Italian Revolutions 1846-1848.

... Italian Revolutions 1846-1848 In the Italian peninsula there were far-reaching developments based to some extent on aspirations which had been definitely stirring since shortly after the time of the election in June 1846, as Pope Pius IX, of a Cardinal who followed policies which led to his being perceived as holding liberal views. Prior to his demise in 1846 the previous Pope, Gregory XVI, backed by a sure reliance on Prince Metternich's Austria for support, had been responsible for establishing a pervasively repressive administration where spies and informers could ensure that liberals, nationalists, or intellectuals were routinely harassed and often received non-legal punishments. The more radical amongst the population of the States of the Church, and indeed the Italian Peninsula in general, for their part tending to be involved in secret political or revolutionary societies such as the Carbonari. By the authority of the incoming Pope there was a declaration, on

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