The unification of Italy
– the Risorgimento
Piedmont takes the lead
1852 - 60
Victor Emmanuel II
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
Cavour had learned the
lessons from 1848
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Italia fara da sa? No!
Help would be needed to unify Italy
Piedmont KEPT it’s 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.
How did Cavour
modernise Piedmont
– Sardinia?
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
Getting foreign help
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
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?)
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!
Napoleon gets cold feet!
 Things moving too fast!
 Carnage of war
 Prussia mobilising on the Rhine!
 Napoleon makes peace with Austria -
Villafranca
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!
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!
Then Garibaldi steps
in
May 1860