1798-1800 Nelson in Naples and Palermo:

Nelson and his fleet arrived at Naples and were celebrated as great heroes, and nearly every night festivals and dinners were arranged to honour the men from the Nile. In Naples Nelson met Sir Hamilton, ambassador of his Majesty at the Royal court of Naples and his wife, the attractive Lady Emma Hamilton. At first, Nelson wanted to stay only some days to repair his damaged fleet. He wrote in a dispatch to Earl St.Vincent that he would sail back to Egypt to prevent the escape of Bonaparte and his army. Nelson fell in love with Emma Hamilton, although Nelson's wife waited in England for him. Nelson was able to have a love affair with Emma, because the elderly Sir Hamilton had lost interest in Emma. After Nelson had recognised that Sir Hamilton wouldn't punish him, he changed his mind and stayed in Naples close to Lady Hamilton. In the next time, he went to festivals together with Emma and paid a lot of money for Emma's entertainment. Emma's best friend was the Queen of the court from Naples: Maria Carolina.

The French army soon conquered Naples and other cities in Italy, and so the Royal family had to escape. Nelson's ships supported the escape and brought the Royal family, Sir and Lady Hamilton to Palermo. There Nelson celebrated again with his loved Emma. During the escape a son of the Royal family had died and the Queen became very angry about the French. The Queen asked Emma if she could convince Nelson to re-conquer Naples and the lost part of the kingdom. Emma did so and Nelson, who didn't want to lose her love, ordered to conquer Naples.

Punishment after Victory:
After the conquest of Naples, many people had to die, because they had lived peacefully with the French and hadn't forced the French to leave. The execution of these people was ordered by the King of Naples. The French forces which had surrendered in Naples waited as it provided the agreement of armistice for their transport. Nelson ordered to break this agreement, so the King could punish the French and the people of Naples. Nelson supported the action of the King, because he liked the English and thought that traitors had to be punished with death. Loyalty was one of his principles.

During the doubtful operations, Nelson was two times ordered by Lord Keith to send his ships to Menorca, where they should perhaps fight against a new French fleet. But Nelson kept his ships. While Malta was besieged by English forces and naval units Rear-admiral Nelson met Lord Keith in the waters near Malta to prepare the final step of the siege. After the meeting Nelson and his new flagship, the "Foudroyant" and other ships conquered a French convoy with warships for Malta, where there was a huge demand for food. Nelson wanted to see Emma and sailed back to Naples.

After Nelson return, it was announced that Sir Hamilton would be replaced as ambassador in the next weeks. It was no secret that he wanted to leave Italy together with his Emma, so Nelson had a problem, because he wanted to stay close to Emma. He wrote to the Admiralty that he couldn't continue his job because of an illness. He asked Lord Keith if could get the "Foudroyant" for his journey to England, but Keith refused Nelson's wish, because he needed every ship in the Mediterranean to fight against the French. That's why Nelson, Sir and Lady Hamilton travelled through Austria and Germany to Hamburg, where they took a ship to England. To Nelson's anger no warship waited for him and his friend in Hamburg to bring them to England.