Filippo Cordova

Filippo Cordova (Aidone, 1 May 1811 – Florence, 16 September 1868) was an Italian patriot, jurist and politician.

Background and early career He was born into a family whose ancestry included the Baron of Villa Orlando Boscarini, and he descended from the Spanish general and statesman Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. He showed a certain precociousness from childhood; at the age of ten he composed three tragedies (Cato, Giovanni and I Dittinali) and a sonnet in honor of Saint Lawrence, patron saint of his hometown.

Cordova's role in the events of 1848

In January 1848, when Sicily rebelled against the Bourbons, he was secretary of the provincial revolutionary committee and was elected deputy to the "House of Commons" in March. He took care of the drafting of the Sicilian statute. On 13 August the Sicilian head of state, Ruggero Settimo, appointed him finance minister in the government led by the Marquis Torrearsa. He was then Minister of Justice in the first Rattazzi government (1862), state councillor and again Minister of Agriculture in the second Ricasoli government (1866-1867).