Loading summary
Transcript10 lines
- [00:01]
VRBoCare Representative
Day or night, VRBoCare is here 24, 7 to help make every part of your stay seamless. If anything comes up or you simply need a little guidance, support is ready whenever you reach out. From the moment you book to the moment you head home, we're here to help things run smoothly, because a great trip starts with the right support. And hey, a good playlist doesn't hurt either.
- [00:38]
Lindsey Graham
It's a spring morning in 1860 on the island of Sicily. On a vine strewn hillside, an army of 1000 rebels stands in preparation for a battle. Leading them is an Italian revolutionary named Giuseppe Garibaldi. Garibaldi shields his eyes from the blistering sun and peers out across the valley. In the distance, some 3,000 Neapolitan soldiers march through the haze, their military coats gray against the yellow hillside. Garibaldi gives the signal to his troops. The rebels send a volley of gunfire into the oncoming soldiers. There's a brief moment as the Neapolitans prepare their artillery. And then cannonballs thud into the hillsides around Garibaldi and his men, followed by the crackle and blast of musket fire echoing throughout the sun bleached valley. As the Neapolitans unleash the full strength of their arsenal, Garibaldi orders his men to hold the line and stand firm. But they don't listen. They charge down the hill toward the enemy, their bayonets gleaming, their red uniforms bright and bold. This was not the plan. Garibaldi orders a trumpet blast to call the troops back, but his band of rebels again don't listen. These men are volunteers, not trained soldiers, and they're fighting for something they believe in, something they believe is worth dying for. As Garibaldi watches them crash into the enemy lines, he feels equally inspired. So he slings his musket across his chest and unsheathes his sword and follows his enthusiastic compatriots into battle. The fighting is dogged and fierce, but despite being outgunned and outmanned, Garibaldi's red shirted rebels push the Neapolitans back to their original position. But then the enemy regroups and takes aim. Garibaldi's second in command urges retreat. Garibaldi turns to him, his blue eyes blazing with conviction, bellowing, either we make Italy here on this spot, or we die in the endeavor. And with that, the rebels mount another charge, forcing the Neapolitans into a hasty retreat. The Battle of Calatafimi in May of 1860 was will herald the first victory of Garibaldi's invasion of Sicily. Soon the green, white and red of the Italian flag will flutter above the hillside, making a significant step in Garibaldi's ultimate goal, unifying the kingdom of Italy. At the time of the battle, Italy is a fragmented patchwork of sovereign states ruled by aristocratic European dynasties, including the Spanish House of Bourbon, which governs the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily. But support for Italian unification has been growing, a movement spearheaded by the likes of Garibaldi and his allies. After decades of simmering revolutionary sentiment, a final push towards unification begins in 1860, leading to a series of bloody battles across the peninsula, until finally the land is united under one king and Italy officially becomes a unified country on March 17, 1861.
- [03:51]
Dr. Horton / Marie Callender's Announcer
Your new home is now ready Dr. Horton, America's builder, has new homes that are ready today. With new construction communities throughout the Puget Sound and Central Washington areas And more coming, Dr. Horton has the right home for you at Dr. Horton. We're still building with more construction, more communities and more homes available every day. Tap your screen now or visit drhorton.com to find your new home now ready Dr. Horton, America's Builder and Equal Housing
- [04:20]
Whimsound Announcer
Opportunity Builder Bring incredible sound into every corner of your home with the new Whimsound smart speaker. Get high resolution Audio with a 1.8-inch touchscreen, smart control and modern design in one powerful speaker for just $299. From Quiet Mornings to lively family gatherings, Whimsound makes every moment sound better and feel better too. Create a home filled with sound sound you love. Ready to upgrade your sound? Shop now at Amazon and search Whimsound. That's W I I M S O U n D When you manage procurement
- [04:52]
Grainger Announcer
for multiple facilities, every order matters. But when it's for a hospital system, they matter even more. Grainger gets it and knows there's no time for managing multiple suppliers and no room for shipping delays. That's why Grainger offers millions of products in fast, dependable delivery so you can keep your facility stocked, safe and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. When you manage procurement for multiple facilities, every order matters, but when it's for a hospital system, they matter even more. Grainger gets it and knows there's no time for managing multiple suppliers and no room for shipping delays. That's why Grainger offers millions of products in fast to dependable delivery so you can keep your facility stocked, safe and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.
- [05:55]
Lindsey Graham
From Noser and Airship. I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is History Daily. History is made every day on this podcast. Every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is March 17, 1861, the fight for the unification of Italy. It's September 1814, about 46 years before the Battle of Calatafimi. Delegates across Europe have come to the city of Vienna to attend a peace conference. Inside the opulent banquet hall of the Bauhausblatz, princes, dukes and barons discuss the balance of power on the continent. The future of Europe is being decided here amidst powdered wigs and gilded chandeliers. And the main question of the day is how to prevent history from repeating itself. Until recently, the future of European hegemony was in the hands of one Frenchman, Napoleon Bonaparte. By 1812, Napoleon's empire stretched from Spain in the west to Russia in the east. He defeated the monarchies of Prussia, Austria and Spain, as well as the Italian states, disseminating French ideals of republicanism along the way. But following Napoleon's downfall in 1814, Europe's great powers, including Prussia, Austria, Great Britain, Russia, and the recently restored monarchy of France, are eager to reinstate the old aristocratic regimes and to stem the revolutionary tide of democratic liberalism spreading across the region. Here in Italy, at the Conference of Vienna, ambassadors from these European powers worked to divide up the Italian peninsula. Prior to the rise of Napoleon, the peninsula was checkered by independent states ruled by dukes and princes. To maintain a healthy balance of power, the ambassadors at the gathering redivide the peninsula. Among the four European royal families, the Austrian Habsburg Empire acquires the northeast. The House of Savoy claims the northwest. The Pope recovers his territories in central Italy, while in the south, the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon reassumes control of Naples and Sicily. But even as Italy is divided up among royal families, the first stirrings of unity are emerging. Things started to change during the Napoleonic occupation, when the Italian states were grouped under one Italian republic. Prior to Napoleon, the modern day Italian language was only spoken by scholars and intellectuals. But in the wake of Napoleon's downfall, this language slowly but surely starts to replace regional dialects and a distinct Italian identity begins to take root. And following the Congress of Vienna, nationalist sentiment only increases, giving rise to a secretive network of revolutionary societies called the Carbonari. Its members all want the same an end to the rule of absolutist monarchy and the unification of Italy under one constitution. Throughout the 1820s, members of the Carbonari instigate armed revolts against the Habsburg, Savoy and Bourbon monarchies. In the course of these revolts, supporters of Italian unification adopt a red, white and green flag, inspired by the flag of France as a symbol of liberty and unity. But the monarchists try their best to repress this revolutionary fervor. The Habsburgs, who rule in the northeast and some of central Italy, entirely repudiate the notion of Italian statehood. Austrian Chancellor Franz Metternich believes the word Italy is a mere geographic expression and nothing more. But Metternich underestimates the scale of the unification movement sweeping the peninsula. Some people know that Italy is more than just geography. And soon enough, one prominent member of the Carbonari will emerge as a hero of Italian unification and a thorn in the side of the monarchy. It's 1833 in Genoa, northern Italy. 12 men stand before a firing squad. They're all members of a revolutionary group called Young Italy, a nationalist organization responsible for plotting to overthrow the Savoy monarchy. The plot was foiled and its architects were sentenced to death. As an officer shouts the signal, there's a crack of rifle fire and the 12 men drop like stones. The monarchists foiled Young Italy's scheme, but they failed to kill the ringleader of the plot. The the founder of Young Italy, giuseppe Mazzini. The 28 year old Mazzini is an ardent member of the Carbonari. He was arrested years ago, in 1827 for spreading revolutionary propaganda. And after being released in 1831, he was exiled to Switzerland. But there he promptly established Young Italy. And by 1833 the group has amassed some 60,000 followers. When Mazzini hears about the execution of his 12 followers, he doesn't cower. He grows even more determined to overthrow the Savoy monarchy and achieve a united Italy. So he organizes another plot. This time he plans a two pronged invasion of Genoa. Mazzini will lead troops from Switzerland in the north, while another member of Young Italy leads a second invasion by sea. This man is a 26 year old merchant navy captain named Giuseppe Garibaldi. Garibaldi joined Young Italy in 1833 after meeting Mazzini and becoming galvanized by the cause of Italian unification. Garibaldi vowed to make it his life's goal to liberate his homeland from foreign monarchies. He's smart, charismatic, a man of integrity. Mazzini was glad to have him on board. But the two pronged attack in Genoa will also fail. Mazzini will again be arrested, along with Garibaldi, who will be sentenced to death.
- [11:57]
Grainger Announcer
This is the story of the one As a procurement manager for a hospital system, she keeps every facility in her network stocked and ready. That's why she counts on Grainger to be her single source for thousands of products, from disinfectants to lighting, air filters and more. And with fast, dependable delivery, Grainger helps her keep every facility stocked, safe and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.
- [12:27]
Cox Internet Announcer
Quieres mejor Internet Cox Internet de tresintas megas tiene las velocidades rapidas y confiables que buscas perfecto para streaming y gaming y TRA bajar des casa todo por solo cuernte cinco dolores almes con da gregas Cox Mobile Include.
- [12:56]
Dr. Horton / Marie Callender's Announcer
For delicious meals, you could go out to eat, or you could just make a Marie Callender's meal. Marie Callender's classic chicken parmigiana bowl is so good. It has marinara sauce that's made from scratch and creamy mozzarella cheese over pasta. It's delicious with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives and 30 grams of protein. You can find it in the frozen aisle. Marie Callender's what Having It All Tastes Like.
- [13:31]
Lindsey Graham
It's April 1848, 14 years after the failure of the two pronged invasion, a ship cuts through choppy waters across the eastern Mediterranean. On board are a group of Italian revolutionaries who are returning to their home on the peninsula. Among them is a bearded man with steely blue eyes and a poncho slung around his neck. Giuseppe Garibaldi has spent the last 12 years in South America, where he fled after being sentenced to death for his role in the failed insurrection in Genoa. But Garibaldi made good use of his time away from Italy. He took command of a group of exiled Italian soldiers known as the Italian Legion and joined independence movements across the South American continent. Today, Garibaldi and his Italian Legion are sailing back to Italy to join a wellspring of anti monarchy revolutions sweeping Europe. When Garibaldi heard that unrest was breaking out in the Italian states, he seized the opportunity. He hopes that the moment has finally arrived to topple the monarchies and unite Italy. Garibaldi and his men head to Milan, where rebels from the northwestern region of Piedmont are leading a revolt against the occupying Austrian Habsburgs. This revolt would become known as the First Italian War of Independence. Garibaldi takes command of a small force of rebel soldiers and joins the revolt. But after suffering a crushing defeat against Austrian troops in March 1849, Garibaldi is again forced to flee, this time south to Rome, where he is greeted by a familiar face. Giuseppe Mazzini, Garibaldi's old friend and mentor, has recently become head of the Roman Republic, a democratic city state created after the ousting of Pope pius IX in 1848. For Mazzini, controlling Rome is a major symbolic step towards unification. But trouble is on the horizon. News of the events in Rome have reached France, where Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew, Louis Napoleon, now rules as an elected president. France is a predominantly Catholic nation, so Louis Napoleon decides to please his Catholic citizens by dispatching an army to topple the new Roman Republic and to restore order under the old pope, Pius IX. On June 1, 1849, the siege of Rome begins. 30,000 French troops survived around the city under the bombardment of French artillery fire. Garibaldi's 7,000 volunteers defend Rome courageously, but they cannot withstand the onslaught. Soon, French soldiers breach the city walls and wage war in the streets. Under Garibaldi's charismatic leadership, the soldiers of the Roman Republic fight with spirit, defending Mazzini's vision for a free, democratic society. But ultimately, the French prove too powerful. Mazzini, Garibaldi and other members of the Republican leadership fall back into the Roman assembly when they must decide their next steps. Drenched in blood from battling the French, Garibaldi urges retreat, stating, wherever we may be, there will be Rome. Mazzini looks out at the crumbling ruins of the ancient city, which once stood as a symbol of democracy. Now it is riddled with bullets and pockmarked by artillery blasts. With a heavy heart, Mazzini agrees with Garibaldi. Unification will come, but not today. Once again, both Mazzini and Garibaldi flee Italy. Mazzini escapes first to Switzerland and then to London, where he will publish revolutionary journals. Garibaldi, still hounded by French and Austrian authorities, ends up in retirement on the island of Caprera in the Mediterranean. And with Mazzini and Garibaldi out of the picture, the the Italian unification movement appears to have sputtered to an end. But soon a third crucial figure will take center stage. A politician from northern Italy who believes the best way to achieve unification is not through violence, but through diplomacy. It's July 1858. In the town of Plambiere les Baines in eastern France. Louis Napoleon of France is holding a clandestine meeting with the the prime Minister of Piedmont, a man named Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour. A far cry from the romantic figure of Garibaldi, Cavour is portly and middle aged, with pink cheeks and wire framed spectacles. Though descended from a long line of Savoy aristocrats, Cavour is a liberal reformer dedicated to the cause of Italian unification. Cavour has arranged this meeting with Louis Napoleon to negotiate a treaty between Florida France in Piedmont. Cavour wants to oust his enemies, the Austrian Habsburgs, from the Italian peninsula. But to do that he needs the help of the French. A cunning diplomat, Cavour convinces Louis Napoleon that by driving the Austrians from northern Italy, France will emerge as Europe's leading power. Louis Napoleon is persuaded. The Franco Piedmontese alliance launches what will become known as the Second Italian War of Independence. And this time, unlike as in the first, the Austrian Habsburgs are defeated. They are driven from their domains in Lombardy before relinquishing their central Italian territories to Cavour and Piedmont. The victory gives Cavour hope for the total unification of the entire peninsula. But there are still vast portions of the south under the dominion of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty. Cavour cannot simply launch an invasion of another sovereign state. He would be ostracized by the European establishment. What Cavour needs is someone who isn't afraid of upsetting the status quo. Someone who has a long track record of picking fights with sovereign powers. He needs Giuseppe Garibaldi. It's May 1860, in the Mediterranean Sea. Two steamships plow through the waves heading south. At the prow of one ship stands Giuseppe Garibaldi. Garibaldi has assembled an army of 1000 volunteers to invade Sicily and overthrow the Spanish branch of the Bourbon monarchy. But Garibaldi is not acting on Cavour's orders. He has undertaken this daring maneuver all on his own. And after landing on the island of Sicily, Garibaldi's men win their first battle against the Neapolitan defenders before going on to take the capital city, Palermo. When Cavour hears that Garibaldi has defeated the Bourbon occupants of Sicily, he grows excited. Total unification is closer than ever before. And then, when Garibaldi's army lands on the southern tip of the Italian mainland, Cavour urges the King of piedmont, Victor Emmanuel II, to send an army to welcome him. On October 26, 1860, in the town of Teano in the southern region of Campania, Garibaldi's tired, weary rebel army meets with the forces of Victor Emmanuel and the two leaders shake hands. It's a symbolic moment. Garibaldi has compromised his most fervent anti monarchy beliefs for the sake of unification. Because if Italy can unite, even if under one Italian king and Garibaldi is happy. The combined forces of Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel go on to defeat the remaining Bourbon troops. And once his mission is complete, Garibaldi returns to the island of Caprera, refusing to accept a financial reward for his heroic exploits. For Garibaldi, unification is now all but assured and his work at long last is done. But although the peninsula is effectively united, Italy has yet to be proclaimed a nation. That Moment comes on March 17, 1861. In the Palazzo Carignano in Turin. The newly elected Italian parliament meet for the first time. King Victor Emmanuel II stands before the assembled ministers and declares the Kingdom of Italy an independent country. He will rule as its monarch, while the Count of Cavour will be Italy's first prime minister. The grand hall erupts in applause. The unification of Italy did not happen in a day. It was a decades long fight characterized by revolts, reform and war. But that struggle and the heroic actions of men like Garibaldi, Mazzini and Cavour is celebrated on this day of unity. March 17, 1860. Next on History Daily. March 18, 1913. Just months after a historic military victory, king George the First of Greece is shot dead, ending a tumultuous 50 year reign. From Nouser and Airship, this is History Daily. Hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham. Audio editing by Molly Bond Music and sound design by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written and researched by Joe Viner. Executive producers are Steven Walters for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.