French and pre Napoleonic period
In March 1799, French troops were sent from Livorno to occupy Portoferraio. Its citizens were initially hostile, but the resistance was soon won thanks to the Governor's consent and the Jacobin sympathizers. The last men who remained faithful to the Grand Duke were forced to embark to the continent, while the governor and the Jacobin sympathizers were celebrating the event showing off cockades and tricolor flags. Then was established a patriotic civic party by conscription; on the first of April was erected the Tree of Liberty in Piazza d'Arme (now Piazza della Repubblica).
After the Provisional Government of the Republic succeeded Luigi Lambardi, who was already consul of France in Portoferraio, in charge of organizing the municipalities according to French laws. Both the administration and the Jacobins felt isolated while struggling to set up the National Guard due to the lack of volunteers. With the threat of considering the recalcitrant as rebels, finally were formed four companies expensed by the municipality.
The bad behavior of French troops exasperated so much the citizens that forced the municipality to allow the ordinary court to judge and punish the military. The other few French troops around the island encountered unexpected resistance: after the ambush of Capoliveri, General Miollis, commander of the troops assigned in Tuscany, landed on Elba to put down the revolt and ordered the loot of the village. The attempt to conquer Longone failed as the town was well protected by the Neapolitan troops who were supported on sea by the English, and managed to block even the arrival of supplies in Portoferraio.
At that time, prisoners and rioters of Elba were forced to join
the troops in Longone which then became strong enough to push
back the French until the walls of Portoferraio. After the revolt
of Marciana, it was clear that the French were not strong enough
to occupy the island: Monserrat commander of the
Portoferraio was forced to surrender, which was signed in the
church of San Rocco in July 1799. Portoferraio
was then occupied for a short time by the Neapolitan troops
waiting to return under the rule of the Grand Duchy.
After Napoleon's victory over the second
coalition, the French returned to Tuscany and got possession of
the whole Elba Island. The strategic relevance of Elba and the
constant threat of the British rule, made the possession of the
island and its mines more important than ever for the French
government. While the commanders of Elba's garrisons were
agreeing to oppose against the French, in
Longone arrived the order of the King of
Naples to surrender peacefully. Fixon,
commander of Portoferraio, on the orders of the Grand Duke
(retired to Vienna in the meantime), decided to resist, opening
the hostilities. In May 1801, French troops sent from Corsica
landed in Longone and then headed towards Portoferraio. French
parliamentarians asked Fixon to surrender; but the request got
rejected and French bombardments against Portoferraio begun by
the Navy and by a battery installed in the site of Grotte
Caves.
After the failure of both this attack and the French
negotiations, Fixon proposed a temporary truce in order to
receive orders from Vienna, but actually he just wanted to take
some time and wait for British help. Meanwhile, some lucky events
wickened the French batteries, whose ammunitions were almost
finished; their food was close to finish and the soldiers were
suffering from malaria, caused by the near salt marshes. Fixon,
supported by all citizens and the British reinforcements arrived
in Portoferraio, resisted to the bitter end. Even when France and
England signed the Peace of Amiens, which took place on the
seventh month of siege, the battle continued six months more.
Only in June 1802, after having received express permission from
the Grand Duke Ferdinand III, the governor Fixon ceded the square
of Portoferraio to the French garrison. Annexed to France, Elba
was part of the 23rd Army Division before moving to 25th.
On July 14, 1802 the islanders, represented by
municipal deputations, swore loyalty to the
French republic and Elba sent a deputy to Paris. The third of
September 1802 a delegation of Elba went to
Napoleon asking to be treated as a duty
free area, especially for wine. They thanked the First
Consul for "the great benefit received, considering the island as
a French territory". Although Napoleon welcomed the Elba
delegation, he couldn't hide the disapproval against the
Portoferraiesi, who" instead of taking part against the Mighty
and Victorious Country of France had rather kept the neutrality
as it was more convenient for them".
Briot, was appointed General Commissioner for
Elba, Capraia, Pianosa, Montecristo and the islet of Palmaiola.
French laws were modified in accordance with local customs ss
much as possible and ports became duty free. The military
commander Rusca, born in Piedmont, earned the
respect among the inhabitants of Elba as well as the
Corsican Commissioner Galeazzini, who was
responsible for the construction of roads and bridges in Elba
Island. Both communication and postal services with the mainland
increased and became more efficient.
The French also thought to build a large iron processing system
throughout the whole Mediterranean Sea, but finally this never
happenned. In 1804 took regularly place the vote for the
proclamation of Napoleon Emperor of the French,
among over 4587 votes, 4487 were in favour. In 1809 Elba became a
sub prefecture and was part of the Mediterranean Department. The
French systems of justice and the Napoleonic Code were applied on
the island; municipalities were in charge of primary school,
while secondary education could also been taught by privates;
clergy depended on the diocese of Ajaccio and
priests continued to teach updating their programs with the ones
of public education. Each year, ten among the most deserving boys
were chosen together with children of public officials, to be
sent to study in French high schools.
Under the French rule, Portoferraio also resumed the works on the
fortifications according to the latest standards intended to
provide a stronger defensive belt consisting of: Fort
Saint Cloud, at the entrance of the harbor;
Fort Saint Hilaire (English Fort); and the small
fort on Mount Albero. Among the French soldiers must be mentioned
the general Leopold Hugo, father of
Victor, the famous writer who stayed in
Portoferraio as a child in a house in Via del
Buongusto, nowadays Via Garibaldi.
Elbaworld suggests

What to visit
Discover places and attractions nearby.

Recommended excursions
Discover incredibly beautiful excursions on Elba Island.