Famous Calabrian People

Guglielmo Pepe

Ardent patriot, he was born at Squillace on February 13 th 1783 and died in Turin on August 8 th 1855. Appealed by the ideal of the French Revolution, he joined Napoleon's army and fought, as a simple soldier, at Marengo (1800). Known his courage and daring, Gioacchino Murat appointed him Colonel. Coming back on the throne of Naples, the Borboni did not take measures against him, but on the contrary, praised his talent and his courage and called him commander of the army. But rather than living in a country divided and deprived of fundamental freedom, he preferred to go in exile. He went to England where he became friend of the exiled poet Ugo Foscolo. Changed the Italian conditions in 1848 he came back to Naples where he was received in triumph and reconfirmed with the military grade by the King Ferdinand II who grawe him the command of the troops sent to help Carlo Alberto. But when the order was recalled, he didi not want to come back to Naples and he led an army of volunteers. He got to Venice that was still fighting against the Austrians and he was appointed by Daniele Manin head commander of the troops that were defending the glorious San Marco's Republic. After a long siege that had the admiration of the Austrians themselves, Pepe came back on exile, going this time to Paris. In 1850 he spent the last years of his life in Piedmont.


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