| The greatest weakness
of these bands seems to have not been their small numbers,
but their inability to cooperate with each other or
with potential allies. The incredibly isolated nature
of the villages of Calabria and long-standing vendettas precluded
such cooperation. The sizeable Albanian population
in Calabria further added to disunity. Centered
around Rossano in eastern Calabria, the Albanians remained
either aloof from the insurrection or supported the
French against the brigands. Relatively prosperous
Albanian villages at times took up arms and repelled
guerrilla attacks, and all seem to have refused to
cooperate with the brigands. Reasons for this seem
to have been twofold: the first being the cultural
separation of the Albanians from the remainder of Calabria
and second the lack of any Roman Catholic influence
among the Orthodox Albanians. French officials
praised the Albanians for sheltering troops from guerrillas
and repeatedly praised the tranquility of the Albanian
settlements. An extract from
The Most Monstrous of Wars -
The Napoleonic Guerilla War in Southern Italy, 1806
- 1811.
|
