The Unification of Italy 1796- 1848 The Impact of the French Revolution

What impact did the Revolution and Napoleon have on Italy?

Impact 1789 French Revolution 1793 Louis XVI is executed and French armies begin invading European lands spreading their ideas The Revolutionary Wars had an immense impact on Italy 1792 Savoy was invaded by the French (to secure the southern French border) Thus begins the spreading of ideas into Italy In the cities began calls for “liberty, Equality and Fraternity”

Napoleon 1794 French Grand Army crossed into Genoa Inadequately supplied, poorly paid and undisciplined- made little progress, until… Napoleon Bonaparte took command and invaded Piedmont defeating Austrian troops along the way 1797 Napoleon imposed his own rule on Austrian lands effectively redrawing the map of Italy and even gave internal reforms to the lands he conquered

Changes in Italy as a result of 1796-1798 1797 Treaty of Campo Formio- Austria gained Venice but gave Belgium and Lombardy to France King of Naples was defeated by the French in 1798- Naples was occupied- Napoleon created the Roman Republic and the Neapolitan Republic as French satellite states French troops occupied the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1798

Changes in Italy as a result of 1796-1798 In all states he reorganized he gave constitutions based on the French constitution Elections were held Major changes in law and government 1798 Napoleon invades Egypt (fails)- returns to France and organizes a successful coup 1799 Austrian troops had entered French lands in Italy and restored what the French had changed 1800 Napoleon crosses the alps again and destroys the Austrians at Marengo- another round of Italian reorganization by Napoleon (that’s what the picture on the back wall is all about)

Changes in Italy as a result of 1796-1798 1802 Republic of Italy is created (after Napoleon becomes emperor in 1805, the republic becomes the Kingdom of Italy) 1805 The Kingdom of Italy controls one third of the Italian lands and 6.5 million inhabitants Venice and the Illyrian provinces become part of France 1806 French troops are sent to Naples and create the Kingdom of Naples (Napoleon gave the kingdom to a trusted general Joachim Murat) 1802 Piedmont becomes part of France, 1805 so does Genoa, Tuscany and Parma 1809 Rome is taken by the French and the pope is exiled- Rome becomes part of France

Significance of the Changes Disparate Italian territories were now united under French control Italian response was very significant- calls for Italians to unite against foreign domination Educated Italians began to see a greater national calling- Italy, led by Italians

Why was there unrest in Italy? 1815- 1848

The Situation in 1815 After the fall of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna (1815) had to decide European territorial and conservative issues Italy was not a concern other than for territorial issues This is what was determined:

Italy in 1815 The Congress re-established Austrian control of the Italian peninsula Hapsburgs restored to the majority of the Kingdoms and the Bourbons were restored to the Kingdom of Naples The Papal states controlled the central core of the peninsula but was dependent on Austria for a military (but this means anyone trying to take any of the Papal states away had to deal with Austria)

Italy in 1815 Rome was returned as the heart and soul of the Italian nation- nationalist pride for any Italians went back to the Roman Empire Also is the spiritual home of the world’s Catholics- very powerful For Italian nationalists, Rome was imagined as the de-facto capital of the Italian nation-state (regardless of how far fetched that might have been)

Italy in 1815 After the restoration- Italy slumped back into political and economic stagnation Localism gripped Italy Locals sought to preserve ancient privileges, regulations, and traditions at the expense of economic efficiency Under Metternich’s guidance, the Italian states took every opportunity to suppress Liberal reform Vatican control of education, population growth was more rural than urban, peaceful Europe had less need for food It seemed highly unlikely for any kind of Liberal movement in Italy

“In 1815 there was little prospect of change in Italy and the old regimes were strongly reasserted” or “too much had changed in 1815 to make the restoration of the old regimes permanent”

Radical Reform Not surprising- a radical underground reform movement Secret Societies blossomed after the Congress- primarily middle class people Discuss liberal, democratic, nationalistic ideas and disseminate banned literature, plot murders and uprisings The Carbonari- Charcoal Burners

The Early Uprisings The Carbonari looked to Spain as inspiration 1820 Sicily- Ferdinand (Bourbon) forced to give a constitution 1821 Austrian army crushed the Sicilian revolt (*Congress of Vienna) 1821 Piedmont- resistance put down only with the help of foreign intervention 1830 Paris Uprisings inspired Italians All 1830 revolts in Italy were crushed by Austrian military intervention

The Early Revolts The early revolts in Naples and Piedmont were rather unsuccessful but were evidence of liberal and nationalistic ideas existing in Italy The language of the revolts was romantic and poetic: “The emancipation of Italy will occur; the signal has been given. O Italians, even if we have to wear chains, let us keep our hearts free”- Santarosa The revolts were not really national in character- the aims of the conspirators reflected local grievances and ideals

Giuseppe Mazzini 1830- 1848- One name connected to the cause of Italian Nationalism Middle class intellectual from Piedmont Romantic, thought that for all people to achieve their full potential, liberty, both personal and national was necessary The moral component in 19th century Romanticism had its biggest impact on Nationalist movements

Giuseppe Mazzini For Romantics, nationalism was an imperative to the progress of human society Combine with the idea of the corrupting “chains” of the existing regimes- flouting the will of the people they governed All Romantics held Jean Jacques Rousseau in high esteem and as a root value believed in the equality of all humans Mazzini, both a romantic and a nationalist, therefore was predisposed to republicanism

Giuseppe Mazzini Romantics: deed over debate, action over administration- therefore violent revolution 1815- 1830 suppression of the revolts made them think over this concept 1830 he created ‘Young Italy’- a new secret society Mazzini would spend much of his life in exile- London 1848 Italian nationalists (led through the Young Italy movements) were ready to make another attempt on removing the old order

Why did the Italian risings between 1820 and 1844 achieve so little?

The Unification of Italy Why did the 1848 Revolutions fail and how important were they?

1848 1846 Pius IX- limited reforms: amnesty for political prisoners, reform of Rome’s municipal government, etc… Greeted with popular enthusiasm through the Papal States but with concern in Vienna Pius XI even stood up to Metternich and forced him to remove Austrian troops after he sent them in after 1846- this endeared him to Liberals and Nationalists The reality of how progressive Pius was is up for debate but since the door cracked open a bit, liberal ideas began to swarm

1848 The first rebellion began in Sicily (surprising?)- Ferdinand II gave in to a constitution Was this rebellion liberal or nationalist? What were the fighting for? localism “a return to 1812”

1848 Piedmont seemed the most likely for rebellions to take hold- 1847 King Charles Albert had granted some civil liberties and a constitution Expanded his Piedmontese army as well (is that good for liberal/nationalists or reactionary forces? Piedmont was in an interesting position- a buffer state created by the Congress, therefore if Austria intervened on any kind of military increase it would be a violation of sovereignty However if Charles Albert saw himself as a potential magnet for unification ideals he would need a much bigger army

1848 Piedmont reform ideas spread into bordering areas- Lombardy and Venetia and Tuscany (constitution) 1848 There was also a revolt in Vienna- word of that encouraged revolts within Italy Independent republics were proclaimed throughout Italy

Back to Charles Albert With Austrian troops on the run or focused on Vienna- Charles Albert saw his chance- invaded Lombardy Volunteers from the Papal states and Naples rallied to join Piedmont Mazzini himself, in Paris, quickly came to Lombardy- he asked for any ideological issues to be restrained until all Austrian troops were removed from Italy However the local rulers feared republicanism and debated uniting with Piedmont instead of offering power over to the people Venetia, Lombardy, Parma and Modena voted to unite with Piedmont

1848 By the summer, Ferdinand in Naples had taken power back from the revolutionaries In the North the Austrians had strengthened and defeated the Piedmont army as the battle of Custozza. Further defeat crushed Piedmont ambitions and Charles Albert abdicated in 1849

1848 1848 the Pope fled Rome and revolutionaries proclaimed the Roman Republic 1849 the republic is invaded by a union of the Naples army, Spanish army and French army (Catholic countries) Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi, defenders of the republic were able to hold out for months, but it was futile The Pope returned and re-established a strict form of conservatism Reactionary forces were very successful in regaining power and territory

Garibaldi Nationalism in the 19th century: political vision (elite) and nationalistic enthusiasm (the masses) Garibaldi embodies the enthusiasm side- joined Mazzini’s Young Italy, fled to South America Fought in the wars of South American Independence 1848 came back to support the Roman Republic; fled again in 1849 Returned again during the integral part of Italy’s Unification

The results of 1848 Evidence of true nationalist sentiment among all classes?- established rulers , initially the Pope, Charles Albert and Ferdinand were involved However, were they unified? In their states one would have to dominate the other which of course was unacceptable to others Inclusion of the masses in the established republics was good initially but led to fractures through the movement Success in Piedmont- administrative and military stability- not strong enough against Austria Success in the Republics- public enthusiasm and romanticism- not organized enough against Austria Must combine the two