Ciro Annunchiarico (in

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

: Ciro Annicchiarico) (also known as: Papa Ciro) (16 December 1775 in

Grottaglie Grottaglie (; ; ) is a town and (municipality) in the province of Taranto, Apulia, in southern Italy. Geography Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula, dividing the Adriatic Sea from Ionian Sea. The countryside around the city is scatter ...

– 8 February 1817 in

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) was an Italian

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leader.

Early life

He was the son of wealthy parents. He entered the priesthood at a young age and seemed destined for the priesthood.

Murder of Giovanni Montolesi

He seduced a young woman who was engaged to Giovanni Montolesi, the son of a wealthy merchant. When Montolesi learned of the affair, he sought out Annunchiarico and reproached him for bringing shame to the priesthood and dishonour to his fiancée. Without a word, Annunchiarico drew a dagger from his belt and stabbed Montolesi in the heart. He later swore a blood feud against the entire Montolesi family, declaring that the man whom he had murdered had insulted him and the entire

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priesthood. Over the next few months, he ambushed and murdered thirteen members of the Montolesi clan. Pursued by the authorities, he then fled with some friends into the mountains.

Gang leader

After thirteen years on the run he organized, in late 1816 and 1817, a confederation of robbers with a strength of 20,000 people. The name they used for themselves was Decisi, ''The Decided Ones of

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the Thunderer''. Their leader Ciro Annunchiarico claimed to be the earthly

avatar Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...

of the ancient Roman god Jupiter. The area they laid claim to they called the Salentinian Republic.

Charisma

He seemed to have had an extraordinary if not mysterious power of charisma, as tens of thousands of hardened bandits readily obeyed him and acknowledged his bizarre claims.

Further murders

He is supposed to have killed between sixty and seventy men by his own hand.

Execution

On 27 February 1818, his last stronghold, between Tarent and Brindisi, was stormed by a force of

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and

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mercenaries under the command of an

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, General Richard Church. He was later executed, together with 162 others, by a

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References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Annunchiarico, Ciro 18th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests Executed Italian people 1775 births 1817 deaths People from the Province of Taranto People executed by Italy by firing squad 19th-century executions by Italy Executed Roman Catholic priests Executed Italian serial killers