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Victor Emmanuil IIFirst king of a united Italy (1861-78).
Date of Birth: 14.03.1820
Country:  Italy |
Content:
- Biography of Victor Emmanuel II
- Efforts Toward Peace and Independence
- Increased Role as King
- Proclamation as King of Italy
- Support for the Left
Biography of Victor Emmanuel II
Victor Emmanuel II was the first king of unified Italy from 1861 to 1878. He was also the king of Sardinia (Piedmont) from 1849 and the king of Italy from 1861. He received military and religious education. During his father's reign, Charles Albert, he did not involve himself in state affairs, but displayed great determination when the king abdicated the throne after the Battle of Novara on March 23, 1849, leaving him with a defeated army and a country engulfed in revolution.
Efforts Toward Peace and Independence
Victor Emmanuel II made personal efforts to achieve peace with Austria, which resulted in the Austro-Piedmontese Peace Treaty on August 6, 1849. These efforts preserved the independence of Sardinia and allowed the development of parliamentary forms of government, leading to the resurgence of Sardinia as a leading force in Italy's fight for liberation against Austria. Victor Emmanuel II personally supported the domestic and foreign policies of his Prime Minister, Cavour.
Increased Role as King
Victor Emmanuel II's role as king significantly strengthened after the resignation of the Prime Minister who was dissatisfied with the Villafranca Peace Treaty on July 11, 1859. According to the terms of the treaty, Napoleon III left Venice under Austrian control. Cavour's diplomatic strategy aimed at annexing the independent states of Central Italy during the liberation war against Austrian domination. By supporting Garibaldi in the unification of the South, the king ensured the triumph of the monarchy in Italy.
Proclamation as King of Italy
In January 1861, the Italian Parliament elected Victor Emmanuel II as the king of Italy. On March 17, he was proclaimed "by the grace of God and the will of the people" as the king of Italy. After Cavour's death in June 1861, the king occasionally attempted to pursue policies independent of the ministers, who protested against his intrigues with Mazzini in 1864 or hindered his attempts to support Napoleon III in the war against Prussia in 1870.
Support for the Left
However, when the right-wing party lost power after the 1876 elections, Victor Emmanuel II supported the left-wing.
