Paolo Avitabile
Paolo Avitabile | |
|---|---|
Painting of General Paolo Avitabile, by Carlo de Falco, oil on canvas, National Museum of San Martino, Naples | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paolo Crescenzo Martino Avitabile 25 October 1791 Agerola, Kingdom of Naples |
| Died | 28 March 1850 (aged 58) Agerola, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies |
| Spouse | Enrichetta Coccia |
| Awards | Légion d'Honneur Nishan-i-Shir u Khurshid Ordine di San Ferdinando e del merito Nishan-i-Daulat-i-Durrani Kaukab-i-Iqbal-i-Punjab |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Naples First French Empire Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Qajar Iran Sikh Empire |
| Unit | Fauj-i-Khas |
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Paolo Crescenzo Martino Avitabile (25 October 1791 – 28 March 1850), also known as Abu Tabela (Hindko: ابوتبیلا), was a Neapolitan-Italian soldier, mercenary and adventurer. A peasant's son born in Agerola, in the province of Napoli near Sorrento (in southern Italy), he served in the Neapolitan militia during the Napoleonic wars. After Waterloo he drifted east like many other adventurous soldiers. In 1820 he joined the army of the Shah of Persia, attaining the rank of colonel and receiving several decorations before returning to Italy in 1824.
He joined the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Punjab in 1827, and later also received various civilian appointments. In 1829 he was made administrator of Wazirabad and in 1837 he succeeded Hari Singh Nalwa as governor of Peshawar. He remained in the Punjab until the assassination of Maharaja Sher Singh in 1843, after which he retired to Italy, where his rank as a general was confirmed and he was knighted.