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| At the beginning of the 19th century
Napoleon threw all Europe into turmoil with the sword. In 1800, the Pope's rule in the
city had been broken. Napoleon deported his clerics to Rome, and drove monks and nuns from
their convents. In 1809 Perugia was subjugated to France and formally annexed to
the French Empire. Napoleon robbed Perugia of 36 masterpieces by Raphael, Perugino, Guido
Reni and others and only twelve were returned to Italy when his fortunes failed. |
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When that day came, the convents were re-opened, and once again the
Pope resumed his sway. The people never settled back into their former state of despair,
and at last, in 1848, they broke out into open rebellion. The Rocca Paolina fell
and was handed over to the military authorities for destruction. On the 13th
of December, the demolition of the hateful monument of papal domination was begun.
Gonfaloniere Conte Benedetto Baglioni, a descendant of the old family of the Baglioni, was
given the honour of striking the first blow to the Rocca. |
| Every able-bodied citizen, man or woman, lent a hand, and the
masses of stone fell crashing to the accompaniment of songs. What human hands failed to
dislodge had to be attacked with mines. |
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