ANCIENT TIMES
In 550 BC, Ionian Greek settlements existed on Corsica. In 259 BC, during the First Punic War, the Romans conquered Corsica. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476, Corsica was ruled by the Vandals. Before long, rule was turned over to the Byzantine Empire.
MIDDLE AGES
Corsica was ruled by the Moors from 850 to 1034. In 1077, Pope Gregory VII sent administrators from Pisa to Corsica. Genoa was a commercial and political rival of Corsica. In 1132, Genoa requested control over half of Corsica from Pope Innocent Ilto. They shared Corsica until 1312, when Genoa achieved total control of Corsica.
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
Genoa continued to rule Corsica until the eighteenth century, except for a period from 1458 to 1558 when it was controlled by the French. In the eighteenth century, there were a series of revolts in Corsica, led by Pasquale Paoli, against Genoese rule. These revolts caused the major European powers to involve themselves in the issue of who Corsica should belong to. In 1768, Genoa ceded the island to France. Napoleon was born the next year in Ajaccio, and because of the cession he was considered a French citizen. Corsica was ruled by England for two short periods of time, during the French Revolution then during the Napoleonic Wars.
MODERN TIMES
During World War II, Corsica was occupied by German and Italian troops. The Corsicans revolted against the soldiers and the island was liberated in 1943. In 1958, Corsica was occupied by radicals who supported the decolonization of Algeria. The radicals also helped to return Charles de Gaulle to power as president of France. A movement for the independence of Corsica began in 1970, and is still active today.