s in communication with the French
court and Cardinal Fleury. A French army landed in February, 1738, and
was defeated. An overwhelming force was then despatched and the
insurrection subsided. In the end France, though strongly tempted to
hold what she had conquered, kept her promise to Genoa and disarmed
the Corsicans; on the other hand, however, she consulted her own
interest and attempted to soothe the islanders by guaranteeing to them
national rights. Such, however, was the prevalent bitterness that many
patriots fled into exile; some, like Hyacinth Paoli, choosing the pay
of Naples for themselves and followers, others accepting the offer of
France and forming according to time-honored custom a Corsican
regiment of mercenaries which took service in the armies of the King.
Among the latter were two of some eminence, Buttafuoco and Salicetti.
The half measures of Fleury left Corsica, as he intended, ready to
fall into his hands when opportunity should be ripe. Even the
patriotic leaders were now no longer in harmony. Those in Italy were
of the old disinterested line and suspicious of their western
neighbor; the others were charged with being the more ambitious for
themselves and careless of their country's liberty. Both classes,
however, claimed to be true patriots.

During the War of the Austrian Succession it seemed for a moment as if
Corsica were to be freed by the attempt of Maria Theresa to overthrow
Genoa, then an ally of the Bourbon powers. The national party rose
again under Gaffori, the regiments of Piedmont came to their help, and
the English fleet delivered St. Florent and Bastia into their hands.
But the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) left things substantially as
they were before the war, and in 1752 a new arrangement unsatisfactory
to both parties was made with Genoa. It was virtually dictated by
Spain and France, England having been alienated by the quarrels and
petty jealousies of the Corsican leaders, and lasted only as long as
the French occupation continued. Under the leadership of the same
dauntless Gaffori who in 1740 had been chosen along with Matra to be a
chief commander, the Genoese were once more driven from the highlands
into the coast towns. At the height of his success the bold guerrilla
fell a victim to family rivalries and personal spite. Through the
influence of his despairing foes a successful conspiracy was formed
and in the autumn of 1753 he was foully murdered.

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