“Ferdinand II [1830-59] – known as ‘King Bomba’ by his enemies – was the greatest of his dynasty in Italy after Charles VII, a man of enormous personality and energy. History has been more than unjust in labelling this most Neapolitan of all rulers of Naples as ‘an unimaginative foreign tyrant’.

He was the last of the benevolent despots, taking a keen interest in the industrialization of his country, which he made extremely prosperous. He was offered the crown of Italy and might have imposed his rule over the entire peninsula, but refused out of loyalty to the Pope. When revolution drove Pius IX from Rome in 1848 he took refuge with the King of the Two Sicilies.” [p.63]