The French Revolution sparked an outbreak of social rebellion in Naples , where he reigns Maria Carolina of Austria , became Queen of Naples by marrying Ferdinand IV of Borbone.
The intellectuals led by Eleonora de Fonseca Pimentel gather in her living room to prepare for the revolution.
The banker Gerardo Baccher , pro- borbonico , in one of these meetings falls in love with a friend of Eleanor, Luisa Sanfelice .
The revolutionary events precipitate and the lawyer Mario Pagano desperately defends three young offenders status , without success.
Mario Pagano and Eleanor decided to lead the uprising with the help of the French military , led by Championnet .
The Queen , increasingly enraged , takes on a small army of informers entrusting them with the task of seeking out the revolutionaries. It uses an adviser particularly true , indicates that each time the steps to be taken against the conspirators : the Cardinal Fabrizio Ruffo .
The Cardinal is aware of seditious frequent meetings at the home of Eleanor and creeps into his house to find a reason to indict . In exchange for his benevolence asks her to gratify its desires love , Eleanor enraged him out of the house: will be immediately arrested as a reaction to the state.
And ' the principle of a political and social hell in which the people of Naples , due to its low literacy , it is not able to understand and adhere to the humanitarian spirit on which is founded the nascent Republic and to recognize changes in their own salvation .
The people did not know which side to take , from the Jacobin revolutionaries or from that of the Bourbons loyal to the king . In this terrible doubt is Pulcinella , which is the symbol and synthesis of the Neapolitan people , standing on a wagon , right now buffeted by the Borbone , now to the left by giaconìbini revolutionaries. Scared to death from the hellish situation collapses on itself and loses consciousness .
In the night between 19 and January 20, 1799 Eleanor, with short hair and dressed as a man , along with a group of women , breaks into the Castel St. Elmo raising the tree of liberty.
With the approval of the commander of the French troops championnet proclaimed the Neapolitan Republic January 21, 1799 .
The kings , fled to Palermo , preparing a conspiracy against the Republicans : at night in Naples will be marked with chalk the doors of the houses of the Jacobins , so will hunt them down and slaughter them lazzari . In the list of gates is home to Sanfelice .
Gerardo take one of the sheets of safe-conduct with the royal seal and goes at night by Luisa , disguised as monaco as not to be recognized . This will allow the woman to escape , leaving the walls of Naples with the pass. Luisa accepts the pass with great surprise and a deep admiration. Gerardo then wins the shyness and reveals her immense love. Luisa does not feel love for Gerard, but it has great transport for his heroic deed . Gerardo escapes , but is recognized by the goalkeeper and denounced and arrested by the Republican government . Luisa is believed responsible for the incident and the fate of man.
During a dance in the court of the kings of Palermo , to regain the kingdom of Naples, asking the Cardinal Ruffo to be an ' armed sanfedista consists of bandits and thugs ready to plunder and rape for money and march for the city to release it .
He accepts getting the ' post of Vicar of the king and all the resources needed to hire and equip men. After a long march in the name of violence and looting the Sanfedists Ruffo come to Naples.
I1 June 13, 1799 Gerard was executed by revolutionaries and ironically died on the same day in which the army sanfedista of Cardinal enters victorious in Naples . The Neapolitan Republic was abolished and all the Jacobins of the Republican government hastily tried by corrupt judges .
All the martyrs of the Republican government will go to the gallows erected in Market Square.
Luisa spent her last hours in jail confortatorio of the Vicaria with his mother Camilla Salinero that , distraught and frozen with grief , he sees the young daughter to pay a sin ever committed .
The Executioner and the police lead to the gallows , her mother standing next to the end.
Luisa Sanfelice is aware of what he has lost the love of children and Gerard, who gave his life for her, remains the only hope the world to know of their deeds .