ITALIAN LEADERS AND THE UNIFICATION OF ITALY - MANOSCRITTO DETTAGLIATO - ANDREA

BERNARDINELLO - ALESSANDRO STRANCI

INTRODUCTION

At the beginning of 19th century states in Europe such as

Italy and Germany became field of battle for the ideas of
nationalism and liberalism which were against the
traditional political structures

- In September 1814 there was a Congress in Vienna

organised by European nations in order to discuss about
the problems caused by Napoleonic wars, because
some countries formed alliances against Napoleon’s
French Empire, problem caused by the fall of the Holy
Roman empire and to establish new boundaries.
Congress of Vienna 1814

- Even if small nations like France were were involved in the congress, the decision were taken by
the most powerful states such as Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia.

- An important decision was to reduce the german states from 230 to 39 in order to create union
which could resist in future aggressions, and the return to the parts of Italy that were confiscated by
Napoleon.

- Germany and Italy were composed by many independent states and both the nation found their
unification between 1870 and 1871

- They have in common that suffered violent revolutions in 1848 and in both countries there was one
most powerful state between all the others in Germany was Prussia and in Italy was Piedmont. The
most important common thing was to defeat the power of Austria in their countries by a war

- But both the countries were involved in internal struggles in which took part groups of liberals
(people who preferred the reform of traditional beliefs and individual freedom, a group with open
mind and tolerance) and nationalists( people who believed in nationality, their language and
preferred to govern themselves rather than be ruled by other counties)

John Locke (1632-1704) is the father of classical liberalism, he believed that all men should have the
right to indipendence and liberty and this right should be defended also with revolution if necessary.

Adam Smith with his Wealth of Nation, published in 1776, endorsed the policy of laisse faire and
criticised protetionism wich restrict trade between different states.

Protectionism is a poilicy of placing high tariffs on imports in order to protect domestic industries
from foreign competition(a policy that is also present today and introduced with the Trump
government, president of the United States of America), it’s the opposite of free trade and it has
several disadvantages including raising taxes for imports and exports.

John Locke

Adam Smith

The northern states State in Italy where always more advanced industries differently to the States in
the South.

All across the country people spoke a wide variety of regional dialects, LOYALTIES WERE LOCAL
NOT NATIONAL.

Talking about the influence of the Church, apart from a brief period at the start of Pius IX’s papacy,
the church favoured the established authorities.

Church was seen from many historician as one of the obstacle that didn’t permit at the beguinning
the complete unification of the peninsula.

Vatican State. An indipendent State in the middle of Rome

An important question is: what are the factors that change the facts and take italy to unity?

At first is evidente that the process of unification was very long and complex, in addition to this a
very important point is that after the 1815 began to emerge forces of nationalism, it’s evident the
main role that played the romanticism with it’s diffusion in Italy.

The NATIONALISM surely played an important role, in fact this thought was the idiological basis of
the future Italian unity.

The romanticism exalte the nationalism and sense of patriottism that was unknowledge until this
period in Italy.

Two of the most relevant figure in that period in Italy are surely King Charles Albert and Giuseppe
Mazzini.

The first was the king of Piedmont and when he understood the liberal sympathies he started to
favoured a strong monarchy.

He was remind also for the introduction of the first “little” constitution as well know nowadays as
Statuto that was constitued by 84 articles.

Moreover it’s important to underline that this strange type of Constitution didn’t delete the very
important powers of King Albert (this Statue was adopted with the intention of the king to give a sop
to the population) in fact the legislative power was exercised by the king and two houses which
components were nominated by the king.

The second, Mazzini(1805-1872), was a very important figure in the Italian history, in fact while other
nationalists were attempting to unite certain regions in of Italy, Mazzini called for the unification of
the whole country encouraging the well know “Rinascimento”.

However, he was exiled because he never hid criticisms against the Church, which was seen as an
obstacle to unity.

Mazzini founded, during his exile, another nationalism group called Young Italy which represented
the popular ideological turning point.

One of the most dedicated follower of Mazzini was Giuseppe Garibaldi who later will be
remembered as the Italian unifier.

Despite the unification achieved Mazzini will never accept that type of Italy unity as governed by a
monarchy and rich lords and therefore was not free.

Camillo Benso count of Cavour entered politics after the 1848 revolutions. He was prime minister
from 1852 to 1861 except for a brief period when he resined.

The count was a monarchist, but favored limiting the power of the king through parliament.

He became the first prime minister of the new Italian state in 1861.

Camillo Benso Count of Cavour

Camillo Benso count of Cavour favoured a more limited form of unity through a monarchy.

He played a fondamental role in the evolution of commerce of the new country, he he tried to give a
sense to economy eaven in this period of crisis.

His priority was to enlarge his own state even if he had to accept the consequently unification after
Garibaldi’s success of unity.

In fact the state of Piedmont was seen as the most relevant and important state, it was therefore the
only state that could face even the power of more important states.

Therefore Piedmont played a fundamental and relevant role, it tried to drag and captain Italy
towards independence.

At the end of 1848 the first uprising took place on the island of Sicily and this soon spreads to
Naples, both regions governed by Ferdinand II.

Protest take place also against Austrian role in Milan for example: the mentality had changed Italy
was preparing for unity.

In addition to this we can see evidence of revolution in all the peninsula: in Venice took place the
establishment of a moderate repubblican government under Daniele Manin.

Garibaldi joined Mazzini's Young Italy and was soon involved in a violent rising for the national
cause.

THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH

What is the role of the Church?

The reality is that also in Rome there was a violent uprising in

Rome but the Pope, thinking that was the best thing to preserve
the entity and the goals of the Church support the Austrian
Empire.

The Pope also fled from Rome with several high-ranking

clergymen and a big part of Rome remain loyal to Catholicism.

In this period the Eternal city fell to extremists, who declared it a

republic in its own right and this republic included an assembly
where took part also Mazzini.
Pope Pius IX

At this point France, one of the great powers, saw an opportunity both to defend the Church and to
weaken Austria by leading an attack on the new Roman republic.

The Italian resistence was heroic during the battle but the France forces were incomparable to the
little italian army.

In the 1849 Austria retained its commanding position and France underline it’s position in the
dispute.

However nationalist feeling did not die(nextly we will see why)

Conclusion of this phase in points:

Italy could not free itself from foreign control but need military and diplomatic helps

The activities of the masses needed to be controled, many “citizens” lost confidence with the
“national dream”

The repubblicans had been discredited within in Italy and they had to work hard to gain future
support.

The pope was a very powerful political figure and this reflects on the question of Rome that had
to be handled very carefully: we don’t have to forget that the Pope had also the spiritual power.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PIEDMONT AFTER 1849

Under the leadership of Count Cavour and King Victor Emmanuel II( became king of piedmont in
1849 and king of Italy in 1861). Piedmont was composed by modern state and a monarchy with a
constitution.

An important aim of the king was not to make an enemy of the papacy

When the prime minister Massimo D’Azeglio ( prime minister of piedmont in after 1848 revolution, he
thought that Piedmont should take the lead in unifying Italy because was the only state strong
enough to challenge Austria; recognised Cavour abilities and invited him to join the government and
recommended him as his successor). D’Azeglio introduced the

Siccardi Laws in order to limit the church’s power in Piedmont, the king modified those laws and
opposed a proposal to introduce civil instead of church marriages.

Delete a bill to suppress some religious orders

Prime Minister D’Azeglio King Victor Emmanuel II

THE CRIMEAN WAR

Broke out in 1854 Britain and France allied against Russia. Even if Piedmont wasn’t interested in
the balance of power in near east, king Victor Emmanuel II caught the advantage of an alliance with
Britain and France.

At the end of the conflict in 1856 Piedmont contribution didn’t give new territories, but with this
intervention the Italian state had made allies of the victorious power.

Cavour worked to establish the support with Britain and France against Austria. Even if at the
beginning he received only expression of sympathy,

all turned in his favour thanks to Italian nationalist Felice Orsini who tried to assassinate French King
Napoleon III in 1858. While was in prison he wrote some letters to the king which impassioned him
and this is the beginning to help italy in his fight for independence.

The Crimean War 1854_1856

Felice Orsini

THE TREATY OF PLOMBIERES

Cavour met Napoleon at Plombierés and they agreed a treaty by which

France would aid Piedmont if it was attacked by Austria

To Piedmont were promised Lombardy, Venice, and some papal lands. And
to France would obtain Nice and Savoy.

A marriage was arranged between the daughter of Victor Emmanuel II and a

cousin of the French emperor.

Cavour task was that Austria declared war first so it would be seen as an
aggressor. In order to incite this he ordered to Piedmont’s army to mobilise in
the hope that would provoke Austria into prepare for a war

Maria Clotilde di Savoia and

Austria declared war in 1859 making the start of the second Italian war of her husband Napoleone
independence
Carlo Giuseppe Bonaparte

WAR WITH AUSTRIA

French and Piedmont armies won several victories such as at Magenta and Solferino, but Cavour
start to believe that Napoleon III wouldn’t be a fair ally because of lots of death in French armies.

In fact after few month agreed a peace with Austria (peace of Villafranca) without the agreement of
Piedmont.

Piedmont gained only Lombardy and not all the other lands as established in the Treaty of
Plombieres, France gained Nice and Savoy

He took advantages in the other states and 1860 plebiscites were arranged in Emilia Tuscany,
Modena, Parma and Romagna over the issue of unification with Piedmont

Northern States Joined together and in 1861 was declared the Kingdom of Italy but without Venice
and Rome.

STAGE OF UNIFICATION: Garibaldi and southern Italy

Garibaldi, even if was a supporter of the republican Mazzini, after the unification of northern Italy
declared that will win the southern states in the name of King Victor Emmanuel II and the aim of the
king was to extend the power of Piedmont.

THE EXPEDITION OF THE THOUSAND

In 1860 without the support of the king,Garibaldi organised a small force of 1000 soldiers and went
to the island of Sicily.

Waited that French ship left the port of Marsala, moved his troupes near
English ship, because in case of an attack French could hit English ships
and cause a war against England

Battle of Calatafimi 15 may 1860

He called his campaign Expedition of the thousand, captured Palermo

and let Sicily free thanks to the population who want to be free

Naples and Rome

Garibaldi entered in the city of Naples in September 1860 and declared

himself Dictator of the two Sicilies. Naples agreed to unification with
Piedmont. Next city was going to be Rome, but European Catholic
countries were alarmed that this unification could represent an assault Italian General Giureppe
Garibaldi
on the spirit centre of Catholicism. In order to anticipated this reaction
Cavour explained that Rome soon was going to be capital of Italy, but when the Kingdom of Italy
was declared the capital was Turin

UNIFICATION: FINAL STAGE

Piedmont’s laws were expanded to all the kingdom, it was necessary because some parts of Italy
were lawless with untrained and corrupt officials

The new kingdom had a lot of debts after the war against Austria. So taxes were raised and was
declared a MARTIAL LAW ( which is a temporary imposition of military rule over a civilian
population)

The north were more developed than the south and many
historians in fact agree what south became poorer

Venice and Rome were added to Italy by outside events

Bismark’s Prussia prepared for a war against Austria in 1866 and

looking for alliances. Napoleon III remain neutral on condition that
Venice became a part of kingdom of Italy

1870 France and Prussia went to war, so Napoleon III needed Flag Of Kingdom of Italy
soldiers and which were in Rome too, so Rome was conquered by kingdom of Italy.

Pope Pius IX retire himself to Vatican City and declared it an independent state.

Italy was socially united thanks to Risorgimento, but the old classes resisted the ambitions of the
new rulers even if lower classes played little part. Old loyalties remained strong, in fact pope and the
church maintain influence on Italian politics

Mazzini’s dream was in part realised because he wanted a fully democratic and non religious
republic

Was used Cavour’s model with a monarchy led by Piedmont and middle classes.