Histoire de Corse

The work offers a sweeping portrait of Corsica’s past, positioning the island within the broader currents of Mediterranean history. From ancient Roman footholds to the tangled rivalries of Genoa, Aragon and later France, it shows how external powers repeatedly turned the rugged land into a theater for their ambitions, while the island’s own culture evolved beneath the turbulence.

Interwoven with this narrative are the lives of a handful of distinguished Corsicans whose influence reached far beyond the island’s borders. The author examines the political daring of Paoli, the daring exploits of Sampiero, and the early steps of the Bonaparte family, always anchoring their stories in the everyday realities of Corsican society—its customs, economy and communal structures. The text balances scholarly insight with vivid illustration, inviting listeners to grasp how a small people helped shape, and were shaped by, the shifting tides of European affairs.