The annoucement of the terms of the Conference of Rome and the inminent betrothal between the Prince of Naples with
Madame la Princesse caused several riots in Rome and the whole Italy, where the spirit of the
Risorgimento was deeply rooted; Giuseppe Garibaldi, who hated everything about France (who annexed his homeland Nice), began to intrigue for the destruction of the peace terms and the "reconstruction" of the Italian Unification:
tutto o niente (all or nothing), he reportedly say to King Vittorio Emanuele II.
The internal political was so intense, that the King was forced (despite the strong opposition of his Prime Minister, Giovanni Lanza) to send troops to reclaim the ceded territories:
- On 17 February 1872 one contingent leaded by General Raffaele Cadorna capture by surprise the district of Verona; within weeks, and thanks to the enthusiastic support of the local population, the whole Venice province was retaken by the Kingdom of Italy.
- In mid-March 1872 the troops of General Cadorna, with the help of the army of Garibaldi, entered in Rome, where they received an apotheosic welcome; inmediately, they forced their way to the Vatican, where (reportedly under death threats), they forced Pope Pius IX to signing a document where he renounced, on his behalf and his eventual successors, all rights over the former Papal States, who again where completely reunited to the Kingdom of Italy.
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The actions of King Vittorio Emanuele II and his betrayal to the Conference of Rome where knew by France and Austria by the end of March. On 4 April, Emperor Franz Joseph I formally declared war to the Kingdom of Italy.
Louis XVII, by virtue of the Treaty of Schönbrunn, on 6 April also declared war to Italy and retired the hand of his granddaughter for the Savoyard heir.
The Parliament was against this war, who indeed would bring again the Prussian threat over them (Once the alliance with France was broken, Italy renewed his friendship with King Frederick William V and Bismarck, who were ready to support Vittorio Emanuele II in his fight against the Austro-French coalition). However, when again Louis XVII appeared in front of them, and this time, threatened to abdicate
if the Deputies didn't showed respect and loyalty to their Majesty, again were forced to obey the King.
The public opinion, despite their hate to the war, were completely loyal to the King and the dynasty (local newspapers wrote that
despite being a King of old customs, he proved that loved and protected France more than anything), so when the Declaration of War was promulgated by Royal Decree on 10 April 1872, all the men in available age to fight voluntarily presented at the recruitment centers in the whole Kingdom; an intense wave of patriotism, never seen before, inundated all France.
The War Cabinet, again under the command of both the King and Marshal Foley, began the military operations. The intense correspondance and the spying network in Prussia showed that Chancellor Bismarck and Vittorio Emanuele II prepared a combined attack over France and Austria, in order to being unable to jointly attack the Italian Kingdom.
Both Louis XVII and Franz Joseph I then decided to split their forces:
- A first French royal division, under the leadership of Marshal MacMahon, entered in the neutral Switzerland and invaded the cantons of Graubünden, Ticino and Valais, stopping the reunion of the Italian and Prussian armies through Piedmont. The Prussian army, leaded by Helmuth von Moltke and Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia, were taken by surprise with the invasion to the Swiss cantons, but following with the command of Bismarck refused to parted, and both forces clashed at the Battle of Hérens in Lower Valais (24 April 1872), where thanks to the audacity of Marshal MacMahon, who divided his troops and encircled the Prussian army, could defeated them. In addition, the local population (who was of French language) decisively supported MacMahon against the Prussians, burning their farms (in order leave Moltke troops without suplies) and causing riots during the invasion of the Prussian troops; Moltke, being trapped by both sides, was forced to retreat.
- The second royal division under the leadership of Marshal Bazaine, joined the Austrian troops under the command of Ludwig von Benedek and Archduke Albrecht, Duke of Teschen, began the invasion to Italy and entered in the country through the Swiss enclave of Campione d'Italia during 28-29 April and quickly advanced inside the Italian Kingdom, quickly conquering Alessandria, Milano and Brescia.
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The Italian troops, under the command of Generals Garibaldi and Cadorna cut their way to Rome at Modena, where took place the
Battle of Via Taglio (4 March 1872), during which both sides fight in the middle of the modenese streets. The violence was so extreme that, according to witnesses
rivers of blood covered the walls and streets.
King Vittorio Emanuele II gave orders to his troops to retreat to Rome; this opportunity was taken by Benedek, who pursue the Italian troops through Bologna, Prato, Florence, Perugia and Terni, against the advice of Bazaine, who feared a direct confrontation in deeper Italian territory. Finally, both forces clashed again at L'Aquila, just a few miles from Rome (19 March 1872) where the French-Austrian army was defeated by a suprise attack from another italian contingent who was waiting there, supported by the population.
The intelligence and courage of the Italians surprised me -later recalled Bazaine-;
they are ready to die in defence of their King and their land.....
This victory of the Italian forces caused that Franz Joseph I, seeing a further invasion would be too much expensive to the depleted Austrian treasure, and without any guarantee of success, opened peace negociations with Vittorio Emanuele II.
The Treaty of Pontecorvo was signed on 28 March 1872. The terms were as follows:
- Franz Joseph I was forced to renounced to any rights over the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, and ceased to use the title of King of Lombardy.
- Austria and France were forced to recognized the unity and intangibility of the Kingdom of Italy.
The terms of the Peace were logically harsh for Austria and only affected France moderately; however, the main goal of the
Risorgimento was finally obtained: a unified and indivisible Kingdom of Italy.
Much to the dismay of Bismarck and King Frederick William V, Prussia was completely omitted, thanks to the French intervention: shortly before the signing of the Treaty, Louis XVII made separated peace negociations with Vittorio Emanuele II, under which him, in exchange of the support of France to his reign and the renewal of the betrothal of
Madame la Princesse with his son the Prince of Naples, repudiated his alliance with the Prussians.
The French King, after confirmed his alliance with the Savoys, wrote a letter to Emperor Franz Joseph I, were
he lamented to doing this, but your Imperial Majesty had to learn that politics are more important that my personal feelings....However, my alliance with Austria and his Emperor was my priority, not only for blood, but also for choice.
Another unexpected event was a direct consequence of the
Austro-Italian War: the Swiss cantons of Jura, Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Valais and Genève, all of deep French customs and language, after seeing the success of the Royal troops against Prussia, formally asked to Louis XVII and the French Parliament their union to the Kingdom of France and Navarre.
Louis XVII, who reportedly say
I didn't expect win nothing but honored my word in this fight, received the representatives of the Cantons at the Tuileries on 11 April 1872. They were entertained with a formal ball and banquet
in the well known French style at the Grand Hall of the Palace.
After a short discussion at the second legislature of the Parliament, the Deputies, with the consent and approval of the King, promulgated on 15 April 1872 the
Loi d'annexion du Cantons (Law of Annexation of the Cantons), under which,
following the request and desires of the population, who shared not only ancestry, but also language and customs with us, the known Six French cantons became in part of the Kingdom of France and Navarre once the Law came into force, two days later, on 17 April.
TO BE CONTINUED......
