1856-61 The Creation of the Kingdom of Italy Flashcards
(35 cards)
1
Q
What was the National Society?
A
- society formed in the 1850s that aimed to promote unity of Italy
- Cavour allowed this to grow in Piedmont, with membership at 8,000 by 1857
- leaders were Manin, Pallavicino and La Farina
2
Q
When did Cavour meet up with Manin (now a leader of the National Society) and Garibaldi?
A
1856 - a step forward in the road to change
- however Cavour didn’t want to seem he was backing radicals so kept up a dialogue with France/Napoleon after the Congress of Paris
3
Q
Who was Napoleon III
A
- had been in Italy following the Vienna Settlement of 1815 which exiled him from France
- during this time he had tried to capture the Pope’s castle at Saint Angelo to proclaim his cousin king of Italy
- elected president of French Republic in 1849
- came to the aid of the Pope in 1849 by sending 10,000 troops to win support of the church and strike a blow at the Austrians who were threatening Rome
4
Q
Why did Napoleon III take up the cause for nationalism?
A
- had liberal ideals
- wanted to drive out Austrians and create an enlarged Piedmont as a useful ally
- plans for central Italy to be part of piedmont or a separate French controlled state
- Orsini bomb plot in 1858, in which a bomb was thrown at Napoleon and 8 died, 150 injured - Orsini claimed in a letter that he aimed to kill napoleon and replace him with a new Republican gov in France that would help Italy, this appealed to Napoleon to help Italy get independence
5
Q
When was the Pact of Plombieres?
A
21st July 1858
6
Q
What did the Pact of Plombieres do?
A
- made plans for French military intervention in a war seen to be provoked by Austria (feared Prussia would defend Austria or Britain wouldn’t tolerate France replacing Austrian control)
- a Kingdom of Upper Italy (ruled by the House of Savoy)
- kingdom of Central Italy (controlled by Tuscany, including Umbria and the Papal Marches)
- Rome to remain under Pope control who would lead an Italian confederation
- Naples to remain as it was (didn’t want to upset the Tsar of Russia)
- France to get Nice and Savoy in return for 200,000 soldiers
- marriage of VEII’s 15 year old daughter to Bonaparte prince
7
Q
Why would nationalists be pleased with the Pact of Plombieres?
A
- sought Austrian expulsion
- sought recognition of “Italy”
- willing ally in France established
8
Q
Why would nationalists be displeased with the Pact of Plombieres?
A
- foreign powers (France) would still have control over areas
- concerned with Piedmontese and French expansion rather than unification
- impoverished south under Bourbon rule remains untouched, Pope still has control
- states still under separate leadership
- principles of the Risorgimento destroyed
9
Q
What were VEII’s issues following the Pact of Plombieres?
A
- how to provoke a war with Austria such that they seem the aggressor
- how to produce an army of 100,000 to march Napoleon’s 200,000 (he had 20,000 untrained volunteers from the National Society and 60,000 Piedmontese soldiers)
- how to avoid upsetting Europe, most did not want Austrian-dominated northern Italy to be replaced with the French
- how to encourage enthusiasm for war and keep Napoleon committed
10
Q
When was the Second War of Italian Independence/Franco-Austrian War?
A
1859-60
11
Q
What were the steps up to the war in 1859?
A
March 1859: Piedmont mobilises its army for “training”
April 1859: Austrians mobilise
23rd: Austria issues an automaton demanding Piedmont demobilise in 3 days
29th: Austria declares war and invades Piedmont, french troops arrive by rail to support Piedmont
12
Q
What were Austrian troops like in the 1859 war?
A
commanded by “courtier soldiers” (nobles)
- took 10 days to mobilise
- only partially mobilised as troops were left in Hungary
- 90,000 troops
13
Q
What were French/Piedmontese troops like in the 1859 war?
A
- Piedmont officers reluctant to engage, wanted to leave fighting to French
- men arrived by train in advance of their supplies, causing deaths of exposure before getting to the battlefield
14
Q
What were the names of two important battles in the 1859 war?
A
- Battle of Magenta
- Battle of Solferino
15
Q
What happened at the Battle of Magenta?
A
- French-Sardinian forces halted the Austrians in a skirmish causing them to retreat
- Napoleon moves his troops by rail to circle the Austrians to the north, cutting off its lines of communication and supply
- Austrians responded with 14,000 troops against 10,700 French/Sardinians - resulting in huge Austrian casualties and causing them to retreat across the river Ticino
(- Garibaldi and his 3,000 “Alpine Hunters” simultaneously saw victory at Como) - Napoleon took 30,000 troops across the river to Magenta
- Austrians turned every house into a fortress, most of the fighting was done by 5,000 french grenadiers, but it was a decisive victory - with not a single Piedmontese soldier losing his life
16
Q
What happened at the Battle of Solferino?
A
- Austrians retreated to their Quadrilateral fortresses in Lombardy
- French army had taken Milan and marched further east
- Austrians attempted a series of attacks from Solferino to surprise the French
- the Battle ranged 60 square miles and lasted 4 days, but eventually the Austrians were driven back to the Quadrilaterals
- allies took 17,000 casualties and Austrians taking 21,000
- Austrian Emperor Franz Josef met with Napoleon III shortly afterwards, both shocked by the huge death count and fearful of discontent with Prussia and Hungary revolutions and signed an armistice
17
Q
What did Baron Bettino Ricasoli do?
A
Ricasoli - strong supported of unification and leader of the Tuscan gov in 1859, arranged the annexation of Tuscany to the Kingdom of Sardinia
18
Q
What did the National Society do during the 1859 war?
A
- encouraged change in the Central Duchies whilst Austrians were preoccupied in Northern Italy
- April 1859, a popular demonstration in Florence caused Leopold to flee and the creation of a provisional gov under Ricasoli
- May 1859, National Society organised peaceful revolutions in Modena and Parma, led to rulers of both fleeing and were replaced by a provisional gov under Luigi Farini (close to Piedmont - all decisions were approved by Turin making the area like a Piedmontese colony)
- June 1859, unrest in Bologna (under Papal control) caused Piedmontese commissioners (mostly members of the National Society) to move in to restore government
- shows the spread of northern geographical unity led by Piedmont
19
Q
Why did Napoleon sue for peace in July 1859?
A
- modern/accurate weaponary and large armies led to huge casualtiy rates
- only one doctor per 500 casualties on the Allied side
- France didn’t think Piedmont could continue the conflict for much longer as they lacked resources
- Austria retreated to the Quadrilateral (series of fortresses on the borders of Venetia) and defeat would require a long expensive siege
- increase interest of Cavour in the Central Duchies went beyond the terms of the Plombieres agreement, Napoleon also believed the Papal States to be under threat
- 24th June 1859 Prussian army mobilised in the banks of Rhine
20
Q
What was the agreement between Napoleon and Franz Josef following the 1859 war?
A
- the Treaty of Villafranca was signed in July 1859
a Piedmont excludes from the talks - Austria gave Lombardy to France but Venetia was to remain in Austrian hands (great powers not interested in piedmont)
- Piedmont was not given Modena or Parma and the fleeing rulers would be restored
- Italian confederation to be set up with the Pope at its head (as agreed at Plombieres - giving pope more power, Cavour has wanted VEII as head)
- in response to this, Cavour resigned in protest
21
Q
Which treaty formally ended the 1859 war?
A
war formally ended at the Tready of Zurich Nov 1859 - decided that no force should be used to implement the terms relating to central Italy (meaning Austria wouldn’t be allowed to crush revolution)
22
Q
What happened in December 1859?
A
a pamphlet was written on behalf of Napoleon called “The Pope and the Congress” suggesting the Pope should lose control of the Legations (diplomatic ministers)
23
Q
What did the British foreign secretary suggest regarding the future of Italy in 1859?
A
Lord John Russell proposed the future of the peninsula should be decided through the principle of self-determination (people decide their own political status)
24
Q
When did Cavour return as PM (following his resignation over the Treaty of Villafranca) and what did he do?
A
January 1860, negotiated the Treaty of Turin when it was decided Nice and Savoy would be handed to france (subject to a plebiscite) if Napoleon agreed to Piedmontese annexation of the central duchies
- convinced Napoleon of annexation by using plebiscites to prove that the idea was popular in the Duchies, used the war and propaganda to boost nationalist feeling in the Duchies
25
How much of Parma, Romagna and Modena voted in favour of annexation by Piedmont?
426,000 to 1,506
26
How much of Tuscany voted in favour of annexation by Piedmont?
366,571
27
How many voted against Savoy and Nice joining France?
only 285 in Savoy
150 in Nice
- however Napoleon had the vote in Nice take place while the French army was passing through on their way back from Lombardy
28
What was Garibaldi's early life?
- born as a french citizen in Nice, saw Nice become part of Piedmont as a child
- Italian parents and considered himself Italian
- joined his father as a merchant sailor where he met Mazzini
- joined Young Italy and became involved in revolutionary plans in piedmont 1833 - however the plot went wrong and he was sentenced to death
- escaped the country before his trial and went to South America for 12 years, discovered a branch of Young Italy in Rio becoming involved in plans
- became a pirate and joined a rebel army in Brazil, before selling spaghetti
- later joined the Uruguayan army, raising an Italian legion of guerrilla fighters - this is where his famous reg shirts began
- returned to Italy establishing an adoration among the people with street songs, ballads, prints etc
- returned with 60 men and immediately offered his services to Charles Albert but was refused - believed Charles Albert to be the only man to unite italy and defeat Austria
- joined the revolutionary gov of Milan in Lombardy
- joined the Roman Republic in Feb 1849 and held off french troops until July, appeared before the assembly when the republic fell, holding a sword so bend from fighting that it wouldn't fit in his scabbard
- Garibaldi returned to America in exile and became a sailor
- bought half an island off the coast of Sardinia, took up farming but kept in touch with the National Society
29
What was Garibaldi's role in the 1859 war?
- after Plombieres, Cavour discussed his plans for war with Garibaldi, who offered ro train and recruit volunteers
- played a key part in fighting in northern italy so much so that he was awarded a Gold Medal of Valour by VEII
- had command of 3,000 volunteers "Alpine Hunters" - had little impact on the outcome of the war but did demonstrate Garibaldi's capabilities of beating high quality Austrian troops e.g. saw victory at Como and occupied the town
30
What did Garibaldi proceed to do following the failure of the 1859 war?
- May 1860: set sail for Sicily after hearing of an uprising against the Bourbon rule
- gathered a force of 1,200 to support Young Italy known as "The Thousand" leaving in the name of "Italy and Victor Emmanuel"
31
How did Cavour react to Garibaldi's 1860 expedition?
- Cavour was unhappy at this as the force was small with poor weapons and the south was too poor for Piedmont to take on
- therefore refused Garibaldi's request for arms, made it clear he did not have official piedmontese support, some reports that he tried to have Garibaldi arrested
- also worried to his confidential agent in Paris about popular reaction due to Garibaldis popularity
32
What happened to Garibaldi in Sicily 1860?
- Garibaldi arrived in Sicily alongside some British naval ships so wasn't attacked
- advanced towards Palermo, gathering support of peasants, bandits and the local mafia, his "Thousand" became more like 3,000 by the end of the month
- defeated the 20,000 enemy troops that retreated to Naples
- appointed himself dictator of Sicily and supported peasants by abolishing milling tax and promising land reform, however changed sides losing peasant support and suppressing revolts - seen as a betrayal of Mazzinian principles but this was because he wanted stability to launch attacks on the mainland. introduced Piedmontese law but refused to give island to VEII as he wanted Naples
33
What happened to Garibaldi in Naples 1860?
- worried that Garibaldi would try to take it, Cavour failed to arrange a revolution in Naples in favour of VEII, gave orders to stop Garibaldi and sent ships to arrest them
- Garibaldi escaped this, and fought northwards toward Naples, causing the king to flee
- then assumed a dictatorship for 2 months, unable to advance northward - to take the Papal States and Rome - due to Neapolitan stronghold
34
What did Cavour do whilst Garibaldi was in Naples 1860?
- feared that attack on Rome would anger france - if the Pope was threatened Catholic Europe would defend him
- Garibaldini now 60,000 strong - many of whom were Mazzinian and opposed the church, many republicans meant Cavour was concerned power could slip from piedmont and VEII
- sent an army from Piedmont through the papal states under VEII, defeating a papal army on the way
- reached Neapolitan territory in October, Garibaldi met with VEII, saluting him as the "first king of italy" and agreeing to hand the south to him
- ballots soon followed in Sicily, Naples, Umbria and Papal Marches with overwhelming wish for annexation to Piedmont - Garibaldi (ignoring radical calls for a union with Piedmont) arranged plebiscites for the annexation of the South to Piedmont and saw an overwhelming one sided result
- Garibaldi offered title of Major General, title of a prince, a castle, but turned down as thought the Red Shirts had been treated badly
35
What followed the annexation of the whole south to Piedmont?
- concern among the Great Powers, fearing a shift in power balance - Russia broke diplomatic ties over unseating of the Bourbons, Austria reinforced its army in Venetia, Britain opposed french expansionism (Nice and Savoy) but backed Italy as seen as under the will of the people - this action secured its peace
- Jan 1961 elections for new parliament
- March 1961 - new constitution adopted
- all but Rome and Venetia were united
