Invittissima: The Rebirth of the Venetian Republic

"Aiuto" is standard Italian for "Help", while "Uccisore" is a quite elevated way to say "Killer". An Italian crowd would have shouted "Assassino" (eng. "Murderer"), that is, in Venetian, "Sasìn". Other expression used are not correct.

I beg your pardon for being choosy, but as I am Italian (and partly of Venetian ancestry), I could not but note this.

As for the flag, this was the one historically used in OTL:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_Venice_1848-49.gif

If you know some Venetian, I'd love you to translate. I'm VERY new to Italian, and could use your help.

I know about the flag, but I liked the flag depicted in the woodblock at the beginning of the thread better ;) Perhaps they'd have changed flags had they won in OTL? :)
 
I just wanted to take a sec...

And thank you all for the support! I'm glad that you're enjoying the TL.
The next update (and final revision) will be up in a day or two.
God Bless all of you!
 
Invittissima
The Rebirth of the Venetian Empire

Timeline
(1848-1862)

18th-22nd March, 1848: The Five Days of Milan occur, consisting of an armed revolt in Lombardy against the Hapsburg rulers of the region. The revolt is crushed by Imperial troops, due mostly to the inspired leadership and unwwavering resolve of Austrian Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky. In the afternoon of the 22nd, several Venetian revolutionaries-calling themselves the Arsenalotti{1}-overthrow the Austrian authorities in the city and declare the foundation of the Provisional Republic of San Marco. Radetzky wishes to respond immediately, but is pressured by his advisors to march through Milan as a show of authority to the reconquered rebels.
23rd March, 1848: As the Hungarian Revolution increases in volitility and scope, Vienna calls back Radetzky's Hungarian regiments to crush the rebellion. The Marshal protests, but the Empire places a higher value on Hungary than on Italy.
24th March, 1848: The Hapsburg Empire, unable to cope with the numerous revolts against it, accept the Hungarian people's right to self-rule, hoping to eventually reassimilate it after more pressing issues in Vienna have been dealt with {2}. The Kingdom of Hungary is declared, but is-in all truth-a farce. The Empire intends to crush it following the conclusion of the Vienna Revolution. The Hapsburg garrison of the Quadrilatero Fortress Complex, having lost a significant amount of men to the Hungarian redeployment, is overwhelmed by military and civillian sympathizers with the Veneto-Milanese cause. The Red-White-Green Venetian tricolore flies from the walls of the Quadrilatero and the Campanile of Verona.
25th-30th March, 1848: Austrian forces under Field Marshal Radetzky assault the Quadrilatero at Verona, the weakest point in the complex. Despite The Austrians' excellent leadership and courage, the overwhelmingly superior position of the defenders allows them to repel the Imperial force. The Austrian cause becomes more desperate, and the Marshal recieves a message from Vienna ordering that he is to sign a truce with the Italians and return to crush the rebellion emerging in Austria. Radetzky disobeys his superiors and continues to battle the rebels. This was also the time of the Silent Coup, when the moderate, dedicated, but very ill and indecisive Manin was 'retired' by his lieutenant Giovanni Avesani. Although Manin maintained the head of state and retained the title of Dictatore, he was now more a figurehead than anything. Avesani took control of both the war effort and the management of Venetian territory.
1st April, 1848: Venetian Dictator Daniele Manin meets with King Charles Albert of Sardinia-Piedmont and Giuseppe Mazzini, the charismatic leader of the Milanese resistance in Venice. The discussion drifts towards the politics of Italian unification, and a comment slips from the King implying that the Sardinians would take a natural leadership position in a united Italy. The discussion, thanks to strong wine and contrasting political ideals, becomes heated. The situation culminates with the King drunkenly shoving Mazzini, and an intense argument between the two. Manin, and the civil guard, breaks the fight in order to protect the fragile alliance between the three factions. The King agrees to maintain his support for the Venetain revolution solely if there is a referendum in the newly free states offering options of Veneto-Lombard or Sardinian sovereignty.
2nd April, 1848-30th June, 1848: Avesani and other Italian leaders call for Italian members of the Austrian military to revolt against their leaders in pursuit of the Venetian cause, now less than confident in Charles Albert's intentions. Revolutionaries seize the entire Imperial Fleet at the port of Pola {2}, and assemble in the Quadrilatero. Along with Italian troops are nearly two thousand Croatian and Dalmatian sympathizers and small numbers of volunteers from Albania, Galicia, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, and Greece. The professionals soon make a point of training the non professionals in the arts of organization and war, and prepare to launch an assault on Milan. General Mazzini develops a battle plan utilizing his hardened Milanese Resistance.
1st July, 1848: The Battle of Milan begins during the night of May 1st when rebels under Mazzini, disguised as Austrian soldiers, open the gates for the Revolutionary Army (joined by Sicilian troops under General Pepe). The Hapsburg forces, startled and unprepared, are overwhelmed and utterly defeated. Among those captured is Marshal Radetzky, who is compelled by Mazzini to allow for the independence of the revolutionary lands.
10th May, 1848: The Venetian War of Independence is concluded by the Congress of Milan, a document that assures Venetian independence, along with their sovereignty over Dalmatia and Lombardy following plebescites. Marshal Radetzky consents to the document and is escorted back to Vienna by Imperial troops.
11th-20th May, 1848: As the smoke begins to settle after the successful Venetian Revolution, the provisional government works to reestablish the Republic's government. The Republic of Lombardy (Based in Milan), and the Dalmatian Federation (Based in Zagreb) both successfully join the Venetian state as self-governing dominions after plebescites are held. The Republic's structure is established following the plebescite, establishing the regional governments of Lombardy, Dalmatia (and within Dalmatia the states of Illyria, Istria, and Croatia), the Veneto (Based in Verona), and the Dogara (the City of Venice itself). Alongside the regional systems, a greater country-wide Collegio Republicano or Parliament (featuring three representatives from each of the four regions) is established with Mazzini{4} elected as the first Emesario (Prime Minister). For the first time since Napoleon conquered the Republic in 1797, the Government positions of the Republic of Venice are all manned. Avesani is appointed Primo Marschialle dei Republica, the highest military command in the Republic. King Charles Albert, who had worked to 'fix' the polls in his favor, is furious.
21st May, 1848: Daniele Manin, during a farewell address marking his Cincinnatian Resignation as Dictator, declares the renewal of the Most Serene Republic of Venice. He guaruntees the individual sovereignty of the states under the mantle of the republic, and warns against the ever-expanding veil of Italian nationalism (famously calling it a 'Thinly veiled medium for Piedmontese imperialism.'). At the conclusion of the address, the sickly Manin declares that he is retiring from politics in order to write books. He leaves the Piazza San Marco {6} to thunderous applause. In the future, the 21st of May will be celebrated as Il Dia de Rinascita, or the Day of Rebirth, throughout Venice.
26th May, 1848: The United Republic enters into its first alliance, the Pact of Damascus, with the Ottoman Empire. The Pact eliminates tariffs and trade taxes between the two states, particularly in the arena of Mediterranean trade-a vital aspect of both nations' economies. The Venetian Republic is officially recognized by Prussia, France, Austria, Bavaria, and the Ottoman Empire. Sardinia-Piedmont actively rejects Venetian sovereignty.
27th May-9th August, 1848: The Hapsburg government, under the leadership of Marshal Radetzky and with Russian assistance, manages to silence the rebellions in its domain and annex the Kingdom of Hungary. Thus, save for the emergence of Venice and the French Third Republic, the Revolutions of 1848 end with the restoration of the Status Quo Ante Bellum. The Collegio Republicano passes the law known as the Garrantire (guarantee), a bill of rights publicly announcing the rights of the people of the Republic, along with a constitution that officially outlines the established government.
25th August, 1848: The Emigrasione begins, wherein revolutionaries and liberals from around Europe migrate to the Republic of Venice. The event will transpire over around seven months, and will lead to Mazzini's creation of the Corpo Voluntari Revolusionari, a military unit open to foreign volunteers.
26th August-3rd October: A diplomatic campaign by Mazzini results in the establishment of Venetian Consulates across Europe. The first four are created in this period, located in London, Paris, Istanbul, and Geneva. An associate Consulate is also placed in Washington DC, and unofficial liasons are sent to the revolutionary groups in Budapest, Parma, Romagna, and the Papal city of Forli.

{1}The revolutionaries traditionally took the name of Arsenalotti after the workers of the Arsenal Complex in Venice, who were among the first and most ardent supporters of the Republic. Also alludes to the fact that the Provisional Republic was founded within the walls of the Arsenal at the beginning of the Reolution.
{2}Concurrent to the other rebellions, the Vienna Revolution is underway.
{3}A city on the Adriatic coast of Istria that was formerly Venetian.
{4}It is often speculated that Mazzini was 'given' the election in order to secure Lombardy's annexation to the Republic.
{5}The Lira is the monetary unit of the United Republic, valued at 57% of the value of the British Pound in 1848. The Lira is paid for primarily by the booming Venetian trade economy. (not needed until next update).
{6} The Central Square of Venice that houses the seats of government.

Well, it is much better now howeer I do hope you will not mind my comments, which are not to be intended as a criticism but rather an effort to improve the credibility of the TL:
  • Insurrection of Milan: after 5 days of insurrection, Radetzsky position was not very good. He had just 14,000 troops in Milan, out of which 2,500 were Italians, and considered not completely reliable in putting down an insurrection. He was short of supplies, and worried about being pinned in Milan by the Piedmontese. Therefore it made sense to him to leave the city and retreat to the Quadrilatero, which left him in control of the communications in North Italy and with a very strong base. The alternative to this would have to be a full repression of the insurrection, with street-by-street fighting and likely to end in a massacre of the civilian population. This approach is not very consistent with the image of Radetzsky, but it might even work better in your TL: a massacre of the insurgents would gain wide resonance in Italy as well as in all of Europe and would end up being a very useful political capital for the revolutionaries. Mind, even if the insurrection is repressessed, the tactical position is untenable: as soon as the Piedmontese cross the Ticino, Radetzsky has to abandon the city.
  • Giuseppe Mazzini: at the time of the Milan insurrection he was in Paris, and arrived just on April 7. In his own way he's also a kind of Manin, but much more extremist. Why not consider Carlo Cattaneo in his place? He was one of the leaders (probably THE LEADER) of the Milanese insurrection; was widely recognised and appreciated as a political writer; was a staunch federalist, and a propounder of an Italian Federation; last but not least he was no friend of the Piedmontese, whom he considered backward. IMHO, Carlo Cattaneo would be a very good candidate as the Head of the Federation (more on this later)
  • The Austrian emperor leaves Vienna around mid March, once the insurrectionalist are gaining control of the city, and moves to Tyrol. IOTL the imperial court dithered for almost two months, without a very clear idea of what to do: Vienna was lost, Hungary was on the verge of open rebellion, another rebellion had broken out in Prague, the Italian situation was a mess. No way that they order the hungarian regiments back home to regain control of Hungary, they would be considered unreliable. Best you can have is the provisional Hungarian Parliament recalling the regiments at the beginning of April, and the emperor not countermanding this recall. Additionally, and contrary to what happened IOTL, the emperor refuses to receive the Ban of Croatia: IOTL the Ban shored up the imperial government, and Croatian regiments kept the Hungarians in line; ITTL the Croatian regiments are not employed to snip the insurrection in the bud.
  • IMHO, and as was also said by other posters, you're compressing too much the timeline. I believe that troops from other Italian states are required to reduce the Quadrilatero (which was a very strong defensive position, and could not be taken just by volunteers) and the "Bloody Days of Milan" are a good call word to make sure that the other Italian rulers will be compelled to send troops, even more than what they did IOTL. That these troops (or most of them) would eventually go over to the revolution should not surprise anyone: as a matter of fact, it happened IOTL too: the Neapolitan general Pepe refused to abandon the fight, when so ordered by his government.
  • "Emesario" would be translated as "envoy", and is not a good title for the head of the republican government. Maybe Primo Procurador de la Republica Serenisima (First Procurator of the Most Serene Republic), which would have a much more pronounced Venetian flavor. I would suggest that also the title of Avesani should be different: Gran Capitan de Tera (High Commander of the army would be the best translation), which is again taken from old Venetian titles
  • Why should Venice choose "lira" as its currency? They would resatore the Ducato, the traditional currency of the republic.
  • The proto-Foreign Legion is a nice idea: it would sound better if named "Corpo dei Volontari della Liberta'", or as the citizens of Venice will call it "la Legione dei Foresti", the Foreign Legion
  • Can I point out that Croatia is still too much for the Republic to swallow? Not to mention that Croatia was a hotbed of Habsburg loyalists, and that the Hungarians would be mightly pissed?
  • The drunken scene is funny, but...Charles Albert would never meet personally with insurgents: he would send some envoy, maybe a general; given the personality of the king (very dour and pious, always dressed in black and tormenting himself about sin) the scene would in any case be completely out of character. By all means, a break down between Venice and Piedmont is a narrative necessity, but there is no need to go into farce. Here Mazzini, the extremist and holy-than-thou revolutionary idealist, would come into play. Actually I would believe that Cattaneo (who has no love for Piedmont) would use him to make sure that there is a clear break with Piedmont.
  • Finally, Lombardy should be one of the constituent states of the federation.
  • Why Damascus? A treaty with the Ottomans makes sense (and probably would be a secret treaty, at least at the beginning, in the best tradition of 19th century diplomacy), but theenvoys would most likely meet in Constantinople (or maybe Smyrna, to stay a bit out of the spotlight): Damscus is quite out of the way.

I'm an unabashed nitpicker :) sorry for that
 
Never, ever, ever, apologise to me for nitpicking. I'm a writer, and when I was professional, do you know what my editors usually did? Nitpicked. :)
Each comment, each criticism, each nitpick, each suggestion, improves the timeline and brings it closer to success. Yours are particularly helpful.

I even see the merit to bringing back the ducat-itself more a medieval term than the later periods-the revolutionaries want to bring back the old feel of Venice, including the 'de Tera' title (as in Il Stati dei Tereferma).
Perhaps all of Croatia can wait a few years :D

Thank you, Lord Kelvan. I hope that you don't feel uncomfortable rwadin your info in other people's (namely my) timelines!

Thanks again, and God Bless.
-Askelion
 
"Aiuto" is standard Italian for "Help", while "Uccisore" is a quite elevated way to say "Killer". An Italian crowd would have shouted "Assassino" (eng. "Murderer"), that is, in Venetian, "Sasìn". Other expression used are not correct.

I beg your pardon for being choosy, but as I am Italian (and partly of Venetian ancestry), I could not but note this.

As for the flag, this was the one historically used in OTL:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_Venice_1848-49.gif
Thanks, but I more or less speak Italian as a pseudo-foreign language *points at location bar* ;)
 
Well, here's my attempt at a map. I'm unsure as to the outer limits of the Dalmatian Federation, but certainly it shouldn't be much further than it is, and probably less in Slovenia.

Venice 1848.png
 
I Hate to do this to ya Alex...

But I just had to change the map :eek:
The Republic has more traditional amounts of control over Dalmatia...so Croatia is out. I've sent you the updated map. Please do fix up yours to match though, it is truly excellent.
Thanks again, and I promise not to do this to you again :D
 
The Final Renovation

Invictissima
The Rebirth of the Venetian Empire

Timeline
(1848-1862)

18th-22nd March, 1848: The Five Days of Milan occur, consisting of an armed revolt in Lombardy against the Hapsburg rulers of the region. The revolt is mostly suppressed by Imperial troops, due mostly to the inspired leadership and unwwavering resolve of Austrian Field Marshal Julius Von Haynau {9}. In the afternoon of the 22nd, several Venetian revolutionaries-calling themselves the Arsenalotti{1}-overthrow the Austrian authorities in the city and declare the foundation of the Provisional Republic of San Marco. Haynau's advisors wish to respond immediately, but Haynau wants to completely subjugate Milan as a show of authority to the reconquered rebels. The Austrian Court abandons Vienna, which is in the throes of rebellion, in favor of the more peaceful Tyrolian countryside.

23rd March, 1848: The Bloody Days of Milan begin, during which a full three-fifths of the Milanese population are killed in street-to-street fighting by Austrian troops. The 2,500 troops of Italian ethnicity refuse to take part, and are put to death for insubordination, and reports of the civillians being killed begin to reach Venetian ears. Revolutionaries seize upon the situation, spreading news of the massacre across Europe.

25th March, 1848: As the Hungarian Revolution increases in volitility and scope, Tuscan, Papal, and Sicilian delegates meet at the old Piazza di Medici in Careggi with representatives of the Lombardo-Venetian revolutionaries in order to discuss sending troops to drive the Austrians out of the peninsula in response to the massacre in Milan. Manin leaves his trusted lieutenant Giovanni Avesani in charge of the Republic for the duration of the meeting. The Fleet and Marines of the Hapsburg Empire, composed primarily of Italians, hear of the slaughter being committed in Milan. This results in the rebellion of that fleet and most of its men, who in short order begin to fly the Lombard (red-white-green)tricolore. In a show of solidarity, the Venetians change the order of the bands on their flag to match their Milanese allies.

26th March, 1848: The Hapsburg Empire, unable to cope with the numerous revolts against it, accept the Hungarian people's right to self-rule, hoping to eventually reassimilate it after more pressing issues in Vienna have been dealt with {2}. The Kingdom of Hungary is declared, but is-in all truth-a farce. The Empire intends to crush it following the conclusion of the Vienna Revolution. Ban Joseph Jelacic is chastized by Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I after he refuses the recognize the liberal government in Budapest. The Hapsburg Court and Croatia rapidly begin to drift apart, and the Ban orders Croatians to withdraw from the field to Zagreb. Hungary, concerned about a potential Croatian attack, also orders its troops to withdraw. The Bloody Days of Milan officially end.

1st of April, 1848: Austrian forces under Field Marshal Radetzky arrive to relieve the overly-brutal Haynau, settling into the Quadrilatero Fortress Complex. When Manin and Carlo Cattaneo {10} hear of Radetzky's reinforcement of the Quadrilatero, they agree that they must drive them out. Manin advocates relying on the Sardinians, while Cattaneo distrusts the Kingdom's motivations. The two compromise by calling upon all of the Italian states to aid the revolution, a call which, thanks to Cattaneo's expert rhetoric, results in the League of Careggi being formed to combat Austria.

2nd-10th April, 1848: The Austrian cause becomes more desperate as a force of nearly 200,000 troops and volunteers from around Italy arrive under the Sicilian Marshal Pepe to support Venetian and Piedmontese troops already engaged in the conflict, and Radetzky recieves a message from Vienna ordering that he is to sign a truce with the Italians and return to crush. The Marshal disobeys his superiors and continues to battle the rebels. This was also the time of the Silent Coup, when the moderate, dedicated, but very ill and indecisive Manin was 'retired' by his lieutenants{3}. Although Manin maintained the head of state and retained the title of Dictatore, he was now more a figurehead than anything. Avesani took control of both the war effort and the management of Venetian territory. The Clash in the Adriatic occurs, with loyalist and revolutionary ships clashing during the only naval conflict of the war. The revolutionaries emerge victorious, crippling the Empire's ability to control their waters.

11th April, 1848: Avesani meets an with an envoy of King Charles Albert of Sardinia-Piedmont and Carlo Cattaneo, the charismatic leader of the Milanese resistance in Venice in order to discuss what they see as an impending victory. The discussion drifts towards the politics of Italian unification, and a comment slips from the messenger implying that the Sardinians would take a natural leadership position in a united Italy. The discussion, thanks to strong wine and contrasting political ideals, becomes heated. The situation culminates with the diplomat drunkenly shoving Cattaneo's lieutenant Giuseppi Mazzini, and an intense argument between the two escalates into a physical conflict. Manin, and the civil guard, breaks the fight in order to protect the fragile alliance between the three factions. It is at this inopportune time that the diplomat unveils that the King has agreed to maintain his support for the Venetain revolution solely if there is a referendum in the newly free states offering options of Veneto-Lombard or Sardinian sovereignty. The Milanese and Venetian representatives are unamused, and Cattaneo convinces Avesani that Venice and Lombardy need to prepare for any Piedmontese agression that may come after independence.

2nd April, 1848-30th June, 1848: Avesani and other Italian leaders call for Italian members of the Austrian military to revolt against their leaders in pursuit of the Venetian cause, now less than confident in Charles Albert's intentions. The renegade gather in droves and assemble in the Veneto. Along with Italian troops are nearly two thousand Croatian and Dalmatian sympathizers and small numbers of volunteers from Albania, Galicia, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, and Greece. The professionals soon make a point of training the non professionals in the arts of organization and war, and prepare to launch an assault on Milan. Mazzini and Cattaneo develop a battle plan utilizing the hardened and much-reduced Milanese Resistance. Thousands of Lombard militia and troops join the force when rallied by the revolutionaries.

1st July, 1849: The Battle of Milan begins during the night of May 1st when rebels under Mazzini, disguised as Austrian soldiers, open the gates for the Revolutionary Army . The Hapsburg forces, startled and unprepared, are overwhelmed and utterly defeated. Among those captured is Marshal Radetzky, who is compelled by Mazzini to allow for the independence of the revolutionary lands.

10th July, 1848: The Revolutionary Army joins the forces of the League of Careggi outside of Milan and prepare to assault the Quadrilatero at Mantova, which they consider to be the weakest point in the complex. Radetzky, equipped with his 20,000 Austrian troops and the 4,000 remaining members of Haynau's Milanese garrison, prepares to make the revolutionaries pay dearly for every inch of the fortress.

11th July-20th October, 1848: The Siege of the Quadrilatero serves to be the largest and most deadly battle of 1848. Pepe, Mazzini, Cattaneo, and Giambattista Cavedalis {11} lead continual attacks against Radetzky's weakened and underequipped troops, but are repulsed time and again by the Marshal. Continued attempts to relieve Radetzky by the Austrians usually result in intervention and destruction, but the siege is too outstretched to maintain a complete containment. As the battle progresses, the Italian troops seize each of the Quadrilatero's many walls, taking Mantova, and Legnano by mid September. The struggle culminates with the assault on Verona, during which the remaining Revolutionary troops clash with the remainder of Radetzky's withering force. In late September and early October, the initial walls of Verona fall. Marshal Radetzky, knowing that his situation is hopless, allows any among his troops to retreat from the city who wish to do so. None do. By the time the Italian troops reach Verona, nearly 21,000 Hapsburg troops and 20,000 Careggian soldiers lie dead, with the relatively poorly-led Piedmontese troops having lost 15,000 of their own comrades as well.

21st October, 1848: The Battle of Verona (and thus, the Siege of the Quadrilatero) ends with a brutal last stand by Marshal Radetzky and his remaining 2,000 troops. The Hapsburg soldiers fight to the last, and as the Sun rises on the 22nd, the Revolutionary Tricolore flies from the Campanile of the City. The League of Careggi disbands, and its troops to withdraw from the Veneto. Many Piedmontese troops remain, prompting many soldiers from the league to linger in response, convinced by revolutionary propaganda that Piedmont hopes to crush democracy in the peninsula.

26th October, 1848: The Venetian War of Independence is concluded by the Congress of Milan, a document signed between Austria, Piedmont, the League of Careggi, and the Revolutionaries that assures Venetian and Lombard independence, along with Venetian sovereignty over Dalmatia. The late Marshal Radetzky is buried along with his men with full military honors, and the victors salute the man as a worthy foe fighting for an unworthy regime. A plebescite is held in Lombardy and Dalmatia, with those territories electing to join into a federal relationship with the Venetian Republic rather than agree to Piedmontese hegemony. King Charles Albert, who had worked strenuously to fix the polls in his favor, is furious.

11th-20th November, 1848: As the smoke begins to settle after the successful Venetian Revolution, the provisional government works to reestablish the Republic's government. The Republic of Lombardy (Based in Milan), and the Dalmatian Federation (Based in Trieste) both successfully join the Venetian Federal state as self-governing republics after a popular vote agrees to the arraingement. The Republic's structure is established following the plebescite, establishing the regional governments of Lombardy, Dalmatia, the Veneto (Based in Verona), and the Dogara (the City of Venice itself). Alongside the regional systems, a greater country-wide Collegio Republicano or Parliament (featuring three representatives from each of the four regions) is established with Cattaneo{4} elected as the first Primo Procurador de la Republica Serenisima (Prime Minister). For the first time since Napoleon conquered the Republic in 1797, the Government positions of the Republic of Venice are all manned. Avesani is appointed Gran Capitan de Tera, the highest military command in the Republic.

21st November, 1848: Daniele Manin, during a farewell address marking his Cincinnatian Resignation as Dictator, declares the renewal of the Most Serene United Republic of Venice and Lombardy {8}. He guaruntees the individual sovereignty of the states under the mantle of the republic, and joins Mazzini and Cattaneo warn against the ever-expanding veil of Italian nationalism (famously calling it a 'Thinly veiled medium for Piedmontese imperialism.'). At the conclusion of the address, the sickly Manin declares that he is retiring from politics in order to write books. He leaves the Piazza San Marco {6} to thunderous applause. In the future, the 21st of May will be celebrated as Il Dia de Rinascita, or the Day of Rebirth, throughout Venice.

15th November, 1848: The United Republic enters into its first alliance, the highly secretive Pact of Smyrna, with the Ottoman Empire. The Pact eliminates tariffs and trade taxes between the two states, particularly in the arena of Mediterranean trade-a vital aspect of both nations' economies. The Venetian Republic is officially recognized by Prussia, France, Austria, Bavaria, Siciliy, the Holy See, and Tuscany and the Ottoman Empire. Sardinia-Piedmont actively rejects Venetian sovereignty.

27th November-9th December, 1848: The Hapsburg government, under the leadership of Marshal Radetzky and with Russian assistance, manages to silence the rebellions in its domain and annex the Kingdom of Hungary. Thus, save for the emergence of Venice and the French Third Republic, the Revolutions of 1848 end with the restoration of the Status Quo Ante Bellum. The Collegio Republicano passes the law known as the Garrantire (guarantee), a bill of rights publicly announcing the rights of the people of the Republic, along with a constitution that officially outlines the established government.

25th December, 1848: The Emigrasione begins, wherein revolutionaries and liberals from around Europe migrate to the Republic of Venice. The event will transpire over around seven months, and will lead to Mazzini's creation of the Corpo della Liberta{7}, a military unit open to foreign volunteers. Among those who join it are thousands of those soldiers who fought during the War of Independence. Among them is General Pepe, who has come to identify strongly with the revolution. The Pope blesses the new Republic in his Christmas Mass, concluding the service by praying for peace throughout Italy.

26th December, 1848-5th March 1849: A diplomatic campaign by Mazzini results in the establishment of Venetian Consulates across Europe. The first four are created in this period, located in London, Paris, Istanbul, and Geneva. An associate Consulate is also placed in Washington DC, and unofficial liasons is sent to the revolutionary groups in Budapest, Parma, Romagna, and the Papal city of Forli.

{1}The revolutionaries traditionally took the name of Arsenalotti after the workers of the Arsenal Complex in Venice, who were among the first and most ardent supporters of the Republic. Also alludes to the fact that the Provisional Republic was founded within the walls of the Arsenal at the beginning of the Reolution.
{2}Concurrent to the other rebellions, the Vienna Revolution is underway.
{3}A city on the Adriatic coast of Istria that was formerly Venetian.
{4}It is often speculated that Cattaneo was 'given' the election in order to secure Lombardy's annexation to the Republic.
{5}The Ducato is the monetary unit of the United Republic, valued at 57% of the value of the British Pound in 1848. The Lira is paid for primarily by the booming Venetian trade economy. (not needed until next update).
{6} The Central Square of Venice that houses the seats of government.
{7} The Corpo is known popularly as 'La Legione dei Foresti'-the Foreign Legion.
{8} Although formally known as Venetia-Lombardy (and its citizenry as Lombardo-Venetian), La Serenissima is known popularly as Venice, and its people as Venetian.
{9} The POD is the replacement of Radetzky with Von Haynau, remembered for his brutality towards both his men and enemies in the name of discipline and honor. His crucial mistake lies in his treatment of the civillians of Milan as enemy combatants, and his perpetration of the Bloody Days of Milan.
{10}The moderate, charismatic leader of the Lombard resistance. Harbors a severe dislike for Piedmont and a love of federal republicanism. His speeches and writings serve to further unite and motivate the revolution.
{11} The Field Marshal of the Revolutionary Venetian Army.
 
Haynau was not Eichmann. Even in the sack of Brescia (1849), which lasted ten days and was considered brutal, there were about 1000 civilian deaths; in the same year Livorno had 300 shot and 800 massacred. There is no way that Haynau's 11.500 men could have killed (without Emperor's consent) 2.500 Italian soldiers of the Empire, let alone 150.000 Milanese, even considering that in 1870 the crushing of Paris Commune took about 20.000 dead.

Moreover, Tuscan and Papal troops left just after Five Days of Milan, and arrived on the front by the mid of April, and Neapolitan troops arrived by the mid of May. Volunteers were nearly only middle-class men, because of the scarce interest of population. I cannot see how they could have been the fantastic amount of 200.000, whereas the total amount of troops and volunteers from all Italy were no more than 120.000 (55.000 Piedmontese Army, 15.000 Neapolitans, 30.000 Romans, 10.000 Tuscans, 10.000 Venetians), considering that Naples was hoping to crush Sicilian revolt. Each of this army would have fought with its general, not under a common command.

Even the Siege of Quadrilatero would have just consisted in keeping guards out of Peschiera, Mantova and LegnaGo (Legnano is another city in Lombardy), and siegeing Austrian Army in Verona, and would have been far less bloody (38.000 was the total casualties, including prisoners, wounded and missings, of San Martino and Solferino Battles).

Finally, there is a problem with the map: in March 1848, the Grand-Duke of Tuscany annexed the territory of Massa and Carrara from the Duchies of Parma and Modena. The rest of them, as well as Lombardy, had already (by the 10th June) decided to join Piedmont. And there still was Sicily, which was the first to revolt to Neapolitan rule, and whose parliament had offered its crown, in July 1848, to Carlo Alberto's secondborn. This was not liked by the King of Two Sicilies.
 
Caesar princeps has already expressed some issues with figures, ad I do agree with him (I even think that 120,000 men would still be above the board - maybe a bare 100,000 would be more tha enough).

There are also some incosistencies: Radetzsky in turn is taken prisoner, reinforces the Quadrilatero, is killed in the defense of Verona and finally restores he Austrian empire. Talk about a busy career :D

Another problem is really the restoration of the empire so quickly, which is not feasible at all, in particular if Austria looses completely the army of Italy and alienates the Croats (who in such a situation would have to make their bed with the Hungarians, most likely). I suggest that there is a rapprochement betwen the emperor and the Ban (in early 1849) ad that Hungary is put down with the help of the Russians (say by May-June 1849). At which stage Venice needs to find some friends very fast, otherwise its future is not so bright, squeezed between a hostile Piedmont and a more-than-hostile Austria.

Which friends depend very much upon what happens in the rest of Italy in the second half of 1848 and in early 1849: the insurgents in the duches of Parma and Modena have already ousted their respective dukes, and IOTL applied to join Sardinia-Piedmont. ITTL the situation is much more complex, and the fate of the two duchies hang in doubt. Then you've to deal with the Pope: Pius IX was sympathetic to the liberal insurrections early on, but then in June the reactionary elements of the Curia prevailed, and he stated reneging on his early promises (and recalled the troops he sent to support the insurrections). I'm quite convinced that this is going to happen ITTL too, since the insurrections in Lombardy-Venice and in the duchies will spread to the papal territories too (Bologna and the Romagna foremost).
The king of the Two Sicilies has his own problems and more with one of the two: Sicily proper is in revolt. I believe that general Pepe will go over to the insurgentsand refue to go back to Naples: he did this IOTL, and here it will be even more attractive (he might be also a good commander for the Legione dei Foresti, btw). The Granduke of Tuscany, although he's a Habsburg, has proably less issues, but he will be under pressure from the other Italian rulers, chief among them the Pope and Charles Albert,and will also be rebuked by his Austrian relations.

The main points anyhow are: will Rome revolt? What's happening in Paris? Maybe ITTL Louis Napoleon is not so successful, and the 3rd Republic is leaning more to the left. Is Great Britain interested in the continental insurrections? what happens in Germany? Maybe the Frankfurt parliament is taking a more pro-active and forceful stance, since the European panorama has changed. Anyhow, if you don't sketch at least in great lines the European scenario your TL is flawed: the Venetian flare up does not happen in a vacuum.

Minor nitpick: by mid-April Garibaldi should also be back in Italy, and happily leading volunteers all over northern Lombardy and Trentino. I'm quite sure he'll also thow in his lot with Venice: how could he do differently ITTL?
 
Technical Difficuties :)

Hey guys, thanks (as usual) for the help. I'm sorry to say that the piece that I uploaded last night is NOT what I intended to post...it's a rough outline. Although this is frustrating to me, I'm glad that you pointed it out to me :eek:
I can't find the file that I intended to update either...so I'm going to take some time today and recreate it...although I will happily be using some of your suggestions. I was very tired when I posted the update... lesson learned :eek:

Thanks again, I'll post the actual final renovation soon.
 
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As the others mention, the Milanese figures are very off and Radetzky seems to not only escape unnoticed from Italian capture, but also from his grave! As for Dalmatia headed in Trieste, that is just too much. Dalmatia technichally applies to Zara southward, and even Istria is a stretch. And you didnt mention where the federal capital was. Is it Venice, because I think Verona seems a much more suitable choice. Lastly, the official name of the Republic excludes Dalmatia, which seems a tad unfair.
 
As the others mention, the Milanese figures are very off and Radetzky seems to not only escape unnoticed from Italian capture, but also from his grave! As for Dalmatia headed in Trieste, that is just too much. Dalmatia technichally applies to Zara southward, and even Istria is a stretch. And you didnt mention where the federal capital was. Is it Venice, because I think Verona seems a much more suitable choice. Lastly, the official name of the Republic excludes Dalmatia, which seems a tad unfair.

This is not, I repeat, this is NOT the update...it's a rough draft that I accidentally posted. I didn't notice my mistake until after I went to work this morning, so I will post the update as it was intended to be seen on my lunch break (this is from my phone). Good idea with Verona as the capital...I just might have to add that before I post :D

And, no, Radetzky is not Rasputin, or Eichman, or a zombie...rather he was resurrected by the typo wizards who reside within my oulines ;)

Lunch break/update time in 2 hours!
 
The Final Renovation/ First Update (They're Both in there ^_^)

Invittissima
The Rebirth of the Venetian Empire
Timeline
(1848-1862)

18th-22nd March, 1848: The Five Days of Milan occur, consisting of an armed revolt in Lombardy against the Hapsburg rulers of the region. The revolt is mostly suppressed by Imperial troops, due mostly to the inspired leadership and unwwavering resolve of Austrian Field Marshal Julius Von Haynau {1}. In the afternoon of the 22nd, several Venetian revolutionaries-calling themselves the Arsenalotti{2}-overthrow the Austrian authorities in the city and declare the foundation of the Provisional Republic of San Marco. Haynau's advisors wish to respond immediately, but Haynau wants to completely subjugate Milan as a show of authority to the reconquered rebels. The Austrian Court abandons Vienna, which is in the throes of rebellion, in favor of the more peaceful Tyrolian countryside.

23rd March, 1848: The Bloody Days of Milan begin, during which nearly a thousand civillians loyal to the resistance are killed in street-to-street fighting by Austrian troops. Haynau's troops, for their part, are attacked by the much of the civillian population from their arrvival, and many of the 'civillians' killed are armed and agressive. The 2,500 troops of Italian ethnicity refuse to take part, and soon desert. Reports of the civillians being killed soon begin to reach Venetian ears, causing widespread outrage.The Revolutionaries seize upon the situation, spreading news of the massacre across Europe.

25th March, 1848: As the Hungarian Revolution increases in volitility and scope, Tuscan, Papal, and Sicilian delegates meet at the old Piazza di Medici in Careggi with representatives of the Lombardo-Venetian revolutionaries in order to discuss sending troops to drive the Austrians out of the peninsula in response to the massacre in Milan. Manin leaves his trusted lieutenant Giovanni Avesani in charge of the Republic for the duration of the meeting. The Fleet and Marines of the Hapsburg Empire, composed primarily of Italians, hear of the slaughter being committed in Milan. This results in the rebellion of that fleet and most of its men, who in short order begin to fly the Lombard (red-white-green)tricolore. In a show of solidarity, the Venetians change the order of the bands on their flag to match their Milanese allies. In the rest of Europe, sympathy for the rebels can be found from nearly every liberal, republican, or revolutionary individual. Or particular notes are demonstrations in Paris and London pressuring the government to act against Austria, although similar gatherings do occur in Frankfurt, Brandenberg, Berlin, and in some parts of the United States. The Chartists in England utilize the protests to their advantage, and openly support the revolution, resulting in a swelling of their numbers. Parliament, refusing to align in any way with the Chartists, declares adamantly that they will not act in support of Venice.

26th March, 1848: The Hapsburg Empire, unable to cope with the numerous revolts against it, accept the Hungarian people's right to self-rule, hoping to eventually reassimilate it after more pressing issues in Vienna have been dealt with {3}. The Kingdom of Hungary is declared, but is-in all truth-a farce. The Empire intends to crush it following the conclusion of the Vienna Revolution. Ban Joseph Jelacic is chastized by Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I after he refuses the recognize the liberal government in Budapest. The Hapsburg Court and Croatia rapidly begin to drift apart, and the Ban orders Croatians to withdraw from the field to Zagreb. Hungary, concerned about a potential Croatian attack, also orders its troops to withdraw. The Bloody Days of Milan officially end.

1st of April, 1848: Austrian forces under Field Marshal Radetzky arrive to relieve the overly-brutal Haynau, settling into the Quadrilatero Fortress Complex. When Manin and Carlo Cattaneo {4} hear of Radetzky's reinforcement of the Quadrilatero, they agree that they must drive them out. Manin advocates relying on the Sardinians, while Cattaneo distrusts the Kingdom's motivations. The two compromise by calling upon all of the Italian states to aid the revolution, a call which, thanks to Cattaneo's expert rhetoric, results in the League of Careggi being formed to combat Austria.

2nd-10th April, 1848: The Austrian cause becomes more desperate as a force of 75,000 troops and volunteers from around Italy arrive under the Sicilian Marshal Pepe to support Venetian and Piedmontese troops already engaged in the conflict, and Radetzky recieves a message from Vienna ordering that he is to sign a truce with the Italians and return to Hapsburg lands. The Marshal disobeys his superiors and continues to battle the rebels. This was also the time of the Silent Coup, when the moderate, dedicated, but very ill and indecisive Manin was 'retired' by his lieutenants{5}. Although Manin maintained the head of state and retained the title of Dictatore, he was now more a figurehead than anything. Avesani took control of both the war effort and the management of Venetian territory. The Clash in the Adriatic occurs, with loyalist and revolutionary ships clashing during the only naval conflict of the war. The revolutionaries emerge victorious, crippling the Empire's ability to control their waters. Starting on the fifth, Chartists in England assemble in Kennington Common, their ranks swelled by Parliament's seeming disconnect with the people. When the 180,000 protestors cross the Thames river, they are confronted by thousands of police and military personnel, supported by approximately 80,000 Special Constabulary volunteers. Amonhg those that are killed in the first five days is Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, a special constable and heir to the House of Bonaparte{13}. The situation in London continues to deteriorate as the Chartist Revolt increases in intensity, with increasing numbers of military troops being called in. Queen Victoria, hoping to end the struggle and bloodshed before a civil war erupts, meets with the Chartist leader Feargus O'Connor in order to settle the conflict.

11th April, 1848: Avesani meets an with an envoy of King Charles Albert of Sardinia-Piedmont and Carlo Cattaneo, the charismatic leader of the Milanese resistance in Venice in order to discuss what they see as an impending victory. The discussion drifts towards the politics of Italian unification, and a comment slips from the messenger implying that the Sardinians would take a natural leadership position in a united Italy. The discussion, thanks to strong wine and contrasting political ideals, becomes heated. The situation culminates with the diplomat drunkenly shoving Cattaneo's lieutenant Giuseppi Mazzini, and an intense argument between the two escalates into a physical conflict. Manin, and the civil guard, breaks the fight in order to protect the fragile alliance between the three factions. It is at this inopportune time that the diplomat unveils that the King has agreed to maintain his support for the Venetain revolution solely if there is a referendum in the newly free states offering options of Veneto-Lombard or Sardinian sovereignty. The Milanese and Venetian representatives are unamused, and Cattaneo convinces Avesani that Venice and Lombardy need to prepare for any Piedmontese agression that may come after independence. Victoria and O'Connor finish their talks, and Victoria agrees to the compromise encouraged by the Chartists. The Charter of 1848 {6} is made into law, and proper elections are to be held in July. The jubilant Chartists, now much more content with the situation, end their protest. O'Connor is hailed by the lower classes as a national hero, and many paintings and narratives will go on to describe his meeting with the Queen.

14th April, 1848-30th June, 1848: Avesani and other Italian leaders call for Italian members of the Austrian military to revolt against their leaders in pursuit of the Venetian cause, now less than confident in Charles Albert's intentions. The renegade gather in droves and assemble in the Veneto. Along with Italian troops are nearly two thousand Croatian and Dalmatian sympathizers and small numbers of volunteers from Albania, Galicia, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, and Greece. The professionals soon make a point of training the non professionals in the arts of organization and war, and prepare to launch an assault on Milan. Mazzini and Cattaneo develop a battle plan utilizing the hardened and much-reduced Milanese Resistance. Thousands of Lombard militia and troops join the force when rallied by the revolutionaries. Alongside the volunteers, who swell the Provisional Civic Guard to around 20,000 men, are those of the famed Giuseppi Garibaldi-amounting to 12,000 Redshirts in total. He meets briefly with Avesani, and is soon deployed alongside the Civic Guard. The July uprising begins and ends in France on the 21st and 29th of June, respectively. General Louis-Eugene Cavaignac emerges from the conflict in a leadership role, and takes a staunchly anti-revolutionary approach, encouraging a stable and moderate republican government.

1st July, 1849: The Battle of Milan begins during the night of May 1st when rebels under Mazzini, disguised as Austrian soldiers, open the gates for the Revolutionary Army . The Hapsburg forces, startled and unprepared, are overwhelmed and utterly defeated. General Cavaignac, with great hesitency, accepts the title of Dictatore offered to him by the National Assembly. Most of the people of France, desperate for stability and not yet willing to return to democracy in the wake of the June revolt, are quite content with the arrangement.

10th July, 1848: The Revolutionary Army joins the forces of the combined Italian force outside of Milan and prepare to assault the Quadrilatero at Mantova, which they consider to be the weakest point in the complex. Radetzky, equipped with his 8,000 Austrian troops and the 4,000 remaining members of Haynau's Milanese garrison, prepares to make the revolutionaries pay dearly for every inch of the fortress. Pontiff Pius IX, after witnessing the spread of revolutionary fervor into the Papal States and under considerable pressure to withdraw from the Austro-Venetian war from the College of Cardinals, orders his troops to withdraw from the war. Around 2,000 of his men stay in support of the Venetian cause. With this new development, the Tuscan contribution also withdraws, their Hapsburg Grand Duke's position tenuous from the start. Thus, the forces of the revolution go to war with 95,000 men (15.ooo Neapolitans, 2.000 Romans, 10.000 Venetians, 55.000 Piedmontese, 5.000 Lombards and 8.000 Sicilians). Many in the Papal States and Tuscany protest the withdrawl, and riots erupt in some areas. Parma and Modena continue to declare open support for Venice.

11th July-20th October, 1848: The Siege of the Quadrilatero serves to be the largest battle of 1848. Pepe, Mazzini, Cattaneo, and Giambattista Cavedalis {7} lead continual attacks against Radetzky's weakened and underequipped troops, but are repulsed time and again by the Marshal. Continued attempts to relieve Radetzky by the Austrians usually result in intervention and destruction, but the siege is too outstretched to maintain a complete containment. As the battle progresses, the Italian troops seize each of the Quadrilatero's many walls, taking Mantova, and Legnano by mid September. The struggle culminates with the assault on Verona, during which the remaining Revolutionary troops clash with the remainder of Radetzky's withering force. In late September and early October, the initial walls of Verona fall. Marshal Radetzky, knowing that his situation is hopless, allows any among his troops to retreat from the city who wish to do so. None do. By the time the Italian troops reach Verona, nearly 11,000 Hapsburg troops and 10,000 Italian soldiers lie dead, with the relatively poorly-led Piedmontese troops having lost 5,000 of their own comrades as well. Parliamentary elections are held in London, with William Gladstone and the Liberal Party seizing parliament with an impressive 70.1 percent of the (now open) popular vote. At the same time, the Young Irelander Rebellion ensues, with rebels under the patronage of William Smith O'Brien clashing with Crown occupation forces throughout the island. By the 1st of August the rebellion is squelched, and one John Mitchell escapes to Venice via the Venetian Consulate.

21st October, 1848: The Battle of Verona (and thus, the Siege of the Quadrilatero) ends with a brutal last stand by Marshal Radetzky and his remaining 2,000 troops. The Hapsburg soldiers fight to the last, and as the Sun rises on the 22nd, the Revolutionary Tricolore flies from the Campanile of the City. Many of those soldiers who fought for the Venetian cause remain in the Veneto, more loyal to the young Republic then their home countries.

26th October, 1848: The Venetian War of Independence is concluded by the Congress of Milan, a document signed between Austria, Piedmont, and the Revolutionaries that assures Venetian and Lombard independence, along with Venetian sovereignty over Dalmatia. The late Marshal Radetzky is buried along with his men with full military honors, and the victors salute the man as a worthy foe fighting for an unworthy regime. A plebescite is held in Lombardy and Dalmatia, with those territories electing to join into a federal relationship with the Venetian Republic rather than agree to Piedmontese hegemony. King Charles Albert, who had worked strenuously to fix the polls in his favor, is furious.
6th November,1848: The Praieira Uprising begins in Brazil, with revolutionaries rising up against the oppressive Conservative government. Avesani agrees to sent five liasons to assist the revolution there, but does not officially support the rebels.

11th-20th November, 1848: As the smoke begins to settle after the successful Venetian Revolution, the provisional government works to reestablish the Republic's government. The Republic of Lombardy (Based in Milan), and the Dalmatian Federation (Based in Trieste) both successfully join the Venetian Federal state as self-governing republics after a popular vote agrees to the arraingement. The Republic's structure is established following the plebescite, establishing the regional governments of Lombardy, Dalmatia, the Veneto (Based in Verona), and the Dogara (the City of Venice itself). Alongside the regional systems, a greater country-wide Collegio Republicano or Parliament (featuring three representatives from each of the four regions) is established with Cattaneo{8} elected as the first Primo Procurador de la Republica Serenisima (Prime Minister). For the first time since Napoleon conquered the Republic in 1797, the Government positions of the Republic of Venice are all manned. Avesani is appointed Gran Capitan de Tera, the highest military command in the Republic.

21st November, 1848: Daniele Manin, during a farewell address marking his Cincinnatian Resignation as Dictator, declares the renewal of the Most Serene Federal Republic of Venice, Dalmatia, and Lombardy {9}. He guaruntees the individual sovereignty of the states under the mantle of the republic, and joins Mazzini and Cattaneo warn against the ever-expanding veil of Italian nationalism (famously calling it a 'Thinly veiled medium for Piedmontese imperialism.'). At the conclusion of the address, the sickly Manin declares that he is retiring from politics in order to write books. He leaves the Piazza San Marco {10} to thunderous applause. In the future, the 21st of May will be celebrated as Il Dia de Rinascita, or the Day of Rebirth, throughout Venice.

15th November, 1848: The United Republic enters into its first alliance, the highly secretive Pact of Smyrna, with the Ottoman Empire. The Pact eliminates tariffs and trade taxes between the two states, particularly in the arena of Mediterranean trade-a vital aspect of both nations' economies. The Venetian Republic is officially recognized by Prussia, France, Austria, Bavaria, Tuscany, and the Ottoman Empire. Sardinia-Piedmont actively rejects Venetian sovereignty. Cattaneo, in the interest of increasing national pride amongst non-Venetians, sets Verona as the capital of the Serenisima, with Venice continuing to be represented as the Dogara and serving as the de jure capital.

27th November-9th December, 1848: The Collegio Republicano passes the law known as the Garrantire (guarantee), a bill of rights publicly announcing the rights of the people of the Republic, along with a constitution that officially outlines the established government.

25th December, 1848: The Emigrasione begins, wherein revolutionaries and liberals from around Europe migrate to the Republic of Venice. The event will transpire over around seven months, and will lead to Mazzini's creation of the Corpo della Liberta{11}, a military unit open to foreign volunteers. Among those who join it are thousands of those soldiers who fought during the War of Independence. Among them is General Pepe, who is given the rank of Capitan General dell Corpo. As time goes on, Pepe will be remembered as the one who gave the Foreign Legion its character and charm. Concurrently, Mazzini arives in Frankfurt to support the revolution there in the name of Venice. He begins to preach against the backwardsness of the old ways, and encourages the German National Assembly not to falter in the face of the conservatives. Mazzini and his veterans also begin the process of training the revolutionaries, in preparation for a hesitant and repulsed, but not defeated aristocratic force.

26th December, 1848-5th January 1849: A diplomatic campaign by Cattaneo results in the establishment of Venetian Consulates across Europe. The first four are created in this period, located in London, Paris, Istanbul, and Geneva. An associate Consulate is also placed in Washington DC, and unofficial liasons are sent to the revolutionary groups in Budapest, Parma, Romagna, and the Papal city of Forli.\ Ban Jelacic meets and reconciles with Austria's newly-crowned Emperor Franz Joseph I during this period, and together they appeal to the Russian Empire to maintain the Concert of Europe, arguing that the loss of Austria would result in the formation of a destructive power vacuum in the Balkans. Initially, Czar Nicholas I was hesitant to inervene, but his anti-revolutionary paranoia convinces him to aid Ferdinand.

7th-12th January, 1849: Prussian counterrevolutionaries, slowed in their resurgence by the successful Venetian Revolution but emboldened by the impending arrival of Russian troops to crush the Hungarian uprising, clash with Mazzini's German National Civic Guard in Berlin. The Prussian troops, led by Minister Otto Von Bismarck and General Von Wrangel, fail to seize the city despite theri valor and skill, due largely to the rebels' numerical and situational superiority. Von Wrangel dies early on in the attack, and some future scholars theorize that he may have been able to salvage the operation had he survived.
13th January, 1849: A delegation The Frankfurt National Assembly, led by Mazzini, meets with Bismarck outside of Berlin to discuss an end to the conflict. In a daring move, the delegation offers the lowly legislator the Crown of All Germany and the title of German Emperor. Mazzini implores Otto to take the German Throne, claiming that the German people need a strong leader to protect them, and that he deserves to be the first of a new breed of philosopher-king. Bismarck, although normally a staunch conservative, had been treated very poorly by the Prussian crown and court during his earlier attempts to restore the ancien regime, first by Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm himself, then by his various relatives and generals. In this fragile mindset, sharing the shame felt by the rest of the Prussian government and military at the Kaiser's reluctance to fight against the revolutionaries, and having just failed in his attempt to liberate Berlin, accepts on the sole condition that Berlin be the capital of the new German Empire.{12}

14th-30th January, 1849: German authorities steadily pave the way for Bismarck's ascension to the newly-established Imperial Throne. In an event known to history as the Exodus of Princes, the various monarchs of petty and major German states alike go into exile to various European, primarily in Piedmont, Britain, France, and Russia. German military leaders, particularly Prussian leaders, support Bismarck ravenously after feeling betrayed by Wilhelm's rapid capitulation to the Frankfurt rebels. Elections for the National Assembly are successfully held, with the Liberal-Center Party attaining control. MP David Hansemann is elected Minister-President and works to consolidate the new government and regime, promising those in favor of seizing German Austria {13} that the Empire will do so in the near future. Under the advice of Garibaldi, the Venetian government also begins to supply the rebels in Budapest at this time.
31st January, 1849: Kaiser Otto V of the house of Bismarck is crowned the Emperor of All Germany in a lavish ceremony in Berlin. Liberals and conservative join in praising the establishment of the Empire, with the supporters of the Ancien Regime having emigrated almost entirely. Many powers, particularly Austria, Russia, and France are terrified at what feels to them like the sudden appearence of a united German state, and those three begin to plan for a meeting to discuss the 'German Problem'.
5-12th February, 1849: Kaiser Otto chairs a secret meeting in Frankfurt with delegates from Venice, Britain, and the Ottoman Empire in order to discuss the changing situation in Europe. Representatives of many revolutionary groups also attend. During the talks, the various representatives express their concerns about the growing devide between the traditional and revolutionary powers. The climax of the meeting occurs on the 11th in the wake of two rousing speeches delivered by Otto and Cattaneo, which both call for solidarity between the assembled powers. On the 12th the Concert of Free States is formed, again in secret, with each power agreeing to come to the assistance of any in the group that is attacked by France, Russia, or Austria. As a sign of solidarity with Venice, the Ottomans begin to join their allies in supplying the Hungarian rebels. In an aside, Bismarck arrainges to supply revolutionaries in Forli and Bologna with advisors and materiel, to the joy of both the insurgents and their Venetian allies.

17th-23rd February, 1849: Austro-Croation forces under Ban Jelacic begin the surprise Renewed Offensive against rebels in Vienna. The Viennese insurgents, however, are undeterred and do not fall. Parma and Modena are successfully annexed by Venice as self-governing republics, and gain their three respective representatives to the Collegio. Piedmont rails against Venice for this, claiming that its rights have been infringed. Revolutionaries in Romagna (based in Forli), Ferrara, and Bologna rise up suddenly against their rulers, armed and led by veterans of the Venetian Revolution. Their Legates are ousted almost immediately, and a Tuscano-Papal force is deployed to crush the rebellion. Piedmont soon sends its own troops, hoping to provoke a war with Venice.
24th February, 1849: In response to the attack against the rebels in the Romagna (including Bologna and Ferrara) revolutionary groups fearful of a Papal move towards even more reactionary government rise up in Ravenna, Imola, Pesaro, and Urbino-dethroning their Legates in the process. Revolutionaries in Rome take the Papal repression of the Legations as further evidence of the opressiveness of the Curia's rule, and rise up just as suddenly as their Romagnan neighbors, confining the Holy Father and his men to the Vatican Hill and founding the Second Roman Republic. The Republic elect Carlo Amellini and Alessandro Calandrelli as the Provisional Consuls of the Republic. The Pope meets with the Consuls during the later hours of the day and is guaranteed the right to govern the Church as Supreme Pontiff.
25th February-13th March, 1849: Russian troops, after continual delays and dilly-dallying, arrive in the Balkans and join the Renewed Offensive. The 130,000-man Russian force allows the Austrians to retake Vienna, and preparations for the pacification of Bohemia and Hungary are made. Venice recognizes the legitimacy of the Roman government, as does Germany. The Romans are reinforced in short order by the Corpo della Liberta, led by Pepe and his second-in-command Garibaldi. A conflict erupts as well in the Papal army, with those in support of the Republic clashing with those against it.
15th March-3rd April, 1849: Austro-Russian troops scythe across the Balkans, consolidating and refounding Hapsburg rule. The much dreaded Hungarian Annexation is bloody and merciless. The Hungarians, outmatched and outnumbered, cannot hold out. Although Franz Joseph retakes the Throne of Saint Stephen in only a week, it takes another eleven days to completely supress the rebels in Hungary. Many of those rebels, unsatisfied with Austrian rule, join the Venetian Foreign Legion.
5th April, 1849: Garibaldi volunteers to serve as an advisor and liason to the Civil Guard of the Roman Republic, and begins work on training and equipping that force. Rome successfully annexes all of the old Papal legations, including Forli, Bologna, Imola Ferrara, and the others, successfully reuniting the old Papal States under the secular republic.

6th-17th April, 1849: Funds are sent throughout the Two Sicilies in order to ensure that a potential plebescite will result in a union between those lands and that of the Roman Republic. The planned united state is dubbed the Italian Federal Republic. Concurrently, a minor insurrection in Tuscany is crushed, and several riots occur in France, caused by a growing class conflict. Cavaignac's response is to reopen the National Assembly, and the Dictatore orders that elections be held in two months notice. Although this settles the conflict for the time, hostility continues to simmer. The Praieira Revolt is successfully quelled, stifiling any hopes of a revolution there in the vein of those in Europe. With the aid of their Venetian allies, the surviving Praieira leaders and veterans are largely able to emigrate, going on to serve in the Venetian and Roman governments.

{1}The POD is the replacement of Radetzky with Von Haynau, remembered for his brutality towards both his men and enemies in the name of discipline and honor. His crucial mistake lies in his inability to diferrentiate between the insurgents and combatants (who dress and behave similarly), and his perpetration of the Bloody Days of Milan.
{2}The revolutionaries traditionally took the name of Arsenalotti after the workers of the Arsenal Complex in Venice, who were among the first and most ardent supporters of the Republic. Also alludes to the fact that the Provisional Republic was founded within the walls of the Arsenal at the beginning of the Reolution.
{3}Concurrent to the other rebellions, the Vienna Revolution is underway.
{4} The moderate, charismatic leader of the Lombard resistance. Harbors a severe dislike for Piedmont and a love of federal republicanism. His speeches and writings serve to further unite and motivate the revolution.
{5}Manin, who was often sick and indecisive, surrounded himself with a cadre of between two and four lieutenants to offer him advice.
{6}A city on the Adriatic coast of Istria that was formerly Venetian.
{7} Cavedalis was a noted Colonel in the Venetian Civic Guard close to Manin. He went on to serve as the Field Marshal of the Venetian forces during the siege of the Quadrilatero.
{8}It is often speculated that Cattaneo was 'given' the election in order to secure Lombardy's annexation to the Republic.
{9}The Ducato is the monetary unit of the United Republic, valued at 57% of the value of the British Pound in 1848. The Lira is paid for primarily by the booming Venetian trade economy. (not needed until next update).
{6} A Charter producing several reforms of parliament. The right to vote is extended to all males 21-years of age or older without mental disabilities or being punished. The secret ballot is introduced. Bureaucrats and MP's are given pay by the government. All constituencies are reformed be equal in size and representation, and Parliament is to hold elections on a yearly basis.
{10} The Central Square of Venice that houses the seats of government.
{11} The Corpo is known popularly as 'La Legione dei Foresti'-the Foreign Legion.
{12} Bismarck had worked tirelessly to restore Prussian independence, but was constantly ignored or belittled by the Junkers and Royals who he approached. At this point in time, he even approached Friedrich Wilhelm's wife in the hopes of replacing him with his young son. It is in this context that he agrees to what he sees as a pragmatic way to save Germany from the fools who have failed to defend it.
{13}The advocates of the Greater German Solution hoped to annex the lands of the Hapsburg Empire, but quickly found themselves in the minority.
{14} While in exile in Britain, Napoleon III volunteered as a special constable during the Chartist uprising.
 
Hmm. I dont know enoough about the Chartrists to comment, but I doubt that it is that plausible. On the other hand, having Bismark become the Emperor of a Paulskirche Convention Germany is complete utter ASB. He despised everything the Frankfurt Parliament stood for, and was disgusted at the mere prospect of democracy, yet alone revolution. And he would never accept, being a mere Juncker. The whole German section is completely impossible. France... I think what you are doing there is quite plausible, but I warn you agains trying to build Venice as an 'alternate Italy'. You specified you wanted a Venice, not an Italy, so the moment you expand too far its going to become more of a Central Italian-Tuscon thing. And if Venice hates Italian nationalism, why is it supporting a Federal Republic in the south?
 
Passing on the Sceptre...

Hello everyone.
It has come to be my opinion that I should not have begun this timeline. I'm not a specialist on this period, but I tried to translate what knowledge I had of the Medieval Serenissima into this one. It, as you've seen, has been a foolhardy endeavor-I've quite literally been keeping one chapter ahead of the TL...and the poor quality is the result.

In short: I am not capable of caring for this timeline...and as a writer I can't in good conscience continue to pretend that I'm in my depth. Rather, I'm going to pursue a timeline detailing a Takeda Shogunate in Japan, one within my historical range.

In the meantime: Jimbrock, Princeps; I hope that one of you will seize the initiative and do this timeline right. I've made a 'child' here...but I can't truly care for it. I want you guys to continue the tl after me because I know that you'll do it justice.

I look forward to seeing you all on my new tl's thread and on that of Lance of Poseidon, for those two will get all of my care until their completion.

Thanks and God Bless,
-Askelion
 
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