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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, Austrian oppression.