FRA’ DIAVOLO (Brother Devil)
Itri’s Robin Hood

Itri’s heritage left an interesting character to the history of Italy and of these territories. He was a personality whose legendary war tales generated old stories and legends still popular today.Michele Pezza nicknamed ‘Fra’ Diavolo’ (means Brother Devil) is certainly the most famous person born in the village o Itri. His birth was on the 7th April 1771. Often considered a bandit his reputation was rescued by the historians and Michele is now considered a patriot of his land.

His nickname was chosen by one of his teachers whom he drove crazy because of his ‘cheerful’ temperament and by the fact that his mother dressed him with a little Franciscan monk dress. Rumour has it that she honoured a promise to God after asking for and receiving a blessing for a miraculous recovery of Michele.

       Fra' Diavolo

It seems that in young age he was very ill and close to die. His strong temperament manifested soon with a dramatic event. After killing in young age a second-line cousin for trying to seduce the girl he fancied, Michele escaped from Itri. He found refuge on the mountains around and joined a band of brigands.

His strength, temperament and actions made him famous on the mountains all over the southern territories of Lazio. Traditions tell that he killed few rich landowners who were mistreating the poor people making justice for them. Still young, after only two years, he became respected and built a reputation for leading his group of outlaws.Michele forced them to join the troops of King Ferdinand IV to defend the crown and the Bourbons’ dynasty against the French invaders. In exchange of he received the amnesty from the king. Him and his men attacked the French troops and won many battles among the mountains and valleys of lower Lazio which he knew to perfection.

It was virtually impossible to discover where they were hiding on the harsh Aurunci Mountains. Many victories on the mountains with a perfect ‘guerrilla-style’ tactics and his devotion to the king granted him the promotion to colonel of the Bourbons army and title of Duke of Cassano. He was described as fearless and very loyal a real gentleman in epic style of other times gaining admiration and respect in all the south of Italy. Even his own enemies, the French admired him. After Michele was captured they offered him the opportunity to escape the capital punishment. After he was captured in Baronissi near Avellino by the French he had the chance to join them and be rich fighting for them but he strongly refused affirming just few minutes before dying that he “would rather die thousand times than betray his king”.

He was hanged by the French in Naples on the 11th November 1806. His heroic tales caught the attention of famous characters of that age such as the Cardinal Ruffo, the eminent writer Alexander Dumas and the great Napoleon Bonaparte. His life was celebrated in lyric opera called “Fra’ Diavolo” in his honour by Auber and also in a movie interpreted by Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel.