The Kingdom of Sicily was founded in 1282. It was united in a personal union with
the Kingdom of Naples in 1718.
In 1816 both Kingdoms were merged into the new Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the
island was gradually reduced to a simple Neapolitan dependency. (1)
(1) In the Neapolitan period Sicily was formally known as Sicilia al di là
del Faro (Sicily beyond the Lighthouse)
Events of 1848 - 1849
1848 :
Jan 12 : Start of a liberal revolt in Palermo, headed by the so-called Committee of
Fieravecchia.
Jan 14 : As the revolt spread the Committee of Fieravecchia was replaced by a new
Provisional Revolutionary Committee, which was itself replaced the same
day by a General Committee.
Jan 19 : In an attempt to stop the revolt, Sicilian selfgovernment was restored by
the Neapolitan king. (2)
Jan 25 : The General Committee started acting as a provisional government.
Feb 02 : The General Committee was replaced by a Provisional Government to act until
the gathering of the Sicilian Parliament
Mar 25 : The Provisional Government was replaced by a regular government.
Apr : After the conquest of Siracusa by the revolutionaries, only the fortress
of Messina remained under Neapolitan control.
Apr 13 : The Sicilian Parliament deposed the Neapolitan King (and his successors)
and proclaimed Sicily an independent Kingdom "to become part of a future
Italian federation".
Jul 10 : The Sardinian prince Ferdinando Maria Alberto Amadeo Filiberto Vincenzo,
principe de Saboia, duca di Genova (1822-1855) was elected King of Sicily.
He apparently never reacted.
Sep 16 : Cease fire between the parties. For nearly 8 months the island remained
divided as in apr.
1849
Mar 29 : End of the cease fire, Neapolitan troops started the reconquest of Sicily.
May 15 : The occupation of Palermo ended the Sicilian secession.
(2) The following officials were appointed but apparently never toke office :
Royal Lieutenant General (Luogotenente Generale del Re):
- Luigi Carlo Maria Guiseppe di Borbone-Due Sicilie,
conte di Aquila 1824 - 1897
Minister (Ministro) :
- Antonio conte Lucchesi-Palli dei principi di
Campofranco 1781 - 1856
__________________________________________________________________________________
REVOLUTIONARY ADMINISTRATORS
LEADING ADMINISTRATORSPresident of the Committee of Fieravecchia
Presidente del Comitato di Fieravecchia
1848 Giuseppe La Masa 1819 - 1881
President of the Provisional Revolutionary Committee
Presidente del Comitato Provvisorio Insurrezionale
1848 ..., principe de Grammonte
President of the General Committee
Presidente del Comitato Generale
1848 Adm. Ruggiero Settimo 1778 - 1863
President of the Provisional Government
Presidente del Governo Provvisorio
1848 Adm. Ruggiero Settimo s.a.
President
Presidente
1848 - 1849 Adm. Ruggiero Settimo (3) s.a.
(3) It's not clear if he was "President of the Kingdom" or more simply
"President of the Government". Anyway he seems to have been entitled
to all honors due to a head of state.
After jul 10 he also seems to have acted as Luogotenente generale
for the Sardinian King-Elect.
__________________________________________________________________________________
MINISTERS
(possibly incomplete)
Until the formation of the Provisional government, executive tasks were performed
by sub-committees of the Provisional Revolutionary and General Committees.
President of the Sub-committee for Military Affairs and Public Security
Presidente del Sottocomitato per gli Affari Militari e la Pubblica Sicurezza
1848 Emanuele Requesens, principe dì
Pantelleria
President of the Sub-committee for Finances
Presidente del Sottocomitato per le Finanze
1848 ..., marchese di Rudini
President of the Sub-committee for Communications
Presidente del Sottocomitato per le Comunicazioni
1848 Adm. Ruggiero Settimo (seems also to
have been in charge of political and
diplomatical affairs) s.a.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Ministri degli Affari esteri
1848 Adm. Ruggiero Settimo s.a.
1848 Mariano Stabile 1806 - 1863
1848 - 1849 Vincenzo Fardella, marchese de
Torrearsa 1808 - 1889
1849 Pietro Lanza Brancaforte, principe
de Scordia and principe de Butera 1807 - 1855
Minsters of DefenceMinisters of War and of the NavyMinistri della Guerra e della Marina
1848 Emanuele Requesens, principe dì
Pantelleria s.a.
1848 - 184. Pietro barone Riso
184. - 1849 Maj. Giuseppe Poulet
1849 Mariano Stabile s.a.
Ministers of Home Affairs and of JusticeMinister of Justice and SecurityMinistro della Giustizia e della Sicurezza
1848 Pasquale Calvi 1794 - 1867
Ministry divided into : - Ministry of Justice
- Directorate of Police, later replaced by the Ministry
of the Interior and of Security
Ministers of JusticeMinistri della Giustizia
1848 - 184. Gaetano Pisani
184. - 1849 ... De Marco
1849 Pasquale Calvi (2x)
Director of PoliceDirettore della Polizia
1848 - 184. Pasquale Calvi s.a.
Minister of the Interior and of SecurityMinistro dell'Interno e della Sicurezza
1849 ..., marchese della Corda
Ministers of FinancesMinistri delle Finanze
1848 Vincenzo Fardella, marchese de
Torrearsa s.a.
1848 - 184. Michele Amari 1806 - 1889
1849 ... De Marco* s.a.
As defeat became obvious all ministers resigned and the administration was taken
over by :
1849 -... barone Canalotti
-... barone Grosso
-Salvatore Vigo 1794 - 1874
NEAPOLITAN SICILY 1848 - 1860
In 1849 direct Neapolitan administration was restored.
__________________________________________________________________________________
CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS
Ministers-Secretaries of State for the Affairs of Sicily
Ministri Segretari di Stato per gli Affari di Sicilia
(residing in Naples)
1849 - 185. Giovanni cavaliere Cassisi
185. - 1860 Paolo cavaliere Cumbo
Royal Lieutenants
Luogotenentes del Re
1840 - 1848 LtGen. Luigi Nicola De Majo, duca
de Santo Pietro, after the revolution
only in control of the fortress of
Messina.
1848 - 1854 Gen. Carlo Filangieri, principe
de Satriano, duca de Taormina (1849)
until mar 1849 only in control of
the fortress of Messina 1784 — 1867
1854 - 1860 Paolo Ruffo, principe de Castelcicala
Extraordinary Commissioner
Commissario Straordinario
(entrusted with the quelling of the revolt of 1860 - see below)
1860 Gen. Ferdinando Lanza 1788 -
SARDINIAN AND ITALIAN SICILY 1860 - 1945
Events of 1860 - 1862
1860
Apr 03 : Start of the pro-Sardinian revolt
May 11 : Landing of the "Red Shirt" volunteer army headed by Giuseppe Garibaldi
May 14 : Garibaldi assumed the Dictatorship in the name of the Sardinian King.
Dec 12 : After a plebiscite, Sicily was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia while
keeping a large degree of internal autonomy.
1861
Mar 12 : Occupation of the fortress of Messina, the last Neapolitan stronghold on
the island.
1862
Feb 01 : The autonomy was abolished and Sicily was fully integrated into the new
Kingdom of Italy
__________________________________________________________________________________
REVOLUTIONARY ADMINISTRATORS
Dictator
Dittatore
1860 Gen. Giuseppe Garibaldi 1807 - 1882
Pro-Dictators
Pro-Dittatori
(During the campaigns of Garibaldi in Sicily and Southern Italy)
1860 Gen. Giuseppe Sirtori 1813 - 1874
1860 Agostino Depretis 1813 - 1887
1860 Col. Antonio Mordini 1819 - 1902
MINISTERSPrime MinistersHead of the Provisional GovernmentCapo del Governo Provvisorio
1860 Francesco Crispi 1819 - 1901
Presidents of the Council of MinistersPresidenti del Consiglio di Ministri
1860 Francesco Crispi (de facto) s.a.
1860 Giuseppe barone Natoli 1805 - 1857
1860 Michele Amari s.a.
1860 Agostino Depretis s.a.
1860 Francesco Crispi (2x)
1860 Col. Antonio Mordini s.a.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Ministri degli Affari esteri
1860 Casimiro barone Pisani 1803 - 1881
1860 Giuseppe barone Natoli s.a.
1860 Michele Amari s.a.
1860 Gaetano La Logia
1860 Michele Amari (2x)
1860 ...
Ministers of DefenceMinister of War and of the NavyMinistro della Guerra e della Marina
1860 Col. Vincenzo Giordano Orsini 1817 - 1889
Ministry divided
Ministers of WarMinistri della Guerra
1860 Gen. Giuseppe Sirtori s.a.
1860 LtGen. Giuseppe Paternò, marchese
di Spedaletto 1784 - 1874
1860 Gen. Nicola Patrizi
Ministers of the NavyMinistri della Marina
1860 Giuseppe cavaliere Piola 1826 - 1904
1860 Giovanni Battista Fauché 1815 - 1884
Ministers of the Interior
Ministri dell'Interno
1860 Francesco Crispi s.a.
1860 Gaetano Daiti
1860 ...
1860 Vincenzo Interdonato
1860 Francesco Crispi (2x)
1860 Enrico Parisi 1817 - 1891
Ministers of Justice
Ministri della Giustizia
1860 ...
1860 Andrea Guarnieri
1860 Vincenzo Errante 1813 - 1891
1860 Pietro Scrofani 1798 - 1891
Ministers of Finances
Ministri delle Finanze
1860 Francesco Crispi s.a.
1860 Domenico Peranni 1803 - 1875
1860 Francesco de Giovanni
1860 Domenico Peranni (2x)
__________________________________________________________________________________
SARDINIAN AND ITALIAN OFFICIALS IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE ISLAND
ROYAL REPRESENTATIVESRoyal Lieutenants General
Luogotenente Generale del Re
1860 - 1861 Giuseppe Massimo Cordero, marchese
di Montezemolo 1807 - 1879
1861 Gen. Alessandro marchese Della Rovere 1815 - 1864
1861 - 1862 Gen. Ignazio conte de Genova di Pettinengo 1813 - 1896
After the abolition of Sicilian autonomy the provincial prefects became directly
subordinated to the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, on several occasions the
Italian government appointed officials who were temporarily once again in charge of
the whole island.
ITALIAN COMMANDERS, EXTRAORDINARY COMMISSIONERS,ETC IN SICILY 1862 - 1945
Martial law was imposed a first time in 1862 in order to prevent Giuseppe Garibaldi
(s.a.) from assembling a new army of volunteers for the capture of the Papal States
and in order to suppress actions of the opponents to the annexation to Italy.
Commanders of the Forces in Sicily
Commandanti delle Truppe in Sicilia
1862 MajGen. Efisio Cugia di Sant'Orsola
also acting Prefect of Palermo 1818 - 1872
1862 Gen. Enrico Cialdini, also
Prefect of Palermo 1811 - 1892
Extraordinary Commissioner
Commissario Straordinario
1862 - 1863 Alessandro nobile Buglioni Di Monale,
also acting Prefect of Palermo
In 1863 martial law was once again imposed on the whole island to terminate major
disturbances resulting from the introduction of military conscription.
Commander of the Forces in Sicily
Commandante delle Truppe in Sicilia
1863 Gen. Giuseppe Govone 1825 - 1872
In 1866 a military extraordinary commissioner was sent to the island to terminate
the provisional administration set up in Palermo and some surrounding villages by
opponents to the annexation to Italy. (4)
(4) Presidents of the Provisional Committee (sep 16 - sep 22 1866)
Presidenti del Comitato provvisorio
1866 -..., principe di Linguaglossa
-Francesco Bonafede
Commander of the Forces and Extraordinary Commissioner for Sicily
Commandante delle Truppe e Commissario Straordinrio per la Sicilia
1866 Gen. conte Raffaele Cadorna 1815 - 1897
Martial law was once more imposed in Sicily in 1894 in order to suppress the Fasci
Siciliani dei Lavoratori, leftist and separatist groups whose activities worried
both the Italian government and the Mafia. (5)
(5) The first Fasci were founded in 1892. Originally acting separately
they were united into a federation in 1893.
Central Committee of the Fasci dei Lavoratori
Comitato Centrale dei Fasci dei Lavoratori
1893 - 1894 -Nicola Barbato
-Rosario Garibaldi Bosco
-Giuseppe De Felice 1859 - 1920
-A. Di Montemaggiore
-Luca Leone
-G. Montalto
-Nicolò Petrina
-Lo Piano Pomar
-Bernardino Verro
Barbato, Bosco and Verro were the actual leadersExtraordinary Commissioner for Sicily
Commissario Straordinario per la Sicilia
1894 Roberto Morra Di Lavriano e Della Montà,
Prefect of Palermo, entrusted with all
civilian and military powers 1830 - 1917
As unrest continued a Civil Commissioner was appointed to suppress the last remnants
of the Fasci and to introduce some reforms. For the first time the idea of again
granting Sicily autonomy was examined.
Civil Commmissioner for Sicily
Commissario Civile per la Sicilia
1896 - 1897 Giovanni conte Codronchi-Argeli 1841 - 1907
In 1925 the Prefect of the Province of Palermo was granted extraordinary police
powers over the whole island to terminate the Mafia.
(See here for more on this subject)
Prefect entrusted with the liquidation of the Mafia
1925 - 1929 Cesare Mori 1883 - 1942
In 1943, after the allied occupation of Sicily all separatist movements united
into the Movimento per l'Independenza della Sicilia (Movement for the independence
of Sicily - M.I.S.). Supported by the Mafia and by the U.S. military this movement
rapidly gained in importance. (6).
After the allies had returned the island to the "Kingdom of the South" the Italian
government appointed a High Commissioner to quell the revolt and to prepare Sicily
for autonomy.
(6) The allied occupation had been preceded by a brief German one.
Commander of the German Troops in Sicily
Commander of the XIV Panzer Corps(Befehlshaber des XIV Panzer Korps)
1943 LtGen. Hans Valentin Hube 1890 - 1944
Commander of the Allied Forces in Sicily
Commander of the 15th Army Group
1943 Gen. Sir Harold Rupert Leofric
Alexander 1891 – 1969
President of the M.I.S.
1943 - 1945 Andrea Finocchiaro Aprile 1878 - 1964
Commanders of the Esercito Volontario per l'Indipendenza della Sicilia
(Voluntary Army for the Independence of Sicilia - EVIS)
1944 - 1945 Antonio Canepa "Mario Turri", killed
in action 1... - 1945
1945 Concetto Gallo "Secondo Turri" 1913 -
High Commissioners for Sicily
Alti Commissari per la Sicilia
1943 - 1944 Francesco Muscotto 1881 - 1961
1944 - 1946 Salvatore Aldisio da Gela 1890 - 1964
__________________________________________________________________________________
PROVINCIAL PREFECTS
(since the abolition of autonomy in 1862)
Sicily was divided into 7 - later 9 - provinces :
- Agrigento (Girgenti until 1927), original province, also included the
Pelagie islands.
- Caltanissetta, original province.
- Catania, original province.
- Enna (established in 1927 as Castrogiovanni from parts of the provinces
Caltanissetta and Catania, renamed Enna the same year)
- Messina, original province, also included the Lipari Islands.
- Palermo, original province, also included the island of Ustica
- Ragusa (established in 1927 from parts of the province of Siracusa)
- Siracusa, original province named Noto until 1865)
- Trapani, original province, also included the island of Pantelleria and
the Egadi islands. (1)
(1) All the minor islands were annexed to Italy at the same time as Sicily.
Many of them were uninhabited, others were only inhabited by fishermen.
Most of them served, at one time or another, as penal settlement or as
place of exile for political opponents.
The island of Pantelleria was a major Italian military base after 1936
Prefects of Agrigento
Prefetti di Agrigento
1862 Giacinto Scelsi 1825 - 1902
1862 - 1863 Enrico nobile Falconcini 1824 - 1901
1863 - 1865 Carlo Bosi 1813 - 1886
1865 - 1866 Albino Albenga 1810 -
1866 - 1870 Achille Basile 1832 - 1893
1870 - 1871 Federico Alvicini 1823 -
1871 - 1872 Angelo Cordera 1816 -
1872 - 1873 Bernardo Carlo Ferrari* 1837 -
1873 - 1874 Luigi Berti 1828 - 1890
1874 - 1876 Giuseppe Rossi 1825 - 1877
1876 - 1877 Augusto Mattei 1824 -
1877 - 1878 Bernardo Buscaglioni 1827 -
1878 - 1880 Alfonso Gentili 1829 - 1906
1880 - 1881 Giorgio Tamajo 1817 - 1897
1881 - 1885 Giuseppe Sensales 1831 - 1902
1885 - 1886 Giuseppe Marsiaj 1830 - 1889
1886 - 1887 Francesco Paternostro 1840 - 1913
1887 - 1888 Federico Pasculli 1830 -
1888 Virginio Rambelli* 1830 - 1900
1888 - 1891 David Carlotti 1823 - 1909
1891 Pietro Celli 1837 -
1891 Michele Morelli 1831 - 1898
1891 - 1892 Carlo Bacco 1841 -
1892 - 1893 Sebastiano Piras Lecca 1837 -
1893 - 1894 Carlo Bertagnolli 1843 - 1896
1894 - 1895 Angelo Annaratone 1844 - 1922
1895 - 1896 Gaetano D'Amico* 1837 -
1896 Giovanni Bisio 1836 -
1896 - 1897 Giuseppe Ulisse Maccaferri 1837 -
1897 - 1898 Michele Lucchesi 1839 - 1943
1898 - 1899 Filippo Bolis 1837 - 1907
1899 - 1901 Carlo Cataldi 1844 - 1934
1901 - 1903 Filippo Muscianisi 1851 - 1914
1903 - 1904 Giuseppe Lucio 1852 - 1916
1904 - 1907 Giuseppe Sorce 1857 - 1937
1907 - 1910 Mario Rebucci 1850 - 1928
1910 - 1914 Giuseppe Gallenga 1856 - 1939
1914 - 1918 Francesco Gay 1855 -
1918 - 1919 Lorenzo Valle 1863 - 1930
1919 - 1920 Ferdinando Nannetti 1858 - 1937
1920 - 1921 Alfredo Ferrara 1864 - 1939
1921 - 1922 Giovanni Garzaroli 1870 - 1931
1922 Samuele Pugliese 1872 - 1939
1922 Ernesto nobile Vergara* 1865 -
1922 - 1923 Raffaele Rocco 1864 -
1923 - 1924 Ernesto Reale 1875 - 1947
1924 - 1925 Giovanni Antonio Merizzi 1861 -
1925 - 1926 Giovanni Battista Rivelli 1870 - 1967
1926 Giacomo Salvetti 1877 - 1953
1926 - 1927 Giovanni Maggiotto 1857 - 1938
1927 - 1929 Sebastiano Sacchetti 1880 - 1952
1929 - 1932 Federico Miglio
1932 - 1935 Luigi Passerini
1935 - 1936 Michele Mugoni 1870 - 1957
1936 - 1939 Francesco Sofia 1878 - 1944
1939 - 1940 Carmelo Castrogiovanni 1880 - 1958
1940 - 1941 Alfredo Corpaci 1885 - 1955
1941 - 1943 Stanislao Caboni 1888 - 1971
1943 - 1944 Antonino Pancamo 1866 - 1952
1944 - 1946 Francesco Mocci 1891 - 1961
Prefects of Caltanissetta
Prefetti di Caltanissetta
1861 - 1862 Domenico Marco 1816 - 1889
1862 - 1867 Giovanni Battista Gerbino 1817 -
1867 - 1868 Achille Serpieri 1828 - 1887
1868 Andrea nobile Calenda Di Taviani 1831 - 1904
1868 Giacomo Ferrari* 1816 -
1868 - 1873 Giovanni Battista Polidori 1820 -
1873 Pietro Boggio 1822 -
1873 - 1875 Guido Fortuzzi 1823 - 1878
1875 - 1876 Gaetano Antinori 1829 -
1876 - 1878 Gaetano Brussi 1827 - 1922
1878 Achille Serpieri 1828 - 1887
1878 - 1881 Quintino Movizzo 1818 - 1904
1881 - 1882 Pietro Franco 1828 -
1822 - 1883 Alessandro Magno 1827 -
1884 - 1887 Luigi Maccaferri 1829 -
1887 - 1889 Ferdinando Perrino 1837 - 1902
1889 - 1891 Antonio La Mola 1837 - 1916
1891 Luigi Ovidi 1841 -
1891 - 1892 Domenico Monterumici 1834 - 1894
1892 - 1893 Guglielmo Nencioli* 1838 -
1893 - 1894 Domenico De Rosa 1840 - 1911
1894 - 1896 Gennaro Minervini 1847 - 1916
1896 - 1897 Angelo Cantone 1838 - 1922
1897 - 1899 Ernesto Bessone 1847 -
1899 - 1900 Pietro Bonni 1834 - 1904
1900 Giuseppe Lucio 1852 - 1916
1900 Carlo Beltrame* 1850 - 1915
1900 - 1901 Claudio Musi 1846 - 1920
1901 - 1904 Pietro Bonni (2x)
1904 - 1906 Marcello Lavezzeri 1831 -
1906 - 1907 Cesare marchese Saibante 1855 - 1930
1907 - 1910 Caio Dalmazzi 1859 - 1943
1910 - 1914 Giuseppe Palumbo Cardella 1856 -
1914 - 1915 Saverio Bonomo 1857 - 1935
1915 - 1916 Giulio Rossi 1864 - 1921
1916 - 1918 Felice Cassone 1860 -
1918 Mariano Franchetti 1866 - 1954
1918 - 1919 Pietro Carpani 1878 - 1933
1919 - 1920 Giuseppe Guadagnini 1876 - 1966
1920 - 1921 Alfredo Goffredo 1870 - 1960
1921 - 1923 Antonio Boragno
1923 - 1924 Dante Almansi 1877 - 1949
1924 Giuseppe Poidomani 1872 - 1971
1924 Renato Caveri 1867 - 1948
1924 - 1925 Enrico D'Aeienzo 1870 - 1955
1925 Michele De Tura 1870 - 1867
1925 - 1926 Ernesto Emina 1868 - 1951
1926 Romualdo Pintor Mamaeli 1874 - 1965
1926 - 1927 Giuseppe Palumbo 1876 - 1950
1927 - 1928 Gino Brogi 1874 - 1930
1928 Francesco D'Aliena 1873 - 1938
1929 - 1931 Simone Cacciola 1881 - 1958
1931 - 1932 Giuseppe De Salvo 1879 - 1950
1932 - 1934 Massimiliano D'Andrea 1888 - 1966
1934 - 1935 Giorgio nobile Boltraffio 1883 - 1944
1925 - 1936 Gian Giacomo Bellazzi 1885 - 1965
1936 - 1937 Raffaele Gagliardi 1881 - 1937
1937 - 1939 Giuseppe Ristagno 1889 - 1947
1939 - 1941 Ignazio Benicasa 1881 - 1945
1941 - 1943 Renato Pascucci 1887 -
1943 - 1944 Arcangelo Cammarata 1901 -
1944 Salvatore Aldisio s.a.
1944 Riccardo Vadalà 1888 - 1956
1944 - 1946 Angelo Donadu 1888 -
Prefects of Catania
Prefetti di Catania
1861 - 1863 Giacinto Tholosano, barone di
Valgrisanche
1863 - 1866 Alessandro Bossini
1866 - 1867 Eugenio Fasciotti
1867 Antonio Mariotti*
1867 - 1868 Bartolomeo Casalis
1868 Cesare Bardesono
1868 Andrea nobile Calenda Di Taviani s.a.
1868 - 1869 Nicolo Cusa 1821 - 1893
1869 Emilio Cler*
1869 - 1873 Benedetto marchese Reggio 1819 - 1904
1873 - 1875 Raffaele Lanza 1813 -
1875 - 1877 Ottavio conte Lovera Di Maria 1833 - 1900
1877 - 1880 Achille Basile
1880 - 1881 Giovanni Minghelli Vaini
1881 - 1885 Giuseppe Colucci 1827 -
1885 - 1887 Gustavo Millo, conte de Casalgiate 1832 - 1915
1887 - 1890 Vincenzo Colmayer 1843 - 1908
1890 - 1892 Giannetto Cavasola 1840 - 1922
1892 - 1893 Emilio Caracciolo Di Sarno 1835 - 1914
1893 - 1894 Pietro Bondi 1834 - 1904
1894 Francesco Brescia Morra 1832 - 1910
1894 - 1896 Evandro Caravaggio 1836 - 1913
1896 - 1897 Antonio Dall'Oglio 1838 - 1914
1897 - 1898 Guglielmo conte Capitelli 1840 - 1907
1898 - 1905 Emilio Bedendo 1849 - 1913
1905 - 1906 Adriano Trinchieri 1850 - 1936
1906 - 1908 Cesare nobile Poggi 1859 - 1938
1908 - 1909 Pietro Ferri 1849 - 1924
1909 - 1915 Gennaro Minervini 1847 - 1916
1915 - 1916 Riccardo Lualdi 1860 -
1916 - 1921 Saverio Bonomo 1857 - 1935
1921 - 1923 Enrico Flores 1864 - 1935
1923 - 1924 Vincenzo nobile Pericoli 1862 - 1931
1924 - 1925 Enrico Palmieri 1876 - 1930
1925 - 1927 Secondo Dezza 1869 - 1951
1927 - 1930 Giovanni Battista Fronteri 1877 - 1951
1930 - 1931 Nicola Spadavecchia 1878 - 1856
1931 - 1934 Francesco Benigni 1880 - 1941
1934 - 1937 Guido nobile Beer 1885 - 1938
1937 - 1940 Antonio Cesare conte Vittorelli 1886 - 1967
1940 - 1941 Rommaso Ciampani 1885 - 1967
1941 - 1943 Emanuele Zanneli 1886 - 1970
1943 Emilio Grazioli 1899 - 1969
1943 Salvatore Azzaro 1886 - 1980
1943 - 1944 Antonino Fazio 1871 - 1944
1944 Florindo Giammichele 1887 - 1977
1944 - 1946 Giovanni Vitelli 1890 - 1966
Prefects of Enna
Prefetti di Enna
1927 - 1930 Giuseppe Rogges 1874 -
1930 - 1932 Gaetano Cancelliere 1882 - 1956
1932 - 1934 Gaetano Adolfo Contegiacomo 1879 - 1956
1934 - 1937 Ascanio Marca 1883 - 1937
1937 - 1938 Alfonso conte Gaetani 1903 -
1938 - 1940 Giovanni Dolfin 1902 - 1968
1940 - 1942 Guido Sandonnino 1889 - 1982
1942 - 1943 Emanuele De Rosa 1882 - 1955
1943 Antonio Dessena 1895 - 1979
1943 - 1946 Ferruccio Bruno 1887 - 1946
Prefects of Messina
Prefetti di Messina
1861 - 1862 Antonio Mathieu
1862 - 1865 Vittorio Zoppi
1865 Lorenzo Valerio 1... - 1865
1865 Celestino Reggio*
1865 Guido Fortuzzi*
1865 - 1866 Carlo Faraldo
1866 - 1867 Nicolo Cusa s.a.
1867 - 1868 Giuseppe Terelli
1868 - 1872 Giulio Alessandro barone De Rolland 1820 - 1901
1872 - 1873 Giacinto Scelsi 1825 - 1902
1873 Francesco Zironi* 1831 - 1908
1873 - 1875 Giuseppe Borghetti 1815 - 1887
1875 - 1876 Giuseppe Colucci 1827 -
1876 Giovanni De Lorenzo 1824 - 1876
1876 - 1878 Domenico Tonarelli 1820 - 1886
1878 - 1879 Nicola Petra, duca di Vastogirardi,
marchese di Caccavone 1835 - 1883
1879 - 1880 Nicola De Luca 1811 - 1885
1880 - 1884 Andrea nobile Calenda Di Taviani s.a.
1884 Stefano De Maria Di Casalnuovo 1832 - 1884
1884 - 1885 Francesco Barnaba Fasce 1831 -
1885 Giuseppe Sensales s.a.
1885 - 1887 Francesco Brescia Morra 1832 - 1910
1887 Achille Serpieri 1828 - 1887
1887 - 1893 Guglielmo conte Capitelli 1840 - 1907
1893 Leopoldo Pacini 1831 - 1893
1893 - 1894 Vincenzo Arata 1832 -
1894 Pietro Bondi s.a.
1894 - 1896 Saladino Saladini, conte di Rovetino 1846 - 1923
1896 - 1897 Camillo Eugenio Garroni 1852 - 1935
1897 Giovanni conte Buraggi* 1850 - 1934
1897 Francesco Emilio Serrao 1840 - 1910
1897 - 1899 Domenico De Rosa 1840 - 1911
1899 - 1900 Giovanni marchese Cassis 1853 - 1938
1900 - 1905 Francesco Emilio Serrao (2x)
1905 - 1907 Guglielmo conte Capitelli (2x)
1907 - 1909 Adriano Trinchieri 1850 - 1936
1909 - 1918 Angelo Buganza 1853 - 1926
1918 - 1919 Giuseppe Masi
1919 - 1920 Gaetano Gargiulo 1853 -
1920 - 1921 Decio Samuele Cantore
1921 Alfredo Ferrara 1864 - 1929
1921 Enrico Palmieri 1876 - 1930
1921 - 1924 Pietro Frigerio 1861 - 1927
1924 - 1926 Ettore Porro 1874 - 1947
1926 - 1927 Bonaventura Graziani 1867 - 1951
1927 - 1928 Ernesto Vitetti 1867 - 1948
1928 - 1930 Agostino Guerresi 1880 - 1961
1930 - 1933 Ruggero Lops 1870 - 1957
1933 - 1935 Michele Adinolfi 1876 - 1959
1935 - 1937 Luigi Miranda 1888 - 1965
1937 - 1940 Tommaso Ciampani 1885 - 1967
1904 - 1943 Angelo D'Eufemia 1888 - 1972
1943 Raffaello Radogna 1894 -1949
1943 Federico Solimena 1893 -
1943 Cipriano Cipriani 1888 - 1953
1943 - 1944 Antonino Stancanelli 1902 -
1944 - 1946 Luigi Stella 1893 - 1983
Prefects of Palermo
Prefetti di Palermo
1862 Luigi Torelli
1862 Giorgio Guido marchese
Pallavicino-Trivulzio 1796 - 1878
1862 Giuseppe De Ferrari*
1862 MajGen. Efisio Cugia* s.a.
1862 Gen. Enrico Cialdini s.a.
1862 - 1863 Alessandro nobile Buglioni Di Monale* s.a.
1863 - 1865 Augusto Nomis
1865 - 1866 Filippo Gualtiero, marchese di Conssilla
1866 Luigi Torelli (2x)
1866 - 1867 Antonio Starrabba, marchese di Rudini 1839 - 1908
1867 - 1868 Enrico nobile Guicciardi
1868 - 1873 LtGen. Giacomo Medici* 1817 - 1882
1873 - 1874 Giovacchino conte Rasponi 1829 - 1877
1874 - 1875 Agostino Soragni* 1829 - 1898
1875 - 1876 Luigi Gerra 1829 - 1882
1876 Luigi Zini 1821 - 1894
1876 - 1878 Antonio Malusardi 1818 - 1891
1878 - 1879 Clemente Corte 1826 - 1895
1879 - 1887 Cesare Bardesono, conte di Rigras 1833 - 1892
1887 - 1890 Andrea nobile Calenda Di Taviani s.a.
1890 - 1891 Antonio Winspeare 1840 - 1913
1891 - 1892 Giuseppe Colucci 1827 -
1892 - 1894 Vincenzo Colmayer 1843 - 1908
1894 Roberto Morra Di Lavriano e Della Montà s.a.
1894 - 1895 Giannetto Cavasola 1840 - 1922
1895 - 1896 Francesco marchese (1895) De Seta 1843 - 1911
1896 Domenico De Simone* 1835 - 1902
1896 Pietro Ferri 1849 - 1924
1896 - 1897 Tito Donati 1838 - 1910
1897 - 1898 Giuseppe Sensales s.a.
1898 Carlo, Conte Municchi 1831 - 1911
1898 - 1909 Francesco marchese De Seta (2x)
1909 - 1913 Casimiro conte Rovasenda 1850 - 1940
1913 - 1914 Carlo Cataldi 1844 - 1934
1914 - 1915 Carmine Adami Rossi 1851 -
1915 - 1919 Vincenzo nobile Pericoli 1862 - 1931
1919 - 1920 Gaetano Crivellari 1866 - 1920
1920 Angelo Pesce 1864 - 1925
1920 - 1923 Vittorio Menziger 1861 - 1925
1923 - 1924 Giovanni Gasti 1869 - 1939
1924 Benedeto Scelsi 1873 - 1944
1924 - 1925 Paolo nobile D'Ancora 1870 - 1944
1925 Angelo Barbieri 1876 - 1956
1925 - 1929 Cesare Mori s.a.
1929 - 1933 Umberto Albini 1895 - 1973
1933 - 1936 Giovanni Battista Marziali 1895 - 1948
1936 - 1938 Francesco Benigni 1880 - 1941
1938 - 1941 Enrico Cavalieri 1883 - 1949
1941 - 1943 Adalberto Mariano 1898 - 1972
1943 Alberto Varano 1893 - 1944
1943 Francesco Foschini* 1877 - 1953
1943 - 1944 Francesco Muscotto s.a.
1944 Pietro Pampillonia* 1882 - 1966
1944 Paolo D'Antoni 1895 -
1944 - 1946 Francesco Battiati 1889 - 1959
Prefects of Ragusa
Prefetti di Ragusa
1927 - 1928 Gaetano De Blasio 1876 - 1958
1928 - 1930 Francesco Rosso 1880 - 1948
1930 - 1934 Ascanio Marca 1883 - 1937
1934 - 1937 Roberto Rizzi 1876 - 1942
1937 - 1939 Nicola Trifuoggi
1939 - 1942 Francesco Sestini
1942 - 1943 Giovanni Battista Zanframundo 1891 - 1969
1943 Lodovico Moroni 1903 - 1967
1943 Edoardo Rotigliano* 1892 - 1969
1943 - 1944 Giovanni Cartia 1894 - 1959
1944 Cipriano Cipriani* s.a.
1944 - 1946 Simone Naitana 1896 - 1959
Prefects of Siracusa
Prefetti di Siracusa
1861 - 1862 Giuseppe De Ferrari 1813 - 1878
1862 - 1863 Raffaele Cassitto 1803 - 1873
1863 - 1865 Pietro nobile Peverelli 1811 -
1865 Carlo Faraldo 1818 - 1897
1865 - 1866 Giovanni Colonna Romano Filangieri,
duca di Cesaro 1810 - 1869
1866 - 1867 Tito De Amicis* 1836 - 1890
1867 Francisco Homodei 1820 - 1886
1867 Emilio Veglio di Castelletto 1829 - 1882
1867 - 1870 Raffaele Solinas 1818 -
1870 - 1871 Achille Basile s.a
1871 Giuseppe Camerata Sconvazzo* 1830 -
1871 - 1873 Pietro Turati 1814 -
1873 Giuseppe Albanese* 1823 -
1873 - 1876 Tiberio Berardi 1815 - 1890
1876 Giuseppe Novaro 1824 -
1876 - 1877 Vincenzo Giusti 1823 - 1885
1877 Rinaldo Albini 1831 -1877
1877 Luigi Maccaferri 1829 -
1877 - 1879 Gaudenzio Gallois 1817 - 1879
1879 Giacinto Serpini* 1811 -
1879 - 1881 Edoardo conte Bermondi 1830 - 1906
1881 Gaetano Del Serro 1826 -
1881 Augusto Mattei 1824 -
1881 - 1882 Giovanni Antonio Intrigila* 1824 -
1882 - 1884 Giovanni Danieli Vasta 1833 - 1909
1884 - 1885 Carlo Astengo 1837 - 1917
1885 - 1887 Gaetano Pacces 1830 - 1909
1887 - 1888 Giorgio Tamajo 1817 - 1897
1889 - 1891 Antonio Pennino 1844 - 1906
1891 Carlo Bacco s.a.
1891 - 1892 Michele Morelli 1831 - 1898
1892 - 1893 Francesco Frate 1830 - 1898
1893 - 1896 Giovanni Bisio s.a.
1896 Francesco Tomasini 1832 - 1903
1896 - 1897 Domenico De Rosa 1840 - 1911
1897 - 1898 Demostene Puccioni 1840 -
1898 - 1900 Ulise Toni 1838 - 1912
1900 - 1901 Carlo Chiaro 1852 - 1926
1901 Bartolomeo Filippo Pino* 1854 - 1932
1901 - 1904 Raffaele Orso 1856 -
1904 - 1905 Pietro Veyrat 1842 - 1907
1905 - 1906 Filippo Muscianisi 1851 - 1914
1906 - 1910 Augusto Borselli 1848 - 1922
1910 - 1912 Luigi Banacini 1861 - 1920
1912 - 1915 Gaetano Gargiulo 1853 -
1915 - 1916 Eugenio Reggiani 1857 - 1947
1916 - 1918 Filoteo Lozzi 1861 -
1918 - 1919 Federico Masino 1862 -
1919 - 1920 Bartolomeo nobile Andreoli 1863 - 1956
1920 Idelfonso Lazazzera 1860 - 1920
1920 - 1921 Enrico Santagelo 1869 - 1922
1921 - 1922 Eugenio Di Carlo 1868 - 1944
1922 - 1924 Paolo Camillo Occelli 1876 - 1924
1924 Secondo Dezzi
1924 - 1927 Giuseppe Poidomani 1873 - 1971
1927 - 1928 Francesco Rosso 1880 - 1948
1928 - 1932 Edoardo Salerno 1891 - 1978
1932 - 1934 Marcello Vaccari
1934 - 1937 Francesco Falcetti 1878 - 1969
1937 - 1942 Giuseppe Masa 1884 - 1957
1942 - 1943 Salvatore Cossi 1889 - 1957
1943 - 1944 Luigi Stella 1893 - 1983
1944 Mario Grassi* 1899 -
1944 - 1946 Giuseppe Cocuzza 1885 - 1974
Prefects of Trapani
Prefetti di Trapani
1861 - 1862 Paffaele Lanza 1813 -
1862 Angelo Calvino* 1825 - 1907
1862 - 1865 Tommasso Sorisio 1814 - 1887
1865 Spirito Racca
1865 - 1866 Nicolo Cusa s.a.
1866 - 1868 Gabriel Dara 1826 - 1885
1868 - 1870 Vincenzo Giusti 1823 - 1885
1870 Nicola Petra, duca di Vastogirardi,
marchese di Caccavone s.a.
1870 - 1873 Gaetano Antinori* 1829 -
1876 - 1875 Raimundo Giuseppe Cotta 1827 - 1876
1875 - 1876 Felice barone Reichlin* 1837 - 1911
1876 Vincenzo conte Salvoni 1821 - 1896
1876 - 1877 Domenico Bardari 1836 - 1883
1877 - 1878 Gaetano Pacces 1830 - 1909
1878 Vincenzo Camporota* 1824 -
1878 - 1880 Giovanni Daniele Vasta 1833 - 1909
1880 - 1881 Eugenio Argenti 1830 -
1881 - 1883 Gaetano Del Serro 1826 -
1883 - 1886 Cesare Paroletti 1829 -
1886 - 1888 Girolamo Civilotti 1825 - 1893
1888 - 1891 Leopoldo Pacini 1831 - 1893
1891 - 1892 Felice Segre 1836 - 1913
1892 - 1893 Costantino Fanelli 1835 -
1893 - 1894 Francesco Palomba 1832 -
1894 Fernandino Perrino 1837 - 1902
1894 - 1895 Giuseppe Guata 1830 - 1903
1895 - 1896 Domenico De Rosa 1840 - 1911
1896 - 1897 Lorenzo Fabris 1845 - 1923
1897 - 1899 Giovanni Ferrando 1838 - 1906
1899 - 1904 Carlo Panizzardi
1904 - 1905 Enrico Gaieri 1856 - 1923
1905 - 1907 Edoardo Verdinois 1862 - 1951
1907 - 1909 Edoardo Anceschi 1851 - 1914
1909 - 1910 Gaetano Gargiulo 1853 -
1910 - 1911 Cesare, Marchese Saibante 1855 - 1930
1911 - 1914 Giovanni Battista Saladino 1859 -
1914 - 1918 Giulio Moscarella 1865 - 1933
1918 - 1919 Iginio Coffari 1874 - 1960
1919 - 1920 Bartolomeo nobile Andreoli 1863 - 1956
1920 Vittorio Bardescono, conte di Rigras 1866 - 1921
1920 Lorenzo Valle 1865 - 1930
1920 - 1921 Efisio Baccaredda 1875 - 1966
1921 - 1923 Giuseppe Ferrari, barone di Caporciano 1885 - 1925
1923 - 1924 Giovanni Antonio Merizzi 1861 -
1924 - 1925 Cesare Mori 1883 - 1942
1925 - 1926 Francesco Venuta
1926 - 1927 Giuseppe Sallicano 1874 -
1927 - 1928 Edoardo Salerno 1891 - 1978
1928 - 1929 Ettore Zanconato 1875 - 1959
1929 - 1930 Pasquale Randone 1874 - 1956
1930 Silvio Piva 1874 - 1945
1930 - 1932 Enzo Ferrari 1880 - 1961
1932 - 1933 Giuseppe Mastromattei 1897 -
1933 - 1935 Pietro Bruno 1893 - 1966
1935 - 1939 Sergio Dompieri 1884 - 1970
1939 - 1943 Pietro Giacone 1884 - 1949
1943 Giuseppe Russi 1896 - 1975
1943 - 1944 Paolo D'Antoni 1895 -
1944 Antonino Longo* 1890 - 1954
1944 - 1946 Edgardo Gulotta 1884 - 1946
This information has been added in view of the important role of this organization
in Sicilian political history. For the sake of completeness the Cosa Nostra - the
U.S. branch of the Mafia - which also briefly had part in the history of the island,
has also been added.
It's also the occasion to present the structure of one of those obscure and often
illegal organizations which existed - and most probably still exist - in different
countries and which were (are) often at least as powerfull as the formal political
and economical authorities of the country involved.
Although the Mafia - or the Onorata Società as it was more formally known - had
roots going back to the Middle Ages, it was only after the annexation of Sicily to
Italy that it evolved towards the organization as presently known.
While during the 20ties and early 30ties of the 20th century the power of the Cosa
Nostra was at its highest, the same period saw the decline and nearly disappearance
of the Italian Mafia as Cesare Mori, entrusted in 1925, by the Italian government,
with the liquidation of the organization, jailed many of its members and reduced its
activities to some mountain regions.
However, following the fall of the P.N.F. regime in Sicily in 1943 and in a bizarre
alliance with some U.S. secret services - made in co-operation with the Cosa Nostra
- and Sicilian separatists its power was fully restored.
__________________________________________________________________________________
HEADS OF THE SICILIAN MAFIA
Bosses of all Bosses
Capi de tutti Capi
1... - 1943 Vito Cascio Ferro, arrested in 1929 (1) 1862 - 1945
1943 - 1954 Calogero "Calo" Vizzini, de facto
head since the jailing of Cascio Ferro 1877 - 1954
(1) "Don Vito" apparently was the first Capo de tutti Capi. He organized
the first "families" - regional units of the Mafia composed of men
tied together by loyalty to their boss - both in Sicilia and the U.S.
He also established the supremacy of the Sicilian organization over
the U.S. organization.
__________________________________________________________________________________
HEADS OF THE COSA NOSTRA
Boss of all Bosses(2)
Capo de tutti Capi
1931 Salvatore Maranzano "Little Caesar",
assassinated 1868 - 1931
Chairmen of the Commission(3)
1931 - 1936 Salvatore Lucania (Charles "Lucky"
Luciano), Capo of the Genovese family 1... - 1962
1936 - 1951 Vincent Mangano, Capo of the Gambino
family 1888 - 195.
Capi of the Five New York Families
The Five New York Families were the most important among the Cosa Nostra families.
Although only formally established by Maranzano in 1931, they existed earlier. They
are generally known by the names of the Capi who were in charge in 1963.
Capi of the Bonanno Family
1929 - 1930 Cola Schiro, resigned
1930 - 1931 Salvatore Maranzano "Little Caesar" s.a.
1931 - 1968 Joseph Bonanno "Joe Bananas" 1905 -
Capo of the Colombo Family
1928 - 1962 Giuseppe "Joe" Profaci "The Old Man" 1... - 1962
Capi of the Gambino Family
1910 - 1928 Salvatore "Toto" D'Aquila, assassinated 1... - 1928
1928 - 1930 Al Mineo, assassinated 1... - 1930
1931 Frank Scalise, resigned 1... - 1946
1931 - 1951 Vincent Mangano, disappeared s.a.
Capi of the Genovese Family
1925 - 1931 Joe "The Boss" Masseria, assassinated 1... - 1931
1931 - 1946 Salvatore Lucania (Charles "Lucky"
Luciano) s.a.
Capi of the Lucchese Family
1922 - 1930 Gaetano Reina, assassinated 1... - 1930
1930 Giuseppe Pinzolo, assassinated 1... - 1930
1930 - 1953 Gaetano Gagliano, resigned
(2) According to some sources Maranzano was not the first Capo de tutti
Capi of all families in the U.S.
His possible three predesecessors were :
18.. - 1910 Joseph Morello, arrested
1910 - 1928 Salvatore "Toto" D'Aquila s.a.
1928 - 1931 Joe "The Boss" Masseria s.a.
(3) No more Capo de tutti Capi was proclaimed after Maranzano, but the
Capo of the leading New York family was now generally considered as
the Boss of all Bosses.
The Commission (Commissione) - a collective leadership incorporating
representatives of the "Five Families" of New York and of some other
cities - was formally a "national government" covering the whole U.S.
But in fact its real authority only extended over the families of the
eastern regions, the others - most notably that of Chicago, which in
the 20ties and 30ties of the 20th century "ruled" large parts of the
central U.S. - remaining largely independent.
Capi of the Chicago Family
1913 - 1921 Anthony D'Andrea, assassinated 1... - 1921
1921 - 1924 Mike Merlo 1... - 1924
1924 - 1928 Antonio Lombardo "The Scourge",
assassinated 1892 - 1928
1928 - 1931 Alphonse "Al" Capone 1899 - 1947
1931 - 1943 Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti 1886 - 1943
1943 - 1945 Felice DeLucia (Paul "The Waiter" Ricca) 1897 - 1972
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