On your mark, get set… Build a nation… Italian Risorgimento

The main characters… Guiseppe Mazzini… the idealist the idealist Born 1805 in Genoa 1829 joined the Carbonari… secret Carbonari… secret organization organized organization organized to promote unification to promote unification 1831 was exiled from Italy; first went to France, then Switzerland, in 1837 to England first went to France, then Switzerland, in 1837 to England

Mazzini was a Republican… he opposed monarchy Believed in the power of the people to create change 1832, in France, founded Young Italy Organized uprisings against Austrian rule Wrote letters, manuals on guerrilla warfare; now fills over 100 volumes 1848 Revolutions Mazzini helped to set up the Roman Mazzini helped to set up the Roman Republic; defeated by French army Republic; defeated by French army

Excerpts from "General Instructions for the Members of Young Italy" Young Italy is a brotherhood of Italians who believe in a law of Progress and Duty, and are convinced that Italy is destined to become one nation — convinced also that she possesses sufficient strength within herself to become one, and that the ill success of her former efforts is to be attributed not to the weakness, but to the misdirection of the revolutionary elements within her — that the secret of force lies in constancy and unity of effort. They join this association in the firm intent of consecrating both thought and action to the great aim of re-constituting Italy as one independent sovereign nation of free men and equals... Young Italy is Republican and Unitarian. –Giuseppe Mazzini, "General Instructions for the Members of Young Italy" (1831)

Mazzini was not a very popular person the Church… he believed in God, but not Christianity the Church… he believed in God, but not Christianity Conservatives… he believed in women’s rights & in helping the poor Conservatives… he believed in women’s rights & in helping the poor Communists… Mazzini criticized Karl Marx Communists… Mazzini criticized Karl Marx Italian governments… he continually led or instigated revolts; distrusted monarchs/rulers/political alliances Italian governments… he continually led or instigated revolts; distrusted monarchs/rulers/political alliances

Guiseppe Garibaldi… the military leader Born 1807 in Nice Member of Young Italy 1834 exiled to South America after a failed America after a failed revolt against Piedmont- revolt against Piedmont- Sardinia Sardinia Formed group of volunteers who wore red shirts & fought in a war between Uruguay & Argentina

1848 led Red Shirts to Italy Fought with Mazzini for the Roman Rep Defense of Rome Rome Exiled to the USA Returned to Italy in 1854

Statue of G. Garibaldi in Washington Square Park, New York City

Garibaldi inspired his men to fight; cared for their welfare, not for status for himself Was considered honest and had no ambitions to rule Generous good nature; courteous He favored a dictatorship; distrusted Mazzini and hated Cavour Believed the Italian parliament was unrepresentative. Liberals who later ruled Italy considered Garibaldi vulgar and crude.

Count Camillo Benso di Cavour… The politician Born 1810 in Turin in an aristocratic family Was an engineer officer in the army Retired and headed the family estate Established a newspaper Il Risorgimento in 1847 Il Risorgimento in 1847 Became involved in Piedmontese politics Piedmontese politics during 1848 revolution during 1848 revolution Prime Minister 1852

Cavour believed unification had to occur under the leadership of Piedmont, not the Pope He believed that economic prosperity had to come before unification As PM, he promoted industrialization and railroad construction Tariffs were reduced and legal code modernized Involved in Crimean War to get attention of the Great Powers 1855

Italy before Unification… Divided; laws, governments, dialects, coins, customs barriers Napoleon created Kingdom of Italy

Napoleon brought many changes… Industry to build munitions Efficient administration Napoleonic law code Ended customs barriers Decimal & metric systems Better roads Heavy taxes Conscription More difficult to ignore or disobey the government

Mercantile class thrilled with Napoleon’s changes… saw the possibilities if Italy were unified After 1815… 8 separate states After 1848… Austria regained control of Lombardy & Venetia Mazzini went into exile again

Role of Piedmont-Sardinia Victor Emmanuel II was a constitutional monarch Cavour worked to make Piedmont the center of Italian Unification 1858 Cavour met secretly with Napoleon III to get help in a war against Austria; Piedmont would engineer a war against Austria & France would come to their aid In return for aid, Cavour gave Savoy and Nice to France

Napoleon & Cavour prepared for war… Austria helped by giving Piedmont an ultimatum, then invading Piedmont French-Italian army gained control of Lombardy Napoleon III decided to abandon Italy and signed a separate peace treaty with Austria… Treaty of Villafranca 1859 Piedmont gained Lombardy, Austria kept Venetia Opinion in northern Italy began to support unification

Areas of Northern Italy 1859 Italy had revolutions, Italy had revolutions, formed provisional formed provisional governments and held governments and held votes on whether to votes on whether to become part of a united become part of a united Italy with Piedmont. Italy with Piedmont.

Garibaldi volunteered Italy 1861 to take 1000 “Red Shirt” to take 1000 “Red Shirt” soldiers to Palermo soldiers to Palermo

In two months, Garibaldi controlled Sicily Moved north through Kingdom of Naples with the idea of taking over Rome. Cavour did not want to antagonize the pope by taking over Rome Victor Emmanuel II led an army along the east coast of Italy around Rome April 1860 Garibaldi’s army entered Naples and defeated the weak French Bourbon rulers Cavour convinced Garibaldi to meet Victor Emmanuel & the Piedmontese army at Naples March 1861 Kingdom of Italy was established when the Piedmontese army met Garibaldi at Teano

Cavour died June, 1861 Italy gained Venetia in 1866… in return for Italian support, Prussia promised Venetia in the Austro-Prussian War Italy gained Rome in 1870 when France withdrew their troops (which had been in Rome since 1849) to use in the Franco- Prussian War German Unification helped to complete Italian Unification

Problems Victor Emmanuel II did NOT become Victor Emmanuel I of the newly united Italy… what is the symbolism? The Pope refused to recognize the new Italian nation Voting qualifications excluded a majority of Italians Economic differences separated northern and southern Italy Irredentism… not all areas containing Italians were part of Italy… the areas were considered “unredeemed” lands Trentino, Dalmatia, Trieste Trentino, Dalmatia, Trieste

Questions to consider… Whose role was more important to Italian Unification? Mazzini, Garibaldi or Cavour? Was Italy unified or was it conquered by Piedmont-Sardinia?

Bibliography Pictures Smith, Denis Mack. Modern Italy: A Political History. Univ. of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor