SWORD, PEN & SCEPTRE

Cue (NZERS), Issue 14, 31 December 1944, Page 6

SWORD, PEN & SCEPTRE

ASK for a shop, a hotel or an Za office. It is two to one that the address is Corso Cavour, or Via Vittorio Emmanuele or Piazza Garibaldi. The town is immaterial. They all use the same names. You will usually come upon a Via Mazzini as well, but it will be a more modest and retiring street. That is right and proper ‘ Our Tennyson Streets are usually in the suburbs, while Queen Street and George Street run through the shopping centres. And Mazzini was only a writer.

Victor r -Emmanuel II was a King, Cavour a -Prime Minister, and Garibaldi man of action; and soldier of fortune. These last three, often at variance, never easy bedmates, were the team that built United Italy. Mazzini, the idealist, was the driving force, the man who set . Italy alight. Italy is ‘ politically a yo u ? 8 country. Less than eighty years a gone by since she achieved nation °o * When the Roman Empire collapsed , country disintegrated into wa

principalities, and in 1859 it was split up into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in the south, the Papal States in the centre, the Duchies of Tuscany, Lucca, Modena and Parma and the Kingdom of Piedmont, which included Sardinia, Savoy and Nice. Austria held Lombardy and ,Venetia.

To unite this collection of varied peoples living under rulers some of whom were quite determined to hold what they had, was the problem of the revolutionaries.

Things started to move in 1848, a volcanic year in Europe generally. . Charles Albert, King of Piedmont, who had served in Napoleon’s Army, and was not unfavourable to unity if he could be the ruler, was faced with the problem of carving off a _ bit 'of the Austrian Empire without getting carved up himself. When Lombardy and Venetia, in response to the general

revolutionary elan of that year, rose against their hated rulers, he saw his chance and marched off his army to their aid. He was defeated, most

completely defeated, and abdicated to allow his son, Victor Emmanuel 11, to pick up the shattered pieces. But he had made Piedmont the hope of the Uniters. Mazzini at the same

time instituted a Roman Republic, with Garibaldi as its defender. The Pope temporarily withdrew before these twin romantics, but when Piedmont failed they, too, were crushed. Garibaldi, with almost miraculous skill, led his force through the encircling

armies to safety and himself sailed to South America where he spent five busy, happy years organising revolutions. He had great personal good looks; and these combined with his ideals, his audacity and his luck, made him an unusually popular figure, both in Italy and more important, in Britain which always prefers as an idol the fighter against odds, the "little fellow" who takes on the big battalions for an idea. Cavour and Victor Emmanuel meanwhile were picking up the pieces. Cavour believed in Liberalism, the moving force of British Victorian politics, and his constant aim was an Italy based on the English plan. But it was to France he had to turn for armed aid. Napoleon 111, the vacillating despot of a sfcill unconquered France, was bribed by the promise of Nice and Savoy, to assist against Austria, altogether too big a morsel for the Piedmontese army to chew alone. Napoleon then duly quarreled with Austria, quite without provocation, though to Cavour’s

terror, he very nearly made it up again. However, ■ the war was successfully started, and, what is more, successfully finished. Napoleon’s aid enabled the victory of Solferino (1859) to be won. He then made peace with Austria, without consulting'Cavour, who was furious. It was actually very wise. The French Army had never heard of an ASC and was already in trouble over supply, and disease. Had it penetrated any nearer

Austria it might well have been beaten. As it was, Piedmont got Lombardy but not Venetia, and Napoleon became /the most unpopular man in Italy. Fie waived Nice and Savoy-for the moment. 4 Cavour resigned. He had been promised Italy to the tern Alps and here was already in trouble over supply, and it all. But Italy responded. All over the country the people rose and declared for Piedmont.' England's sympathy discouraged the intervention of foreign princes to maintain their ' aunts and their cousins on their : thrones. Cavour was now indispensable, so back he came, and bought off/France’s intervention against a too united neighbour with Nice and Savoy. There was a popular plebiscite (about as popular as some of Germany’s voting) and the booty/was handed over. " \

Cavour, in all these movements had to use conspirators-. Garibaldi comma? ded an irregular force in the Alps and Mazzini, a born conspirator W as cleverly utilised as the dynamic force behind a movement which Cavour and Victor Emmanuel were able by great efforts to keep in 'regular governmental channels. But both the ruler and the politician disclaimed the use of conspiracy whenever necessary. This was good form, and deceived no one. ? < Last of all, the Sicilies had to be gained .x The /revolution, there could not be stopped. It must be harnessed. So Cavour persuaded Garibaldi to do something, about it, • allowing him to recruit and arm his troops (after > a fashion) on Piedmontese soil, while publicly knowing nothing of any such fellow. The voyage of Garibaldi and his redshirted thousand, their defeat of a Neapolitan Army of 20,000 and their capture of Sicily is well-known history. The Neapolitan troops were not very brave and were made less so by some British ships of war that stood off Palermo and looked menacing Without actually firing a shot. Garibaldi proceeded to take Naples in the same magic 1 way, and then with considerable nobility resigned, his conquests to Cavour, giving up- power but winning immortal fame. Like Lawrence of Arabia he refused everything, titles, money, positions, and retired to the island of Caprera to live "the simple life. In 1866, while Austria was more than busy being trounced by Prussia, Italy managed to seize Venetia. In 1870 the same Prussians attacked the French who had garrisoned the Papal City. Their troops were recalled and Rome was taken. Cavour and Victor Emmanuels aim and Mazzini and Garibaldi’s dream — wholly united Italy was accomplished, with almost universal approva , only the Pope being really seriously annoyed. . •

And these four have been in then different fashions the heroes of Italy ever since. Their bickerings are forgotten. Their achievement'remains.