The Third Italian War of Independence was a conflict which paralleled the Austro-Prussian War, and was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire. Combatants Austria, Saxony, Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Hanover and some minor German States (formerly as the German Confederation) Prussia, Italy and some minor German States Strength 600,000 Austrians and German allies 500,000 Prussians and German allies 300,000 Italians Casualties 40,000+ dead or wounded 37,000 dead... There have been several entities known as the Kingdom of Italy. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy The Crown of the Austrian Emperor For the history of these states before 1804, see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. ...

Background

When Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy had been crowned King of Italy on March 17, 1861, his reign did not control Venetia and Lazio. The situation of the Irredente (a later Italian term for part of the country under foreign domination) created an unceasing state of tension for the inner politics of the newly created Kingdom, as well as being a cornerstone of its foreign policy. King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy Victor Emmanuel II (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele II; March 14, 1820—January 9, 1878) was the King of Piedmont, Savoy and Sardinia from 1849–1861, and King of Italy from 1861 until his death in 1878. ... King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers after the fall of the Roman Empire. ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Venetia is a name used mostly in a historical context for the area of north-eastern Italy formerly under the control of the Republic of Venice and corresponding approximately to the present-day Italian administrative regions of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. ... Lazio (Latium in Latin) is a regione of central Italy, bordered by Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Marche, Molise, Campania and the Tyrrhenian Sea. ...

A first attempt to free Rome was that of 1862 by Giuseppe Garibaldi. Confiding in the King's neutrality, he had set sail from Genoa to Palermo. Collected 2,000 voluntaries, he moved from Catania and landed at Melito, in Calabria, on August 24 to reach the Aspromonte, with intention to climb the peninsula up to Rome. The Piedmontese general Enrico Cialdini, however, sent a division under colonel Pallavicino to stop the voluntary army. Garibaldi himself was wounded in the ensuing battle, and declared prisoner along with his men. 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Garibaldi in 1866. ... The Ancient Port of Genoa. ... Palermo (Palermo in Italian, Palermu, Palemmu, Paliermu or Paliemmu in Sicilian) is the principal city and administrative seat of the autonomous region of Sicily, Italy as well as the capital of the Province of Palermo. ... Catania is the second largest city of Sicily and is the capital of the province which bears its name. ... Melito could refer to one of two things: Saint Melito of Sardis, a second century Christian bishop; or Melito di Porto Salvo, Italy, a town in Calabria. ... Calabria (Latin: Bruttium or Brutium), is a region in southern Italy which occupies the toe of the Italian peninsula south of Naples. ... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... Aspromonte is a mountain close by Reggio, overlooking the Strait of Messina, near which Garibaldi was defeated and captured in 1862 in the Battle of Aspromonte. ... Enrico Cialdini (August 10, 1811 - September 8, 1892), Italian soldier, politician and diplomatist, was born at Castelvetro, in Modena. ...

The growing divergences between Austria and the growing Prussia about the predominance in Germany turned into an open war in 1866, offering Italy an occasion to regain Venetia. On April 8, 1866 the Italian government signed a military alliance with Prussia, through the mediation of Napoleon III of France. Italian armies, led by general Alfonso La Marmora, was to engage the Austrians on the southern front. Contemporarily, taking advantage of their naval superiority, the Italians must threaten the Dalmatian coast, forcing Austria to move there part of its forces from the central European front. Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 Prussia (German: ; Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Lithuanian: ; Polish: ; Old Prussian: Prūsa) was, most recently, a historic state originating in East Prussia, an area which for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Napoléon III Emperor of the French (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 – 9 January 1873) was President of the French Republic from 1849 to 1852, and then Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. ... Map of Dalmatia, in present day Croatia highlighted Dalmatia (Croatian: Dalmacija, French: Dalmatie, German: Dalmatien, Italian: Dalmazia, Serbian Cyrillic: Далмација, Turkish: Dalmaçya, Hungarian: Dalmácia) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, in modern Croatia, spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the...

Italian preparations

At the outbreak of the war, the Italian military situations was hampered by the following negative factors:

• the imperfect merging of the armies of the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the two major components of the new state. This was due to the bitter resistance that in southern Italy had preceded and followed the last Neapolitan stand in Gaeta (1861), and to the fact that sectors of the former Neapolitan army, substantially, considered the conquest of their country as a colonization;
• the even stronger rivalry between the two navies which had formed the Regia Marina (the unified Italian Navy);
• the unsolved question about the supreme command, already disputed between Italian former prime minister Camillo Benso, Conte di Cavour and King Victor Emmanuel since 1859, and now aggravated by the lowest qualities of Cavour's successors. The King had in the end decided to remain as the army's effective supreme commander: although courageous, he was however unsuited to the role.

All these premises, and other structural flaws, were the causes of the Italian defeats during the conflict. Kingdom of Sardinia, in 1839: Mainland Piedmont, with Savoia upper left (pink) and Nizza (Nice) lower left (brown) both now French, and Sardinia in the inset The Kingdom of Sardinia is a former kingdom in Italy. ... The Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was the new name that the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV of Naples gave to his domain (including Southern Italy and Sicily) after the end of the Napoleonic Era and the full restoration of his power in 1816. ... now. ... The Italian Regia Marina (literally: Royal Navy) dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification. ... Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour (or Camillo di Cavour; August 10, 1810 – June 6, 1861) was an Italian statesman and a leading figure in the movement toward Italian unification. ... 1859 (MDCCCLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ...

Italian invasion

Prussia began hostilities on June 16, 1866 by attacking against several German principates allied with Austria. Three days later also Italy declared war to Austria, starting the military operations on June 23. June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ...

The Italian forces was divided into two armies: the first, under La Marmora himself, was deployed in Lombardy, west of the Mincio River, aiming to the powerful Quadrilatero fortress of the Austrians; the second, under Enrico Cialdini, in Romagna, south of the Po River, aiming to Mantua and Rovigo. Lombardy (Italian: Lombardia) is a region in northern Italy between the Alps and the Po river valley. ... Mincio (IPA: ) is a river in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. ... Emilia-Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. ... The Po (Latin: Padus) is a river that flows 652 kilometers (405 miles) eastward across northern Italy, from Monviso (in the Cottian Alps) to the Adriatic Sea near Venice. ... Mantua (in Italian Mantova, in the local dialect of Emiliano-Romagnolo language Mantua) is an important city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province with the same name. ... Rovigo is a town in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, the capital of the homonymous province. ...

La Marmora moved first through Mantua and Peschiera, but was severely defeated at the at Custoza on June 24. Cialdini, on the contrary, did not act offensively for the entire first part of the war, conducting only several shows and even failing to besiege the Austrian fortress of Borgoforte, south to the Po. There are communes that have the name Peschiera (from Italian pesce meaning fish) in Italy: Peschiera Borromeo, in the province of Milano Peschiera del Garda, in the province of Verona This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Combatants Italy Austria Commanders Alfonso Ferrero la Marmora Archduke Albert of Habsburg Strength 120,000[1] 75,000 Casualties 8,147 dead, wounded, or captured 4,650 dead or wounded The Battle of Custoza took place on 24 June 1866 during the Third Italian Independence War in the Italian unification... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ...

Custoza marked a general arrest of operations, as the Italians decided to reorganize in fear of an Austrian counter-offensive. The Austrian indeed profited of the situation to invade Valtellina and Val Camonica (battle of Vezza d'Oglio). The general continue of the war was however to turn favourable to Italy thanks to Prussian victories in the north, especially that of Sadowa on July 3, 1866. The Austrian were compelled to move one of their three army corps deployed in Italy to Vienna, concentrating on the defence of Trentino and Isonzo. Val Camonica is a valley in the lower Alpine regions of Lombardy, Italy. ... painting of the battle by Georg Bleibtreu (1869) In the Battle of Königgrätz or Battle of Sadowa of July 3, 1866, the Austro-Prussian War was decided in favor of Prussia. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Inhabitants according to official census figures: 1800 to 2005 Vienna in 1858 Vienna (German: Wien ) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Trentino-Alto Adige or Trentino-South Tyrol (in German: Trentino-Südtirol, in Italian: Trentino-Alto Adige) is an autonomous region in northern Italy. ... The river Soča (Italian Isonzo) is a river in West Slovenia and North Italy. ...

New Italian offensive

On July 5 the Italian government received news of a mediation effort by Napoleon III for a settlement of the situation, which would allow Austria to receive favourable conditions from Prussia, and, in particular, to maintain Venice. The situation was embarrassing for Italy, as its forces had still missed to obtain any relevant military success on the field. As the Austrians were retraining part of their troops to Vienna, La Marmora was solicited to take advantage of the numeric superiority and to score a good battle from which better conditions for Italian could be gained. July 5 is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 179 days remaining. ... Venice, (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venexia) is the capital of the region of Veneto and the province of the same name in Italy. ...

On July 14, during a council of war held in Ferrara, the new conduct of the war was decided, according to the following points: July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... Ferrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, capital city of the province of Ferrara. ...

• Cialdini was to lead the main army of 150,000 troops through the Veneto, whil La Marmora, with c. 70,000 men, would continue the block on the Quadrilatero;
• the Italian Navy, commanded by Admiral Carlo di Persano was to sail in the Adriatic Sea from Ancona;
• Garibaldi's volunteers, reinforced by a regular division, was to penetrate in Trentino, trying to near as much as possible to the capital, Trento. As it was sure that Venetia was to be gained through battle or condition of peace, the fate of Trentino was in fact dubious.

Cialdini crossed the Po and occupied Rovigo (July 11), Padua (July 12), Treviso (July 14), San Donà di Piave (July 18), Valdobbiadene and Oderzo (July 20), Vicenza (July 21) and finally Udine, in Friuli (July 22). In the meantime Garibaldi's volunteers had pushed forward from the Bresciano towards Trento (see Invasion of Trentino (1866)) fighting victoriously at the battle of Bezzecca of July 21. Vèneto is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. ... Count Carlo Pellion di Persano (11 March 1806, Vercelli - 28 July 1883, Turin) was an Italian Admiral, who commanded the Regia Marina fleet at the Battle of Lissa. ... Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche, a region of central Italy, population 101,909 (2005). ... Panorama of Trento. ... July 11 is the 192nd day (193rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 173 days remaining. ... Tronco Maestro Riviera: a pedestrian walk along a section of the inland waterway or naviglio interno of Padua. ... Treviso is a town in the Veneto region of Italy. ... San Donà di Piave is a town in the province of Venezia, Veneto, Italy. ... Valdobbiadene is a town in the province of Treviso, Veneto, Italy. ... Oderzo is a town in the province of Treviso, Veneto, Italy. ... Vicenza is a city in northern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monti Berici, straddling the Bacchiglione. ... Udine (Friulian Udin, Slovene Videm) is a city in the north-east of Italy, capital of the historical region of Friuli, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps (Alpi Carniche), less than 40 km far from the Slovenian border. ... Friulian Coats of Arms Friuli (Furlan: Friûl, German: Friaul, Slovenian: Furlanija) is an area in northeastern Italy, comprising the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia. ... Country Italy Region Lombardy Province Brescia (BS) Mayor Paolo Corsini (since June 10, 2003) Elevation 150 m Area 90 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 192,165  - Density 2,087/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Bresciani Dialing code 030 Postal code 25100 Frazioni Fornaci, Sant... The Invasion of Trentino was a series of military operation led by Italian and Austrian troops during the Third Italian Independence War of 1866, part of the more general Austro-Prussian War. ... Combatants Italy Austria Commanders Giuseppe Garibaldi Franz Kuhn The Battle of Bezzecca was fought on July 21, 1866 between Italy and Austria. ...

These lands victories were however obscured by the disastrous defeat of the Italian Navy at the Battle of Lissa (July 20, 1866). On August 9 Garibaldi obeyed with his famous "Obbedisco!" ("I obey!") and retreat from Trentino. There have been two naval Battles of Lissa fought in the Adriatic Sea near the island of Lissa. ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

The ceasing of hostilities was marked by the Armistice of Cormons signed on August 12, followed by the Treaty of Vienna of October 3, 1866. August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... There were several treaties of Vienna: Treaty of Vienna, 1725 Treaty of Vienna, 1731 Treaty of Vienna, 1738 Treaty of Vienna, 1809 Treaty of Vienna, 1815 Treaty of Vienna, 1864 This is a disambiguation page—a list of articles associated with the same title. ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

Aftermath

The conditions of the treaty of peace included: the return to Italy of Mantua and part of the Venetia, including western Friuli. Austria retained Trentino, eastern Friuli, the Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia. The lost provinces were ceded to France, which in turn gave them to Italy. Mantua (in Italian Mantova, in the local dialect of Emiliano-Romagnolo language Mantua) is an important city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province with the same name. ... Venetia is a name used mostly in a historical context for the area of north-eastern Italy formerly under the control of the Republic of Venice and corresponding approximately to the present-day Italian administrative regions of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. ... Venezia Giulia is region in the easternmost part of Italy. ... Map of Dalmatia, in present day Croatia highlighted Dalmatia (Croatian: Dalmacija, French: Dalmatie, German: Dalmatien, Italian: Dalmazia, Serbian Cyrillic: Далмација, Turkish: Dalmaçya, Hungarian: Dalmácia) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, in modern Croatia, spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the...

The terms included also the cession of the Iron Crown, the crown worn by the old Lombard Kings of Italy and by the Holy Roman Emperors, as well as by Napoleon Bonaparte himself. The Iron Crown of Lombardy (Corona Ferrea) is both a reliquary and one of the most ancient royal insignia of Europe. ... The Lombards or Longobards or Langobards were the Germanic tribe who gave their name to Lombardy, an administrative entity in Northern Italy. ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des...

The Redente ("Redemeed") lands were annexed to Italy through a plebiscite held on October 21 and 22 of 1866. A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

See also

• Austro-Prussian War
• Armistice of Cormons
• First Italian War of Independence
• Second Italian War of Independence
• Garibaldi's Expedition against Rome
• Risorgimento

Combatants Austria, Saxony, Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Hanover and some minor German States (formerly as the German Confederation) Prussia, Italy and some minor German States Strength 600,000 Austrians and German allies 500,000 Prussians and German allies 300,000 Italians Casualties 40,000+ dead or wounded 37,000 dead... Combatants Image:Second-empire. ... Garibaldi in 1866. ... Italian unification, also known as Risorgimento (resurrection), was a historical process by which the Kingdom of Sardinia (ruled by the Savoy dynasty with Turin as its capital) gradually conquered the Italian peninsula, including the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Duchy of Modena, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy...

References