Why did Piedmont emerge as the dominant state by 1856? Flashcards
What are the four factors that need to be discussed?
1) Cavour
2) VEII
3) Foreign involvement
4) Legacy of being the strongest state
What are the three aspects to the Cavour factor?
1) Political stability
2) Economic development
3) Foreign diplomacy
What epitomised the preioviuous instability of the Piedmontese state before Cavour became PM?
D’Azeglio’s Sicardi laws
As a result of the violent swings from left to right under the Sicardi laws, Cavour orchestrated what?
the Connubio
What was the Connnbio?
an alliance between the centre right under Balbo and centre left under d’Azeglio in 1852
What did the Connubio do?
Stabilised the government and made it more favourable to King Victor Emmanuel, as a reward Cavour was promoted to PM in 1852.
As a reward for his work with the Connnubio, Victor Emmanual made Cavour PM in 1852 after having what role?
minister for trade and Agriculture
Cavour’s anti-clericism can be described at what, helping him to create stability?
Pragmatic
In 1855 church land was seized, what was suppressed?
152 monasteries and 1700 benefices, subsequently increasing government wealth by £145,640.
Though, as a part of the Connubio, Church land was seized in 1855, what demonstrates how Cavour maintained political stability?
The right increased their votes in 1857, after which Cavour changed his approach to the church.
What 1857 revolt shows how Cavour created stability by crushing radicals?
1857 crushed Mazziniian uprising in Genoa and used it to suppress the Mazziniian press
Ensuring that radicals did not get a foothold in Piedmontese society was vital to ensuring what kind of dominance and why?
Economic dominance as it attracted french investment
In order to create stability, Cavour was content to do what?
Override parliament when it suited him
What did Cavour first do and when that overrode parliament?
January 1855 Cavour appointed himself to the three main posts of PM, Foreign Minister and Finance Minister
In 1857, Cavour did what to override parliament?
Found a technicality that reduced a right wing majority in parliament
What are the three more liberal reforms that Cavour put into Piedmont’s politics in order to create stability?
reform of the finance department in 1852, reform of the foreign office in 1853 and using La Mamora (minister for war) to reform the army.
What congress is the most important aspect of Cavour’s political diplomacy?
1856 congress of paris
The congress of paris was the end of what war?
the 1854 crimean war
When did Piedmont get involved with the 1854 crimean war?
1855
Cavour’s support with how many troops meant that France and Britain were indebted to Piedmont?
15000
Free trade agreements by Cavour with which countries forged international links with developed countries?
Britain france and belgium
Cavour’s free trade agreements gave Piedmont what, vital for industrialisation, that helped it to emerge as the dominant economic power?
Raw materials needed to industrialise
Rothschild, thanks to Cavour, invested in what?
Rothschild funded 1854 Milan, Turin, Genoa and French Boarder train line.
Cavour’s foreign involvement made Piedmont the dominant political state in which two ways?
Politically and Economically
When did Cavour establish the Bank of Turin?
1846
When was the Cavour canal built?
1857
What steam ship did Cavour commission?
Sicilia
What port did Cavour modernise?
Genoa
The Piedmontese railway system was increased to how long in the 1850s?
819km
What did Cavour use the railway system to do?
Transport supplies and soldier across the country
By 1859 trade had increased by how many percent?
300
Much of the post-1852 development in Piedmont can be attributed to Cavour, why was this?
Cavour’s technique of government meant that his impact was far ranging
VEII was king from when?
1849
VEII allowed what to stand after his accession to the throne despite what?
1847 statuto despite the fact it limited his own power and he could have easily abolished it
What reforms did VEII allow despite the fact that they may not have benefitted him?
Siccardi laws, Connubio and administrative reform of the Army
Allowing reforms such as the Siccardi laws, Connubio and administrative reform of the Army was partly to gain revenge for what?
his father’s treatment by Austria and the Church in 1848-9
What did VEII do what made him look more impressive and stable int he eyes of foreign powers?
firm stance against radicals, including the shelling of radicals in Genoa in 1857
What area should VEII have had control over, but instead gave Cavour significant control over?
Foreign policy, enabling much of the political and economic success that Piedmonts enjoyed
The freedom that VEII gave Cavour was also on an economic level, he did not intervene when what happened?
public debt rose from 120 million Lire to 725 million Lire by 1859 to pay for Cavour’s reforms.
VEII demonstrated less what than Cavour?
Agency
VEII was seen personally most decisive before when?
1852 (rise of Cavour)
A legacy of being the strongest state, Piedmont had what?
Piedmont had a high degree of industrialisation
Demonstrating that they had long been the strongest state, Piedmont had how many cotton workers and how many silk workers by 1844?
60 000 silk workers and 114 000 cotton workers
What does Piedmont having 60 000 silk workers and 114 000 cotton workers as early as 1844 demonstrate about Cavour?
That Cavour, becoming of relevance only in 1844, cannot take all the credit for Piedmont
What about Piedmont mean that it is well suited to European trade?
Geographical position
After the 1815 Congress of Vienna and 1849 peace settlements, Piedmont was the only state that remained what?
Piedmont was the single state that remained independent, and so had a stable and well established monarchy.
The statuto, put in place in 1847 by Charles Albert, res how many political refugees?
30 000
Despite Cavour’s success, it is questionable whether he could do it where?
questionable whether he would be able to emulate such a strong economy in a state with a lesser precedent of political and economic strength, such as Naples.
A part of foreign involvement, what bankers financed the Mount Cenis railway tunnel?
Rothschild and Laffitte
Cavour was able to secure low interest loans from which two European banks?
Rothschild and Hambros
How could the Piedmontese involvement in the Crimean war be attributed to someone other than Cavour?
Both the British government, through their ambassador Sir James Hudson and foreign secretary Lord Clarendon, and the French government, through Ambassador Count Walewski, put pressure on Cavour to enter the war as Cholera had badly reduced their armies.
Give the judgement for foreign involvement
Foreign involvement’s impact on the Piedmontese economy was vital in facilitating Cavour’s economic plans in order to allow Piedmont to emerge as the most dominant state, however they facilitated the changes of Cavour, rather than themselves creating change.
Which historian argues that Cavour was the architect of unity?
Dennis Mack-Smith
Cavour’s role was only really relevant after when?
His accession in 1852
Complete the sentence: Doubtless, the legacy of previous strength was valuable, but its was….
Cavour’s agency which co-ordinated internal economic success, foreign involvement and politics into the strongest state in the peninsula.
Complete the sentence: Before 1852…
much can be attributed to VEII, whose decisions such as keeping the statuto helped the ensure that the ground work was there for political success later on.
