Italians in France
Notable Italian French: Napoleon Bonaparte · Catherine de' Medici · Jules Mazarin · Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassini · Léon Gambetta · Émile Zola · Yves Montand · Jean-Paul Belmondo · Jean Alesi | |
Total population | |
---|---|
4,000,000[1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
France, especially Southeastern France (Corsica and Nice are Italian ethnic population). | |
Languages | |
French, Italian, Italian dialects. | |
Religion | |
Roman Catholicism |
Italian migration into what is today France has been going on, in different migrating cycles, for centuries, beginning in prehistoric times right to the modern age.[2][3] In addition, Corsica passed from the Republic of Genoa to France in 1770, and the area around Nice and Savoy from the Kingdom of Sardinia to France in 1860. According to Robin Cohen, "about 5 million French nationals are of Italian origin if their parentage is retraced over three generations.".[2] According to official data of the "Register of Italians living abroad" for the 2007, instead of Italian citizens residing in France were 348,722.[4] There are 370,000 according the "Italians in the World 2010" Migrants Foundation.[5]
History of Italians in France
Middle Ages and Renaissance
There has always been migration, since ancient times, between what is today Italy and France, but at a limited extent. This is especially true of the regions of northwestern Italy and southeastern France. As Italian wealth and influence grew during the Middle Ages, many Florentine, Genoese, Neapolitan, Piedmontese and Venetian traders, bankers and artisans settled, usually through family branches, throughout France. Regions of significant Italian diaspora sprang up as far north as Paris and Flanders. However it was not much as a percentage of the French global population.
This Italian migration developed more through the Renaissance, as previous generations became assimilated. Italian artists, writers and architects were called upon by the French monarchy and aristocrats, leading to a significant interchange of culture, but it was not a massive immigration of popular classes.
Since the 16th century, Florence and its citizens have long enjoyed a very close relationship with France.[6] In 1533, at the age of fourteen, Catherine de' Medici married Henry, the second son of King Francis I and Queen Claude of France. Under the gallicised version of her name, Catherine de Médici, she became Queen consort of France when Henry ascended to the throne in 1547. Later on, after Henry died, she became regent on behalf of her ten-year-old son King Charles IX and was granted sweeping powers. After Charles died in 1574, Catherine played a key role in the reign of her third son, Henry III.
Other notable examples of Italians that played a major role in the history of France include Cardinal Mazarin, born in the Kingdom of Naples was a cardinal, diplomat and politician, who served as the chief minister of France from 1642 until his death in 1661. Mazarin succeeded his mentor, Cardinal Richelieu, and extended France's political ambitions not only within Italy but towards England as well.
Enrico Tonti, born near Gaeta, Italy (1649/50 - 1704) was an Italian-born soldier, explorer, and fur trader in the service of France. He was the son of Lorenzo de Tonti, a financier and former governor of Gaeta. Enrico was second in command of the La Salle expedition on his descent of the Mississippi River. Tonti's letters and journals are valuable source materials on these explorations.[7]
Enrico's brother, Pierre Alphonse de Tonty, or Alphonse de Tonty, Baron de Paludy (ca. 1659 – 10 November 1727)[1] was an officer who served under the French explorer Cadillac and helped establish the first European settlement at Detroit, Michigan, Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit on the Detroit River in 1701. Several months later, both Cadillac and Tonty brought their wives to the fort, making them the first European women to travel into the interior of North America. He was the son of Lorenzo de Tonti who was a financier and former governor of Gaeta. Lorenzo de Tonti was the inventor of the form of life insurance known as the tontine. Henri de Tonti, involved in LaSalle's exploration of the Mississippi River and the establishment of the first settlement in Arkansas, was his older brother.[8]
Modern period
It should be noted that Napoleon Bonaparte, French emperor and general, was ethnically Italian of Corsican origin, whose family was of Genoese and Tuscan ancestry.[9]
Italian popular immigration to France only began in the late 18th century, really developed from the end of the 19th century until the WWI and became quite massive after this war. France needed workforce to compensate for the war losses and its very low birthrate. Initially, Italian immigration to modern France (late 18th to the early 20th century) came predominantly from northern Italy (Piedmont, Veneto), then from central Italy (Marche, Umbria), mostly to the bordering southeastern region of Provence.[2] It wasn't until after World War II that large numbers of immigrants from southern Italy immigrated to France, usually settling in industrialised areas of France, such as Lorraine, Paris and Lyon.[2]
Autochthonous populations
In both the County of Nice, parts of Savoy, "Italian" can refer to autochthonous speakers of Italian dialects (Ligurian and Piedmontese languages), natives in the region since before annexation to France, and also to descendants of Italians that migrated to the areas when they were part of Italian states. The number of inhabitants with Italian ancestry is generally indeterminable, and the use of French language is now ubiquitous. In addition, Corsica was a part of the Republic of Genoa until 1770 and until recently, most Corsicans spoke the Corsican language, a dialect of Italian, related to Tuscan.
Notable Italian French people
Born in the first half of the 19th century
- Louis-Auguste Blanqui (1805-1881), politician.
- Henri Cernuschi (Enrico Cernuschi; 1821-1896), banker, journalist, and art collector (born in Milan). His collection is known as the Musée Cernuschi.
- Léon Gambetta (1838-1882), lawyer and politician (his father was from Genoa)
- Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), painter (his family came from Cesana Torinese)
- Émile Zola (1840-1902), writer and politician (his father, Francesco Zolla, was born in Venice)
- Philippe Solari (1840-1906), artist
- Joseph Galliéni (1849-1916), French officer (father from Lombardy)
- Jean-François Raffaëlli, (1850-1924), artist
- Raoul Pugno (1852-1914), composer, pianist
- Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza (Pietro Paolo Savorgnan di Brazzà; 1852-1905), explorer (born at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome)
Born in the second half of the 19th century
- Clément Castelli (1870-1959), Italian-born painter (from Premia, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola region)
- Vincent Scotto (1874-1952), composer
- Ricciotto Canudo (1879-1923), Italian-born writer (from Gioia del Colle)
- Ettore Bugatti (1881-1947), Italian-born automobile designer and manufacturer (from Milan)
- Rembrandt (Annibale) Bugatti (1884-1916), Italian-born sculptor (from Milan)
- Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (1884-1920), Italian-born painter and sculptor (from Livorno)
- Henri Bosco (Fernand Marius Bosco) (1888-1976), novelist
- Michel Carlini (1889-1967), lawyer and politician
- Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973), Italian-born fashion designer (from Rome)
- Jean Giono (1895-1970), novelist (Italian ancestry)
- José Corti (José Corticchiato; 1895-1984), publisher
- Lazare Ponticelli (Lazzaro Ponticelli; 1897- 2008), Italian-born veteran of the First World War (from Bettola, near Piacenza)
- Paul Belmondo (1898-1982), sculptor (born in Algiers of Italian ancestry)
- Cino Del Duca (1899-1967), Italian-born businessman, film producer and philanthropist (from Montedinove, Ascoli Piceno)
Born in the 1900s
- Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin dit Fernandel (1903-1971), actor and singer
- Stéphane Grappelli (Stefano Grappelli; 1908-1997), jazz violinist (his father was from Alatri, near Frosinone)
Born in the 1910s
- Rina Ketty (Rina Pichetto; 1911-1996), Italian-born singer (from Sarzana)
- Marcel Bich (1914-1994), Italian-born manufacturer and co-founder of Bic (from Turin)
- Édith Piaf (Édith Giovanna Gassion; 1915-1963), singer (her mother, Line Marsa, born in Livorno, was of Italian-Berber descent)
- Achille Zavatta (1915-1993), clown
- Léo Ferré (1916-1993), Singer and songwriter
- Henri Betti (1917-2005) composer and pianist (his father is born in Savona and his grandfather is born in Parma).
- Claude Barma (1918-1992), director and screenwriter
Born in the 1920s
- César Baldaccini (1921-1998)
- Georges Brassens (1921-1981)
- Stellio Lorenzi (1921-1990)
- Yves Montand (Ivo Livi) (1921-1991),
- Roger Grava (1922-1949)
- Serge Reggiani (1922-2004)
- Pierre Cardin (1922-)
- François Cavanna (1923-)
- Marcel Zanini (1923-)
- Armand Gatti (1924-), also known as Dante Savoir Gatti, poet, author, playwright, director, screenwriter, producer, journalist.
- Michel Piccoli (1925-), actor
- Philippe Castelli (1926-2006)
- Marcel Azzola (1927-)
- Remo Forlani (1927-2009)
- Emmanuelle Riva (1927-), actress
- Albert Uderzo (1927-)
- Daniel Filipacchi (1928-)
- Willy Rizzo (1928-2013)
- Luc Ferrari (1929-2005)
- Claude Nougaro (1929-2004)
Born in the 1930s
- Bernard Stasi (1930-2011),
- Dominique Zardi (1930-2009)
- Robert Enrico (1931-2001)
- Roger Piantoni (1931-)
- Annie Fratellini (1932-1997), circus artist, clown, singer and film actress
- Francesca Solleville (1932-)
- Paul Virilio (1932-)
- Max Gallo (1932-)
- Pierre Milza (1932-)
- Loris Azzaro, (1933-2003), fashion designer and perfumer, born in Tunisia to Sicilian parents.
- Jean-Paul Belmondo (1933-), actor
- Dalida, Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti (1933-1987)
- Emanuel Ungaro (1933-)
- Nino Ferrer, also known as Nino Agostino Arturo Maria Ferrari (1934-1998)
- (Eliane Marie Amélie) Pia Colombo (1934-1986)
- Claude Faraldo (1936-2008), actor, screenwriter and film director
- Orlando-Bruno Gigliotti (1936-)
- Claude François (1939-1978)
- Michèle Mercier (1939-), actress
Born in the 1940s
- Raymond Forni (1941-2008),
- Catherine Tasca (1941-),
- Jean-François Mattei (1943-),
- Jean-Louis Bianco (1943-),
- Luc Merenda (1943-), actor
- Gérard Rinaldi (1943-2012)
- Walter Spanghero (1943-)
- Pierre Arditi (1944-), actor
- Jean-Pierre Castaldi (1944-), actor
- Nicole Grisoni, also known as Nicoletta (1944-)
- Michel Gérard Joseph Colucci Coluche (1944-1986)
- Daniel Bevilacqua, Christophe (1945-)
- Jean-Claude Izzo (1945-2000)
- Patrick Modiano (1945-)
- Riccardo Richard Cocciante (1946-)
- Alice Donadel, also known as Alice Dona (1946-)
- Hervé Forneri, also known as Dick Rivers (1946-)
- Hubert Falco (1947-),
- Max Guazzini (1947-)
- Daniel Russo (1948-), film actor
- Henri Proglio (1949-)
Born in the 1950s
- Corinne Cléry (1950-), actress
- Richard Galliano (1950-)
- Gérard Schivardi (1950-),
- Claude Bartolone (1951-),
- Fabrice Luchini (1951-), stage and film actor
- Marc Cerrone (1952-)
- Jean-Marc Todeschini (1952-),
- Francis Cabrel (1953-)
- Patrick de Carolis (1953-)
- Angelo Parisi (1953-)
- Philippe Risoli (1953-), television and radio presenter
- Christian Estrosi (1955-)
- Michel Platini (1955-)
- Thierry Beccaro (1956-), actor and TV presenter
- André Vallini (1956-),
- Claude Onesta (1957-)
- Thierry Gilardi (1958-2008), stage actor and television presenter
- Jeannie Longo (1958-)
- Thierry Mariani (1958-),
Born in the 1960s
- Gérard Onesta (1960-),
- Stéphane Sanseverino (1961-)
- Michel Petrucciani (1962-1999)
- Roberto Alagna (1963)
- Nadine Morano (1963-),
- Jean Alesi (1964-)
- Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi (1964-), actress
- Eric Ciotti (1965-),
- Jean-Marc Morandini (1965-), journalist, radio, and TV host (Corsican father and Sardinian mother)
- Florent Emilio Siri (1965-)
- Éric Cantona (1966-)
- Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (1967-)
- David Ginola (1967-)
- Bruno Putzulu (1967-), actor
- Laurence Ferrari (1969-)
Born in the 1970s
- Benjamin Castaldi (1970-)
- Marina Foïs (1970-), actress
- Dominique Casagrande (1971-)
- Hélène Ségara (née Hélène Rizzo) (1971-)
- Sylvie Testud (1971-), actress, writer and film director
- Philippe Candeloro (1972-)
- Chiara Mastroianni (1972-), actress and singer
- Vincent Candela (1973-)
- Aurélie Filippetti (1973-)
- Florence Foresti (1973-), comedienne and actress
- Elsa Lunghini (1973-), singer and actress
- Alessandro Mercuri (1973-)
- Alexandre Astier (1974-), writer, actor, composer
- Gilles Marini (1976-), actor
- Fanny (1979-)
Born in the 1980s
- Seth Gueko (1980-)
- Vitaa (1983-)
- Mathieu Flamini (1984-)
- Soko (singer) (1985-)
See also
References
- ↑
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cohen, Robin (1995). The Cambridge Survey of World Migration. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 143. ISBN 9780521444057.
- ↑ (French) Histoire de l'Italie à Paris. Italieaparis.net. Retrieved on 2011-07-04.
- ↑ Dati AIRE del 2007 su italiani residenti in Europa
- ↑ "Gli italiani continuano a emigrare, un milione in fuga negli ultimi 4 anni", La Repubblica, 2 dicembre 2010
- ↑ Project MUSE – Renaissance Quarterly – Savonarola in Francia: Circolazione di un'eredità politico-religiosa nell'Europa del Cinquecento (review). Muse.jhu.edu. Retrieved on 2011-07-04.
- ↑ Henri de Tonti
- ↑ Alphonse de Tonti
- ↑ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/402943/Napoleon-I |title=Napoleon I (emperor of France) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia |publisher=Britannica.com |date= |accessdate=2010-09-02
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