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

Cavour and the
Italian War of 1859:
The Unification of
Italy
Italian Unification
Napoleon I
crowns self
King of Italy
Charles Albert
abdicates in favor of
Victor Emmanuel II
(1849)
Constitutional
monarchy
proclaimed in
Piedmont; in
Rome, Republic
proclaimed with
Mazzini as head
1805
1831
Garibaldi invades Sicily
& Italy
-Piemontese army under
Victor Emmanuel take
over from Garibaldi
Cavour
becomes
Prime Minister
in SardiniaPiedmont
1848
"Young Italy" founded by
Mazzini.
Charles Albert invades
Lombardy; Union of Venetia and
Piedmont declared, soon Battle of
Custozza, Charles Albert defeated
1850
War between
Austria and
Sardinia Piedmont
& France gives
Sardinia gains
Lombardy
Kingdom of
Italy proclaimed
1861
1871
Italian troops
occupy Rome when
French abandon
city;
1871 (July) Rome
made Capital of
Kingdom
Nationalism
• roots stem from a shared sense of regional and
cultural identity,
• French Revolution and the effects of Napoleon’s
conquests caused it to emerge as a force in Europe.
• also movement towards modernization, as countries
attempted to industrialize in order to compete with
other nations and tried to modernize their political
systems.
• As an intellectual movement, nationalism
emphasized the importance of culture and cultural
uniqueness.
• rejected the universality of the Enlightenment and
stated that each country had its own unique values
and was suited to its own system of government.
• thinkers (like German nationalists Herder) urged
their countrymen to celebrate their cultural values
• led to a fascination with folk culture and national
history.
• As a political movement, the goal of nationalism
was independence: both actual and economic.
Two different types of nationalism:
• Liberal 
– combined w/ideas of the French
Revolution, the liberal nationalists
stated that no country is better than
another, but that each country has its
own unique qualities. All nations
deserve to be unified and led by people
of their own nationality who can
provide the nation with a constitution
that is rational, reasonable and just,
they said.
• Militaristic 
– associated w/ideas of social
Darwinism and Realpolitik, the claim of
militaristic nationalism is that one’s
nation is better, not just different.
Machiavellian politicians who are out
for personal power can exploit this
form of nationalism.
Italian Nationalism
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Several small and large states in
Italy existed
Reorganized by Napoleon and the
Congress of Vienna
The governments were content with
their independence
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but governments were distant
from their people
people desired a nation that
reflected the past glories of Italy
and were generally disgusted with
their govs
Risorgimento= resurgence
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movement for Italian national
unity and independence, begun
1815.
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Leading figures in the movement
included Cavour, Mazzini, and
Garibaldi
GIUSEPPE MAZZINI
The Heart
• known as “the spirit” or the heart of Italian
Unification,
• one of the first Italian nationalists
• a romantic
• emphasized Italy’s uniqueness and
special role in Europe.
• saw the expression of natural
communities, the basis for popular
democracy and international brotherhood
• Young Italy
– Secret society
– Engaged in conspiracies and propaganda
– Superceded by Risorgimento
• never succeeded.
• His big chance came in 1848, but, when
Austria regained control, Mazzini left.
1805-1872
Barriers
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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)
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Designs on surrounding
territories
Pius IX
Victor Emmanuel
Camillo di Cavour
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King Victor Emmanuel’s (Savoy) minister
Cavour was a Western liberal/Realpolitik practitioner
believed in progress, tolerance, limited suffrage,
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
saw nationalism as an avenue to modernization
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
Napoleon III
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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”
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Consolidation of nations meant
progress
Would show France that he supported
liberal causes (by fighting reactionary
Austria)
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Silence his critics
An Italian republican Orsini attempted to
kill Napoleon with a bomb in 1858
this motivated Nap to make up his mind
1859 French troops move against
Austria
Franco-Austrian Agreement
• Called the Plombieres Agreement
• b/t Cavour & Louis Napoleon
• stated that if Piedmont were at war
w/Austria then France would back them
up
• Cavour wanted Venetia and Lombardy
– but he never intended to fully unify
Italy
• Napoleon wanted to weaken Austria, get
Nice and Savoy, and get back at the
Austrians (for Congress of Vienna)
• were just looking for a way to start the
war when Austria did some stupid things:
• it imposed military conscription on
Venetia and Lombardy (super unpopular),
• sent a declaration of total disarmament or
war to Piedmont –
– talk about playing right into their
hands
Napoleon’s Quandary
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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
Austrian-Sardinian war
• Napoleon III quits b/c he realizes he is falling into
a trap (worried about Piedmont getting too
strong)!
• 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
The Completion of Italian Unity
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1860 Italy consists of three parts
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Northern Piedmont
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Papal States
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Southern States (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies)
ruled by Bourbon king in Naples
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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
The Completion of Italian Unity
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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 FrancoPrussian War
Italy was made by apostolate of Mazzini,
audacity of Garibaldi and cold policy of
Cavour
The Heart, the Sword, and the Head
Persistent Problems After Unification
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Claims for an expanded Italy continued
They want Trentino, Dalmatian islands, Nice,
Savoy added
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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
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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
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Marxian socialism, Anarchism, Syndicalism
However Italy was united and an age old dream of
recapturing past glory is closer to being realized