Why did many Sicilians join Giuseppe Garibaldi’s army after the Battle of Calatafimi?

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Portrait of Giuseppe Garibaldi wearing a beret and cloak, with a full beard and mustache, looking toward the camera. — Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Garibaldi, c. 1860–82.

Many Sicilians joined Giuseppe Garibaldi’s army following his victory at the Battle of Calatafimi because they were driven by a deep-seated desire to overthrow their "hated" Neapolitan rulers.1

The region had long been characterized by extreme autonomist opposition to the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and the population suffered under brutal persecution by the government. This widespread desire for change, coupled with an age-old resentment toward rule from Naples, created a fertile environment for the insurrection. By defeating the Neapolitan forces at Calatafimi, Garibaldi demonstrated the military potential to successfully challenge the Bourbon regime, prompting many locals to enlist in his cause to help liberate their island.123