Count de Cavour was born in 1810 at Piedmont, and received military education. He served in military for some time. He had studied history and culture of Italy and had developed a patriotic spirit. He advocated the English Constitutional System. In 1847, he started a newspaper called ‘Risorgimento’ (Rebirth). As the editor of the paper, he mobilized public opinion to unite Italy.
His political career began when he was elected to the Parliament of Piedmont in 1850. He was appointed as the Prime Minister in 1852 by Victor Emmanuel II. He served as Prime Minister from 1852 to 1861. He had the dream of uniting Italy under the leadership of Sardinia. But before taking up that task, he undertook many reforms to make Sardinia strong. Economy was reformed. Commercial taxes were reduced. He encouraged education and industries. He thus developed the State and it became a ‘Model State’.
He relieved in the policy of war and diplomacy to unite Italy. Cavour believed that Italian Unification could be achieved only with the help of other European countries. Hence, he took part in the Crimean war. This war, fought between England and France 1854-1856, on the side of Turkey against Russia had no reason for Cavour to take part. But with a foresight to create an image about his State before England and France, he made this move. He remarked. ‘Out of the mud of Crimea, Italy will be made’. After the war, in the Paris Peace Congress, he put forth the problems of Italy before the leaders.
Napoleon III, the ruler of France was very sympathetic to the cause of Italian Unification. Cavour signed an agreement with Napoleon III at Plombieres in 1858. Napoleon promised to help Cavour against Austria in return for Which Cavour had to give Savoy and Nice. Cavour built his army. Austria was suspicious of the meeting between Cavour and Napoleon and the militarization of Sardinia and ordered Sardinia to disarm. When Sardinia refused, the war began in 1859. This war lasted for two months. The Austrians were defeated at Magenta and Salfereno. But Napoleon stopped the war without giving a clue to Sardinia, concluded the treaty of ‘Villa Franca’ with Austria.
According to this treaty, Austrian troops were evacuated from Lombardy and it was ceded to Victor Emmanuel II. Thus, the first stage of unification was set in. Napoleon received Nice and Savoy. The abrupt end of the war disappointed Cavour. He forced King Victor Emmanuel II not to accept the treaty of Villa Franca. But when Victor Emmanuel refused, he resigned. But soon he was re-elected and took over as the Prime Minister.
In 1860 Modena, Parma, Tuscany, Romagna, Umbria and Marches voted to merge with Sardinia. This led to the second step in the unification. Considered ‘the Brain of Italian Unification’ he died in 1861. He died almost a decade before the Unification of Italy. His last words were “Italy is made, all is safe’. It was indeed an optimistic quote.
