Camorra (probably from Span, camorra, quarrel), a secret society of Neapolitan malefactors, which flourished especially under the reign of Ferdinand II. (1830-'59), who tolerated them. They were thoroughly organized in every important city of the Two Sicilies, and in Naples alone they had 12 central stations, each with an absolute chief, and a contarolo or accountant, the money extorted by the various branches being deposited in the oarattolo or common exchequer and divided into equal parts among the members. The candidates for admission had to furnish evidence that they had not been spies or thieves, and that their wives and sisters had not been prostitutes; and they were bound to secrecy and obedience by an oath on the crucifix. The candidate was apprenticed to an old camorrista as a picciotto d'onore; after a year's satisfactory probation he was advanced to the grade of a picciotto di sgarro, but he was not received into the ranks of the eamorristi proper until he had given full proofs of daring and obedience to orders. They wore a scarf of peculiar pattern, and carried two knives and a large club, by which they recognized each other. Treason to the society was punished with death. Serious quarrels among themselves were settled by duels; minor disputes were decided by the chief.

They had an argot or slang language unintelligible to others. They devoted themselves to all kinds of fraud and violence, were often found in gambling houses and all places of public resort, and sometimes appeared as lottery dealers, peddlers, or beggars. They were wont to raise mock quarrels among themselves, under cover of which they could plunder the bystanders. In 1848 King Ferdinand attempted to secure their cooperation against the revolutionists, but the negotiations fell to the ground on account of their exorbitant demands. In 1860, under Francis II., an effort was made to employ them to assist the police, but after a time they became only the more formidable, and in 1862 Gen. Lamarmora had 300 of them expelled in one day. Of those left behind, some joined the Garibaldians, and as late as 1873 many of them, in spite of the exertions of the authorities, appeared as smugglers and brigands. - See La Camorra, notizie storiche, by Monnier (Florence, 1863).