First Prose Section
Invittissima
The Rebirth of the Venetian Republic
Canto One: Viva San Marco!
Or the Bullet that Killed an Empire
Manin stood quietly outside of the Palazzo Ducale{1}, the waves of the lagoon gently rapping against the edge of the canal. He looked out over the waters, unusually still with the threats of Hapsburg attack looming over the horizon. His flag, the Pan-Italian Tricolore flew from windows and government buildings, defaced with the Lion of Saint Mark, proudly reminding the people of Venice of their regal history. It had been a week since the Repubblica di San Marco {2} had declared independence from the oppressive Austrian Empire {3}, and he was less than sure of his prospects. None of the Arsenalotti {4} had expected the Austrian opposition to be as dedicated as it had, and Manin was having trouble developing a plan to retain the sovereignty of the Republic. Many ideas were circulating among the leaders of the revolutionaries in Venice, and Manin was slowly finding that he was better suited to the role of Philosopher than that of Dictator {5}.
He was being urged by his cabinet to escalate the conflict. The Austrian Fleet was housed in the former Venetian territory of Imola at the City of Pola, with both the locals and those Italians in Imperial service asking for Manin's permission to seize it and bring it to Venice under Republican Control. Other high-ranking officers in the Imperial Army of Italian descent were calling for an uprising against their Austrian masters, and offered their fealty to the Republic if Manin desired such an action to be taken. He wheezed and coughed{6} as he entertained the thought of resigning from his post, or of surrendering the republic to the ever-growing Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont {7}and hope for some sort of cohesive Italian Unification to take place under the House of Savoy {8}. The thoughts racing through his mind were joined by a loud crashing sound, followed instantly by an Assassin's bullet {9}.
The Dictator fell to the pavement in a heap, screams of 'Aiuto!' and 'Uccisore!' echoing through the Serenissima {10}. The bells began to toll in a dull tone, and the Civil Guard raced through the streets, searching for the murderer. Daniele Manin, the Father of the New Republic, was dead.
The reaction seemed instantaneous. Giovanni Francesco Avesani became the second President of the Provisional Government, and enraged at the death of his friend Manin, called for revolt among Italians in Imperial Service, and condoned the seizing of the fleet at Pola. Austrian Field Marshal Julius Jacob Von Haynau watched as entire units of his force rebelled against him, outraged at the death of the young Manin and emboldened by the Republic's support. Thousands of civillians from around also rallied to the flag of the Republic, with others swelling the ranks of Giuseppi Mazzini's Milanese Volunteer forces as well. Things were getting worse for the Austrians, with the Revolutions of 1848 erupting across their entire empire. The desperate Haynau, with his exposed army facing progressivelly worse odds against the swelling Italian forces, joined now by forces from the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and Papal States, signed a treaty with the Piedmontese and Venetians, ceding Milan {11} to the former and recognizing the latter's independence. On the 6th of April, 1848 The Invictissima Repubblica di Venezia was officially declared a sovereign state, and was recognized worldwide.
All of this, however, would not have been possible if not for the lucky shot of one angry civillian.
From the 18th of March through the 22nd of 1848, the former Duchy of Milan, under Austrian control since the end of the Napolonic Wars, revolted against their opressors in Vienna, electing a Provisional Government and expelling the Imperial garrisson there. The revolt was crushed thoroughly due to the expert command of the venerable Austrian Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky {12}, who was a powerful and wise leader despite his advanced age. The Marshal, however, was struck by a dissenter's bullet during a procession through Milan ironically meant to celebrate his victory. His arm, where the bullet struck, soon became infected and was amputated. The elderly commander died during the night, his heart unable to withstand the shock of the surgery. There are some who would go on to say that, without Radetzky, the Austrian effort during the Revolutions of 1848 was doomed from its inception. I wholeheartedly agree with this theory.
-The Opening Pages of the Introduction to:
Viva San Marco! The Birth of the Second Venetian Republic
by Jean DuBois, Dean of History at the University of Montreal
Notations:
{1}The historical residence of the Doges of Venice and the Seat of Venetian Government
{2}The provisional government in charge of the Venetian Revolution, invoking the protection of Saint Mark the Evangelist.
{3}The Hapsburg Empire gained control over Milan and Venice after the Napoleonic Wars.
{4}Shorthand for the leaders of the Venetian Revolution, equivalent to the term 'Founding Fathers' in the US.
{5}Manin was granted emergency powers for the duration of the rebellion against Austria, and was styled either Presidente or Dictatore during that period, rather than the more legitimate Doge or Podesta.
{6}Manin was sickly in 1848, and often confined to his bed.
{7}The territories of the House of Savoy, which would go on to unify Italy under their reign.
{8}See above. The ancient family that reigned over the Italian Duchy of Savoy and the later Kingdoms of Sardinia-Piedmont and Italy.
{9}Without Radetzky's leadership, the Austrian forces neglected to take refuge in the Quadrilatero (a complex of fortresses built by the Austrians to control Milan and Venice) and instead fought a more costly conventional battle with Italian forces. In desperation, the aggressive Haynau had Manin assassinated in the hopes to cutting off the metaphorical head of the Arsenalotti.
{10}A nickname for Venice originating in medieval times, meaning 'the Most Serene'.
{11}Under Austrian control as 'The Kingdom of Lombardy' since the fall of Napoleon.
{12}Historically (in OTL) the commander who led the Imperial Army to victory in putting down the Revolutions of 1848
