The Carbonari (Secret Society)
Largest secret society who believed liberty and republicanism could only be achieved through the removal of the French, after 1814, the restored monarchies
The Adelfi (Secret Society)
Strongly anti-French society based in the north, led by Filippo Buonarrotti, with the main aim of destroying Austrian rule to lead to a democratic republic. 1818 named the ‘Sublime Perfect Masters’.
The Italian Federation (Secret Society)
Led by Count Confalonieri. Aimed for a north Italian state ruled by a constitutional monarchy.
Naples rebellion (date and events)
- Generals, civil servants and an army unit made the King of Naples agree to a constitution preventing him from acting how he wished.
Piedmont Revolt (date and events)
March 1821. Santorre Santarosa marched on turin. King Vittore Emanuele I abdicated. Carlo Alberto appointed regent, granted constitution. New king Carlo Felice withdrew this and crushed rebels in April 1821 with Austrian help.
Causes of 1831 rebellion
Charles X, the French reactionary monarch, abdicated on August 2nd 1830. Pope Leo XIII’s repressive policies were unpopular.
1831 rebellion results
Duchess of Parma was driven out, Francesco IV of Modena and the pope with Austrian support crushed the rebellion and further ones in 1832. Not a national movement, Modena and Bologna could not even trust or get along with each other.
Mazzini’s ‘Young Italy’ (date and nature)
1831.
- Quasi-religious, god’s will expressed through ‘la plebe’
- Journal ‘Young Italy’ spread his ideas.
- Independent nation of ‘free men and equals’.
- Unification ideas poorly thought through but envisaged including south, Sicily and Sardinia.
‘Italy’ in C18th
- Independent states
- Monarchies, royal houses, papal states
- vast language and geographical differences
‘Italy’ after 1815
- Austrian control heightened e.g. Lombardy and Venetia directly and armies in papal states
- Monarchies restored
- Napoleon code mostly abolished
- Church power restored, pope spiritual and temporal leader
- Some states progressive e.g Parma, Marie-Louise introduced similar code to Napoleon’s. 1st minister Victor Fossombroni improved education and hospitals in Tuscany.
‘Italy’ under French rule
- New ideas of freedom, equality, brotherhood
- equality in the law under Napoleon code
- reduction in church influence (land sold off)
- growth of anti-french feeling in radical philosophical secret societies
Revolutions before 1848
1820- Piedmont and Naples attempts crushed by Austria
Embryonic nationalism, although poor cooperation and communication.
1831- Parma, Modena and Papal States
Short lived, middle class, localised, crushed by Austria
Why was the Italian Nationalist movement so ineffective 1820-48?
- poor communication, cooperation and organisation
- Austrian force
- No agreement on a method, no leader
New ideas from beginning of French Revolution (date)
1789
Napoleonic Wars- Italian states are key battlegrounds between France and Austria
1790s
Kingdom of Italy established under Napoleon
March 1805
Congress of Vienna returns Italy to previous rulers and Austria dominates
1815
Failed uprisings across Italy
1820-1
Giuseppe Mazzini founds young Italy
July 1831
Uprisings across Italy: Sicily, Statuto, Milan and Venice, allocation, Lombardy invasion, Custozza, Roman republic
1848: January, February, March, April, May July, November.
Carlo resumes war with Austria, French protect pope, Novarra, Roman republic defeated, Venetian republic defeated
1849: February, April, March, June, August
Battle of Novarra
March 1849 Piedmont defeated by Austria, Carlo abdicates, Vittore Emmanuele King of Piedmont-Sardinia
Siccardi Laws
March 1850 anti clerical legislation in Piedmont
Cavour becomes minister of trade
October 1850
