1796- 1848

The Unification of Italy

Summary of the unit- 2 parts

Understand what Italy was like before 1815 and what problems were faced by those who wished to unite them

Understand the various attempts to unite Italy before and during 1848/1849 and the reasons for their failures

Summary of the Unit

Understand why changes after 1849 made unification possible in Italy and make a judgment about the personalities involved

Understand the developments after unification and make a judgment about how well the rulers of Italy coped with the problems that arose because of unification

Overview

1796- little sense of being ‘Italian’- regional loyalties, laws, dialects and customs were more important than national ideals

Invasion by the French actually created more unity in Italy- political unity-

Bonaparte forced Italians to live in new states with new governments and new laws- Italian Nationalism was a consequence of unpopular French rule

Inspiration for increased unity after 1815 came when the old order was restored under Austrian rule

Overview

Creation of secret societies was common, idealistic and full of writers and agitators- the most important of these was Mazzini

Piedmont was the strongest ‘Italian’ state- nationalist hopes were fixed on Piedmont

Italian nationalists were absolutely a minority, when revolutions broke out in 1848 they were bound to fail due to disunity within Italy and the strength of Austria

ITALY ON THE EVE OF THE NAPOLEONIC ERA

What was Italy like before 1796?

Italy on the eve of the Revolution

Before 1796 Italy was not a country, or even a real geographic territory- just a concept

Similar to how we use the term ‘Arab world’ or ‘the West’

1847 Metternich- “Italy is but a geographic expression”

Italy on the eve of the Revolution

Each state had very little in common- no official language, no common form of government, no education system, no standard currency, weights or measures or even time measurement

Economic barriers; difficulty crossing frontiers, poor communications and barriers to travel such as mountain ranges

A distant tradition in Italy of “Rome”

Ready, set…

Blank piece of paper

When I say go, draw a map of Italy in 1749

Piedmont-Savoy (Kingdom of Sardinia)

Dukes of Savoy and Kings of Sardinia acquired lands over time

1792 Savoy was occupied by France and its people considered themselves French

Savoy was separated from Piedmont (which was considered Italian) by a mountain range

The island of Sardinia was included in the state but had a distinct dialect and culture of its own

Capital of Piedmont was Turin (Torino)

Lombardy

Formerly the Duchy of Milan (1749)

East of Piedmont and ruled by Austria

Milan- impressive capital, efficient administration

Well educated citizens, fair tax and legal system

Principle of equal rights ruled the justice system

Republics of Venice and Genoa

Self-governing states

Ruled by heads of state called Doges

Elected by the upper classes

Venice even had its own colonies along the Adriatic coast- one of the great cities of Europe

Genoa was a major trading centre within Europe

Modena and Parma

Small states

Ruled by Dukes and Duchesses

Family closely linked to Austria and the Hapsburg family

Hapsburgs were one of the key ruling houses in Europe- Holy Roman Emperors since the 15th century

After 1806 the Hapsburgs ruled Austria from Vienna

Tuscany and Papal States

Grand Duchy of Tuscany

Capital at Florence

Ruled by a Hapsburg relative of the Austrians

Papal States- name given to areas ruled directly by the Pope in Rome

Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Southern party of Italy

Named after the union of the island of Sicily with the large southern state of Naples

Ruled by a Spanish family

Naples was in fact one of Europe’s largest cities at 300,000 people

Pre-Napoleonic Italy

North: Piedmont (the House of Savoy), Lombardy (Austrian rule), Venetia (Austrian Influence)

Centre: Central Duchies (Austrian Control), Papal States (Direct Papal rule)

South: Kingdom of Naples (Bourbon Rule)