Saint-Florent was created by the Genoese in the 16th century as a base for to fight the Corsican patriots in their villages. The colonial state and imperialist France later used it for getting troops of mercenaries and colonists during August 1764. After the defeat at Ponte Novu Bridge, the army of Pasquale Paoli, helped by Horatio Nelson, reconquered Saint-Florent in 1793 during the brief Anglo-Corsican rule.