However, the Franco-Neapolitan war ended on 28 March 1801 with the Treaty of Florence, in which Neapolitan government was forced to make various concessions to France, including closing its ports to all Ottoman and British ships, giving the French preferential treatment in trade, and allow the stationing of French garrisons in the Apulian trading ports of Pescara, Brindisi and Otranto and the province of Terra d'Otranto on Neapolitan costs.
However, after receiving the Apulian cities, Ferdinand soon went back on his promise and allied himself with France's enemies Britain and Russia, which landed troops in Naples with his permission in order to guard against a possible French invasion, and to plan an attack on the Napoleonic states in central and northern Italy.
[2] The British commander was general James Henry Craig, who had ill health at the time and had 7,000 troops,[3] while the Russian forces were led by Maurice Lacy and Roman Anrep.
[1] When the combined Austro–Russian Army was dealt a severe blow by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805, 30,000 French troops were freed up for a campaign against Naples.
[3] Against the wishes of ambassador Hugh Elliot, who warned evacuation would provoke the French to attack, Craig had the vastly outnumbered British troops depart Naples and set sail for the island of Sicily on 10 January 1806, ending the Anglo-Russian occupation and leaving the Neapolitan army to defend the kingdom on its own.