visitaitri.it
THE PEOPLE OLD STORIES BY PINO PECCHIA'S BOOKS
THE FRIAR DEVIL'S LEGEND OVER TWO CENTURIES OF LITERATURE
MICHELE PEZZA WAS BRIGAND OR KING'S COLONEL?
(by Luigi Muccitelli)
Often, the ancient human history is a false representation of events serving political affairs, especially in exchange for personal favours or by author’s expression in methods of intellectual presumption in romantic literature, as far as covering and confusing the evil deeds with flattering words and to describe the characters as heroes which don’t correspond to the facts.
This reason has driven the author Pino Pecchia to a scrupulous research about the character Michele Pezza called Friar Devil in the Kingdom of Naples where he showed in the brigandage raids always distinguishing himself, first like a rebel at the feudal laws, then as Colonel of King Ferdinando IV against Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion. However for two centuries many writers and movie directors have represented him only as a romantic character in the brigandage of 1700 in the Kingdom of Naples.
In his book entitled "Friar Devil's Relics" the writer Pino Pecchia completes the long research and to remains convinced that the Brigand Friar Devil merits to be called Colonel Michele Pezza for his heroic actions in the army of King Ferdinando IV, against the invasion of Napoleon Bonaparte who massacred the population, and the artistic patrimony and catholic traditions, first and then he conquered the Throne of Naples. So, in the end, Friar Devil was just considered an ordinary bandit and hanged with many others in the town centre, for public example.
Now the adventurous and sad story of Michele Pezza from Itri, city situated in the far north of the Kingdom of Naples, to have light of truth thanks to the historical objects and documentation that Pino Pecchia found in the archives in Italy and Paris, with praiseworthy perseverance and passion. Has he put an end to the legend of the Brigand called Friar Devil!?... In substance, brigand or Colonel, yes Michele Pezza was a rebel but also a courageous man who fought for an ideal social justice: a leader of people against Napoleon’s French Army, who starting the socialist revolution in the end was convinced that he merited the king’s crown as it was God’s will, by his mental fixation.
Luigi Muccitelli * Lo Spazio Art & Literature Magazine * 2009
(Luca Muccitelli English Language Supervision)
pecchiapi@tiscali.it