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Established the new world order after the fall of the holy roman empire. This was based on Austria and France balancing each other out for strength, but meant that both powers sought to dominate Europe.
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Ended war of Austrian succession. Laid out division of Italy into 12 states. Milan and Tuscany under Spanish Habsburg rule. Lombardy and Venetia under Austrian rule. Naples under the Bourbon monarchy. Papal states ruled by the Pope. Piedmont under the Savoy monarchy
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Inspired enlightened thinkers in Italy. Sparked ideas of nationalism, loyalty to the state and popular sovereignty. Secret societies and intellectuals printed books/pamphlets that fuelled the spread of revolutionary ideas.
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France established sister republics under moderate Italian leadership, e.g. Cisalpine republic in northern Italy. In 1799, the republics began to collapse as the pro-French republicans lost support. The Church opposed the enlightened ideas, wished to regain influence over society. Peasant uprisings e.g. in Parthenopean Republics encouraged by clergy like Cardinal Ruffo.
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Napoleon ceded Venetia to Austria in October 1797 in return for Lombardy. Piedmont was annexed to France in Feb 1799. Italian revolutionaries were outraged, betrayed and became disillusioned with France (had previously welcomed Napoleon's invasion in 1796 to bring modernity and liberation)
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After Napoleon's defeat, the Great Powers met to discuss the future of Europe. Italy's duchies and monarchies were restored and repression and censorship increased hugely.
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Revolutionaries in Naples, Sicily and Piedmont were inspired by the Spanish liberal revolution of 1820. Reaction to discontent, poverty and Austrian oppression. Secret societies like the carbonari pushed for constitutional monarchies. Ferdinand I of Naples granted a constitution but removed it after Austrian troops intervened. Liberals in Piedmont tried to force CF to accept a constitution but failed.
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Giuseppe Mazzini founded Young Italy in July after failure of revolutions. Slogan was "unity, strength, liberty" and they promoted republicanism and unification through education and propaganda
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Modena, Parma, Papal States. Inspired by the liberal revolution in France July 1830 (against Charles X), fought against foreign dominance. The Duke of Modena initially supported rebels, but betrayed them. Austrian troops crushed all revolts and restored absolutist rule.
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Poor harvests 1846-7, growing inequality, nationalism and the growth of the bourgeoisie as a result of industrialization caused upheaval across Europe ("springtime of nations"). Metternich dismissed after riots across A-H. CA of Piedmont declared war on Austria and republics were set up in Venice and the Papal States. Piedmont's army was defeated by Austria at Custoza after the French refused to help. French troops also put down the Roman republic at the request of the Pope.
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Charles Albert of Piedmont granted a moderate constitution. Inspired by the French Charter of 1830, later became the constitution of the Kingdom of Italy.
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Cavour joined the war on the side of Britain and France to leverage concessions and gain foreign support against Austria. At the Congress of Paris, he tried to use international sympathy to weaken Austrian domination, but Britain refused to break up the Ottoman empire to find new principalities for dukes of P and M.
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May 1858: Napoleon III offered a secret alliance against Austria- VE II's daughter would marry his nephew, and France would get Nice and Savoy. At Plombieres on 20 July, the deal was agreed. Signed 26 Jan 1859.
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After provoking an Austrian attack, Piedmont went to war (supported by France). French troops defeated large parts of the Austrian forces. Uprisings in Tuscany, Parma, Modena, Bologna: wished to be annexed to Piedmont. Napoleon III proposed an armistice to prevent Piedmont gaining too much control- Lombardy annexed to Piedmont, but Venetia remained part of Austria.
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Plebiscites were held in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Parma and Modena in march and all voted in favour of annexation to Piedmont. The Kingdom of Italy was created. Savoy and Nice were ceded to France in exchange for allowing this.
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Garibaldi landed at Marsala on 10 May with 1088 men to support rebels in Sicily and quickly defeated the Bourbon troops. Conquered Palermo, assumed dictatorship of Sicily in VE's name. Invaded mainland Naples in sept, moved towards Rome. Cavour persuaded N III to allow Piedmont to occupy Umbria and the Marches, in return for a Piedmontese army protecting Rome. On 26 Oct, Garibaldi met VE II at Teano and handed over the Bourbon kingdom.
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Italy wanted to annex Venetia, formed a military alliance with Prussia in April against Austria. Prussia successfully defeated Austria, and in Oct, after a plebescite, Austria ceded Venetia to the Kingdom of Italy in the Treaty of Vienna.
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Pope issued a declaration that Catholics shouldn't take part in Italian politics, leaving the liberals to dominate government. There was open hostility between Church and state, with the syllabus of errors (criticism of liberal progress) and 1870 doctrine of papal infallibility. Austria and France lost any excuse to intervene in Italy.
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Northern German Federation (united under Prussian leadership) vs 2nd French Empire. In sept 1870, France withdraw its garrison from Rome, allowing the Italian military to take it. In Jan 1871, Rome was declared the capital of Italy.