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/26067/26067-h/26067-h.htm

[joetexx]

Comment on Nelson / Garibaldi was mine. Sorry - I dislike anonymous posting but I forgot to sign in.

[fpb]

That's OK, I found out anyway. BTW, I think Olivier was a compound of several quixotic liberal heroes from various Latin countries, but certainly he owes something to Garibaldi, who learned the craft of war in Brazil.

[theeditrix]

I am another one of those who had never heard of either, Cardinal Ruffo or Fr Murphy. Thanks for the inspiration!