ITALIAN RISORGIMENTO “Revival” and The Unification Movement

The Legacy of France

Napoleon Invaded Italy and added much of Italy to

the French Empire Established puppet governments Structure of French govt – efficient

bureaucracy Ideas of political rights and personal

liberty – end of feudalism Decrease in influence and power of RCC

Congress of Vienna

Sept. 1814 GB, Russia, Austria, Prussia – met in

Vienna, Austria to discuss the restructuring of Europe after the defeat of Napoleon

Klemens von Metternich – foreign minister of Austria – dominated the congress

Guided by the following principles – balance of power, legitimacy, conservatism

Balance of power – one country would not be allowed to dominate European politics Some European powers allowed territorial

gains Legitimacy – rightful monarchs restored

to power after Napoleon Conservatism – political order and

stability maintained through strong governments Did not advocate extension of political

rights

Principle of intervention – major European powers had the right to intervene in countries experiencing revolutions to maintain balance of power

Liberalism – political philosophy of the middle class that advocated political/personal liberty, constitutional monarchy Against conservatism

Italy

Intentionally kept divided and weak by Austria in order to protect their southern flank

5 Main territories Piedmont – the House of Savoy – Victor

Emmanuel I Lombardy – Venetia – annexed by Austria Grand Duchy of Tuscany – dominated by Austria The Papal States – ruled by the Papacy but

influenced by Austria and France Kingdom of the Two Sicilies – supported by

Austria

Carboneria

“the Society of Charcoal Burners” Secret society pledged to expel Austria

from the Italian states Wanted Italian independence, constitutional

liberties, united Italy in confederation/federal form

Inspired revolutions in Italy in the 1820s and 1830s, but ultimately failed to do lack of unity

Development of Nationalism Giuseppe Mazzini - lawyer Young Italy (1831) – secret society

created to achieve Italian unity through insurrection against the foreign countries

Advocated creation of unified Italian republic and universal suffrage Proponent of Big Nationalism

Early attempts at insurrection failed

Neo-Guelphs Advocated an Italian confederation under

the leadership of the pope

Neo-Ghibellines Advocated an independent Italy under the

leadership of a secular ruler Not necessarily united Piedmont (Charles Albert) take lead in

unification

Development of Trade

Piedmont: Reduced grain tariffs Signed trade agreements with other

European countries like France and the German states

Development of RRs

Austria – protectionist – did not allow Italian states free trade – irritated Italian states that depended on trade

Revolutions of 1848

1847 – Piedmont annexed Sardinia after request of Sardinia

1847 – Creation of customs league between Papal States, Piedmont, and Tuscany Austrian controlled states left out

1848 – Ferdinand II (Two Sicilies) granted liberal constitution to avoid popular uprising Tuscany, Papal States, Piedmont followed Civil liberties, free press, representative

assembly

1848 – Milan (Lombardy) and Venice (Venetia) rebelled against Austrian rule (after uprisings in Austria) Piedmont intervened to support Lombardy –

goal of Charles Albert was to annex Lombardy Pope Pious IX refused to declare war on Austria

– Catholic nation – pope lost support and “nationalistic” support

Austria put down the insurrection Charles Albert forced to abdicate (1849) – Victor

Emanuel II (son) became king of Piedmont

The Rome Uprising (1848-1849) Pope forced to flee Rome to the Kingdom

of the Two Sicilies after refusal to declare war on Austria Mazzini and Garibaldi joined insurrection in

Rome Signaled breach between people and

church 1849 – Roman republic with elected

Constituent Assembly declared Created a constitution Mazzini leadership position

France under Louis Napoleon sent troops to defeat rebels in Rome and restore the Pope to power in the Papal States Ferdinand II (King of Two Sicilies) also sent

troops French troops occupied the city July 1849

and maintain foreign army to protect position of the pope. Mazzini – fled to London; Garibaldi – fled to

Americas (wife died fleeing Rome)

1849 - Restoration of the monarchs in Italy Constitutions in Naples, Tuscany and the

Papal States removed Mainly with Austrian assistance

Piedmont maintained constitution

Legacies of 1848/49

Desire for liberal political reforms and constitutions Influence of foreign powers (Austria and France)

remained on the peninsula Lack of political unity and direction among the Italian

states Pope cannot be counted on to expel the foreign powers Piedmont – position of leadership – little foreign

influence, liberal constitution, good economy, foreign support

Piedmont and the Italian states will need foreign assistance to expel Austria and other foreign influence – cannot “go it alone”

Realpolitik

Applies to both foreign and domestic policy

Pursuit of a nation’s self-interest based on a realistic assessment of the costs and consequences of action No morality in decisions No ethics in decisions

Analysis of the situation dictates the best course of action for that time

Cavour – foreign diplomacy

Count Camillo di Cavour – prime minister of Piedmont-Sardinia Led Italian unification movement

Believed Piedmont needed foreign assistance to expel Austria from the Italian states

Fostered support with Britain and France Began with commercial treaties Supported Br. and Fr. in Crimean War against

Russia Used Crimean War to bring European attention to

Italian unification issue

Plombieres Agreement (1858) Four Confederated States

Piedmont-Sardinia – include Venetia, Lombardy, and Northern Duchies

Central Italian State – under leadership of Prince Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon III’s cousin

Smaller Papal kingdom Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Piedmont-Sardinia expand territory France replace Austria as influential country on

peninsula and receive Nice and Savoy from PS Russia pacified by possible revision of Peace of

Paris from the Crimean War to allow Russian warships on the Black Sea

Cause for War

France only agreed to fight against Austria if Austria provided the “excuse for war”

Austria drafted soldiers from Venetia and Lombardy PS agreed to accept Italian deserters from the

Austrian army and mobilized forces along the PS and Austrian border

Austria issued ultimatum against PS to stop accepting deserters PS rejected the ultimatum and Austria invaded PS

France joined the war against Austria in support of PS 100,000 troops led by Napoleon III Use of RR – first significant use in warfare

French and PS troops defeated Austrian army in Lombardy Austrian defeat prompted Prussia to

mobilize army on Prussian / French border Cavour sparked nationalist insurrections

against Austrian supported rulers in Bologna, Tuscany, Parma, and Modena

Napoleon III arranged armistice with Austria at Villafranca w/o consulting PS and Cavour

Treaty of Turin (1860)

PS annexed Lombardy, Tuscany, Modena, Parma and Bologna

Used plebiscites to justify annexation France received Savoy and Nice Used plebiscites to justify annexation

Giuseppe Garibaldi in Southern Italy

Cavour encouraged uprising in Sicily to protest a milling tax and increased cost of bread in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Garibaldi landed in Sicily with his 1,000 Red Shirts and defeated the Neapolitan Army

Garibaldi next invaded the city of Naples and the southern boot – again victorious

Cavour sent PS troops into the northern part of the Papal States to prevent invasion by Garibaldi

Garibaldi gave the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to PS and Victor Emmanuel III Plebiscites justified the annexations of

Sicily, Naples, and the Papal States Victor Emmanuel III took the title of the

King of Italy in March 1861 Cavour died in June 1861

Austro-Prussian War (1866)

PS had alliance with Prussia PS received Venetia for assisting Prussia

and victory against Austria

The Acquisition of Rome

The Franco-Prussian War (1870 – 1871) France pulled troops out of Rome to fight

Prussia Italian army occupied Rome

Rome = capital city of new Italy Plebiscite to justify annexation

The Law of Papal Guarantees Vatican City = independent and ruled by

the Pope