Pepe's revolt forces Ferdinand I to grant a constitution in Naples

Background. Ferdinand I ruled the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from 1816, having abolished the Sicilian constitution in violation of his oath. Political activity was suppressed, leading liberals to organize in secret societies like the Carbonari. These groups planned a revolution in 1820 to obtain a written constitution based on the Spanish model of 1812, setting the stage for military unrest.

The Revolt. General Guglielmo Pepe, who had previously failed to force a constitution in 1814, led a military revolt in July 1820. While Pepe was deciding his course of action, King Ferdinand was terrorized into signing a constitution on the model of the Spanish Constitution of 1812. This event marked a significant, albeit temporary, concession to liberal demands in Naples.

Political Context. The crisis began with Ferdinand's abolition of the Sicilian constitution in 1816, violating his oath. Open political activity was suppressed, causing liberals to organize in secret societies such as the Carbonari. In 1820, a revolution planned by these groups aimed at obtaining a written constitution based on the Spanish model of 1812, creating the conditions for the military revolt.