Outline E1 The Road to Unification Italy 1815-70

Framework

Italy was a peninsular divided into separate states. Some were part of the Austrian Empire, others were ruled by Dukes (“Duchies”) often from the Austrian Royal Family (Habsburgs) or by members of the Spanish Royal Family (Bourbons) or by the Pope. These rulers were autocrats.

The different regions spoke different dialects of Italian.

They were often rivals of each other.

The Peninsular was conquered by Napoleon who re-divided it and gave it a more centralised and rational government.

1815 Congress of Vienna- the powers who had defeated Napoleon returned Italy to its former rulers who restored autocratic rule.

There were 3 outbreaks of “revolution”- they had mixed aims and failed, usually due to Austrian force.

1820-21 Sicily, Naples and Piedmont

1831-32the Central Duchies and Papal States

1848-9all!

Support for unification was always limited.

However between 1859-70 Piedmont was able to unify all of Italy under its rule.

1859Piedmont conquered Lombardy with the help of France

1860Piedmont gained the Central duchies& some of the Papal States

1860 Garibaldi conquered Naples and Sicily and gave them to Piedmont

1866Austria gave up Venetia following defeat in war vs Prussia

1870Piedmont took Rome when Napoleon III was defeated by Prussia.

Books referred to in this Pack

  • Martin Collier Italian Unification 978-0-435327-54-5
  • Pearce & Stiles (Access to History) The Unification of Italy 0-340-90701-0

Background “Italy” before and during the Napoleonic Era

A patchwork of different states (annotate the maps using Access p 1-3; Collier p 4-6 )

The French invaded the Peninsular and occupied it. In 1810, Napoleon divided Italyinto 3 states. Annotate this map using Access p 3

The Impact of French Rule Access p 4-7; Collier p 6-10

Progressive aspects
negative aspects
Who lost out?
Carbonari
Collier p 10
Who gained?
Which group was unaffected?

Learn names and positions of the states:- colour code with hi-lighters (don’t try to memorise the rest)

state / Ruler before French / Rulers after 1815 / Main cities / Extra information
Lombardy / Austrian Empire-
ruled by representative of Austria / Part of Austrian Empire-
Francis 1
1804-1835
Ferdinand 1
1835-48
ruled by representative of Austria / Milan / Fertile – Po Valley
Textile industry
Venetia / Republic
Aristocratic council / Venice / Wealthy - trade
Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia / ruled by House of Savoy / Victor Emmanuel
Charles Felix
1821-30
Charles Albert
1830-49 / Turin
(Genoa) / Economically backward but strong army/effective Civil Service
Papal States / Pius VII 1800-23
Leo XII 1823-9
Pius VIII 1829-30
Gregory XVI 1831-46
Pius IX 1846-78 / Bologna
Roma / Very poor and repressive
Latin = official language!
Modena / Habsburg Dukes / Francis IV
1814-46
Francis V
1846-60 / Modena
Parma / Bourbon Dukes / Marie Louise
Habsburg
Charles II
1847-49 / Parma
Tuscany / Habsburg Dukes / Ferdinand III
Leopold II
1824-59 / Florence / Tuscany was prosperous and centre of learning
Naples-Sicily
(Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) / ruled by House of Bourbon / Ferdinand I
1816-1825
Francis
1825-1830
Ferdinand II
1830-59 / Naples
Palermo / A few landlords but most peasants extremely poor
Dry climate
Sicily was only sparsely populated

The Treaty of Vienna 1815

The Great Powers (Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia) adopted two general principles at the Congress of Vienna.

  • The “principle of legitimacy”, which meant that rulers who had been deposed by the French and Napoleon would be able to reclaim their thrones.
  • The need for security against further French aggression, which meant that a barrier of strong states would have to be created around the French border.

A further principle, which developed in the years after 1815, was the maintenance of the status quo and the repression of revolution

It was assumed, as a matter of course, that the Great Powers had to right to act in this way and that lesser states should feel obliged to accept the decisions of the former.

Republics, Genoa & Venetia (& Lucca 1847) were absorbed into Kingdoms.

Austrian influence

The Austrian Empire contained a wide variety of ethnic groups; Nationalism was therefore viewed as dangerous.

Prince Klemens Metternich

He was the dominant Austrian Statesman.

He wanted to restore the old pre-Napoleonic order

and crush liberalism and Nationalism.

Herealised dominance in Italy was essential to

Austrian security. He wanted to create an Italian

Federation, with Austria at the head, but this was

prevented by the King of Naples and the Pope.

Nevertheless, most Italian states followed the

Austrian lead.

He took every opportunity to extend Austrian control.

Austrian policy was to keep Italy divided so that Austria would dominate.

1815 “There are no Italians, only Neapolitans, Piedmontese, Tuscans….”

““Italy” is just a geographical expression”

The Dukes of Tuscany & Modena and King of Piedmont were cousins of Emperor

Duchess of Parma and Queen of Naples were his Aunts!

Tuscany and Naples agreed not to change form of Government without consultation.

The only states capable of any degree of independence were Piedmont and the Papal States, but both of these were forced to appeal for Austrian military help in the 1820s and 1830s.

How were these states governed after 1815?

Collier p 12-13 Access 10-12

SardiniaPiedmont / Victor Emmanuel I
Lombardy/Venetia annexed to Austria
(Francis I) / Trade opportunities benefited & education compulsory from age 12
But conscription/taxation unpopular.
Also previous administrators/lawyers lost jobs to Austrians
Secret police & Censorship
Students not allowed to read modern history!
Papal States
Central Duchies
Tuscany
Parma
Modena / Ferdinand III
Marie Louise
Duke Francis IV
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
(Naples & Sicily) / Ferdinand I

Economic and Social Conditions

Italy was relatively backward:-

  • 90% of the population worked on the land
  • population growth meant shortages of land
  • methods were primitive and inefficient; vulnerable to foreign competition
  • illiteracy was widespread
  • some parts were still semi-feudal- some payments were revived after 1815

There was little industry; none in the South

poor transport –

  • ApennineMountains cut Italy in two
  • Victor Emmanuel closed the French road
  • Duke of Modena didn’t allow stage coaches through

Customs barriers were reinstated e.g. 22 along the River Po

The Church also blocked changes

Towns were over-crowded and unsanitary

The most wealthy states (Lombardy and Venetia) had been annexed by Austria

The increasing mercantile class hoped to remove trade barriers and build better communications
New ideas and attitudes affecting Italy.

  • Liberals Access p18 and Collier p11
  • radicalsAccess p18
  • Nationalists or Nationalism

“Risorgimento” resurgence or re-birth

what are the connotations of this term? Access p 14

Collier p 22

The idea was first suggested in 18th century & was influenced by several new ideas

a)the idea that language was the distinctive essence of an ethnic or national group (fed Nationalism in many European countries)

b)Italy’s past “heydays”

c)Writers such as Dante, who wrote in Italian of “Italia”, and Machiavelli who hoped to unite Italy under one ruler to protect it from foreign armies. (Collier p 22)

d)The French Revolution where the people asserted themselves as a “Nation” rather than subjects of a ruler.

e)Experience of centralised and progressive rule under the French

f)Ideals of the French Revolution such as liberty, abolition of feudalism and absolutism ( read Collier p 23 Jacobins in Naples and Turin 1794)

g)Italian writers and Journals in Italian (Tuscan) eg.

Alfieri- C18th writer – advanced cult of Italy i.e Italian culture, heroes; used termRisorgimento

AntologiaTuscany Italian writers contributed articles and poems in Italian.

Biblioteca ItalianaMilan 1816 (Collier p 27)

These were not political but they still helped the spread of Nationalism because

Add points about Nationalism from Access p18 and Collier p11

Only in a united country could the people truly flourish

To which people would these ideas appeal?

Which people would not like these ideas?

Key terms:-

write a brief definition alongside using Access 5-12;

  • Absolutist Monarchy p 18
  • Constitution
  • Temporal authority
  • Code Napoleon
  • Elite
  • conscripted
  • reactionary
  • progressive
  • Jesuit
  • Ghettos
  • Lay population
  • Inquisition

Look up Anti-clericalism

Factors promoting Nationalism and Unification / Factors hindering unification

Secret Societies Collier p 24-6 Access 19-20

Origins & Membership

Carbonari

Adelfi

Italian Federation(Federati)

1