Crimean War Ended the Nearly 40 Years of Peace in Europe Among the Great Powers

Crimean War ended the nearly 40 years of peace in Europe among the Great Powers. Russia vs France and Great Britain

Italian Unification*

- Giuseppe Mazzini à known as “the spirit” of Italian Unification, Mazzini was one of the first Italian nationalists. Although Mazzini made many attempts to unify Italy through movements like Young Italy and conspiracies and propaganda (etc.), he never succeeded.

The task of unification came to the small state of Piedmont-Sardinia, which had fought Austria (1848) and emerged with a constitutional monarchy led by Victor Emmanuel II (Now seen as the leading state in Italy).

CamilloCavour - Prime Minister of Piedmont-Sardinia.

Believed Piedmont needed to strengthen its Industry and Army

Once that was achieved Piedmont would lead Risorgimento

Wanted Italy to be ruled by the house of Savoy (Victor Emmanuel II)

Wanted a form of Constitutional Monarchy

Plombieres Agreement made by Cavour w/Louis Napoleon, the Plombieres Agreement stated that if Piedmont were at war w/Austria then France would support Piedmont.

Piedmont sent troops to the Crimea

If Piedmont won, then there would be land gains for both countries. Cavour wanted Venetia and Lombardy out of the deal (but he never intended to fully unify Italy), and Napoleon wanted to weaken Austria, get Nice and Savoy.

1859 war between Piedmont and Austria

Treaty of Villafranca .Napoleon III pulled out and the Austrian-Sardinian war ends.

Piedmont gained Lombardy

Northern Italy (w/exeception of Venetia). Unified with Piedmont-Sardinia

Garibaldireturned and recruited a thousands volunteers (Red Shirts), and attacked the Kingdom of Two Sicily. As he won battles, his army grew.

Garibaldi decided to march on Rome and The Papal States

He was intercepted by Victor Emmanuel and agreed to surrender his forces.

The Austro-Prussian War (1866), Italy received Venetia.

The Franco-Prussian War( 1870) , Italyinvades Rome and The papal StatesRome.

Italian Unification was now complete

German Unification

The Burshchenschaften

The Zollverein (Prussian led economic union) was formed.

Then in 1848 the Frankfurt Assembly reinforced the concept of a united Germany.

In 1861, Wilhelm I became the new king.

In 1862 Otto von Bismarck was appointed Chancellor or Prime Minister.

- Similarities to Italian Unification, events not planned in advance (contrary to leader’s claims later on), industrialized north and rural south, done piece by piece, done using Realpolitik.

Obstacle in both cases = Austria.

When Wilhelm I came to power in 1861, there was a big issue on military spending: Wilhelm wanted $, Parliament didn’t want more taxes. Wilhelm appointedBismarck.

Blood and Iron speech

3 Leaders of German Unification

King Wilhelm(William)I

Chancellor Otto von Bismarck

General Helmuth von Moltke

-1864 Danish WarAustriaPrussiadeclare war on Denmark. War originated when Denmark attempted to seize the German provinces of Schleswig and Holstein.

The Treaty of ViennaAustria receivedHolstein, PrussiareceivedSchleswig.

Austro-Prussian (Seven Weeks) War (1866)Bismarckstarted this war by causing trouble in Holstein.

The Prussians defeated Austrian

The Peace of PraguePrussia received Schleswig and Holstein. Prussians are lenient towards Austria

The North German Confederation(1867)

-The Crisis of the Spanish Succession occurs. The Spanish throne is vacant.

Bismarck proposed Leopold of Hohenzollern (Wilhelms cousin).

Francedoesn’t support Leopold candidacy.

Ems Dipatch,

The Franco-Prussian War 1870-71

The Treaty of Frankfurt

The Bismarckian System