▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁C ors ican ▁resistance ▁to ▁Gen o ese ▁rule . ▁ ▁Life ▁ ▁When ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁by ▁Rom é i ▁at ▁the ▁inst ig ation ▁of ▁the ▁Gen o ese ▁government , ▁François ▁G aff ori ▁was ▁only ▁nine ▁years ▁old . ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁partner - in - ar ms ▁with ▁his ▁father ' s ▁successor ▁Pas qu ale ▁Pa oli , ▁who ▁made ▁him ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁leaders ▁of ▁his ▁army ' s ▁milit ia ▁components . ▁François ▁G aff ori ▁and ▁But ta fu oco ▁by ▁a ▁strat agem ▁sought ▁and ▁fav oured ▁French ▁inter vention ▁on ▁C ors ica , ▁which ▁strongly ▁dis ple ased ▁Pa oli . ▁ ▁When ▁C ors ica ▁became ▁French , ▁François ▁G aff ori ▁joined ▁the ▁French ▁royal ▁army ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 7 6 9 ▁and ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁C ors ican ▁leg ion . ▁The ▁king ▁made ▁him ▁a ▁captain ▁of ▁drag o ons , ▁the ▁leg ion ▁having ▁non - C ors ican ▁inf antry men ▁but ▁C ors ican ▁inf antry ▁officers . ▁Tra ined ▁at ▁the ▁military ▁school ▁at ▁Tar as con , ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁g arrison ▁at ▁Lib our ne , ▁then ▁Str as bourg , ▁then ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁g arrison ▁at ▁Lib our ne . ▁François ▁G aff ori ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁April ▁ 1 7 7 1 . ▁He ▁was