Questions for Review

 1.  What were the motives of each of the nations represented at the
    Congress of Vienna?
 2.  Why were the Russians and Prussians the leaders of the meeting at
    first?
 3.  Why did the English and Austrians assist each other?
 4.  What had Napoleon done for Poland? (See last chapter.)
 5.  What kings deposed by Napoleon were set back on their thrones?
 6.  What were the greatest wrongs done by the Congress?
 7.  How did the Poles protest against the settlement made by the
    Congress?
 8.  What did the Belgians do about it?
 9.  What did the French finally do to the Bourbon kings?

CHAPTER XI

  Italy a Nation at Last

The Crimean War curbs Russia.—­Cavour plans a United Italy.—­War against Austria.—­Garibaldi, the patriot.—­The Kingdom of Sardinia becomes part of the new Kingdom of Italy.—­Venice and Rome are added.—­Some Italians still outside the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Italy, under the leadership of two patriots named Mazzini and Garibaldi, was in a turmoil.  The Austrians and the Italian princes who were subject to them were constantly crushing some attempted revolution.

One thing which helped the cause of the people was that the great powers were all jealous of each other.  For example, Russia attacked Turkey in 1853, but France and England were afraid that if Russia conquered the Turks and took Constantinople, she would become too powerful for them.  Therefore, both countries rushed troops to aid Turkey, and in the end, Russia was defeated, although thousands of soldiers were killed on both sides before the struggle was over.

You will remember that the counties of Piedmont and Savoy in western Italy, together with the island of Sardinia, made up a little kingdom known as the “Kingdom of Sardinia.”  This country had for its prime minister, a statesman named Count Cavour, who, like all Italians, strongly hoped for the day when all the people living on the Italian peninsula should be one nation.  At the time of the Crimean War (as the war between Russia on the one side and Turkey, France, and England on the other was called) he caused his country also to declare war on Russia, and sent a tiny army to fight alongside of the English and French.  A few years later, he secretly made a bargain with Napoleon III. (This was what President Bonaparte of France called himself after he had been elected emperor.) The French agreed to make war with his country against the Austrians.  If they won, the Sardinians were to receive all north Italy, and in return for France’s help were to give France the county of Savoy and the seaport of Nice.