But in 1815, when the Genoese Republic came under the control of the Sardinian – Piedmontese Empire, the castle at Portofino began to lose importance as a fortified position and once abandoned it started to go ruin. In Rome, Manara and his entire legion died fighting for their cause.
In the same year the legion of Luciano Manara stopped here for many days on their way to defend Rome which had been declared a republic and was beseiged by the French. In 1849, during the Italian Risorgimento, many steamships sent by the republicans and followers of Mazzini to embark the legions of the Lombardy volunteers anchored in the port of Portofino. But Napoleon I was declared the absolute victor of Cisalpine 1 Italy so Portofino returned in possession of the French. The following night the French had orders to withdraw from the fortress and in the morning the English entered Portofino and hoisted the Genoese flag on the castle in name of the same government. The French responded to this action with the cannons of the fortess and those of the castle at Paraggi, along with well marked musket fire of men hidden among the rocks and the English were compelled to retreat. Upon reaching the fort the English opened fire with a few cannon shots and then sent out many boats in order to drive out the French. Napoleon I had it rearmed but he was defeated by the allied forces and in March 1814 an English ship approached Portofino. However, after the defeat of the English allies at the Battle of Marengo they were obliged to abandon the fortress and in so doing disarmed it. In this struggle against the Austrians and Sardinians it became a real war arsenal of the Genoese At the beginning of the XIX century the fortress of Portofino, in the hands of the French, strongly resisted the attack of the English who finally succeeded in taking possession of it. At this time Portofino was fortified, visited by the duke of Richelieu and protected by a French fleet (Gius. There is a plaque set in the wall of the Saint Martin parish church in commemoration of this occasion.ĭuring the war of 1746 in order to drive out the Austrians from Genoa, French and Spanish troops were disembarked at Portofino and were soon followed by provisions and ammunition so that the villagers had to give them not only the oratory but also the parish church itself. He set out on foot for the nearby Cervara Monastery, which had been chosen for the solemn occasion, and there celebrated high mass before the altar of Saint Jerome. Perhaps then Pope Gregory understood that it was God’s will that he remain there to celebrate All Saints’ Day. The following day, Thursday, the pope, his retinue and crew took a rest on the eve of All Saints’ Day, the 31st, they again put out to sea and had already gone twenty miles when another storm came up forcing them to return to Portofino.
That same night he put out to sea as the weather seemed favourable for navigation and all conditions made a happy voyage hopeful when suddenly a violent storm came up: the rain, hail and lightning filled the voyagers with dismay and many feared for their lives, but at dawn they found themselves near Portofino and took shelter in the port. On the 28th he reached Genoa and stayed there for the celebration of Saint Simon and Jude’s day. In October 1377 the pope, escorted by thirty one ships, sailed from the port of Marseille on his return to Rome from Avignon. Not to be forgotten is the time when the ships of Pope Gregory the XI took shelter in the port. Francis I, retreating towards Spain after his defeat at Pavia, was handed over to Andrea Doria who held him prisoner for some days in the tower -still existing today - of the Monastery of Cervara (see F. Many personages in passing through Portofino or anchoring in its port have left memorable recollections behind them: Konrad of Swabia (see Caffaro), Richard, king of En-gland, Odeardo, duke of Parma, Ferdinand, king of Spain, Pope Adrian the VI, Andrea Doria, and Francis I, king of France.
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