After his time as a diplomat , Caracciolo had a high political career , spending five years as viceroy of Sicily . He was appointed to the post in May 1780 but only took it up in 1781 , since he was reluctant to leave Paris for Sicily . His experience of the French Enlightenment led him a policy of opening up reforms as viceroy . This brought him into open and sometimes successful conflict with the privileges of the aristocracy and clergy , in which he was supported by some of the middle class , who were more inclined to support the monarchy 's moderate reform policy . For example , he had the collaboration of Naples ' Inquisitor General , the reforming bishop Ventimiglia , in abolishing the Holy Office . He managed to establish new rules for the administration of justice and feudal common lands . For various reasons , including the terrible earthquakes that devastated Messina in 1783 , he had to give up on what he considered the most important reform – the creation of a class in which at first sight seemed to be described and designated property by its borders , cultures and annuities , a basic and essential preliminary to a taxation feudal and ecclesiastical estates His next and final post was as secretary of state ( effectively prime minister ) to Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies from 1786 until his death in 1789 , succeeding Giuseppe Beccadelli della Sambuca , in the post that had once belonged to his mentor Tanucci , but his reforming policy came into conflict with Sir John Acton 's political ascendancy in Naples
devastated Messina in 1783
1783 Calabrian earthquakes
Domenico Caracciolo