Damon Mcknight
The Second Italian War of Independence, which began in April 1859, resulted in Italy gaining Lombardy from Austria. The war was fought between Austria and the Franco-Piedmontese alliance, with Napoleon III signing a secret alliance with the Sardinian Prime Minister Count Cavour. Austria ceded Lombardy to France, which then gave it to the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia was a constituent land of the Austrian Empire from 1815 until 1866, when it was ceded to Italy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Territories gained by Italy from Austria in 1859 | Lombardy, except for the fortresses of Mantua and Legnago and the surrounding territory |
| Territories gained by Italy from Austria after 1859 | Venetia and Mantua (formally ceded by Austria in 1866) |
| Territories gained by Sardinia from Austria in 1859 | Lombardy, ceded by France |
| Territories gained by Sardinia from Austria after 1859 | Venetia and Mantua (formally ceded by Austria in 1866) |
| Territories gained by France from Austria in 1859 | Lombardy |
| Territories gained by France from Austria after 1859 | Venetia and Mantua (formally ceded by Austria in 1866) |
| Territories gained by Piedmont from Austria in 1859 | None directly; Lombardy gained indirectly via France |
| Territories gained by Piedmont from Austria after 1859 | Venetia and Mantua (formally ceded by Austria in 1866) |
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What You'll Learn
Lombardy ceded to France, then to Sardinia
The Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was a constituent land of the Austrian Empire from 1815 until its dissolution in 1866. In 1859, the Second Italian War of Independence resulted in the defeat of Austrian forces at the Battle of Solferino. Consequently, Austria was compelled to cede Lombardy up to the Mincio River to the French Emperor Napoleon III per the Treaty of Zurich.
Napoleon III, in turn, immediately passed Lombardy to the Kingdom of Sardinia and the embryonic Italian state. This was done to avoid "embarrassing" the defeated Austrians, as the Austrian government refused to cede any lands to Sardinia directly. Napoleon III's decision to cede Lombardy to Sardinia angered his Sardinian allies, leading to Cavour's resignation.
The cession of Lombardy to Sardinia was part of a series of political manoeuvres in the region. In 1860, Sardinia annexed the United Provinces of Central Italy, including the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Parma, the Duchy of Modena and Reggio, and the Papal Legations. To compensate France for its assistance, Sardinia ceded Savoy and Nice to France per the Treaty of Turin.
The Kingdom of Italy was created by Sardinia in 1861, and the remaining territory of Lombardy–Venetia was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy in 1866. This marked the dissolution of the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom, with the territory of Venetia and Mantua formally transferred from Austria to France and then handed over to Italy.
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Austria's Mantua and Peschiera fortresses retained
The Second Italian War of Independence, which began in April 1859, resulted in Italy gaining the Lombardy region from Austria. This was a significant development in the Italian unification process, as the region had been part of the Austrian Empire since 1815. However, Austria managed to retain control of the fortresses of Mantua and Peschiera, located west and southeast of Venice, respectively. These fortresses were strategically important and well-defended, making them challenging for the Italians to capture.
The retention of these fortresses by the Austrians served as a reminder of their historical presence in the region and posed a potential threat to the newly unified Italy. Mantua, located along the Mincio River in the Lombardy region, had a long history as a military stronghold. Peschiera, situated at the southern edge of Lake Garda, was another vital defensive position for the Austrians. By maintaining control of these fortresses, the Austrians could project their power and influence in the region, even after ceding most of Lombardy.
The Italian campaign of 1859, led by Napoleon III of France and Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, aimed to expel Austrian troops from the Italian Peninsula. While they successfully captured most of Lombardy, including its capital, Milan, the Austrians dug in at Mantua and Peschiera. These fortresses became symbols of Austrian resilience and resistance to Italian unification.
The decision to retain these fortresses was likely influenced by their strategic value and the Austrians' determination to maintain a foothold in the region. By holding onto Mantua and Peschiera, the Austrians could monitor Italian activities and potentially launch counteroffensives if needed. Additionally, the fortresses provided a level of protection for Austria's remaining territories in the region, including the nearby Venetia.
The Austrians' ability to retain Mantua and Peschiera, despite the Italian military successes in 1859, highlighted the complexities and challenges of the unification process. It also underscored the ongoing tensions between Italy and Austria, which would persist until the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866. During that conflict, Italy finally gained control of the fortresses, solidifying its authority over the region and marking a significant step towards complete unification.
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Sardinia annexes Central Italian United Provinces
The Second Italian War of Independence, which began in April 1859, resulted in the Kingdom of Sardinia gaining Lombardy from Austria. This was a result of Napoleon III of France signing an armistice with Austria at Villafranca, receiving Lombardy, and then passing it to Sardinia.
The Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia was a constituent land of the Austrian Empire from 1815 until its dissolution in 1866. It was created by the Congress of Vienna in recognition of the Austrian House of Habsburg-Lorraine's rights to the former Duchy of Milan and the former Republic of Venice. The Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont was the only Italian state that remained outside of Austrian control following the Congress of Vienna.
Following the Second Italian War of Independence, Sardinia exploited the collapse of Austrian power in Italy and annexed the United Provinces of Central Italy. This included the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Parma, the Duchy of Modena and Reggio, and the Papal Legations. This annexation occurred on 22 March 1860.
The Sardinian-Piedmontese plan for the unification of the Italian Peninsula under the House of Savoy was aided by their secret alliance with France. In return for French military support, Piedmont-Sardinia agreed to give Nice and Savoy to France. This transfer occurred two days after the Sardinian annexation of the Central Italian United Provinces, on 24 March 1860.
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Sardinia cedes Savoy and Nice to France
In 1859, Italy gained Lombardy from Austria, which was transferred to France and then ceded to Sardinia. This was a result of the Second Italian War of Independence, in which France aided Piedmont-Sardinia against Austria.
In return for France's assistance, Sardinia agreed to cede Savoy and Nice to France. This was a condition of the secret alliance between Napoleon III and Cavour, the Count of Cavour, Prime Minister of Sardinia. The cession of Savoy and Nice was a sacrifice made by Cavour to induce Napoleon III to approve of the annexation of Central Italy, which would bring the number of Victor Emmanuel's subjects to eleven million.
The agreement to cede Savoy and Nice to France was made at the convention of Plombières in 1858, where Napoleon III agreed to provide French military intervention against Austrian aggression in Piedmont. The treaty was officially ratified on 28 January 1859. However, it was not until two days after the annexation of Central Italy, on 24 March 1860, that Sardinia officially ceded Savoy and Nice to France as compensation for its assistance during the war.
The cession of Savoy and Nice to France was a highly controversial decision that caused deep divisions in Sardinia. Garibaldi, whose native province was Nice, violently abused Cavour in Parliament for agreeing to the cession. However, despite the strong emotions surrounding the decision, the treaty was ultimately ratified by the Sardinian Chamber.
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Austria's defeat in the Second Italian War of Independence
The Second Italian War of Independence, also known as the Sardinian War, the Franco-Austrian War, or the Italian War of 1859, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia against the Austrian Empire. The war played a crucial role in the process of Italian unification.
In the year preceding the war, the Plombières Agreement was signed, in which France agreed to support Sardinia's efforts to expel Austria from Italy in exchange for territorial compensation. This included the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice. The two states formalised their military alliance in January 1859, with France pledging to aid Piedmont-Sardinia in the event of an Austrian attack. In return, Piedmont-Sardinia would give Nice and Savoy to France.
Sardinia mobilised its army on 9 March 1859, and Austria followed suit on 9 April. On 23 April, Austria issued an ultimatum to Sardinia, demanding the demobilisation of its army. When Sardinia refused, Austria declared war on 26 April, invading Sardinia three days later. The first French troops entered Piedmont on 25 April, and France officially declared war on Austria on 3 May.
The Franco-Italian alliance was numerically inferior to the Austrian army, which fielded 220,000 soldiers, 824 guns, and 22,000 horsemen. However, the Austrians were cautious and marched around the River Ticino in no specific direction. The allies won significant battles at Magenta, Solferino, and San Martino in June 1859, forcing the Austrian army to retreat. Despite these victories, Napoleon III of France suddenly signed an armistice with Austria at Villafranca, much to the outrage of his Sardinian allies.
As part of the armistice, Austria ceded Lombardy to France, excluding the fortresses of Mantua and Legnago, which was then passed to Sardinia. This transfer of territory contributed to the unification of Italy, with Sardinia annexing the United Provinces of Central Italy, including the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy of Parma, the Duchy of Modena and Reggio, and the Papal Legations in March 1860.
The Second Italian War of Independence thus resulted in significant territorial gains for Sardinia, paving the way for further unification of the Italian Peninsula.
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Frequently asked questions
In 1859, Italy gained Lombardy from Austria, excluding the fortresses of Mantua and Legnago.
The territory was immediately ceded to the Kingdom of Sardinia.
The transfer of Lombardy to Italy marked a step towards Italian unification and the creation of the Kingdom of Italy, which was proclaimed in 1861.
