1848 Italian Revolutions - Causes and Events

CAUSES:

• the harvest failures in 1846-7 caused unrest, especially among peasants who could not afford the rising food prices
• food riots errupted
• discontent from the Vienna Settlement in 1815 still remained
• a new liberal pope - Pius IX - elected 1846. Freed 2000 political prisoners
• a tobacco boycott in Venetia caused people to attacked any Austrian soldiers they saw
• Sicily wanted independence
• plus there was a severe outbreak of cholera which fuelled desperation
• some anger still remained from the early revolutions 1820-31
• Piedmont's king - Charles Albert - wanted expansion of Lombardy
• Austria was weak because of their revolution in Vienna plus Metternich's resignation 13th March 1848
• a lot of states wanted the removal of Austrian influence - Venetia
• Papal wanted church/government separation

EVENTS:

PIEDMONT;

• Milan (Lombardy) asked Albert for help as he recently granted his state a constitution
• he declared war on Austria
• initially success by defeating…