Il Risorgimento italiano. Parte 1: dal congresso di Vienna alla prima guerra di Indipendenza

Summary

The Risorgimento was the process of Italian unification, beginning in 1848 with the first war of independence, but rooted in earlier political struggles dating back to 1815. The Italian peninsula was divided into various states, each under different powers such as Austria, the Papal States, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. Early insurrections in 1820 and 1830, driven by liberal and Mazzinian ideals, failed due to lack of popular support. By 1848, revolts erupted across Italy, leading to the first war of independence. Despite initial successes, the efforts were crushed by Austrian forces, leaving a legacy of growing nationalism that would later fuel Italy's unification.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Risorgimento refers to the process of Italian national unification, beginning in 1848 with the First War of Independence, but rooted in events from as early as 1815.
• 😀 In 1815, the Congress of Vienna redrew the map of Italy, leaving the peninsula divided into various states, including the Kingdom of Sardinia, Lombard-Venetian Kingdom, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
• 😀 The Austrian Empire played a dominant role in northern Italy, particularly in Lombardy and Venice, becoming a major force to expel during the Risorgimento.
• 😀 Early insurrectional movements in the 1820s and 1830s, such as those in Sicily and Sardinia, were failures but showed liberal tendencies aiming to replace absolutist monarchies with constitutional ones.
• 😀 The movements of 1820 and 1830 failed primarily due to lack of popular participation, as most leaders were from bourgeois secret societies with liberal ideals.
• 😀 Giuseppe Mazzini emerged as a key figure in the Risorgimento, founding 'Giovane Italia' (Young Italy) in 1831, advocating for a united Italian republic, rejecting monarchies, and promoting popular participation.
• 😀 The 1840s saw the rise of three distinct political projects for Italy: the democratic Mazzinian republic, the moderate liberal constitutional monarchy under the Savoy family, and the neo-Guelph project aiming for a confederation of autonomous states under the Pope's leadership.
• 😀 In 1848, a wave of insurrections occurred across Italy, with uprisings in Milan, Venice, and Sicily, leading to constitutions being granted in many territories, most notably the Albertine Statute in the Kingdom of Sardinia.
• 😀 The First War of Independence, which saw a coalition of Italian states fighting Austria, initially succeeded but ultimately failed due to lack of sustained unity, with major withdrawals from the Pope and other rulers, leading to defeat at Custoza and the reoccupation of Milan by Austria.
• 😀 The failure of the insurrections in 1849 led to a retreat of patriotic movements, marked by the end of the Roman Republic, the fall of Venice, and the return of Austrian control in Milan, leaving a lasting legacy of growing national sentiment that would fuel future unification efforts.

Q & A

What was the Risorgimento and when did it begin?

The Risorgimento was the process of Italian national unification, leading to the birth of the Kingdom of Italy. It began in 1848 with the first war of independence, but its roots can be traced back to 1815, following the Congress of Vienna.

What was the political situation in Italy in 1815?

In 1815, Italy was divided into several regional states, each under different rulers or foreign influence. These included the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Lombard-Venetian Kingdom under Austrian control, several duchies in the central regions, the Papal States, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in the south.

What role did Austria play in the Italian political landscape after 1815?

Austria had significant influence over northern and central Italy, particularly through the Lombard-Venetian Kingdom and various duchies, which would later become central to the Risorgimento as Italians sought to expel Austrian control.

What were the main causes behind the insurrections of 1820 and 1830 in Italy?

The insurrections of 1820 and 1830 were sparked by dissatisfaction with absolutist monarchies and the desire for constitutional reforms. They were mainly liberal movements, driven by secret societies composed of bourgeois groups, but both uprisings ended in failure due to a lack of popular support.

How did Giuseppe Mazzini's political movement differ from previous insurrectional movements?

Giuseppe Mazzini's movement, La Giovane Italia, was a public movement aimed at unifying Italy as a republic. Unlike earlier secret societies, Mazzini's approach involved the participation of different social classes and was focused on national unification rather than just constitutional reform.

What were the three main political projects for Italy's future in the 1840s?

In the 1840s, three major political projects for Italy emerged: the democratic project, which sought a unified republic; the moderate liberal project, which aimed for a constitutional monarchy under the Savoy family; and the neo-Guelph project, which envisioned a confederation of states under the Pope's leadership.

How did Pope Pius IX's initial liberal reforms influence the political climate in Italy?

Pope Pius IX's early liberal reforms in 1846 stirred hopes among many Italians, particularly for the neo-Guelph project, where the Pope would lead a confederation of states. However, his eventual conservative shift in 1848 contributed to the collapse of this project and weakened the broader Italian unification movement.

What triggered the events of 1848 in Italy and how did they unfold?

The events of 1848 were triggered by a separatist movement in Sicily, followed by uprisings in other cities such as Milan and Venice. The insurrections led to the granting of constitutions by various rulers, including the Albertine Statute in Sardinia. This set off the First War of Independence, with initial successes but eventual failure after key defections and military defeats.

What was the significance of the defeat at Novara in 1849?

The defeat at Novara in March 1849 marked the end of Charles Albert's rule and led to his abdication in favor of his son, Victor Emmanuel II. It also signaled the failure of the 1848 revolutions and the return of conservative forces, opening the door to repression and the end of the Roman Republic and Venetian resistance.

What lasting impact did the 1848-1849 uprisings have on Italy?

Despite their failure, the 1848-1849 uprisings left a lasting legacy by fostering a stronger sense of national unity and patriotic sentiment, which would fuel future efforts toward Italian unification in the coming decades.