Italian Unification 1861 Flashcards

1
Q

Italy in 1815 (Political Composition)

A
  • Lombardy-Venetia under direct A. control.
  • Kingdom of Naples & Sicily ruled by King Ferdinand I.
  • Papal States - Pius VII
  • Duchy of Parma, Modena, Tuscany (Central Duchies) ruled by A. princes or related to House of Hapsburg.
  • Sardinia - Piedmont, Savoy, Nice, Genoa, Sardinia ruled By King Victor Emmanuel.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Lombardy-Venetia

A

Part of Habsburg Empire.
2 provinces.
Most prosperous parts of I. in 1830.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Piedmont - Sardinia

A

Called either Piedmont or Sardinia.

Only state in peninsula w. no formal ties to A.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Parma, Modena, Tuscany

A

Central Duchies.

Ruled by junior members of Habsburg royal family.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Papal States

A

Ruled by clerics, w. pope as head of state.
Based in Rome, pope ruled over region of Umbria, Romagna, Marches.
Badly governed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Kingdom of 2 Sicilies

A

South
Mainland & island of Sicily.
Often known as Kingdom of Naples (after capital city)
Very poor.
Ruled by a branch of Spanish Bourbons, rarely enlightened or progressive rulers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Sources of discontent

A

Majority of ppl were peasants.
For most change from F. to A. domination was meaningless.
For small, educated middle class in N. Italy, who benefited from F. institutions, restoration of tyrannical A. gov.s was disappointment.
Napoleon introduced administration in Italian, Napoleonic Code of Law, unifrom weights & measurements.
All was cancelled after restoration of A. rulers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Forces against unity (1815-1848)

A
  1. All states governed by rulers who wanted to maintain status quo:
  2. No equivalent to G. Bund or Zollverein.
    - differences in currencies, weights, measurements.
  3. I.’s culture & society divided.
    - No single I. language spoken & understood by everyone - different dialects.
    - I. society was fragmented - agrarian society, most land owned by nobility or C.C. - majority of I.s - peasants.
    - wasn’t better in I. towns & cities - controlled by wealthy nobles & merchants - urban poor lived in overcrowded slums.
  4. Different schools of thought (1815-1848):
    - Democratic Republicans (Mazzini)
    - Papal Federalists (Gioberti)
    - Liberal Monarchists (Balbo, D’Azeglio)
  5. Problem of Rome:
    - Pope had temporal power of central I.
    - Supported by loyal Catholics, F., A.
    - Opposed any movement in I. that threaten his authority
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Forces for unity (1815-1848)

A

After 1815 - main groups identifying w. unified I. - secret societies.
In S. - Carbonari predominated.
Many members of Carbonari in central & N. I.
Never achieved much bec. disorganised & lacking clear aims.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Work of Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)

A

Joined Carbonari 1827 but arrested 1830 before revolutions 1831.
Gone into exile in F.
Failures of 1820/21 & 1831 convinced Mazzini of need to appeal to wider audience.
1831 - Mazzini formed society “Young Italy” designed to be national rather than regional movement.
Attempted several unsuccessful revolts from abroad.
Argued that F. help for I. unification was unnecessary.
All needed was for society to recruit young generation.
Mazzini’s writings continued to have influence from Switzerland & then England.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Pope Pius IX (1846-1878)

A

Interested in Gioberti’s plan for confederation of states under his leadership & disliked A. domination.
Moderate political concessions.
His reforms acted as focus for national aspirations through I.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Significant developments in I. betw. 1831 & 1847: Charles Albert’s accession & rule (1831)

A

Accession to throne of Piedmont-Sardinia.
New king maintained political censorship & supported CC.
Began to modernise Piedmont.
Laws were codified, tariffs reduced, roads improved, railways introduced, feudalism abolished in island of Sardinia.
Nationalists who believed that creation of I. required I. state to lead began to look to Piedmont.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

1848/1849 revolutions

A

2 phases - autumn 1848 dividing line.
1st phase:
-popular revolutions broke out in Naples & Lombardy-Venetia but were defeated.
-national war against A., led by Piedmont, also defeated.

2nd phase:

  • popular revolutions occurred, in Tuscany & Rome.
  • Piedmont made 2nd unsuccessful attack on A.
  • Habsburgs able to reassert control over Tuscany & Venice, while F. defeated roman Republic & Bourbons regained control over Sicily.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

The revolts (1848/1849) were weakened by disunity

A

Mutual suspicions prevented effective co-ordination between I. states.
Charles Albert wasn’t popular in rest of I.
Outside Piedmont there was little organisation of revolts & diversity of aims.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

The revolts (1848/1849) were weakened by disunity: Lombardy & Venetia

A

Both reluctant to surrender independence to new N. I. Kingdom based on Piedmont.
Milan - upper bourgeoisie supported Charles Albert, lower were republican & wanted autonomy within federation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

The revolts (1848/1849) were weakened by disunity: Southern Italy

A

Rivalry betw. Messina & Palermo.
Class rivalry.
Aristocratic liberals weren’t prepared to implement agrarian reforms which peasants wanted.

17
Q

The revolts (1848/1849) were weakened by disunity: Tuscany

A

Leopold (Grand Duke) approved idea of I. Constituent Assembly.
Failed bec. opposition of Piedmont & the Pope.

18
Q

Reason’s for failure of 1848/49 revolutions

A
  1. Austrian military power.
  2. Lack of external aid (Charles Albert was determined to do without it)
  3. Lack of unity & organisation
  4. Lack of support (Piedmont army couldn’t find much popular support in rural areas.)
  5. Opposition of the Pope
  6. Intervention of French in Rome.
  7. Tension betw. cities & countryside.
19
Q

Count Cavour

A

1852- succeeded d’Azeglio as Prime Minister of Piedmont.
1850-55- Sicardi laws brought the RCC under control of gov. making the Church pay taxes.
-Increase in taxes, loans raised through merchant banks = econ. growth (communications improved betw. main cities.
-Sardinia’s progress led many former republicans to agree - only way to unify I. was to accept Sardinian leadership.

20
Q

National Society

A

Formed 1857.
Leaders: Garibaldi, Manin, Gioberti.
Official circulation of 10,000 in 1860.
In Jan.-March 1859 recruited 20,000 volunteers to fight against A.s.
In spite of reforms, Sardinia’s military power was still unimpressive.

21
Q

Cavours aims

A

To be rid of A. interference in I. & to extend power & influence of Piedmont.
Certain that this couldn’t be achieved w.out foreign assistance.
Committed himself to goal of securing alliance w. F. to accomplish expulsion of A. from peninsula.
An assassination attempt on Napoleon by I. nationalist Orsini in 1858 which persuaded Napoleon to support I.
-Also Napoleon himself wanted to overthrow A. as revenge & to have more F. influence in I.

22
Q

The Plombieres Agreement July 1858

A

Cavour & Napoleon met at Plombieres.
In return for Nice & Savoy, & providing A. seen to be aggressor, F. would assist Piedmont 200,000 troops.
Formal treaty signed Jan. 1859.
When in April A. gov. gave ultimatum to I., Cavour had excuse - ultimatum was rejected & war declared.

23
Q

Unification stage 1: Sardinia gains Lombardy

A

2 battles: Magenta & Solferino
A. defeated in both.
Provoked popular disturbances in Central Italy.
Rebels sought fusion w. Piedmont.
For Napoleon, had not desire to see Piedmont extend to C.I. & carnage of war.
He concluded armistice w. A. at Villafranca.
Lombardy was given to Piedmont.
W.out F., Piedmont couldn’t continue war & Victor Emmanuel II forced to accept armistice.

24
Q

Unification stage 2: Central Duchies 1859-60

A

1860- Tuscany, Parma, Modena, parts of Papal states.
Call for union w. Piedmont.
1860- Cavour offered Napoleon III Nice & Savoy in return for states of C.I.
Plebiscites arranged 1860.
Majority in favour of annexation to Piedmont.
States became part of Piedmontese-Sardinian Kingdom & Nice & Savoy handed to France.

25
Q

Unification stage 3: Sardinia gains Kingdom of 2 Sicilies & Papal states 1860

A

May 1860 - Garibaldi - I. patriot - led small group of volunteers (the Thousand) by boat to Sicily.
Objective: assist revolution which broke out on the island.
By 6 June he captured Palermo & struck North to Naples.
Cavour knew the proposed march to Rome had danger of provoking war w. F.
Piedmontese army sent to intercept Garibaldi.
Cavour organised plebiscite.
Majority in favour of union w. Piedmont.
Garibaldi forced to accept result & October 1860 handed over conquests to Victor Emmanuel II.
Kingdom of Italy proclaimed March 1861.
Venetia added 1866 as result of A-P war.
1870 - F. preoccupied in war w. P., I. forces seized Rome & proclaimed it new capital of I.

26
Q

Factors determining Piedmont’s special role

A
  1. The constitution
    - offered some of citizens opportunities for political participation.
    - won sympathy outside I., notable Britain.
    - attracted attention of political hopefuls.
  2. National Society
  3. Cavour
27
Q

Why Cavour was able to ally w. Napoleon and was successful w. everything.

A
  1. Napoleon III wanted to overthrow A. influence in I.
  2. Orsini bomb plot 1858 strengthened Napoleon’s resolve to create united I.
  3. Crimean War broke up Holy Alliance (no foreign intervention)
  4. Palmerston, Gladstone & Russell were in power in B. 1859-60 & were all in favour of I. unification.