Cavour and the Italian War of 1859: The Unification of Italy

1. Cavour and the Italian War of 1859: The Unification of Italy Section 13.64:

2. Italian Nationalism: The Program of Cavour • Several small and large states in Italy existed • Reorganized by Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna • The governments were content with their independence • but governments were distant from their people • The people desired a nation that reflected the past glories of Italy and were generally disgusted with their govs (Risorgimento=resurgence)- • Movement gained steam during French Rev and Napoleon • Mazzini promoted similar ideas • Saw the cause of Italian unity with almost holy character GIUSEPPE MAZZINI

3. Barriers • 1848 efforts failed when the Pope denounced the radical movement • Austria’s far reaching influence was another barrier • Outside assistance would be needed to separate Italy from Austria’s umbrella of control • King Victor Emmanuel of the Piedmont (Sardinia) • Designs on surrounding territories Pius IX Francis Joseph

4. Camillo di Cavour • King Victor Emmanuel’s (Savoy) minister • Cavour was a Western liberal/Realpolitik practitioner • Directed an efficient government • Built up the infrastructure (RR, docks) • Limited the role of the Church • Cutting down number of holidays, limiting right of church bodies to own real estate, abolishing church courts without consulting the Holy See • Opened up free trade • Engineered the unification process • Embraced the toughness of mind and the politics of reality • Had no sympathy for revolutionary romantics like Mazzini • was no fan of war but was OK with it to unify Italy under house of Savoy • he took Piedmont in Crimean War • Realized that ousting Austria required the help of France • Supported France in the Crimean War • Wanted to pit French against Austria

5. Napoleon III • was agreeable to war against Austria • Had traveled Italy and participated in insurrections there in 1831 • Saw himself as the apostle of modernity • Italy was Bonaparte family’s ancestral home • Believed in idea of “doctrine of nationalities” • Consolidation of nations meant progress • Would show France that he supported liberal causes (by fighting reactionary Austria) • Silence his critics • Orsini’s assassination attempt • An Italian republican who in 1858 attempted to kill Napoleon with a bomb • this motivated Nap to make up his mind • 1859 French troops move against Austria

6. Napoleon’s Quandary • French defeat Austrian resistance • But Prussia was mobilizing • Nervous about French sphere of influence • Italy began to erupt with revolutionary activity • local governments were overthrown • Calls for unification with Piedmont were made • Napoleon is no fan of revolution • Papacy was threatened so French soldiers were sent in to protect pope • French Catholics resented the loss of the Pope’s temporal power • Blamed Napoleon for this godless war • Napoleon III was fighting on both sides of the war • Napoleon III made peace with Austria • This stupefied Cavour

7. Franco-Austrian Agreement • Piedmont received Lombardi • Austria kept Venetia • Offered compromise to the Italian unity question • Created a federal union of existing governments with the Pope in charge • Not what Cavour or Piedmontese or the patriots wanted • Revolution continued and drove out rulers of Tuscany, Modena, Parma, Romagna • Piedmont annexed these territories and held a plebiscites • Pope excommunicated leaders • Romagna had been part of Papal States • Reps from north Italy (except Venetia) met in Turin in 1860 and held first parliament of the new and improved Italy • This was supported by English and French

8. The Completion of Italian Unity • 1860 Italy consists of three parts • Northern Piedmont • Papal States • Southern States (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) ruled by Bourbon king in Naples • Under the House of Bourbon • Giuseppe Garibaldi from the Piedmont • The Lafayette of Italy (Hero of 2 worlds) • Soldier of fortune in Uruguay and the United States • Organized “Garabaldi’s Thousand” or “Red Shirts” • 1, 150 personal followers • Led them on armed expedition to southern Italy • Cavour closed his eyes to Garibaldi’s bold move • Garibaldi sailed south and attacked • The corrupt and unpopular governments (2 Sicilies) collapse • Garibaldi turned north toward Rome • Potential move against the French in Rome and the Papacy threatened Cavour’s unification efforts

9. The Completion of Italian Unity • Cavour anticipated Garibaldi’s move and sent troops southward while carefully avoiding Rome • Garibaldi accepts Victor Emmanuel’s leadership and the north and south are joined with seceding Papal states • Garibaldi now thought a monarchy was best solution for unification • Rode in open carriage with Victor Emmanuel thru streets of Naples • Plebiscites confirmed willingness to join • 1861 Kingdom of Italy is proclaimed • 1866 Venetia was added in return for Italian support of Prussia against Austria • 1870 Rome was annexed after French troops withdrew during the Franco-Prussian War • Italy was made by apostolate of Mazzini, audacity of Garibaldi and cold policy of Cavour

10. Persistent Problems After Unification • Claims for an expanded Italy continued • They want Trentino, Dalmatian islands, Nice, Savoy added • Italia Irredentism-An unredeemed Italy • Irredentism has come to mean a vociferous demand for territory on nationalistic grounds • Deep political differences between the Pope and the new nation of Italy continued • Occupation of Rome 1870 (after French left) renewed Pope’s condemnation • they took the Papal states and he remained in Vatican secluded • Great differences between northern and southern Italy continued to exist • North looks upon South as backward • Few within Italy possessed the vote • Only 600 thou out of 20 mil can vote • Disenfranchisement fueled revolutionary discontent • Gradually the revolutionary movement shifted • Marxian socialism, Anarchism, Syndicalism • However Italy was united and an age old dream of recapturing past glory is closer to being realized