Consolidating the Kingdom of Italy Flashcards
What were the major obstacles to unity in 1861
- French and Austrians
- Papacy
- Death of Cavour
- Piedmontisation
- South
- Brigands war
How did the French oppose unification
French troops still occupied Rome and Napoleon 3rd wouldn’t withdraw as he wanted to protect papal power.
September Convention when and what
1864 Napoleon agreed to withdraw French from Rome in return for the switching of the Italian capital from Turin to Florence
—-> Caused rioting in Turin when Minghetti agreed, he was also sacked
How did Austria oppose unification
Austria still held Venetia and the great powers supported them as they believed a strong Austria spelled stability in Eastern Europe
Why were France and Austria big problems for unification
They weren’t easily surmountable problems because they were so much more powerful than Italy
Why was the church so hostile to the new Italy and didn’t recognise it
- Felt threatened by the claims of nationalists for Rome as the natural italian capital
- Lost 2/3 of its land in the war of Italian unification
- Risorgimento had destroyed much of the popes temporal power
Why was the opposition of the papacy a significant obstacle to unification
It undermined the legitamacy of the new state and created many divisions among members pop the new state
What did Cavour Propose in 1861 and what did this cause
He proposed that Rome come into the new Italy and the papacy would continue to have freedom of action, however the church ignored this and the fractious cohabitation began
Why did the Church feel especially threatened during this time
Waning spiritual power and credibility of the church due to scientific advancements and more enlightened self thinking views.
—-> Piedmont in some essence reflected these modernising views
What two examples show modernised views that threatened the church at the time
- 1859 Charles Darwin On the Origin of the Species challenged the church and bibles authority in creation story
- French theologian Ernest Renan argued that bible shouldn’t be read literally and historically.
What did all the threats to the papacy cause
1864 Syllabus of Errors
What was outlined in the popes syllabus of errors
- Rejection of most 19th century philosophy’s like communism, rationalism, liberalism, nationalism
- Rejection of Darwins scientific advancements
- Claimed control over all education, science and culture
- Rejected religious tolerance
- Asserted temporal papal power
What was the impact of the syllabus of errors
- Angered the new italian state and many catholics who hoped Pius would modernise, pushed them to increase taxes on the church and demand handing over of property
- Provoked an outburst of anti-clericalism among Italians and other European powers
- Strengthened spiritual presence and power in the world
Dogma of Papal Infallibility
1870 declared that the pope had complete supremacy and that his statements were indisputable
Why did Cavour propose Piedmontisation
To solve the problem of how to bring all areas in Italy under the same law and institutions when there were already existing ones in place
What came under piedmontisation
- Laws
- Taxation system
- Currency
- Civili service
- Constitution
How much of the pop did the statuto allow to vote
2.2%
What did Piedmontisation show
That unification was more enforced without consent, many Italians felt betrayed by the new Italy
How many decrees of the Neapolitan legal system were changed in two days
53
Why was Piedmontisation such a problem in the south
Customs were very different in northern and southern Italy and Piedmontese officials had no idea how to govern the south, the south was also much more impoverished and less economically valuable.
What problems did Piedmontisation of the army create
- 7000 garibaldian officers weren’t included into the army
- 2193 bourbon officers were drafted into the army to deal with southern issues
- Many bourbon foot soldiers became brigands
Example of extreme difference between north and south
North had Cassati law in 1859 which made two years of education compulsory but the south didn’t have this so the north was much more literate
What was Cavours immediate reaction to the south
He sent Farini south to crush any remaining resistances in Garibaldi or bourbons
What caused the Brigand war
The collapse of bourbon rule leaving a lack of law and order along with piedmontisational taxes and customs caused people to rise up, conscription introduced.
dates of the brigand war
1861-65
Problem created by Piedmontisation in the south
- Dissolution of 2000 southern monasteries under new property laws stopped all charitable institution in deprived south
- Northern jury system was ineffective as it was manipulated by mafias
- Piedmont had not enough resources or manpower to properly enforce and administer the south
How many people in the south took to the hills to avoid conscription in 1861
25,000
Who made up the brigands
- Bourbon soldiers
- Unemployed
- Southern men avoiding conscription
- Convicts
What did the Brigands do
They robbed murdered and assassinated
How did Piedmont deal with the brigands
deployed 120,000 soldiers in the south
How many brigands were there in 1862
82,000
What happened in Palermo in 1866
Week long rebellion in which there was street fighting and the murder of many government officials
What was public debt following the wars for independence
2,450 million lire
What did income increase by between 1860 and 1866
480 million to 600 million
What was the main problem for Piedmont created by the debt
They needed to service it whilst maintaining a strong mobile army incase the opportunity of Venetia or Rome arose
What was Piedmonts decision to solve the debt issue
Resort to taxes on salt and tobacco but this didn’t work as sales just fell, so they resorted to taxes in essential items like the grist tax
Grist tax and its effect
1869 the tax on the milling of corn, caused 250 people to be killed in rioting after the tax
What was Piedmonts other attempt to solve the debt issue
sale of land
What land did the state pass an act in 1867 to start selling
Church land
How many acres of church land were sold between 1867-76
Half a million acres
How did Land sales worsen the north south divide
Northern peasants could afford land but southern peasants couldn’t, so it was all bought by the middle class
Why did unification exclude any social change
The Piedmontese elite were mostly conservative and didn’t see democracy as necessary for unification
What was infrastructure like in Italy in 1860
Extremely poor, especially in the south
What did the prospect of a national transport system become for Italy and why
A political and economic necessity as it would help to develop trade and break down regional differences by allowing people to move around the country much easier
When did railway building become a matter for private companies as the government couldn’t afford it alone
1865
When was the Mount Denis tunnel railway completed and what did it do
1871, linked Italy to France which greatly developed engineering and steel industries in the north
Why didn’t railway building have a big impact on Italy
They lacked the money to do it very effectively and it was so disproportionate from north to south.
Why did Industry struggle so much in Italy
- Distrust of paper money and borrowing was seen as immoral so lack of business startups
- Only 3 million employed in industry in 1861 and 80% were women and children as men were military or dead from war
- lack of natural coal resources
When did Cavour die
1861
How many PMs did Italy have in the five years after Cavours death
5
Why were the PMs so much worse than Garibaldi
Lack of the Kings support and lack of parliamentary discipline, many were extremely problematic
Why was the political state of the new Italy very problematic
It was made up of Piedmontese nobility primarily and was extremely unrepresentative of the majority of the population, the King also maintained far too much power
What changes were made to the law and political structure of Italy
- Single criminal law code enacted over all Italy in 1865
- Unified Italian army under Prussian guidance
- State controlled education
Italian Freedom Society
Formed in 1861 had their first meeting in 1862 at which Garibaldi as president urged people to focus on Rome and Venetia
What potential schemes were put in place in 1862 by PM Ratazzi
Using Garibaldi to whip up unrest in Venetia and possible Garibaldini action in Greece and Serbia to unsettle Russia, but the government in the end didn’t allow this
What did Garibaldi do in April 1864
He visited England where he was treated like a celebrity and raised publicity of the Venetian issue
When was a Garibaldi inspired group led by Nullo arrested on Austrian borders
1862
What was Victor Emmanuel set on as a means of acquiring Venetia
War
How did Victor Emmanuel attempt to gain Venetia
- in 1861He sent representatives across Europe to many powers with the intent of gaining support for a war with austria for Venetia but this was unsuccessful
- He discussed with revolutionaries like Mazzini
Who succeeded the Prussian throne in 1861
Wilhelm I
Who was Prime minister for Prussia
Bismarck
How did economic disputes occur between Prussia and Austria
- Prussia excluded Austria from a free trade treaty with France
- Prussia wanted to enforce a free trade zone in Central Europe dominated by them in the Zolleverin, Austria opposed this
- Prussia won this economic dispute in 1864, then going on to pursue a diplomatic campaign for war with Austria
How did Italy negotiate to benefit diplomatically with the major European powers
- 1866 they agreed to support Prussia if war broke out with Austria, in return they’d receive Venetia
- France signed a secret treaty with Austria that would guarantee them Venetia in return for remaining neutral in the war, Italy would then receive Venetia
How did the Austro-Prussian war break out in 1866
Disputes over the duchy of Holstein had been present for a while, the Austrian governor of Holstein called a meeting but Prussia saw this as a breach of the Gastein convention so they ordered their troops into Holstein and then declared war
What was the size of the italian army for the Austro-Prussian war
40,000
What happened with the italian army in the war
They were very ill prepared so were defeated by the Austrians at the battle of custozza and crushed in naval battles with Austria
Despite military defeats how did Italy still gain Venice from the war
Prussia crushed Austria in the war causing them to cede Venice to France who gave it to Italy
—-> This was seen as very humiliating for the Italians
What was the plebiscite result for Venice in 1866
647,000 in favour and 69 against
How was the war damaging for Italy
Complete military incompetence damaged Italian patriotism and nationalism for their army, also caused a lot more debt in Italy worsening social issues
Who was the incompetent Italian general who led the fleet at the battle of Lisa
Admiral Persano
Why was Rome so important for Italy
- Would help to reduce the popes undermining powers
- Help include many nationalists
- Get rid of the last foreign presence in Italy
What caused France to keep troops in Rome for so long
The presence and expansion of Italy into the duchies
What was the result of the September convention in 1864
- By 1866 French troops had departed Rome
- Italian capital was moved to Florence for 5 years
Why did French troops return to Rome in 1867
They had to put down an attempt by Garibaldi to take Rome, this was done brutally with new high tech rifles
When did Garibaldi first raise a 4000 strong force to take Rome
1862
How did Garibaldis 1862 attempt for Rome fail
He was stopped by the italian government at Aspromonte where his forces were arrested and executed, Garibaldi was pardoned however
Why did Garibaldis attempt for Rome in 1867 fail
Much of the population of Rome stayed firmly in support of the pope so there was no internal uprising
Why were diplomatic relations with Italy damaging for France
Growing threat of Prussia meant France needed to seek alliance with Italy and Austria, but alliance with Italy wouldn’t happen whilst French troops occupied Rome, and Austria wouldn’t ally with France unless Italy did as they didn’t want to fight on two fronts
How did Bismarck take advantage of Frances diplomatic isolation
Declaring war in 1870
What was the outcome of the Franco-Prussian war
French troops withdrew from Rome to fight the war but French forces were still defeated by Prussia with the final defeat at Sedan where Napoleon was also take prisoner
How did Italy capitalise on the Franco-Prussian war
PM Lanza gained formal agreements with all major catholic powers to send italian troops into Rome as the only resistance was a small Papal army
How did the invasion of Rome play out
- Victor Emmanuel offered a peaceful annexation but Pius refused
- General Cardona put Rome under siege and began bombing the city
- Italian forces eventually breached the city and a small battle ensued which Italians won
- Only 49 italian deaths and 19 papal deaths
- Plebsicites then followed with 133,000 in favour of annexation
When as Rome pronounced the new capital of Italy
1871
How did relations with the pope play out after annexation of Rome
- Italy offered to let the Pope keep the Leonine city but the Pope refused as he still refused to recognise the new italian state, even until 1929
- Italy Passed the Law of Guarantees
- Pius declared himself a prisoner in the Vatican, although only changed was much less power
Law of Guarantees 1871
Recognised the power of the Pope and gave hum grants of £129000 per year
What were the factors promoting unity after 1871
- Monarchy
- Army
- Civil Service
- Local Government
How did the monarchy promote national unity
Although Victor Emmanuel didn’t maintain much power in 1871 due to the increased power of parliament, he was still a strong symbol for a national unified Italy that ensured stability in the face o may radicals and extremists in Italy
How did the Army promote national unity
- Army was kept significantly large for a while in the face of other European powers and promoted a feeling of national unity amongst its recruits
- The Army was also a guarantee and protector of the new state as it was deployed in the south to deal with all who opposed the new state
How did the civil service promote national unity
Civil service ran most the elements of the new Italy and was comprised of mainly Piedmontese, The government was very centralised as this would bring about greater national unity, it was free of corruption however
How did the Local Government promote national unity
- Country was divided into 69 provinces with a prefect appointed by the central Rome government, Each prefect would have a carabinieri to help maintain control
- Communes were created which were areas local governments which was ran by elites in that area which looked after all elements of the society, this helped the political system to run smoothly and feel unified
What were the Factors that divided Italy by 1871
- Socioeconomic Issues
- Papal Opposition
- Irredentism
How did Unification worsen the North south divide
Industry was much less developed in the south as markets were distant and transport underdeveloped
—> Unification removed tariffs which collapsed remaining southern industries as they couldn’t compete with the north, lead to booms in northern industries like wool and cotton
What was the one manufacturing industry in the south
Silk but this was still workshop based and not industrial
How did Unification bring about higher taxation levels
Taxes were implemented to pay for the wars, taxes like grist tax were targeted at peasants as the elite were the ones setting taxes, Tax revenue was mainly used in the north
Carbinieri
Armed military police force
How did Poverty become so bad in unified Italy
in 1871 50% of children died before 5. Poverty from taxes lack of land and unemployment caused many southern Italians to emigrate north or to the americas,
How many Italians emigrated in 1871
120,000
Why was the law of Guarantees important
It reassured national and much international confidence in the italian state as the catholic church rights were protected which was their interest
How did Papal Opposition weaken Italian unification
Papal opposition was supported by many devout and people who opposed the new state, papacy created its own court in the Vatican and formed many of its own social organisations to undermine the new Italy
What was the largest impact of papal opposition on the new state
The church ruled that catholics shoudlnt take part in politics thus catholics were left out of politics for many years, this meant there was no mass party on the right in Italy
How was the new state very politically unrepresentative
Only 2.2% could not and even then only 60% did vote as republicans and catholics abstained
Why was there no political party system
Usually just factions forming around political figures which were either right (northern and aristocratic) or left (southern and middle class)
Why were Republicans unhappy with the new state and how did they react
Republicans still believed that Italy should be a republic and opposed the monarchy, thus they still started uprising
Mazzinian Uprising in 1870
Barsanti led an attack on an army barracks denouncing the King
—> Failed and was arrested and executed despite petitions for his realease
How did Irredentist’s in the north oppose the new state
They were unhappy with the new Italy for ignoring states like Trentino and Trieste which were still under Austrian rule
How did Imperial Irredentists oppose the new state
They called for a new empire and imperial government of all the Mediterranean
How did the left Irredentsist oppose new Italy
They advocated for Nice and Savoy to be returned to italian control, Crispi advocated for this
