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History is made by people, after all. This is why our narrative interludes are growing so much, in length, number, and relevance: our protagonists are taking a life of their own, and we cannot help but giving them voice.
There is also the fact that writing interludes is much more fun: they almost write themselves :)
Although, as @LordKalvan pointed out, the latter would be a different, better Italy, most importantly, a feasibly better Italy.
But not a perfect one, by all means. I am pretty sure there would be a lot of people would be eager to explain to me what I did wrong and what I didn't do right :rolleyes:
This TL will be Italo-centric, but of course the situation in Italy will affect the world. I had a particular consequence for Brazil in mind...
I'm sure it will introduce new fun and games :)
 
There is also the fact that writing interludes is much more fun: they almost write themselves :)

But not a perfect one, by all means. I am pretty sure there would be a lot of people would be eager to explain to me what I did wrong and what I didn't do right :rolleyes:

I'm sure it will introduce new fun and games :)
Yes, I do totally agree: narration >>> exposition, although the latter is necessary and somehow connatural to AH. Regarding our Italy, I would say she will be like the Ancient Gods: perfect... in all their defects (the original Italian sentence, "perfetti nei loro difetti" sounds much better, TBH). Although many things have changed since the original plans, I still believe this sentence from the prologue would hold true ITTL 2020:
"At the present day, the Kingdom of the Italians (as the Greater Italian Federation is most commonly known) is one of the most fascinating and self-contradictory countries of the world. A constitutional monarchy made up of Kingdoms, Republics, Free Cities and Principalities, united in its multi-layers divisions, the only parliamentary democracy where the King is not only a mere figurehead, one of the world's economical and scientific powerhouses, home of the most brilliant world politicians in one of the most endemically corrupted political systems, the country where clear oxymora like Secular Catholicism and Individualistic Socialism are a real thing, Italy is a fascinating mystery to everyone- Italians included" ;)
 
Narrative Interlude #8: For want of a Monarch...
Palermo, Palazzo dei Normanni (1) - 22 March 1848

Ruggero Settimo (2) looked at each of the other seven men sitting around the table with him: four of them were moderate liberals in his own mold, he could rely on them in any circumstance; the other three were from the democratic wing of the insurrection committee. Though they had proved their commitment to the cause beyond any doubt, he feared that their idealistic bias made it difficult for them to plan the next steps in the struggle in a realistic way. Ideals may not bleed, but sure made men bleed more than rifles and swords.

"Honorable members of the Provisional Government, I've called this meeting to share with you the momentous news I received yesterday evening from Genoa: Milan has revolted against the Austrian government and Milanese insurgents are fighting for their freedom, and similar events are reported also from Venice, Parma and Modena. Most importantly, king Carlo Alberto of Sardinia has sworn to support the insurgents, and declared war on Austria: Sardinian troops have crossed the border three days ago, marching towards Milan. These events are going to have a major impact on all of Italy, and on Sicily too: I am certain that in the end the outcome of the war in Northern Italy will decide the fate of our struggle for freedom and independence. "
"Sicily has reached a forking in the road. On one side, there is an old, well-known and dark path: make peace with king Ferdinand, bow our back and trust his empty promises, as we have done in the past- to our chagrin. On the other side, there is a new path, a path which leads towards the unknown but holds a promise for freedom, for Sicily to secure a place among the independent, free nations of Europe. We have to choose now, without fear, without second thoughts, because only if we choose now we may able to sit at the table of the free nations. If we do not make a decision, Sicily will remain a pawn on the board of diplomacy, moved here or there without any possibility for us to influence the outcome."

"What do you propose, Prince Ruggero?" This was Count Emerico Amari (3) , minister of Justice.

"The Sicilian Parliament will be asked to vote on a declaration of war on Austria: Sicily must step into the fray, and there must be no doubt on the side we support. Signor La Masa (4), as minister of war I expect you to submit a proposal to this government addressing the need to send Sicilian volunteers to Northern Italy to join the fight.

" If the proposal of Major Rosolino Pilo"(5) to form a Sicilian army had been heeded, it would be much easier to send troops to Lombardy." retorted La Masa.

" I am not suggesting to send an army to Lombardy, just a couple hundred volunteers or so: even if we had a standing army, the logistics would be daunting. Major Pilo might be in command." Ruggero Settimo's tone was conciliatory. There was a need to throw some bones to the democratic faction, the more so since he had not yet disclosed his more outrageous suggestion, and he needed a united government behind it. "I would like a vote on my proposal to declare was on Austria."

The vote was unanimous in favour, as was to be expected: the Sicilian Parliament had voted unanimously on 9 March to declare the decadence of Ferdinando of Borbone from the Sicilian throne, since the king had never accepted the conditions of the Provisional Government (6) and his counter-proposals sounded like empty promises: after taking this step, there was no way to broker an agreement with the king in Naples. Since that fateful day, the Parliament had heatedly discussed which form of government would be more suitable for an independent Sicily: monarchy or republic, first of all, and if the former was chosen, who would be offered the crown?
Ruggero Settimo had stayed out of the fray until now: he clearly supported a constitutional monarchy, based on the Sicilian constitution of 1812 amended with an increase of the powers of parliament to reflect the changes almost 40 years had brought to the political landscape. Furthermore, a monarchy would have been easier for the lower classes to accept, being more familiar: the very idea of a republic frightened many of them. The problem with monarchy was that there was a veritable dearth of suitable candidates for the throne. An acceptable candidate had to be Italian, and not closely related to either the Borbone or the Asburgo families: this disqualified all candidates, with the single exception of prince Ferdinando, the son of Carlo Alberto. The problem with Ferdinando was that he was the heir to the crown of Sardinia: he might accept the crown, but he would rule Sicily from Turin, and this was another unacceptable thing. It took him almost a week to realize that there was another suitable candidate whom he had failed to consider: Princess Maria Cristina, Ferdinando's sister. It might have sounded a ludicrous suggestion to many, but the more prince Ruggero thought about it, the more reasonable it sounded: the crown of Sicily was not following the Salic law, and there had been at least two reigning queens in Sicilian history; the kingdom of Sardinia was the stronger state in the Italian peninsula and if this war was victorious, its strength would increase (blood ties would be a suitable guarantee of Sardinian support for the new Sicilian queen and her fledgling kingdom) ; finally, the princess was reported to be very intelligent and inclined towards liberal policies. "Beggars cannot be choosers, Ruggero " he thought "Now I've only to convince these gentlemen that it is a good idea".

There was a moment of silence around the table, as if everyone was struck by the gravity of their latter choice.
Prince Ruggero broke the silence: "There is another decision that needs to be taken at the same moment that Sicily will enter the war: how the state of Sicily will be governed. The Parliament has been discussing this issue for almost two weeks, and no decision has been made, although it has been clear that the proponents of a constitutional monarchy have a sizeable majority. At the same time, no suitable candidate for the throne has emerged. I would ask all of you to step above ideological constraints for this decision, and to decide on the basis of the most important needs of the people of Sicily: freedom, stability and prosperity, in this order. I propose that a form of constitutional monarchy be adopted, based on the Constitution of 1812, suitably amended to strengthen the powers of Parliament. I firmly believe that monarchy will be easier to accept for a large majority of Sicilians, and at the same time an improved constitution will be an effective shield for their freedom and a firm support for a rule of law."

This time the silence around the table lasted longer, then signor Mariano Stabile (7), the Secretary of the Provisional Government spoke: " Your proposal is certainly in line with my own beliefs, Signor Presidente, but I heard yourself say that there is no suitable candidate for the crown. How do you reconcile this apparent contradiction? I am confident you are not going to propose yourself for the throne." A smile, to take out the sting from the joke, and a muted laugh around the table.

" You do not need to fear the unthinkable, signor Stabile. The candidate I propose is her Royal Highness Maria Cristina di Savoia, daughter of king Carlo Alberto, and sister of Prince Ferdinando, the very same men who are leading the war against the Austrians."

No silence followed this time, but rather a hubbub of questions:
"A woman on the throne of Sicily? "
"She is married to a son of king Louis Philippe: are we opening a door for a French influence in Sicily?"
" Do we need to decide right now? Let's approve a constitutional monarchy under a regency until a suitable candidate is selected."
"And who would be a suitable candidate to be Regent, Signore? You, mayhap?"

Ruggero Settimo waited patiently for the questions to end:
"Sicily has a tradition of reigning queens: Costanza of the house of Altavilla, in the 13th century, and Maria of Sicily, in the 14th. "
"Louis Philippe has abdicated one month ago, and now lives in exile. In any case, the crown will be offered to Princess Maria Cristina, not to her husband, who has anyway joined the fight in Lombardy. By all accounts, Prince Henri appears to be a fine fellow and a stout soldier... At least, as fine as a Frenchman can be."
" We must decide now! Declaring war on Austria, sending volunteers to the same war and offering the crown to Princess Maria Cristina are all facets of the same decision: to choose freedom, not servitude."

It went on for another hour, but the tide was turning: Maria Cristina might not represent the best choice for everyone, but it was the most logic one, and the constitutional revision would do much to assuage the worst fears of the democrats.
In the end the vote was unanimous.


Palermo, 24 March 1848 - Palazzo dei Normanni

Ruggero Settimo brought both proposals to the Parliament, sitting in joint session. He gave a long speech, explaining why he and all the government were firmly in support of the war against Austria, and unashamedly used all the rhetorical tricks that his long political career had taught him: as all newspapers reported, it was by far the best speech he ever gave.
In the end, both motions passed by acclamation.
Prince Ruggero murmured to his old friend Stabile: "Now the die is truly cast!"

Later that day, Ruggero Settimo met ,separately, with the British and the Sardinian consuls: each of them was shortly briefed on the decisions of the Sicilian Parliament, and handed over a confidential letter for urgent dispatch to their respective governments.

A printed version of the speech was sent to all the major cities and towns of Sicily, and within one week it started to appear in all the Italian capitals. It was generally praised, with a couple of notable exceptions: Naples and Rome.
In Naples, king Ferdinando went into a fit of rage unusual even for him, shouting "Traitors, traitors all! I am surrounded by traitors!"
Possession of the leaflet with the speech was declared an offense against the crown, but this did not stop its clandestine dissemination.
The reception in Rome was more muted, at least at official level: the liberals and the democrats both praised the vision of Ruggero Settimo, and celebrated the commitment of the Sicilians to the fight for Italian freedom, but neither the Pope nor the Curia addressed this news in an official way. There were rumors, though, that the speech had been discussed at length in the Curia, and not in an appreciative way: the Sicilian process strongly smelled of Jacobinism, it went against the holy alliance between Throne and Altar. Homilies were preached in a number of churches in Rome the following Sunday, condemning the rash actions of the Sicilians, and urging prayers that they might find again the path of righteousness. The police markedly increased their activity, and informers were asked to report immediately any sign of a Jacobin plot being planned.

Port of Palermo, 26 March 1848

The Legione Siciliana, 200 men strong and commanded by Rosolino Pilo, embarked for Genova on a Sardinian steamer, accompanied by the delegation tasked with offering the crown to Maria Cristina, lead by Stabile, Ameri and La Masa. While watching the steamship disappearing in the horizon, Ruggero Settimo sent a silent prayer to the Virgin Mary: "Regina Caeli, I beg you, give us a Queen of Sicily. Mother of the Church, let her be mother to us all. Mary Morning Star, bless this dawn with the light of your wisdom, your love, your justice."

Footnotes
  1. Palazzo dei Normanni as we know it was built by the house of Altavilla in the 12th century, enlarging a X century palace built by the emirs of Sicily. It was used as Royal Palace since then.
  2. Ruggero Settimo, younger son of the prince of Fitalia, served with distinction in the Bourbonic navy before retiring in 1813 for health reasons. He had a long career as a politic and an administrator, although always from moderate liberal positions (his condemnations of royal actions forced him to leave the public scene a number of time, but his outstanding qualities allowed him to come back. In 1847, following the harsh repression of the botched insurrection of Messina, he became a leader of the Committees who planned the insurrection of 12 January 1848, and after the expulsion of Bourbonic troops from Sicily became the President of the Provisional Government (IOTL he was the head of the Provisional Government until the end of Sicilian independence in 1849 and supported the offer of the crown to Ferdinando di Savoia, then went to Malta in exile )
  3. Count Emerico Amari was a well-known and respected jurist. A moderate liberal, member of the Committees which prepared the insurrection of 12 January.
  4. Giuseppe La Masa was a democrat and a patriot. Exiled in Tuscany for some years, returned to Sicily to participate in the insurrection in Messina, then went to Palermo and was very active in the preparation of the insurrection and in the long fight to expel the Bourbonic soldiers from Palermo. (IOTL, he was again minister of war in the Provisional Government. After its fall, left Sicily for exile in Marseille. Worked in Cavour's Societa' Nazionale since 1855)
  5. Rosolino Pilo was also a democrat and patriot. Made a name for himself fighting in Palermo after the insurrection, and afterwards argued the necessity of creating a popular army for the island. (IOTL went also in exile to France, and was close to Garibaldi. Joined Garibaldi volunteers in the 1860 invasion of Sicily, and died in battle a few days after the landing)
  6. The conditions posed by the Provisional Government to king Ferdinando would have made Sicily effectively independent, even if Ferdinando di Borbone would have kept the crown
  7. Mariano Stabile was a professor of political economy, and a very close friend of Ruggero Settimo. He is leading the delegation to offer the crown, since the titular minister of Foreign Affairs, baron di Rudini', had been very sick and died on 24 March
Made in @LordKalvan & Tarabas
 
On one hand, long live the Queen. :p

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if the discussion in the Curia was as polite and professional as your average Belli poem. That kind of news must've been only a step above a gay orgy in Saint Peter's. :D
 
On one hand, long live the Queen. :p

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if the discussion in the Curia was as polite and professional as your average Belli poem. That kind of news must've been only a step above a gay orgy in Saint Peter's. :D
Long may she reign. That being said, you're spot on the Curia. Although, to be fair, soon enough who's sitting on the Sicilian throne will be the least of their worries...
 
Palermo, Palazzo dei Normanni (1) - 22 March 1848

Ruggero Settimo (2) looked at each of the other seven men sitting around the table with him: four of them were moderate liberals in his own mold, he could rely on them in any circumstance; the other three were from the democratic wing of the insurrection committee. Though they had proved their commitment to the cause beyond any doubt, he feared that their idealistic bias made it difficult for them to plan the next steps in the struggle in a realistic way. Ideals may not bleed, but sure made men bleed more than rifles and swords.

"Honorable members of the Provisional Government, I've called this meeting to share with you the momentous news I received yesterday evening from Genoa: Milan has revolted against the Austrian government and Milanese insurgents are fighting for their freedom, and similar events are reported also from Venice, Parma and Modena. Most importantly, king Carlo Alberto of Sardinia has sworn to support the insurgents, and declared war on Austria: Sardinian troops have crossed the border three days ago, marching towards Milan. These events are going to have a major impact on all of Italy, and on Sicily too: I am certain that in the end the outcome of the war in Northern Italy will decide the fate of our struggle for freedom and independence. "
"Sicily has reached a forking in the road. On one side, there is an old, well-known and dark path: make peace with king Ferdinand, bow our back and trust his empty promises, as we have done in the past- to our chagrin. On the other side, there is a new path, a path which leads towards the unknown but holds a promise for freedom, for Sicily to secure a place among the independent, free nations of Europe. We have to choose now, without fear, without second thoughts, because only if we choose now we may able to sit at the table of the free nations. If we do not make a decision, Sicily will remain a pawn on the board of diplomacy, moved here or there without any possibility for us to influence the outcome."

"What do you propose, Prince Ruggero?" This was Count Emerico Amari (3) , minister of Justice.

"The Sicilian Parliament will be asked to vote on a declaration of war on Austria: Sicily must step into the fray, and there must be no doubt on the side we support. Signor La Masa (4), as minister of war I expect you to submit a proposal to this government addressing the need to send Sicilian volunteers to Northern Italy to join the fight.

" If the proposal of Major Rosolino Pilo"(5) to form a Sicilian army had been heeded, it would be much easier to send troops to Lombardy." retorted La Masa.

" I am not suggesting to send an army to Lombardy, just a couple hundred volunteers or so: even if we had a standing army, the logistics would be daunting. Major Pilo might be in command." Ruggero Settimo's tone was conciliatory. There was a need to throw some bones to the democratic faction, the more so since he had not yet disclosed his more outrageous suggestion, and he needed a united government behind it. "I would like a vote on my proposal to declare was on Austria."

The vote was unanimous in favour, as was to be expected: the Sicilian Parliament had voted unanimously on 9 March to declare the decadence of Ferdinando of Borbone from the Sicilian throne, since the king had never accepted the conditions of the Provisional Government (6) and his counter-proposals sounded like empty promises: after taking this step, there was no way to broker an agreement with the king in Naples. Since that fateful day, the Parliament had heatedly discussed which form of government would be more suitable for an independent Sicily: monarchy or republic, first of all, and if the former was chosen, who would be offered the crown?
Ruggero Settimo had stayed out of the fray until now: he clearly supported a constitutional monarchy, based on the Sicilian constitution of 1812 amended with an increase of the powers of parliament to reflect the changes almost 40 years had brought to the political landscape. Furthermore, a monarchy would have been easier for the lower classes to accept, being more familiar: the very idea of a republic frightened many of them. The problem with monarchy was that there was a veritable dearth of suitable candidates for the throne. An acceptable candidate had to be Italian, and not closely related to either the Borbone or the Asburgo families: this disqualified all candidates, with the single exception of prince Ferdinando, the son of Carlo Alberto. The problem with Ferdinando was that he was the heir to the crown of Sardinia: he might accept the crown, but he would rule Sicily from Turin, and this was another unacceptable thing. It took him almost a week to realize that there was another suitable candidate whom he had failed to consider: Princess Maria Cristina, Ferdinando's sister. It might have sounded a ludicrous suggestion to many, but the more prince Ruggero thought about it, the more reasonable it sounded: the crown of Sicily was not following the Salic law, and there had been at least two reigning queens in Sicilian history; the kingdom of Sardinia was the stronger state in the Italian peninsula and if this war was victorious, its strength would increase (blood ties would be a suitable guarantee of Sardinian support for the new Sicilian queen and her fledgling kingdom) ; finally, the princess was reported to be very intelligent and inclined towards liberal policies. "Beggars cannot be choosers, Ruggero " he thought "Now I've only to convince these gentlemen that it is a good idea".

There was a moment of silence around the table, as if everyone was struck by the gravity of their latter choice.
Prince Ruggero broke the silence: "There is another decision that needs to be taken at the same moment that Sicily will enter the war: how the state of Sicily will be governed. The Parliament has been discussing this issue for almost two weeks, and no decision has been made, although it has been clear that the proponents of a constitutional monarchy have a sizeable majority. At the same time, no suitable candidate for the throne has emerged. I would ask all of you to step above ideological constraints for this decision, and to decide on the basis of the most important needs of the people of Sicily: freedom, stability and prosperity, in this order. I propose that a form of constitutional monarchy be adopted, based on the Constitution of 1812, suitably amended to strengthen the powers of Parliament. I firmly believe that monarchy will be easier to accept for a large majority of Sicilians, and at the same time an improved constitution will be an effective shield for their freedom and a firm support for a rule of law."

This time the silence around the table lasted longer, then signor Mariano Stabile (7), the Secretary of the Provisional Government spoke: " Your proposal is certainly in line with my own beliefs, Signor Presidente, but I heard yourself say that there is no suitable candidate for the crown. How do you reconcile this apparent contradiction? I am confident you are not going to propose yourself for the throne." A smile, to take out the sting from the joke, and a muted laugh around the table.

" You do not need to fear the unthinkable, signor Stabile. The candidate I propose is her Royal Highness Maria Cristina di Savoia, daughter of king Carlo Alberto, and sister of Prince Ferdinando, the very same men who are leading the war against the Austrians."

No silence followed this time, but rather a hubbub of questions:
"A woman on the throne of Sicily? "
"She is married to a son of king Louis Philippe: are we opening a door for a French influence in Sicily?"
" Do we need to decide right now? Let's approve a constitutional monarchy under a regency until a suitable candidate is selected."
"And who would be a suitable candidate to be Regent, Signore? You, mayhap?"

Ruggero Settimo waited patiently for the questions to end:
"Sicily has a tradition of reigning queens: Costanza of the house of Altavilla, in the 13th century, and Maria of Sicily, in the 14th. "
"Louis Philippe has abdicated one month ago, and now lives in exile. In any case, the crown will be offered to Princess Maria Cristina, not to her husband, who has anyway joined the fight in Lombardy. By all accounts, Prince Henri appears to be a fine fellow and a stout soldier... At least, as fine as a Frenchman can be."
" We must decide now! Declaring war on Austria, sending volunteers to the same war and offering the crown to Princess Maria Cristina are all facets of the same decision: to choose freedom, not servitude."

It went on for another hour, but the tide was turning: Maria Cristina might not represent the best choice for everyone, but it was the most logic one, and the constitutional revision would do much to assuage the worst fears of the democrats.
In the end the vote was unanimous.


Palermo, 24 March 1848 - Palazzo dei Normanni

Ruggero Settimo brought both proposals to the Parliament, sitting in joint session. He gave a long speech, explaining why he and all the government were firmly in support of the war against Austria, and unashamedly used all the rhetorical tricks that his long political career had taught him: as all newspapers reported, it was by far the best speech he ever gave.
In the end, both motions passed by acclamation.
Prince Ruggero murmured to his old friend Stabile: "Now the die is truly cast!"

Later that day, Ruggero Settimo met ,separately, with the British and the Sardinian consuls: each of them was shortly briefed on the decisions of the Sicilian Parliament, and handed over a confidential letter for urgent dispatch to their respective governments.

A printed version of the speech was sent to all the major cities and towns of Sicily, and within one week it started to appear in all the Italian capitals. It was generally praised, with a couple of notable exceptions: Naples and Rome.
In Naples, king Ferdinando went into a fit of rage unusual even for him, shouting "Traitors, traitors all! I am surrounded by traitors!"
Possession of the leaflet with the speech was declared an offense against the crown, but this did not stop its clandestine dissemination.
The reception in Rome was more muted, at least at official level: the liberals and the democrats both praised the vision of Ruggero Settimo, and celebrated the commitment of the Sicilians to the fight for Italian freedom, but neither the Pope nor the Curia addressed this news in an official way. There were rumors, though, that the speech had been discussed at length in the Curia, and not in an appreciative way: the Sicilian process strongly smelled of Jacobinism, it went against the holy alliance between Throne and Altar. Homilies were preached in a number of churches in Rome the following Sunday, condemning the rash actions of the Sicilians, and urging prayers that they might find again the path of righteousness. The police markedly increased their activity, and informers were asked to report immediately any sign of a Jacobin plot being planned.

Port of Palermo, 26 March 1848

The Legione Siciliana, 200 men strong and commanded by Rosolino Pilo, embarked for Genova on a Sardinian steamer, accompanied by the delegation tasked with offering the crown to Maria Cristina, lead by Stabile, Ameri and La Masa. While watching the steamship disappearing in the horizon, Ruggero Settimo sent a silent prayer to the Virgin Mary: "Regina Caeli, I beg you, give us a Queen of Sicily. Mother of the Church, let her be mother to us all. Mary Morning Star, bless this dawn with the light of your wisdom, your love, your justice."

Footnotes
  1. Palazzo dei Normanni as we know it was built by the house of Altavilla in the 12th century, enlarging a X century palace built by the emirs of Sicily. It was used as Royal Palace since then.
  2. Ruggero Settimo, younger son of the prince of Fitalia, served with distinction in the Bourbonic navy before retiring in 1813 for health reasons. He had a long career as a politic and an administrator, although always from moderate liberal positions (his condemnations of royal actions forced him to leave the public scene a number of time, but his outstanding qualities allowed him to come back. In 1847, following the harsh repression of the botched insurrection of Messina, he became a leader of the Committees who planned the insurrection of 12 January 1848, and after the expulsion of Bourbonic troops from Sicily became the President of the Provisional Government (IOTL he was the head of the Provisional Government until the end of Sicilian independence in 1849 and supported the offer of the crown to Ferdinando di Savoia, then went to Malta in exile )
  3. Count Emerico Amari was a well-known and respected jurist. A moderate liberal, member of the Committees which prepared the insurrection of 12 January.
  4. Giuseppe La Masa was a democrat and a patriot. Exiled in Tuscany for some years, returned to Sicily to participate in the insurrection in Messina, then went to Palermo and was very active in the preparation of the insurrection and in the long fight to expel the Bourbonic soldiers from Palermo. (IOTL, he was again minister of war in the Provisional Government. After its fall, left Sicily for exile in Marseille. Worked in Cavour's Societa' Nazionale since 1855)
  5. Rosolino Pilo was also a democrat and patriot. Made a name for himself fighting in Palermo after the insurrection, and afterwards argued the necessity of creating a popular army for the island. (IOTL went also in exile to France, and was close to Garibaldi. Joined Garibaldi volunteers in the 1860 invasion of Sicily, and died in battle a few days after the landing)
  6. The conditions posed by the Provisional Government to king Ferdinando would have made Sicily effectively independent, even if Ferdinando di Borbone would have kept the crown
  7. Mariano Stabile was a professor of political economy, and a very close friend of Ruggero Settimo. He is leading the delegation to offer the crown, since the titular minister of Foreign Affairs, baron di Rudini', had been very sick and died on 24 March
Made in @LordKalvan & Tarabas
...
...
...
You crazy son of a gun have done it! You've stolen my breath away!!! I think I speak for everyone when I say no one had seen this coming. Amazing job!!!
I can't wait to read the reaction of Maria Cristina but even more the reaction of the British ambassador 😆
 
...
...
...
You crazy son of a gun have done it! You've stolen my breath away!!! I think I speak for everyone when I say no one had seen this coming. Amazing job!!!
I can't wait to read the reaction of Maria Cristina but even more the reaction of the British ambassador 😆
Thanks a lot! Glad to surprise you... I wrote some posts ago that Cristina and Henri could be quite the danger, now you know where... ;)
 
Thanks a lot! Glad to surprise you... I wrote some posts ago that Cristina and Henri could be quite the danger, now you know where... ;)
Ok now I will spend a couple of hours to reread your every single post to try and understand who will consider Maria Cristina and Henry a danger...the curia of Rome? The English? The French? the czar of Russia?the Ottoman Sultan and the emperor of Chin? The President of the United States?Who??? We'll everyone except Ferdinando I hope 😜

P.S. thanks you LordKalvan 4 helping me remember all the others monarch/global power of the time. 😜
 
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Ok now I will spend a couple of hours to reread your every single post to try and understand who will consider Maria Cristina and Henry a danger...the curia of Rome? The English? The French? Ferdinando? Who??? We'll everyone except Ferdinando I hope 😜
Which Ferdinando are you talking about? ;)
 
...
...
...
You crazy son of a gun have done it! You've stolen my breath away!!! I think I speak for everyone when I say no one had seen this coming. Amazing job!!!
I can't wait to read the reaction of Maria Cristina but even more the reaction of the British ambassador 😆
Things are not always as they appear: if it were not so, stage magicians wouldn't be able to make a living ;)
 
On one hand, long live the Queen. :p

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if the discussion in the Curia was as polite and professional as your average Belli poem. That kind of news must've been only a step above a gay orgy in Saint Peter's. :D
Come on, IOTL they survived worse crises. You can bet the house that the Curia will react pretty soon, and the gloves will be off.
Now you've been properly warned: no complaints whichever the outcome is ;)
 
Ok now I will spend a couple of hours to reread your every single post to try and understand who will consider Maria Cristina and Henry a danger...the curia of Rome? The English? The French? Ferdinando? Who??? We'll everyone except Ferdinando I hope 😜
I cannot help noticing that you've not mentioned the czar of Russia, the Ottoman Sultan and the emperor of China. Wait, you didn't mention the Shogun in Japan either.
I'm not making any suggestion, but if you want to review your list, it's up to you :eek:;)
 
No teaser please, my heart can't handle it 😜😆
You can see my hands, nothing there.
I can also guarantee that there is nothing hidden in my sleeves.
It stands to reason that the Curia will react, things are not going along with their plan.
I wonder which odds a bookie would give on them, they might be odds-on favourites given their record.
However, and for the record, I am not a bookie, therefore I might not really say.

Sit down, get the popcorn and enjoy the show :)
 
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