SETTIMO, RUGGERO
Ruggero Settimo was a politician who played a notable part in the Italian Risorgimento. He was born in Palermo on 19 May 1778 and died in Malta on 2 May 1863.
In 1791 he entered the Naples naval academy and reached the rank of corvette captain, participating in numerous military expeditions. Retiring from service in 1811, he joined the government of Ferdinand with the aim of safeguarding Sicilian interests. In 1820 he was among the most authoritative Sicilian citizens who pressed King Ferdinand to respect the constitution of 1812 and entered the new Ministry together with Zurlò, the Duke of Campochiaro and Carrascosa. From 1832 to 1836 he was also tasked with organizing services to combat cholera.
On 12 January 1848, during the Palermo revolt, he was placed at the head of the committee directing the insurrection, also because of the experience he had gained above all in the previous conflicts between the island and the Neapolitan government. The insurrection, under S. R.’s leadership, led to the almost total withdrawal of the Bourbons from Sicily, the proclamation of the ancient Sicilian constitution (modified in 1812), political elections and, on 25 March of the same year, the convening of Parliament. After the provisional government FILANGIERI, GAETANO (v.), S. R. went into exile in Malta and did not leave even when invited by Garibaldi, who had taken control of Palermo on 27 May 1860.
During the provisional government S. R., having declared the deposition of Ferdinand from the throne of Sicily, had proposed the nomination of a prince of the House of Savoy and approved, when it occurred, the annexation of Sicily to the Kingdom of Italy (21 October 1860). He was appointed senator of the Kingdom on 20 January 1861.