Italy: Risorgimento and Revolution Pt.1

Question 1

What were the political groups/ideologies?

Answer 1

Liberals
- Preferred a Constitutional monarchy with some representation

Radicals
- Favoured more drastic change and a fully representative government

Nationalists
- Wanted a united Italy but difference in opinion regarding government

Metternich’s view
- A fully divided Italy that could be controlled by Austria, with people too concerned with regional matters

Question 2

What was the impact of secret societies and what was the biggest one?

Answer 2

• Carbonari with around 60,000 members in Naples - 5% of adult population
• Church viewed them as a threat to Catholics and social order - their aims being to drive out the Austrians and restored monarchies
• Mostly educated and middle class people
• Unknown number of members/secret societies as they did not work together and were deeply secret
• North - Federati and Adelfi
• Papal States - Spillo Negro, Latinisti, Bersaglieri

Question 3

Explain the revolution in Naples

Answer 3

• Caused by Ferdinand’s giving of power to the church in 1818 and the general poverty, corruption and personal restrictions
• Led by Guglielmo Pepe and the Carbonari in January 1820, demanding a constitution like the Spanish one
• Granted by the King and a government was instated, but Ferdinand pleaded with Metternich who brutally crushed the revolution in March 1821

Question 4

Explain the revolution in Sicily

Answer 4

1820

• Revolutionaries took over the island due to how poorly they felt they were being treated (hatred for Naples also)
• Trade guilds abolished after Naples regained control

Question 5

Explain the revolution in Piedmont

Answer 5

• VE had pursued a very reactionary policy since returning with the enforcement of the 1770 constitution
• Carbonari gained new members and formed a revolutionary government which caused VE to abdicate. CA took over and promised a new constitution like the Spanish’s, however this was not to last due to CF causing him to flee
• CF appealed to Metternich for help, who then crushed the revolutions causing many exiles and the occupation of Piedmont until 1823

Question 6

Explain the Revolutions in Modena and Parma

Answer 6

February 1831

• Led by Enrico Misley who was betrayed by Duke Francis who then fled to gain support in Austria
• Modena and Parma took over their territories and provisional governments were formed
• Austria retaliated brutally with executions, exiles and imprisonment
• So strict that even having a beard or moustache could be considered a sign of radicalism

Question 7

Explain the revolution in the Papal states

Answer 7

• Organised by the professional classes to combat the Church’s oppressive rule
• Provisional government known as the “government of the Italian provinces” formed in Bologna in February 1831
• Metternich destroyed the revolution and following small uprisings in 1831 and 32

Question 8

Why were the revolutions between 1820 and 1832 unsuccessful?

Answer 8

• Austrian dominance over Europe and military prowess
• Disagreement of policies and breakdowns of communications/support
• Regular people preferred monarchs and previous rulers due to the middle class revolutionaries preferring not to involve them - lacked mass support
• Lacked foreign support

Question 9

Who was Mazzini and what were his ideas?

Answer 9

• Dedicated revolutionary intellectual
• Believed in equality alongside having contempt for imperialism
• Believed in the unification of Italy, however not a federal one - democracy and constant votes
• Wanted it to be the effort of Italy and not influenced by outside countries
• Should be a revolution from below
• Women’s rights, free and compulsory education

Question 10

What was the impact of ‘Young Italy’ and Mazzini?

Answer 10

• Young Italy considered Italy’s first political party after the failure of secret societies
• Mainly peaceful campaigning but organised many plotted revolutions
• Mazzini spread ideas of Nationalism and new progressive policies, including the indoctrination of Garibaldi
• Became president of Rome in 1849
• Ideas are too intellectual for most and those who could understand were opposed to progression

Question 11

Who were the candidates for revolutionary leaders before 1848?

Answer 11

• Mazzini
• Charles Albert of Piedmont considered as a noteworthy candidate due to Piedmont’s station in Italy and through the spread of many nationalist ideals there
• Pope Pius IX became pope in 1846 and was considered to be a much more liberal leader than previous “Zealot popes”. He was unpredictable, perhaps due to his epilepsy, but viewed as a liberal before his eventual turning point and revelation of being a reactionary