The unification of Italy

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The unification of Italy the Risorgimento

• Piedmont takes the lead
• 1852 - 60

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Victor Emmanuel II
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Piedmont-sardinia became the focal point of
nationalists hopes

• 1852 Cavour becomes Prime Minister
• Wanted to be rid of Austrian influence in Italy
  and extend the power of Piedmont.
• He was certain this could never be achieved
  without foreign help

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Cavour had learned the lessons from 1848

• Italia fara da sa? No!
• Help would be needed to unify Italy
• Piedmont KEPT its constitution the statuto.
  Piedmont had fought for Italy. It became the
  focus for nationalist hopes for the future.
• Piedmont needed to be modernised to take
  advantage of her leading position.

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How did Cavour modernise Piedmont Sardinia?
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Piedmont-Sardinia is modernised

• Developed the Piedmont political system
  constitution (granted 1848)
• - educated elite in control of government and
  parliament
• - support from the centre of politics gave
  him power to manoeuvre
• Built solid economic foundations trade,
  agriculture, industry, banking, communications
• Position of church weakened

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Getting foreign help
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Getting foreign support

• Crimean war (1854-56)
• Piedmont joins on side of Br and Fr
• Peace conference Paris 1856
• Makes personal contacts with Napoleon III
• Cavour aims to get French help against Austria

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Napoleon III gets involved

• Orsini assassination attempt 1858
• Secret meeting at Plombières 1858
• - France to get Nice and Savoy
• - Austria to made to look the aggressor
• - France would help in war.
• - Pope to preside over confederation in central
  Italy
• - Piedmont to get Lombardy and Venetia (why not
  all Italy?)

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War 1859

• Piedmontese army mobilised
• Austria demands this stops
• Austria declares war!
• France sends 200,000 troops
• Battles at Magenta and Solferino
• Revolts followed in Central Duchies and Papal
  States ask for Piedmont to protect them!

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Napoleon gets cold feet!

• Things moving too fast!
• Carnage of war
• Prussia mobilising on the Rhine!
• Napoleon makes peace with Austria - Villafranca

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Villafranca 1859

• Lombardy ceded to France who then passed it to
  Piedmont.
• Venetia remains Austrian
• Central Duchies to be restored to their rulers
• Victor Emmanuel had to accept this
• Cavour furious resigned!

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Things could not be stopped in Italy

• Central Duchies part of Papal States the
  Romagna, would not accept their old rulers back.
• Jan 1860 Cavour back as PM
• Offered Napoleon Nice and Savoy in return for
  central Italy.
• Plebiscites arranged March 1860
• Piedmont takes over the centre!

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Then Garibaldi steps in

• May 1860