Origins of Sicilian Mafia 

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Someone made K&G an offer they couldn't refuse?

We are now Kings and Generals and Godfathers.

Kings and Generals made me an offer that I couldn't refuse!

No bad fellas are romanticized more than *_good fellas_*.

Damn, imagine if there was a video game set in late 19th century Sicily, when the mafia was still in its infancy. Open world, slightly similar to red dead redemption. You would have to extort farms, or even manage them. You could go into gambling and maybe even prostitution. Maybe you would work your way from the outskirts, and slowly make your way into the cities. Maybe at the end of the game, you, or a character close to you, would go to america. Damn the possibilities are endless lol.

Tony Soprano: "There is no MAFIA! Its a stereotype, and its offensive!"

Note: there was a big crackdown on mafia also during fascism. This was one of the reason so many in the 20s went to America. Cesare Mori, the iron prefect, was responsible for this very harsh crackdown

Anybody here after MAFIA THE OLD COUNTRY trailer?

0:42 Blacksea: Can i exist? Kings and Generals:nO

"And so we face Sicilians. The kind of men put on earth to test the patience of other men!" Italian General- Medieval 2 Total War One of my favorite factions!

When they mentioned Luigi Barzini, my brain went like “It was Barzini.” 😂

Here's a video I can't refuse.

You cannot tell any history of Cosa Nostra without talking about Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, the men that lead the first pool antimafia and the maxi process. Without them I don't know where Italy would be now. They are in the hearts and souls of every Italian

I once had a chat with a military doctor. Among small talk there were mentioned some news related to some Mafia event. By pure coincidence. I showed discontent about gangs and these vicious circles and to my surprise this doctor suddenly opposed my point of view. "You must know that there are Mafia Bosses who try to do their best for their children and send them to very good schools". I looked at him and got the message. He did not want me to speak bad about his family. We continued to have a good conversation about other subjects and still I asked him for his ancestral home. "Calabria". I think I learned something that day and I never forget this doctor. Although we never met again.

"There is no good money or bad money. There is just money." -Lucky Luciano

How many series do you want to start? Kings & Generals: yes

"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in the heart (thanks to them we had the maxi-trial and the rest for criminal association), as an Italian I can say that it’s a very good documentary 🇮🇹❤️✊

Good evening, Mr K&G. I'm a lawyer representing my client, Mr Marcillino and I just want to say, the video is a work of art, really well done I have to say...but.. your gonna have to take it down? we understand your daughter has her recital this week, such a voice on that little angel and my clients associates are true patrons of the arts... they wouldn't mind to visit her?... .. so do we understand each other, Mr K&G? Keep in touch, keep up the channel and we won't see that video on our *friendly associates* the Yakuza, right? Fantastic, thanks, Mr Bartelomeo.

"he had him fired" shows a picture of a guy shot dead

Godfather 2 goes back to roughly 1900. One of the greatest films of all time.

As a Sicilian I can say this is quite interesting documentary although Mafia is much older than 1860 - that's just when Cosa Nostra emerged as a dominant power. The word "Mafia" finds roots during the Emirate of Sicily, before Norman conquest, as the Sicilian Barons were the original mafia, organized in a secret lobby to resist the invaders. You should look for something such as the Beati Paoli and the Sicilian Vespers

Had a great uncle on my Sicilian side, after his death we found out him and his “associates” were funneling money from their “businesses” back to Sicily and that’s when we put the pieces together. He was a very quiet and gentle man when it came to my family and was effective at keeping his two lives separate and died of natural causes.

This is what I'm waiting for so long about the complete and detailed history of the Sicilian Mafioso. There are simply no videos out there that are explaining in extreme details about the Italian Mafia in general. So this video is just about perfect for me to understand and complete my knowledge about their notorious history. Grazie Kings and Generals.

One day the civilians wanted protection So.. Badabing badaboom it was made

😂 people are here after new Mafia game teaser

When the Continentali ask Sicilians, why they have sawn off shotguns. They answer 'is for hunting wolves..lots of wolves in sicily'

Kings and Generals was like "I'm gonna make them a video they can't refuse."

fun fact: when giovanni borsellino died. my grandma heard and felt the explosion in Palermo and everytime i pass by the memorial statue on the way to the falcone borsellino airport my family makes the sign of the cross in memory of them

This is a bit more modern than I'm used to haha, Thank you for making content so I won't go insane during this quarantine

Series about the Holy Orders: Sicilian Mafia

I love it as per usual, just a small note, Goodfellas and the Godfather take place at two different times and at two different levels. Puzo and Coppola were creating a myth around history, like the Iliad. It took place in the late 40s and early 50s at the peak of mob power with larger than life characters and events. Scorsese was showing the ankles under the dress of that myth. The support staff, the underlings. Henry was connected but could never be a made man. It took place in the 60s, 70s and 80s to show the decline and fall of Cosa Nostra influence. Also Godfather II goes into how Italian American organized crime came about and flourished in New York City

“Hard to sit down and learn” ok guess this was written before lockdown

_"My father's name was Antonio Andolini ... and this is for you!"_

I'm from Rome and I have Sicilian origins. It would probably be interesting (or shocking) for you to know that almost 3/4 of Mafia and 'Ndrangheta (Mafia from Calabria) boss young relatives goes to university, they usually attend masters in the best schools in order to be prepared to wisely manage the family heritage. My relatives during XIX century were Sicilian coffee enterpreneur, they left said in the family that in order to create economic surplus and let Sicily thrive you had to be whether smart enough to avoid State carcinogenic presence or violent enough to knock it out

I've just read about Sicilian language and then I see notification from Kings and Generals about Sicilian mafia. So precise and awesome documentary as usual. My thumbs up and gratulations!

As a Sicilian, I enjoyed this video and, as far as I know, it’s very accurate (except maybe the fact that it was far from dead after the maxi-trial and still operates today) All in all though, well done sir, well done

Here after reveal of Mafia the old country

Me: Wait what...

3:26 :"Spanish" * *shows a french flag* * My portuguese ass: "O greșeală ușor de înțeles, eu vreu doar să glumesc un pic."

the origins of South Italys mafia generally comes of Osso Mastrosso and Carcagnosso , the 3 knights myth

In Italy we have 6 different kind of criminal organizations like Mafia. Mafia is only the name of the Sicilian one but there are also: Camorra in Campania (Neaples), Sacra Corona Unita in Puglia, 'Ndrangheta in Calabria, the Basilischi in Basilicata and the Stidda in Sicily too

The takeaway is that in the absence of a strong rule of law imposed by the state, feudalism eventually takes over. The Mafia replaced one feudal order with another. The dons were the new barrens, and unlike the old barrens who descended from Medieval gangsters, they hadn't had centuries become more refined and so were more reminiscent of Early Medieval warlords, but with guns, than the foppish type of Aristocrat of the 18th century.

"You can rule by fear or you can rule by love, remember that if your ever in charge”

Could you guys consider doing a video of the Albanian mafia. They are rarely talked about, but their influence is increasing rapidly throughout Europe and North America, much like how the Italian mafia did during their reign. Great video!

Impressive video! I needed this for a school project- really helpful THANK YOU!

the background music sounds like something straight out of legend of zelda games. love it! and the video!

Its funny how they used the Sopranos characters for the mafia stylized image.

Can't wait for the tactical map for the St. Valentine's Day Masscare.

0:40 Cool video, but I don’t think Chicago is on the shores of Hudson Bay

I am italian and I am impressed about the accuracy of your work

I love how Chicago is in Canada and Colombia is spelled “Columbia”

Cosa Nostra only refers to the American sect of the mafia, "our thing" They started using that term around Lucky Lucianos time. Great video all in all

Whos here after the Mafia The Old Country trailee

Loved the background music....

Would you ever do a history video focused on Sicily? From Roman, or even before until recent times.

This and Fall of Civilizations are two truly great channels !

You missed the collaboration between the allied forces (mainly americans) and local members of the mafia during the invasion of Sicily during WW2, in exchange of big help in freeing whole cities still occupied by fascists without firing a shot they requested a lot of favours and positions, plus the pardon of arrested members

You forgot to mention how the Mafia was virtually wiped out in Sicily under Mussolini, he really got stuck into them. They only began to reemerge after the Americans invaded in 1943, among their first allies in Italy was the Sicilian mob

Where is the "Origins of the Yakuza" video?

Colanna: Either you die a hero or live long enough to become the villain

I would love to see a video on the "Matranga family" and/or "Matranga crime family" out of New Orleans.

Ron White: "I believe if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade, then find a guy, whose life has given him vodka and throw a party."

Hmmm, Mayor on the take and Police Chief part of Mob? Sounds like my hometown of Chicago!

Nice study, i have visited Sicily last year it is one of the most amazing places i have visited in my life, full of history and so many influences, Sicily is not just Mafia like they present in popular culture, most of the ordinary Sicilian people don't support mafia or are against them. The Mafia is mostly phenomeon of western part of the island but in recent time it is noticebale their present also in Catania and Syracuse region, hope Sicilians will live in peace and enjoy their heavenly island.

Love to Italy ❤ from Bulgaria.

At 9:41 the "law" is not humility but "omertà", which means "to remain silent".

Do one on the Jewish mob next

My family is from Valguanera Caropepe, (right in the heart of Sicily) it’s sad that houses there go for around €1 nowadays because of how hopelessly mob controlled it is. I wish I could restore the beautiful island it once was.

Really interesting video, my compliments. One note only: by the end you give the idea that mafia has been almost eradicated with the maxi trial in the 90s. Sadly, that is not true at all. The Cosa Nostra certainly suffered a lot from those trials had to change the way it presented itself and also had to became way less agressive than it used to be. Nevertheless, it remains a powerful and diffused presence in Siciliy and has also enlarged its influence over the whole country in a less "fashionable" and more subtle way, being very much intertwined with politics and politicians all the way up to the government itself. It is to be remembered that the two judges that led the maxi trial were subsequently killed, along with many others that worked with them. Cosa Nostra is not dead at all.

I love this channel, and being a Sicilian, I’m very interested

In 1998 My Mom was dating one of Sicilian Mafia gang members.She didn't know that he was in the mafia.They had a baby, like a couple months later, he beat up my mom and my older brother that was only a couple months old at the time and my big brother died.😭R.I.P Nicholas.

My prediction: The British Opium wars won’y be part of this series.

0:41, it's Colombia, not Columbia.

I’d love to see some videos on the Yakuza, Russian Mafia and the Clinton Foundation for other crime syndicates :)

We italians have only three states of existence: Best case: Absolutely ingenious, creative & revolutionary. Usual case: Lazy & decadent; sitting around doing nothing but feeling superior. Worst case: Rioting; violence; bribery & just generally being assholes. (This is obviously a bad hyperbolic joke)

Should do ones about the 'Ndrangheta and Camorra.

I have watching your videos, coming from your 'Origins of the Triad' video an hour ago and I love them so far. I love history, especially world history. Keep up the great work.

Keep up with the great videos you always have produced, on to 1.500.000 subscribers we go

How ironic the newspaperman's name is Barzini, the head of one of the Five Families in The Godfather.

According to Sammy Gravano, a famous La Cosa Nostra Capitan. Mafia is the term used for Sicilian organized crime, from the Sicilian word mafiusu, which, roughly translated, means "swagger", but can also be translated as "boldness" or "bravado". In the US the La Cosa Nostra is used and means "Our Thing." Apparently, they don't like each other the Americans referring to Sicilians as "zips".

2:48 - I didn't know until this day that it was Barzini all along

Now we’re talking! A whole video on my countrymen 👏👏 Interesting content and history here 👍

"Columbia" smh. wrong spelling.

0:41 I hope you learn how to spell “Colombia” correctly before the the Medellin/Cali cartel episode.

Considerably good documentary on such a difficult phenomenon. I believe the video stressed the most important factor behind this awful organised crime: A) An historical distrust against central government in the Sicilian people b) A deeply entrenched feudal economy. Traditionally Sicilians had very de-centralised forms of government and established close ties with the local feudal lords. The central authoritiy knew that and allowed Sicilian barons full autonomy to avoid revolts that posed great dangers to State stability. Indeed most changes of Monarchy in Sicilian history took place with the help of the barons. The barons enforced their rule via the "campieri", field guards as respected as hated by the laborers. When the North Italians unified the kingdom, the barons gradually started to lose terrain as they were not competitive and using ancient methods of farming. And when the barons disappeared the jobless campieri turned into thugs. Just to understand the traditional mentality, my great-grandfather used to work the land as a mezzadro, a small farmer, and always told my father how he regretted when his baron had to sell off the land. They felt lost without the landowners. In a way, those changes were too fast for being positive in such a traditional society

I got this in my recommendation just after I finished the Omerta mission in the Mafia game.

When you ask a true mafioso about the Mafia he will tell you: "what Mafia? There is no such thing. The real Mafia is in Rome." Meaning there is no bigger Mafia than the State itself.

Hey Kings and Generals could you next make a video or video series about Asian civilizations during early age to the modern times and how each one civilization and nations created from it played a role to the whole world's history.

Sicilians became secretive and fiercely independent because everyone was always pushing them around. You see that in places that are in geographic locations that put them in between more powerful people.

Good and informative video, just one correction : Umiltà means Humility in Italian, while the sicilian term is Omertà. Also, i suggest you do a video on the Stidda, the main enemy of Cosa Nostra in Sicily.

from alexander to cosa nostra, what a time to be alive

I don't know who that guy is at 14:28, but something tells me he never had the makings of a varsity athlete.

You: It's hard to find the time to sit and learn these days. The Universe: Hold my Corona.

That’s strangely inaccurate for the standards of this channel. Revolts in Sicily happened because there was no distribution of land among paesants and most of the seized farming lands were given to the Piedmontese upper middle class(not to the Sicilian one) , and the remaining lands stayed in Sicilian aristocratic hands. But this is not how mafia originated. The root of this phenomenon is to be searched in the expedition of Giuseppe Garibaldi, which had only 1000 regular effective in his army: while defeating bourbonic troops he increased the number in his ranks setting free people who were in bourbonic jails and organising them in regiments of skirmishers. But among them there were not just political opposers to the inefficient and corrupt bourbonic kingdom: most of them were regular criminals such as thieves, murderers, rapists and smugglers which were never sent back to jail once the war was concluded. So when Italy was made multiple bands of well armed criminals remained free and while the newly formed Italian government (with the Pica’s law) swiftly extirpated the angry mob of paesants who wanted agricultural reforms( known as brigands) paid little or no attention at all to the bands of criminals which later started calling themselves as Mafia.

if you read any of Mario Puzo"s books he always referred to the mafia as the Friends of friends

I loved Kings and Generals for a while enjoying its short documentaries on events/ people as well as it’s documentaires regarding tactical warfare And now I’m so looking forward to this organized crime series !!!

@3:26 "Spainiards" with a fleur-de-lis…

I am in Palermo now watching. Beautifully made and explained. Grazie Mille. Thats insane that they had operated for 150 years and was just brought down 30 years ago. I will go and explore if there are some still left or hold any power