“Foreign intervention was the main cause of the defeat of the 1848–1849 Revolutions in Italy.” Discuss.

Candidates should offer a considered and balanced review of the factors that led to the defeat of the Revolutions in Italy in 1848–1849. Some may argue there was no real unity of purpose. Piedmont was keen to extend its power in northern Italy. In Rome, Venice and Milan, the desire was to establish republics and unify Italy. In Sicily, the aim was to gain independence from Naples. Piedmont was largely unsupported by the rest of revolutionary Italy. Piedmont was defeated at Custoza and signed an armistice, but in 1849 declared war again and was defeated at Novara. To agree with the statement, responses may discuss the recovery of Austria and the activities of other powers. The Austrians regained control in the Central Duchies and Lombardy, the Venetian Republic collapsed without aid from Piedmont. In Naples, Ferdinand regained control with French mercenaries and the Roman Republic collapsed when Louis Napoleon sent aid to the Pope. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that foreign intervention was the main cause of the defeat of the 1848–1849 Revolutions in Italy. This was a relatively popular question. Some excellent responses were seen to this question with wide ranging knowledge being used to support clear and coherent arguments. Candidates were often able to weigh the importance of foreign intervention in the suppression of the revolutions against other factors e.g., the disunity of the revolutionaries. In some cases, knowledge included the defeat of Piedmont, the fall of the Roman Republic and the fate of revolutions in Venice, Milan, Sicily and Naples. Weaker responses tended to try and make the response about Italian unification and the role of Cavour in the 1850s.