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In the early 18th century, revolution broke out on several occasions, with the island's
inhabitants becoming increasingly discontented with foreign rule. Then, after some 40 years of
struggle, the revolutionaries succeeded in their battle for independence.
In 1755, a Corsican patriot known as Pascal Paoli was officially pronounced General of
the Corsican Nation. Although he was to be eventually expelled from the island, he managed to
found a university here and introduced an element of democratic reform into Corsica. A National
Assembly was set up and Paoli announced that the Moor's Head was to become a national
emblem. The new capital of this independent island was Corte.
In 1769, Corsica was ceded back to France, bringing the island into the French fold. Later
that year, the island's most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte, was born in Ajaccio. In 1790, Paoli
returned to the island and, supported by England, succeeded in declaring independence from
France. Such independence was not to last long. Just six years later, English forces withdrew
from Corsica. Napoleon's forces moved onto the island and it was made a department of France.
In 1972, it was recognised that the island's ecology was in a vulnerable state. Thus, the
Parc Naturel Rgional de Corse was set up to protect it for future generations. The park covers
more than one third of the total land area. In 1998, Claude Erignac, the island's prefect, was
assassinated. Such separatist action sent shockwaves throughout the world.
In 2001, France granted Corsica limited autonomy, although this was later overturned by
the high court in France. Nonetheless, Corsica has retained the right to use its own language in
its schools.
Today, Corsica is still a French department. Over the years, the island's agricultural
importance has dwindled, with many choosing to leave for the mainland. Thus, its towns remain
modest in size and even the capital of Ajaccio still only has a population of some 60,000.