He seduced a young woman who was engaged to Giovanni Montolesi, the son of a wealthy merchant.
When Montolesi learned of the affair, he sought out Annunchiarico and reproached him for bringing shame to the priesthood and dishonour to his fiancée.
Their leader Ciro Annunchiarico claimed to be the earthly avatar of the ancient Roman god Jupiter.
[2] He seemed to have had an extraordinary if not mysterious power of charisma, as tens of thousands of hardened bandits readily obeyed him and acknowledged his bizarre claims.
[5] On 27 February 1818, his last stronghold, between Tarent and Brindisi,[2] was stormed by a force of German and Swiss mercenaries under the command of an Englishman, General Richard Church.