General facts

Question 1

When was the Crimean War? What happened? Significance?

Answer 1

January 1855
Cavour got Piedmont involved.
Some see this as a ‘masterstroke’ by Cavour.
Persuaded VE11 to send 18,000 Piedmont troops, guaranteed peace treaty at the end.

Piedmont contribution limited , didn’t play key role despite 2000 (30 from wounds), rest from cholera.

Won gratitude of allies.

Question 2

After the Crimean War, allies respected Piedmont. Provide an example.

Answer 2

December 1855
Austria threatened to enter war on the allies’ side but Russia immediately sued for peace.

Question 3

When was the Congress of Paris? What happened? Significance?

Answer 3

1856
Cavour’s attendance showed Piedmont’s growing diplomatic status.
Italian question once a main talking point! Now a diplomatic issue.

French and British grateful to Piedmont, and “owed them one”.

Question 4

What did Cavour do in 1857 for government stability?

Answer 4

Sacked Rattazzi.
Streamlined government- made himself PM, foreign minister, and finance minister.
La Marmora reformed army.

Question 5

Cavour developed infrastructure in Piedmont. Examples?

Answer 5

1855: Built 1st steam ship “The Sicilia”.
End of 1850s: Piedmont= 819km railway.

Question 6

When and what speech did VE11 deliver? What did it do?

Answer 6

January 1859 after French fail at Battle of Solferino.
‘Grido Di Delore’

Inspired nationalists, provoked 1859 war.

Question 7

Provide an example of VE11 being a figurehead.

Answer 7

In plebiscites, people voted for the annexation to the ‘constitutional monarchy of VE11’.

Question 8

How much money did the French invest in Italian railways?

Answer 8

280 million franks.

Question 9

Which 2 Frenchmen were significant in investing in Italian projects? Example?

Answer 9

Laffite and Rothschild.

1857 Mount Cenis tunnel, encouraged by Napoleon 111.

Question 10

When and what was the Pact of Plombieres? What happened? Significance?

Answer 10

21st July 1858
VE11 and Cavour talks with Napoleon for French intervention to rid Austria from Lombardy/Venetia.
France get Nice/Savoy in return for troops.

Agreed to send 200,000 troops if Piedmont could raise 100,000- VE11 struggled.

Question 11

Where and when did France play the key military role?

Answer 11

1859 won Magenta and Solferino.
17,000 Allied causalities, 21,000 Austrian.

Question 12

Who and what ended the 1859 war?

Answer 12

Napoleon and VE11.
1859 Treaty of Villafranca: Piedmont no role.
Austria gave France Lombardy who later gave it to Piedmont.
Left Venetia in Austrian hands.

Question 13

How did Britain diplomatically help progress towards unification?

Answer 13

John Russell + Lord Palmerstone published support for Central Duchies independency… gave Cavour confidence so returned as PM 1860.

No-intervention policy in Italian affairs… e.g., 1860 Garibaldi’s Expedition of ‘The Thousand’.

Question 14

When and why was the Nationalist Society formed? Significance?

Answer 14

1857
As an alternative to Mazzini’s republicanism.

Encouraged other states to join via newspapers, meetings etc.
Had Cavour’s approval so could make nationalism popular.

Aided social unification.

Question 15

What did the Nationalist Society do with the Central Duchies?

Answer 15

When Austria were occupied by the French and couldn’t protect Central Duchies, Nationalist Society moved into them.

Encouraged a pro-Piedmont uprising.
Caused state leaders to flee + pro-Piedmontese govt to form

However… reversed after 1859 Treaty of Villafranca.

Question 16

What did Garibaldi do in 1860?

Answer 16

To liberate Sicily, gathered 1,200 volunteers and set sail with ‘The Thousand’.
Worked with peasants, bandits + local mafia to gain Sicily from Naples.

United south geographically.

Handed over the south to VE11 at Teano, proclaimed him as the ‘first king of Italy’.

Question 17

What was Piedmontisation? Examples?

Answer 17

Standardised economy, coinage and weights/measures… fostered economic unity.
Piedmont constitution became the Italian one.

February 1861: Naples legal system changed by 53 decrees in 2 days- rushed south.

Lombardy promised autonomy but swept aside: La Marmora used emergency decree to ignore this.

Question 18

Provide 3 examples of Piedmontese politicians not understanding the south.

Answer 18

1859 Casati Law: made primary education compulsory, didn’t occur in south as many illiterate.

1869 Grist Tax: targeted poor, used mainly to fund public works in North.

Tariffs removals: stripped Southern industry of protection. Couldn’t compete with north.

Question 19

Due to Piedmontisation, discontent in South increased. What happened in Brigandage war?

Answer 19

Piedmont deployed army of 120,000 to deal with 82,000 Brigands.

More Italians died than in all unification wars.

Question 20

When did VE11 become legal King of Italy? What happened to the flag? What ideas were promoted?

Answer 20

1861.
Nationalist tricolour adopted as Italian flag.

Risorgimento ideas promoted.

Question 21

What aim did the Kingdom of Italy declare in 1861?

Answer 21

To have Rome as it’s capital.

Question 22

When did the Kingdom of Italy capture Rome? What happened?

Answer 22

1870.
Entrance delayed, only occurred after Napoleon rid French troops.

VE11 set up residence in Quirinal Palace, marked capital.

BUT… 2 courts: 1 in Quirinal Palace + 1 at the Vatican…. papacy influence.

Question 23

After Rome capture, what happened to the army?

Answer 23

Divided into army regiments from mixed states.
Rotated every 4 years to ensure no divided loyalty.

Question 24

When did Garibaldi create a society? Name? What happened?

Answer 24

After Cavour’s death, August 1862- Society for the Emancipation of Rome.

Attempted to attack Rome.
Rattazzi forced to stop him to not upset French but seen as anti-nationalist and sacked. Embarrassing!!

Question 25

When and what was the September Convention?

Answer 25

1864
Napoleon with VE11 agreed to leave Rome to turn Italian capital from Turin to Florence.

Minghetti (govt leader) agreed.
Protests happened, 23 died rioting in Turin.
VE11 sacked Minghetti.

Secure French support for expansio of Kingdom of Italy by allowing Sardinia-Piedmont to annex central Italian states.

Question 26

When did Rome become the Italian capital?

Answer 26

1871
Marked political/administrative unification.

Question 27

What was the Venetia question?

Answer 27

After 1859 Treaty of Villafranca, Austria had lost Lombardy but wanted to keep Venetia as had maintained large army.

Great powers supported Austria’s position to maintain European power balance.

Overcome: 1866 war weakened Austria. Treaty of Prague gave Italy Venetia.

Question 28

When and what was the Syllabus of Errors?

Answer 28

1864
Church rejected modern ideas.
Church retained control over education, culture, and science. ETC.

Created tensions, resisted modernisation.

Question 29

What was papal infallibility?

Answer 29

Pope cannot be wrong, he acts as supreme leader.

Question 30

What % of Italian population were Catholic? Significance?

Answer 30

90% Catholic.
Followed Pope ideas… Church strongly opposed unification.

Question 31

In 1871, what % of the Italian population could vote? Why?

Answer 31

2.2% could vote.
Characterised by property qualifications so dominated by elites.

Question 32

Why did unification under House of Savoy cause problems?

Answer 32

Republicans kept doing uprisings.

24th May 1879 Barsanti attack: “Down with the monarchy”. Led to him being arrested and shot despite a 40,000 petition asking him to be pardoned.

Question 33

What was the Carabinieri?

Answer 33

Unified military/law enforcement branch which ensure government work.
Helped establish law and order.

Question 34

What was the civil service and military like after unification?

Answer 34

Civil service: 30,000 strong. Facilitated establishment of centralised administration providing strong national identity.

Military: 215,000 soldiers and 2 million reservists. Regiments from mixed states rotated every 4 years to ensure no divided loyalty.

Question 35

What was the main industry in the south?

Answer 35

Agriculture.

Question 36

How did post-unification taxes harm the south?

Answer 36

Higher taxes after unification due to the wars. e.g., 1869 Grist Tax.

Question 37

What % in south died before 5 in 1871?

Answer 37

50%.

Question 38

In 1871, how many Italians emigrated from south?

Answer 38

120,000.

Question 39

When did VE11 make Cavour PM?

Answer 39

November 1852.

Question 40

What powers did VE11 retain?

Answer 40

VE11 retained significant powers (law by decree, army + foreign policy) but mainly delegated responsibility to Cavour.

Could appoint/dismiss ministers at will but more behind-the-scenes.

Question 41

After 1849 revolutions, what was VE11 like with refugees?

Answer 41

Allowed nationalist refugees into Piedmont.

30,000 exiles came to Piedmont.

Question 42

When and what was the Statuto? Who allowed it?

Answer 42

1849
VE11 allowed Statuto.
Made Piedmont a haven for Italian nationalists, but little sympathy.
King retained direct army and minister control.

Wanted by Austrians to limit reform calls… concession???
Paved way for Piedmont to become leading state in eventual unification.

Question 43

What suggestion from Napoleon did VE11 refuse?

Answer 43

VE11 refused Napoleon’s suggestion to return part of Papal States to Rome in return for French withdrawal.

VE11’s rejection shows his commitment, rejecting compromise which would have maintained fragmented political landscape.

Question 44

What did Garibaldi do to the September Convention?

Answer 44

One of the agreements was to allow Sardinia-Piedmont to annex central Italian states…
Destroyed by Garibaldi’s Papal States attack.

VE11 pardoned him, recognising his popularity- pragmatic.

Question 45

When did VE11 take over foreign policy? Provide examples.

Answer 45

1861, after Cavour’s death.

Encouraged Garibaldi to destabilise Austria in Venetia… willingness to use military.
October 1861: sent envoys across Europe to stir war.
1863-64: met Mazzini. Sent Rattazzi to Paris. Committed to building alliances.

Question 46

When and how was VE11 significant in the third war of Italian independence?

Answer 46

1866.
VE11 personally controlled armies: defeat at Custoza and Lissa (loss of 3 ships) despite outnumbering Austrian forces.

Question 47

When and what was the Orsini bomb plot? Significance?

Answer 47

January 1858
Bombs thrown at Napoleon 111 and Empress Eugenie on the way to opera.
Unsuccessful- 8 dead, 150 injured.

Napoleon used it as an excuse to get involved- started chain reaction of events leading to Pact of Plombieres.

Question 48

What were the results of the 1860 plebiscites?

Answer 48

Emilia voted 426,000 to 1,500 in favour of annexation to Piedmont.
Tuscany voted 366,000 to nearly 15,000 in favour.
Sicily + Naples 99% population in favour.

Question 49

What was the connubio?

Answer 49

After appointed in 1852, Cavour made a parliamentary agreement with Urbano Rattazzi.
Strengthened parliament against the crown.

Question 50

What did Cavour do to the church in 1855? Results?

Answer 50

From V11 pressure, Cavour attack Church wealth and their estates.
Crushed 152 monasteries and 1,700 benefices.

Reduced church influence.
Added £145,600 to state’s income.

Question 51

What happened in 1849 Rome after Pius fled?

Answer 51

Galletti formed a revolutionary government.
Immediately introduced tax reform, public works, Constituente.

Roman republic formed- unplanned with no clear leadership. Contained radical MC who didn’t understand the masses.

Question 52

When did Mazzini arrive in Rome? Results?

Answer 52

March 1849- after republic announced.
Decisions reactive not proactive.

Removes church education control and land, promises constitution etc…

Lost support when forced compromises as Mazzini needed moderate social reforms to maintain control.

Question 53

When and who issued a Rome constitution? Why did this fail?

Answer 53

June 1849.
Triumvirate (Mazzini leader) issued Rome constitution.

Too late as 30,000 French troops were already putting Rome under siege.

Question 54

Where did Mazzini and Garibaldi flee to after Roman Republic failure?

Answer 54

Mazzini: exiled to London.

Garibaldi: with followers to San Marino to carry on fighting.

Question 55

When and what was the Papal Allocution? Significance?

Answer 55

April 1848.
Austria war didn’t have Pope Pius’ blessing, said Charles Albert was the aggressor.

Weakened revolutionary spirit and weakened unity to fight as 90% of population were Catholic.

Question 56

What was the relationship between the Roman Republic and Pope Pius 1X? Significance?

Answer 56

The Roman Republic was a natural enemy of the Pope.

Meant it was impossible to gain Catholic support.
Catholic France and Catholic Austria…

Question 57

When was the Battle of Custoza? Result?

Answer 57

July 1848.
Charles Albert defeated.

Despite setback, Albert was encouraged by Roman Republic to attempt again (Battle of Novara).

Question 58

When was the Battle of Novara? Result?

Answer 58

23rd March 1849.
70,000 Austrian troops under Joseph Radetzky defeated 100,000 poorly trained Italian troops.

= Radetzky’s military superiority.
Forced to surrender to Austria, Charles Albert abdicated.
Austria begin march on Rome to back Pope.

Question 59

How did the French try to crush the Roman Republic? Results?

Answer 59

Napoleon wanted to win Catholic support so sent troops under General Oudinot to crush Republic.

April 1849: marches on Rome.
Blocked for 2 months by Garibaldi volunteers.
Triumvirate failed Rome constitution as 30,000 French troops putting Rome under siege.

3rd July 1849: French enters Rome, Garibaldi and Mazzini flee.

Question 60

When did VE11 succeed Charles Albert?

Answer 60

March 1849- after Charles Albert’s abdication following 1st war loss.

Question 61

What did Mazzini generally want? Why did it fail to occur?

Answer 61

Mazzini wanted national unity with 1 central government.

Failed as ideas failed to reach lower classes as he recognised their importance but didn’t include them.
Ideas too intellectual for most.
Liberals deemed ideas too radical due to revolutionary nature.
Rich didn’t like ideas as they said to spread wealth.

Easy to shut down, destroyed revolutionary spirit!