The revolutions of 1848-9Why did they fail to unify Italy?

Exam questionTo what extent were the 1848 revolutions caused by economic factors?

CAUSATION – what makes things happen

You would have 40 mins in the exam!A useful starting point …http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutions_o

f_1848_in_the_Italian_states

Causes of the revolutionsGeneral causes: Nationalist demands: get

rid of the Austrians, and unite Italy.

Liberal demands: political freedoms, constitutions, administrative reforms.

Wider European crisis: 1846-7, harvest failures caused unrest throughout Europe.

Stage 1 -‘The War of the Princes’

Revolutions led by Italian states

SicilyCauses: 1830, Ferdinand II made King of Naples.

Promised reforms, but they did not last. 1840s, a period of political repression. 1840s, coincided with an outbreak of

cholera. 1848, revolt: Call to arms by Sicilians, clashes with

Neapolitan troops. Fighting continued for months.

Sicilians won and set up their own provisional government. A separatist movement. – not for Unification.

NaplesCauses: Ferdinand II. Followed on swiftly from the riots in Palermo, Sicily. 1848 revolt: Huge demonstration in the city of Naples. Ferdinand II agreed to a parliament, a national

guard, and freedom of the press. However, the peasants continued to revolt, and

demanded land reform (ie. redistribution of land). This was used as an excuse to appoint a conservative government.

Rising suppressed in Naples. The army was sent to suppress the revolt in Sicily and reunification of Naples and Sicily was forced.

Naples 1848

Other revolts followed on …February 1848, constitutions promised in

Tuscany and Piedmont. March 1848, the Pope promised a

constitution for the Papal States. Rulers of Modena and Parma had to leave

their duchies.

Success against AustriaMilan (part of Lombardy at this time,

controlled by Austria) led the way …Tobacco boycott in Milan: started a

successful revolt against the occupying forces of Austria.

Austria was busy with a revolt in Vienna. Venetia then also revolted against Austria,

who surrendered, and a republic was set up. Austrian Army retreated to the

Quadrilateral, four great forts in Venetia.

Success against AustriaPiedmont: Charles Albert I was persuaded

to declare war on Austria by the revolutionaries in Milan – an Italian leader!

Garibaldi and his Legion arrived and fought the King in the mountains.

The Empire Strikes BackOnce the Austrians had resolved their internal

problems, things went wrong for Italy …The Austrians force-marched reinforcements

across the Alps under General Radetzky.June 1848, Charles Albert was defeated by the

Austrian Army at the Battle of Custoza.He returned to Piedmont after signing an

Armistice.Lombardy was left in Austrian hands.In Venetia, Venice was besieged by Austrian

troops

The Empire Strikes BackNine months after withdrawing from the

war defeated, Charles Albert rejoined the war.

Possible reasons?He was heavily defeated – again! - by the

Austrian Army at the Battle of Novara.He abdicated as Monarch.Venetia was left fighting alone – the city of

Venice was actually the last Nationalist outpost to fall in Italy, in 1849.

Stage 2 - ‘The War of the People’

- the Roman

Republic

The Pope – a Liberal???The move against

Catholicism: Many people hoped the Pope

would lead a unified ItalyPius IX was known as ‘the

Liberal Pope’The Pope's military

commander had disobeyed orders and taken his army to join Charles Albert.

The Pope distanced himself from this with the Allocution, which stated his intent: not war with Austria, drew back from the idea of a united Italy, returning to absolutism and reactionism.

Dilemma!Many nationalists in

Italy were also Catholics (including Charles Albert).

Where did their loyalties lie?

Most people ignored the Pope.

Many liberals and nationalists became anti-clerical.

Not a united front against the Austrians.

Mazzini and Garibaldi:Events: ‘War of the Princes’ had

failed, now the ‘War of the People’.

1849, the chief minister of the Pope was murdered. Rioting followed in Rome, and the Pope fled to Naples. A republic was established in Rome.

March 1849, Mazzini arrived in Rome and was elected head of a Triumvirate (a council). Rule was ”fair, enlightened and tolerant”.

Mazzini and Garibaldi:The Pope asked for

help. An army of 20,000 was sent by the (Second) French Republic against the Roman Republic.

June 1849, Rome fell to the French forces, despite a strong defense led by Garibaldi.

1850, the Pope returned to Rome

Overall reasons for failureLack of co-operation between the revolutionary groups Liberals thought there should be constitutions in each

state before unification; the radicals disagreed. Differing ideas about how to unify Italy:

Mazzini and a republic.Pope Pius IX and a confederation (Gioberti)Charles Albert and a kingdom.

Provisional government were inexperienced and under-resourced, and therefore easy to topple.

Lack of popular support except at the height of the revolts. There was both a fear of radical social reform and a lack of interest in liberal reform.

Pope disappointed many by issuing the ‘Allocution’Military superiority of Austria once their own

revolutions had been squashed (perhaps the most important??).

Overall positive resultsThe new Piedmont king, Victor Emmanuel

II, was patriotic. The defence of Rome brought Garibaldi to

the fore. Piedmont became more liberal, with a

constitution ‘Statuto’….this offered opportunities for members to gain experience in Statecraft...

Many nationalist refugees moved to Piedmont; it became a ‘hotbed’ for nationalist ideas.